Books like The collector's apprentice by Barbara A. Shapiro

Nineteen‑year‑old Paulien Mertens escapes a ruined family life in 1922 by assuming the identity of Vivienne Gregsby. She moves to Paris, where she takes up work with the eccentric American collector Edwin Bradley and becomes entangled in the vibrant expatriate scene, including artists such as Henri Matisse and associations with Gertrude Stein. Her ambitions to recover her father’s art collection and prove her innocence collide with personal revenge against her former fiancé, George Everard, who reappears with ambiguous motives. The story heightens when Vivienne is arrested on murder charges, prompting a race to uncover a plot that extends from Paris to Philadelphia. Set against the backdrop of post‑Impressionist art and the cultural milieu of the 1920s, the novel blends mystery, investigation, and romance in a tale of identity, betrayal, and the high stakes of art theft.

First publish date: 2018