Book Review: The Portrait by Olivia Godat

Reviewed by Elizabeth Reiser

A fast-paced cozy mystery with an added edge and a touch of romance 

In Olivia Godat’s, The Portrait, protagonist Faith finds her uneventful life unexpectedly complicated when her terminally ill father is blackmailed to the tune of $500,000. Soon Faith finds herself entangled in the repercussions of her father’s secrets, which include an art heist, a ransom, and even some romance. 

When Faith intercepts a phone call from her father’s blackmailer, she is understandably intrigued and tries to get him to confide in her. Unfortunately, she is unable to convince him before he passes away. 

In a twist of fate, she stumbles upon a marked $100 bill while walking on the beach. She soon finds herself at the center of a bank robbery, an art heist, and unaccounted ransom money, and it is all connected to what her dad kept hidden. With the help of a handsome investigator named Sandy, can Faith get to the bottom of this mystery?

Godat has a talent for pacing. There are several twisting plot points, and they move along quickly and with purpose. The setting is atmospheric, switching from rainy Seattle, Washington to sunny Carmel, California, but most of the plot occurs in the tiny town of Hoodsport, Washington. The author calls this place home, and there is a clear respect for Hoodsport in these scenes. The setting is portrayed vividly, and the inclusion of the art world there is a fun conceit. 

There are a fair number of characters in this story, and they are intriguing with hints of interesting backstories. As there are so many, they do come across as underdeveloped sometimes. I could have used a bit more background on these people, especially in the case of the villain. While a compelling antagonist, the audience never gets to know her as well as they could. 

There is a romantic subplot, but the book is a fairly innocent read. The romance could be considered more closed-door, and none of the deaths throughout are described in graphic detail. This would appeal to fans of romance and mystery who like their books to read a little more Hallmark and a little less Lifetime. 

The Portrait is a fun, light vacation read that opens itself up to the possibility of a sequel. If that ends up being the case, this book is a promising first installment that seems to be leading to a quite satisfying series.

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