4 and 5 May – Remembrance and Liberation Day – are important dates in the Netherlands as they mark the end of the Second World War by honoring its victims then celebrating freedom after five long years of fighting. May 4th is Remembrance Day in the Netherlands, when all those who lost their lives during World War II are honored in ceremonies all over the city. At 8 p.m. there is two minutes’ of silence. This is strictly enforced and…
Fancy a trip to the Netherlands? Whether you enjoy amateur sleuth mysteries, psychological thrillers or WWII historical fiction, these (audio)books are guaranteed to transport you to Holland – no passport required! All three authors – Anja de Jager, Imogen Matthews and Jennifer S. Alderson – have a special bond with the Netherlands and their descriptions of setting are sure to resonate with readers who have visited this lovely country before, and inspire those who have not yet been! Happy travels…
I am incredibly honored to see The Lover’s Portrait on TripFiction’s list of 10 Favourite Books set in Amsterdam! And my art mystery set in World War Two and present-day Amsterdam is in excellent company. 🙂 “Here are 10 of our favourite books set in Amsterdam – as rated by the TripFiction community and in no particular order. Come and join us on a tour of this fabulous city – both past and present. Novels by Jake Woodhouse, Jessie Burton, Anja…
I am thrilled to welcome crime fiction author Anja de Jager to my blog today! Her Lotte Meerman series is ideal for those who enjoy a good detective story as well as want to be transported to Amsterdam. Even for someone like me who lives in this city and knows it well, it was a joy to read and fun to see the city through her eyes. You can read my review of Death on the Canal on TripFiction. The…
Amsterdam is the perfect setting for an art-related mystery, especially one in which the looting of artwork by the Nazis during World War Two plays a central role. My second novel, The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery, is about an American art history student who finds clues to the whereabouts of a collection of masterpieces hidden somewhere in Amsterdam, secreted away in 1942 by a homosexual art dealer who’d rather die than turn his collection over to his Nazi blackmailer. I can…
I am thrilled to announce my third mystery will be released on April 6, 2018! Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery has been a joy to write. It combines my love for anthropology, history, artifacts and Amsterdam into one novel. 🙂 Beta readers are also excited about it, one wrote back: ‘Excellent story, interesting twists. I really love The Lover’s Portrait but Rituals of the Dead is a step up.’ Be sure and read The Lover’s Portrait and Down and…
Last night, Dutch streets were lit up by hundreds of children carrying lamps, in search of candy. November 11 is Sint Maarten, or Saint Martin’s Day. Officially, it’s the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours, a Bishop who was a patron of the poor. One of his more famous acts was cutting his cloak in half and giving it to a beggar. Nowadays, it is a day for children – often dressed up as little bishops, Spiderman or whatever…
On September 5, the Homomonument turns thirty! In the shadows of the Westerkerk is this unique and imposing monument which was erected to ‘inspire and support homosexual men and women in their fight against denial, repression and discrimination.’ It was the first monument in the world to honor homosexual victims of World War Two. The thing is, you may not even realize you are standing on the monument when you are there 🙂 Three pink marble triangles placed into the…
Amsterdam is painted in vibrant rainbow colors this week! Pride Amsterdam kicked off Saturday night and continues until August 6. This is one of the most fun weeks to be here thanks to all of the celebrations, street parties, outdoor concerts and over-the-top outfits you’re bound to encounter when roaming around the city center. My favorite part of the week is the Canal Parade. Eighty boats representing a diverse array of LGBTQ-friendly organizations will sail through the city center on…