Girl with a Pearl Earring

I am about one third of the way through this fascinating novel. Written by Tracy Chevalier, it tells the story behind one of Vermeer's famous portraits - Girl with a pearl earring. The account is fictional as we have no knowledge of who the girl was or why Vermeer painted her. At this point, I cannot tell where the narrative is going, but the story is a beautifully crafted account of life in Delft in the 17th century and of the relationship between a master painter and his maid.