I have finished several books since last I posted here - I am getting very lazy.
Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
This is a vivid description of life in Delft in the 17th century. The book is about one of Vermeer's most famous paintings, The Girl With a Pearl Earring. The story is told from the point-of-view of Griet, the model for the painting who is a maid in the painter