Midnight Blue

In 1654 Amsterdam, a twenty-five-year-old widow named Catrin is left reeling when her husband dies suddenly. She leaves her village and takes a position as housekeeper for the prosperous Van Nulandt merchant household. A secret from her past soon threatens the fresh start she has made.

The city is at the height of its Golden Age, with science and art thriving and Dutch ships returning from the Far East laden with exotic goods. When a figure from her past endangers her new life, Catrin flees to Delft, where her talent for painting wins her work as a pottery painter.

In the workshop, a new kind of pottery takes shape, designed to rival the highly prized Chinese porcelain, and the blue ware that comes from it becomes known as Delft Blue. When misfortune strikes, Catrin faces a difficult choice. Readers who enjoyed Tulip Fever or Girl with a Pearl Earring may find this a natural next pick.