Midnight Blue: A Novel

Midnight Blue is the fictional account of Catrin, a twenty-five year old, 17th century Dutch widow. When her husband suddenly dies under odd circumstances, Catrin takes the unusual step of leaving her small farming community for a life in the city. While the housekeeper to a prosperous merchant in Amsterdam, her employer discovers her natural gift for painting. When issues surrounding her past follow her, Catrin must flee to the small town of Delft. There, she takes another unusual step, making a life as a painter of porcelain with her former employer’s brother. Here again, however, her past and a looming plague threaten, all while she halfheartedly waits for a roguish seafaring trader to return from the Far East.

Translated from Dutch and already an international bestseller, this novel tells the story of an unusual, young woman living during the flourishing period in Dutch history that saw Rembrandt, Vermeer, and the famous Delft Blue pottery. Simone van der Vlugt creates a powerful story through which to explore an exciting time in history.