The Golden Tulip

By Rosalind Laker

A sweeping tale of family, political intrigue, and obsession.

17th Century Amsterdam. Francesca’s famous painter father turns to gambling after the death of her mother, and their family is close to ruin. Francesca manages to escape through an apprenticeship with artist Johannes Vermeer, the master of Delft.

But on arrival, she discovers a secret pact between her father and wealthy shipowner Ludolf that threatens her relationship with Pieter van Doorne, a tulip merchant. As her artistic talent blooms, ‘tulip mania’ sweeps the land, and fortunes are being made on a single bulb. What seems like a boon for Pieter instead reveals the extent of the betrayal of Francesca’s father. Will she ever escape?

The Golden Tulip brings one of the most exciting periods of Dutch history alive, creating a page-turning novel that is as vivid and unforgettable as a Vermeer painting.

Rosalind Laker is the pen name of Barbara Ovstedal, who also wrote under the pseudonyms Barbara Paul and Barbara Douglas. Her many books include The Sugar Pavilion and To Dance with Kings and they have been translated into over twenty languages.