Dutch historical novel to HC

HarperCollins is to publish a Dutch historical novel by Simone Van der Vlugt titled Midnight Blue.

Lynne Drew, publishing director at HarperCollins, bought world English language rights to the title from Laura Susijn at the The Susijn Agency.

The novel is set in the "fascinating" period of Golden Age of the 17th century, a time in which commerce, science and the arts "took a great leap forwards". The heroine, Catrijn, a young widow, leaves behind her home village to seek a new life as a housekeeper in Amsterdam. But when her past catches up with her, she is taken on by Evert van Nulandt in his pottery factory in Delft, and trained to paint the famous and highly prized pottery.

"Colourful, rich and pacy, it weaves fact and fiction and will be hugely appealing to reading groups who love to be transported to different times", the publisher has said.

Midnight Blue has also been sold to Germany (HarperCollins), Italy, Spain and Hungary with "very strong interest" from the rest of the world.

Van der Vlugt said: "I am really proud and happy that HarperCollins will be publishing my book. I’m looking forward to working together and hope that my book will be as well received in the UK as in the Netherlands."

Drew said: "I loved being swept up in the Golden Age of Vermeer, Rembrandt and was fascinated by the Delft pottery. Catrijn is a heroine we can all admire in a time where women had few options for independence, and this is a perfect reading group book, guaranteed to transport the reader to a gloriously rich period of history."

HarperCollins UK will publish Midnight Blue in spring 2017.