The Printed Page

Title: The Tulip Virus
Author/website(s): Daniëlle Hermans (is in her native language; I didn’t find an English translation)
278 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication date: April ’10 (United States) / 2008 Internationally
Genre: Mystery; a mix of contemporary and historical settings
Review book or pleasure reading: Pleasure reading
New-to-me author: Yes
Would I recommend this book: I would
Would I read more from this author: She has a new release in January of 2011, De man van Manhattan, in her native language which from the cover alone I’m excited to get my hands on
Journal notes: So I was a bit hesitant when I spotted the bit about the story being translated as some times that doesn’t work so well. No worries with The Tulip Virus as the translation was flawless. I really enjoyed the mysteries, both historical and contemporary. And I learned about a time in history that I knew absolutely nothing about before reading The Tulip Virus. The buying, market speculation and collapse of the tulip trade in 1637. Fortunes made and lost in mere days. And sadly that this beautiful tulip is caused by a virus. It was a very enjoyable book to read and kept me turning pages. And of course the cover is gorgeous.

In 1636 Alkmaar, Holland, Wouter Winckel’s brutally slaughtered body is found in the barroom of his inn, an antireligious pamphlet stuffed in his mouth. Winckel was a respected tulip-trader and owned the most beautiful collection of tulips in the United Republic of the Low Countries, including the most coveted and expensive bulb of them all, the Semper Augustus. But why did he have to die and who wanted him dead?

In 2007 London, history seems to be repeating itself. Dutchman Frank Schoeller is found in his home by his nephew, Alec. Severely wounded, he is holding a 17th-century book about tulips, seemingly a reference to the reason for his death moments later. With the help of his friend Damien Vanlint, an antique dealer from Amsterdam, Alec tries to solve the mystery, but soon comes to realize that he and his friend’s own lives are now in danger.

The Tulip Virus was provided to me by Bridget at Minotaur Books. I was not paid and this book is being passed along to another book blogger

The most sought after tulip of the auction - Semper Augustus