The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas is a historical fiction classic. The story begins with the very public and horrible crowd murders of two brothers, Cornelius and John De Witte, who are believed to be traitors opposed to the rule of Prince William of Orange. Cornelius Van Baerle is the godson of one of the brothers, Cornelius De Witte, who has been given a sealed packet by his godfather to hold in safety for him. Van Baerle leads a quiet life, focusing primarily on the growth and development of beautiful tulips. A jealous tulip-growing neighbor reveals the existence of the letter packet and Van Baerle is arrested and convicted by association. He has been working to develop a pure black tulip and has three tiny suckers which he believes will grow into the black tulip in his possession at the time of his arrest. He is sentenced to live imprisonment. The story unfolds with the jailer's daughter falls in love with Van Baerle and he with her. Together they grow a black tulip but before they can submit it to the Horticultural Society and gain the prestigious prize, the tulip is stolen by the jealous neighbor. To discover the climax read the book yourself. Very good read.

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