The Color Thief

Early spring, Lier 1810. Michael expertly manages the dyeing works of the cotton processing company De Heyder in Lier. To his regret, he does not have a son of his own who could succeed him as dye master. Among his dyers, there is a young man who, in his eyes, has the right qualities: Jan-Frederik Simoens. But unexpected things soon come to light about Jan-Frederik.

What does this young man have to do with the Ghent recruiters who deal in shady deals? Where is the barge filled with tons of madder for the red dye? And oh disaster, who stole the color book, a notebook in which secret color recipes have been noted since time immemorial? Things get even more complicated when Michael's father Heinrich also disappears and the weavers' master servant gets a mysterious suitcase in custody.

Lydia Verbeeck takes us to Lier at the beginning of the 19th century. You smell the stench of the dye vats, you hear the rattling of the weaving machines, you taste the poverty in the lunch boxes. The Colour Thief offers a reading feast for all the senses, an exciting page-turner in a historical setting.