Hanging beside the door is a painting of a wedding feast. ­ The light is centred on the bride; the guests are banished to the shade. ­ That is how it is when he looks at her: all others fade away.

1642.
­The Dutch Golden Age is underway, with Amsterdam at the height of its powers.

Geertje, an impoverished widow from Edam, enters a melting pot of wealth and culture when she becomes nursemaid in the house of renowned painter Rembrandt.
After Rembrandt's wife dies, Geertje is drawn deeper into his world and despite her friends' warnings, she begins a passionate affair with the master of light and shadow, with devastating results.
Based on the true account of a wronged woman who demanded justice, with themes of feminism, loss, ambition and redemption, this is a remarkable debut, perfect for fans of sumptuous historical fiction.