The wrongful imprisonment of Cornelius van Baerle, a man obsessed with cultivating the perfect black tulip, sets off a race against political instability and personal vendetta. Driven by his singular passion for horticulture, Cornelius finds himself caught in the crossfire of the 1672 Dutch political upheaval following the murder of the De Witt brothers. He must navigate the constraints of his incarceration while relying on the assistance of Rosa, the jailer's daughter, to protect his precious bulb from his rival, Boxtel. The narrative unfolds through a third-person perspective that balances the intimate stakes of the protagonist's botanical goal with the broader, volatile climate of the Dutch Republic.

Readers often note that this work stands apart from the author's more expansive adventure novels due to its tighter focus and shorter length. Discussion frequently centers on the effective use of the tulip as a central metaphor for both beauty and the fragility of human rights. Critics highlight the balance between the historical backdrop of the Dutch Republic and the personal stakes of the protagonist's quest. Many appreciate how the narrative maintains tension despite the relatively contained scope of the plot. The work is frequently cited for its accessibility and its clear, moralistic undertones regarding the nature of power and tolerance.