- “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank – This iconic autobiographical work depicts the life of Anne Frank hiding from the Nazis during World War II in Amsterdam.
- “Tulip Fever” by Deborah Moggach – Set during the Dutch Golden Age, this historical novel revolves around a passionate affair in seventeenth-century Amsterdam, intertwined with the booming tulip trade.
- “The Dinner” by Herman Koch – This psychological thriller takes place in Amsterdam and follows two couples who meet at a fancy restaurant for dinner, each with a dark secret to hide.
- “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Tracy Chevalier – Inspired by Vermeer’s famous painting, this historical novel delves into the fictionalised life of the girl depicted in the artwork in seventeenth-century Delft.
- “The Assault” by Harry Mulisch – Set in the aftermath of World War II in Haarlem, this novel explores the repercussions of a deadly assault on a Dutch family and the collective silence that follows.
- “The Evenings” by Gerard Reve – Considered a Dutch literary classic, this novel follows a young man’s monotonous life in post-World War II Amsterdam over the course of ten evenings.
- “Max Havelaar” by Multatuli – Published in 1860, this groundbreaking book critiques colonialism and exploitation in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), highlighting the struggles faced by local farmers.
- “The Black Tulip” by Alexandre Dumas – Although written by a French author, this novel is set in the Netherlands during the seventeenth-century Tulip Mania and portrays a race to cultivate a black tulip.
- “The House of Windjammer” by Anton Quintana – This historical novel takes place in seventeenth-century Zeeland and follows a young orphan, Thijs, as he navigates his dangerous journey through life.
- “The Reunion” by Simone van der Vlugt – Offering a compelling mix of historical fiction and mystery, this novel is set in seventeenth-century Amsterdam and explores the dark secrets surrounding a group of childhood friends.
WANDERLIST: Ten famous novels set in the Netherlands
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