The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas.  
The Black Tulip is an 1850 historical novel by Alexandre Dumas, set in 17th-century Holland during the "Tulipmania" craze, that follows Cornelius van Baerle, a tulip grower who becomes entangled in political intrigue after his godfather, Cornelius de Witt, is assassinated. Falsely accused of treason, Cornelius is imprisoned and, with the help of the jailer's daughter, Rosa, secretly works to cultivate the first black tulip to win a prize and clear his name, all while a jealous rival tries to sabotage him. It's a story of romance, jealousy, and political allegory, known as one of Dumas's shorter works. 
Key elements of the novel:  
- Plot: A young man's obsession with growing a black tulip is interrupted by political turmoil, leading to imprisonment, a love story with the jailer's daughter, and a race against a rival to achieve the horticultural feat.  
- Setting: The Dutch Republic in 1672, during a period of intense political strife and the famous "tulipmania" economic bubble.  
- Themes: Political intrigue, justice, love, jealousy, and the symbolism of the elusive black tulip as a representation of beauty and hope. 
- Historical Context: The story is framed by the real-life lynching of the de Witt brothers, a significant event in Dutch history.