Sacré Bleu

Set in nineteenth-century Paris, the story follows baker and aspiring painter Lucien Lessard as he investigates the suspicious death of Vincent van Gogh. Alongside the boisterous Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Lucien discovers that a mysterious, centuries-old figure known as the Colorman controls the supply of a rare ultramarine pigment. This supernatural dealer manipulates great artists, from Renoir to Monet, exchanging the perfect blue paint for their sanity and souls. The narrative weaves historical art history with a fantasy plot involving a literal muse who inspires masterpiece after masterpiece while keeping the painters trapped in her orbit.

This book is for readers who enjoy art history but prefer it mixed with irreverent comedy and high-concept fantasy. It appeals to those who want to see famous Impressionists depicted as flawed, crude, and deeply human figures rather than museum icons. The reader gains a technical understanding of pigment production and the historical geography of Montmartre, all while following a fast-paced mystery. By the end, the audience walks away with a reimagined perspective on why certain shades of blue dominate the world’s most famous canvases.

Practical, growth-minded and escapist; a moderate read.

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