Perfume：The Story of a Murderer

Anacclaimedbestsellerandinternationalsensation,PatrickSuskind'sclassicnovelprovokesaterrifyingexaminationofwhathappenswhenoneman'sindulgenceinhisgreatestpassion—hissenseofsmell—leadstomurder.Intheslumsofeighteenth-centuryFrance,theinfantJean-BaptisteGrenouilleisbornwithonesublimegift-anabsolutesenseofsmell.Asaboy,helivestodeciphertheodorsofParis,andapprenticeshimselftoaprominentperfumerwhoteacheshimtheancientartofmixingpreciousoilsandherbs.ButGrenouille'sgeniusissuchthatheisnotsatisfiedtostopthere,andhebecomesobsessedwithcapturingthesmellsofobjectssuchasbrassdoorknobsandfrest-cutwood.Thenonedayhecatchesahintofascentthatwilldrivehimonanever-more-terrifyingquesttocreatethe"ultimateperfume"—thescentofabeautifulyoungvirgin.Toldwithdazzlingnarrativebrillance,Perfumeisahauntinglypowerfultaleofmurderandsensualdepravity.TranslatedfromtheGermanbyJohnE.Woods.