“Utterly captivating. Marks the emergence of a tremendously wise and talented novelist.”—Andrew Solomon, Pulitzer Prize finalist, National Book Award winner

“A beautifully written, emotionally resonant novel that left a lasting impression.”—Readers’ Favorite, FIVE STARS

“Brilliantly written, compelling, and profoundly sensual. A tour de force!”—Carole Bumpus, Searching for Culinary Pleasures in Provence and along the Côte d’Azur

A feisty documentary maker turns her lens on a legendary French perfume house and must choose whether to tell the truth—even if it could ruin many lives around her. A mesmerizing novel set in France, for fans of women’s fiction about difficult ethical choices.

Zandy Watson, a thirty-year-old documentary maker from New York with a scumbag father and a broken past, is a social justice warrior, hell-bent on making movies that will expose important truths. Except she has to pay the bills, and her boss insists she go to the South of France to make some puff piece about a 300-year-old perfume house.

In Grasse—the perfume capital of the world, rich in delicate flowers—Zandy is seduced by the perfumer’s art. And by Dominique Severin, a secretive, debonair heir who is battling to preserve his honor by keeping his family business alive. But behind the glamorous façade, Zandy discovers a shameful secret. Holding a glittering chance to do what’s right by telling the truth, she faces a heartbreaking choice. Will she betray the lover who has trusted her with his secrets? And will she destroy thousands of innocent lives along the way?

The Perfumer’s Secret is an enchanting journey through the captivating world of perfume with an indomitable young woman who in her darkest moment discovers the wisdom and courage to improve countless lives—and change her own life forever.