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The Perfumer's Secret

Love, and Survival in 1940s Europe - A Sweeping Historical Fiction Must-Read

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The Perfumer's Secret

By: Fiona Schneider
Narrated by: Lucy Scott
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE LATEST, SWEEPING, BREATHTAKING AND HEARTBREAKING HISTORICAL FICTION FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE PARIS AFFAIR

In order to save her family’s future, Stella Penhallam is forced to uncover the secrets of their past…
With her family’s perfumery in dire straits, Stella Penhallam needs a miracle. So, when her great-aunt’s journal from 1940s Paris lands on her desk, Stella realises that the missing pages could hold the answers she seeks.
In 1939, as war breaks out across Europe, Iris Penhallam is forced into an impossible situation, one that will cause her world to come crashing down.
Paris is no longer safe, and when her mentor’s family in Italy is at risk from Mussolini’s fascist thugs, Iris must find a way to save them. Using her role as a perfumer, she travels to Venice on the Orient Express under the guise of creating five intoxicating scents with her fellow apprentice, Alessandro.
Five scents that are lost to the war along with the man she loves.
As Stella delves deeper into the past, the two lives of these women intertwine in the present and the five lost scents will forge the start of their future...

© Fiona Schneider 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

 20th Century Coming of Age Friendship Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction War Italy
All stars
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I was captivated by the development of the characters. Their hope and then loss complicated by fear due to the setting and WW2 which loomed in the background. I loved this book.

This book started with pathos which instantly captured my heart.

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