It is the mid 1950s and Iris Turner has worked in the British Civil Service for seventeen years. She desperately needs a change. Therefore when she sees an advertisement for an English speaking secretary prepared to work in the south of France she takes a breath and applies. Her new employer is Hammond Brooke who, as he is losing his eyesight, requires assistance in sorting a lifetime of papers and his collection of materials relating to his career as a perfumer. Brooke is also losing his sense of smell so, when she gains his trust, Iris also acts a guide describing the sights and aromas they encounter on their walks.
Unfortunately Iris also has to contend with the owner of the private hotel where she is staying - Vivian Brooke who introduces herself as Brooke's sister. Iris also encounters a number of eccentric guests staying at the hotel. It is soon obvious that all is not what it seems.
Over time Iris learns a little about the perfume industry, the Brooke family's involvement in World War II and who she can and cannot trust as a new life gradually evolves for her.
This is Amanda Hampson's third novel.
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