Perfume: The Story of a Murderer


Price: $17.00 - $10.99
(as of Oct 07, 2025 10:16:11 UTC – Details)


INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • Set in eighteenth-century France, the classic novel that provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man’s indulgence in his greatest passion—his sense of smell—leads to murder.
In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift—an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille’s genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the “ultimate perfume”—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity. 
Translated from the German by John E. Woods.

From the Publisher

The New York Times says A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable.The New York Times says A fable of criminal genius . . . Remarkable.

San Francisco Chronicle praises book as supremely accomplished artSan Francisco Chronicle praises book as supremely accomplished art

NYT praises Süskind's debut novel as a linguistic masterpieceNYT praises Süskind's debut novel as a linguistic masterpiece

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 13, 2001
Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 255 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0375725849
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0375725845
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.78 x 7.96 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #9,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #73 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction #256 in Classic Literature & Fiction #788 in Suspense Thrillers
Customer Reviews: 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 9,879 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });

Customers say

Customers find the book’s story fascinating, with one comparing it to a Victor Hugo novel, and appreciate its splendid artistry of words. The book effectively describes scents and immerses readers in sensory experiences, though some find it disturbing. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with some finding it well-paced while others say it can be dull at times. Character development is also mixed, with some praising the wonderful characterization while others find the main character unengaging.

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