TIMOTHY SCHAFFERT is the author of five previous novels- The Swan Gondola, The Coffins of Little Hope, Devils in the Sugar Shop, The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God, and The Phantom Limbs of the Rollow Sisters. He is a professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and he writes the column "The Eccentricities of Gentlemen" for the popular lifestyle magazine Enchanted Living.
A LOS ANGELES TIMES TOP 10 BEST BOOK OF THE SUMMER • Named a Top 10
Historical Fiction Novel by CrimeReads
"Did someone say 'queer espionage'? Clementine is one of the best
protagonists of the summer... Other authors have had clever takes
on World War II spy novels, but none has created a voice like
Clem’s, at once a true artist and a woman spinning a tale to save
her life."—Los Angeles Times
"A hint of Moulin Rouge, a whiff of Kristin Hannah’s The
Nightingale, a little spritz of Hitchcock’s To Catch a
Thief... The Perfume Thief is a pulse-pounding thriller and a
sensuous experience you’ll want to savor."—Oprah Daily
"The Perfume Thief is Schaffert’s best novel yet... at once a lush,
sometimes chilling work of WWII-era historical fiction and also a
fanciful queer romp about outcasts and thieves, lepidopterists and
lesbian perfume... Intoxicating"—emily m. danforth, author of The
Miseducation of Cameron Post and Plain Bad Heroines
“For the perfume to work, the wearer
has to believe what I tell them. And you, too, will
believe every word from the unforgettable
Clementine, the perfumer and thief who shares
her breathtaking story with dazzling notes that seduce over
time. Like the very best fragrances, this book lingers on
all of your senses, continuing to enchant, long
after the final page. A truly remarkable tale.”—Steven
Rowley, author of The Guncle and Lily and the Octopus
"Oh, how I adored this book! In The Perfume Thief, Timothy
Schaffert treats us to a wartime Paris with a sharply delicious
difference. As the habitués of the city’s late
night demimonde perform an uneasy tango with the Nazi
occupiers, we learn that resistance can take many forms, but it’s
never easy. This novel is beguiling, sumptuous, and gripping.
And the writing is so gorgeous, it will slay you."—Alex
George, author of The Paris Hours
“An exceptional novel told in an extraordinary voice, that’s also a
hell of a yarn. The Perfume Thief is about finding beauty
at the most difficult times--in the walls of
your room, inside your closets, and in those you love. What
more could you want?”–Elizabeth McCracken, author of Bowlaway
"A long-lost romance! Espionage! Fashion! Crime! History! The
resistance! A 72-year-old reformed con artist who just has to do
one last crime!!! If you’re reading this and thinking to yourself,
‘Wow this is up my alley,’ I can promise you, it’s all you wanted
and more."—Alma
"...Full of decadence, intrigue, and danger."—The Millions
"...A fun page-turner, and it’s truly not every day you get to see
a 72-year-old lesbian at the center of a novel like this
one."—Vox
"Richly imagined, exquisitely written, this tale enthralls on every
page."—The Toronto Star
"Vivid and striking. . . Small acts of bravery during the
Resistance may be less known, but this novel gives imagination to
the courage of queer lives during the Occupation. Clem embodies the
wisdom of a fully-rendered life, filled with deception, compassion,
and transformation. A luminous character invented to populate the
queer history that was lost."—Lambda Literary
"Schaffert imbues this story of resistance, love, and loss with
hefty emotion... The Perfume Thief has some thrilling moments,
plenty of suspense, and frequently high stakes, but it’s far too
poetic to be a mere espionage tale. Schaffert’s gorgeous prose
elevates the narrative, engaging all of the senses with both bitter
and sweet flavors... Like Clem’s perfumes, The Perfume Thief is a
book that lingers long after you’ve set it down."—Criminal
Element
"The queer spy novel about WWII Paris that I never knew I needed
and now could not possibly consider living without... Elegant and
elegiac, a paean to the Old Paris, or perhaps a Paris That Never
Was, The Perfume Thief is perfectly pitched by the publisher as
A Gentleman in Moscow meets Moulin Rouge."—CrimeReads
“Entrancing . . . The writing is exquisite, each well-chosen word
bringing to elegant life a Paris that no longer exists. . .
Clementine and her gorgeous suits, her exotic past, her many and
varied lovers, are metaphors for not only the queer society in
which she moves, but for the many incarnations of the city of Paris
herself. The descriptions of perfumes and their creation are so
vivid I sometimes thought I actually discerned those scents on the
air. Highly recommended!”—Historical Novels Review
"[An] intoxicating blend of decadence and intrigue . . .
Schaffert’s evocation of Paris and its wartime demimonde is sensual
and alluring, but the heart of his novel is Clementine’s
demonstration through her own adventures of how every life is its
own heady perfume. . . This is a rich and rewarding tale, as
original and unique as the handiwork of its eponymous
character."—Publishers Weekly *starred review*
"Timothy Schaffert’s sixth novel has so much going for it that it’s
hard to pinpoint only a few reasons why you will love it. . . With
a healthy dose of romance, fashion and espionage and a glimpse of
the lives of openly queer artists under Nazi occupation, The
Perfume Thief is a reminder that Paris, even in the pages of a
book, always makes for a great escape."—Bookpage
"Incorporating the tense setting of Nazi-occupied Paris, Schaffert
concocts a memorable work that oozes atmosphere and originality. .
. It boasts beguiling characters who gain depth with each unveiled
layer. Schaffert creates a lasting impression through his tribute
to these unique artists, the 'alchemists of the city’s very soul,'
and their courageous and creatively daring methods of
resistance."—Booklist
"Intoxicatingly vivid. . . The Perfume Thief lyrically savors the
myths and lore of fragrance ‘made of whispers, of secrets written
in the cream of your coffee,’ wrapped in a gripping historical
mystery. . . [Schaffert] delivers an unusual, clever tale that
captures the nuances of Paris under occupation, featuring resilient
characters fighting for the city’s soul."—Shelf Awareness
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