THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRACES - M. J. Rose
Atria Books
ISBN: 978-1-4516-2148-8 (Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-4516-2149-5 (eBook)
February 2013
Suspense Fiction

Egypt, China, France, United States - 1799 to Present Day

Alexandra, Egypt, 1799:  Giles L'Etoile enters a tomb with a crew of workers led by General Napoleon Bonaparte. Inside, they find a mummified man and woman in a single casket, their hands entwined.  There is a remarkable scent permeating the air.  To Giles, this scent is beyond belief.  As they breathe the air, they begin to experience strange visions that soon send everyone running out of the tomb to recover their senses. Giles, however, is sure this is a discovery that will change his life.  He steals some amazing artifacts which are destined to become both his family history and legacy.

In the year 2007, the Chinese government issues a proclamation stating that all living Buddhas must have permission from the Chinese Atheist Leaders before they will be allowed to reincarnate. Thus begins the oppression of Tibetan Buddhism by the Chinese government.  Now, in present day China, young Xie has done his best to separate himself from the Chinese brainwashing during his captivity...

Present day: In Paris, France, Robbie L'Etoile carries on his family's perfumery business, The House of L'Etoile.  He discovered ancient pottery shards in his grandfather's belongings.  A miraculous scent emanates from the pottery, and Robbie is anxious to find the secret to its composition.  He is sure this is a perfume that originated inside Cleopatra's own perfume distillery. The L'Etoile family legend says that Giles stole the Book of Fragrances from a tomb in Egypt, and Robbie believes the tale.  He is desperate for answers.  The House of L'Etoile is in debt and the business in trouble. Robbie knows that this seductive scent will save the perfumery, but his sister Jac, who lives in New York City, is demanding that he sell the business and cut their losses.

In another part of Paris, two men bicker about the existence of past lives, and in New York City, Dr. Malachai Samuels studies children who have memories of their past lives.  He wants to prove his theory that evocative scents allow one to transcend time.

Sound confusing? Yes. Yet through this complex story, THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES brings seemingly unassociated characters from different parts of the world together to complete a story of suspense, mystery, and reincarnation.  At first, these characters seem to have nothing in common, and it is far into the book before the reader begins to put all of the pieces together into a whole that will culminate in a connected tale.  Readers should be prepared to spend a lot of time on this book, as it takes most of the pages to grasp all of the varied aspects and intricate details.  I am not really into reading stories of reincarnation, but THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES is a challenge and a good story.

Diana Risso