In 1955 Grace finds she is the sole beneficiary of the estate of an unknown French relative and goes to Paris to inherit the mysterious woman's fortune and business. She has got to discover more about this woman and so her investigation begins. Swinging back to New York in 1927, we follow a fascinating story of abuse, love, global travel and eventually a perfume business. The relationship between Grace and the mysterious lady becomes pretty obvious but getting to the revelation, as one jumps between the two time frames, is a delight. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Click here to view The Debutante by the same author.
A secret history of scent, memory and desire from the Sunday Times bestselling author of ELEGANCE and THE DEBUTANTE. One letter will turn newly-married Grace Munroe's life upside down: 'Our firm is handling the estate of the deceased Mrs Eva D'Orsey and it is our duty to inform you that you are named as the chief beneficiary in her will. We request your presence at our offices at your earliest convenience, so that we may go through the details of your inheritance.' There is only one problem. Grace has never heard of Eva D'Orsey. So begins a journey which leads Grace through the streets of Paris and into the seductive world of perfumers and their muses. An abandoned perfume shop on the Left Bank will lead her to unravel the heartbreaking story of her mysterious benefactor, an extraordinary woman who bewitched high society in 1920s New York and Paris.
'It's an elegant and glamorous plot ...which means lots of mouth-watering descriptions of decaying stately homes by the sea' Daily Mail
'The latest from the author of bestseller Elegnace. New Yorker Cate immerses herself in the mystery of the Mitford-esque 1920's London debutante' Red
'A shoebox filled with momentos sets artist Cate on a hunt for the truth behind the dissappearance of a dazzling 1920's 'it' girl in Kathleen Tessaro's The Debutante' Good Housekeeping
'Tessaro gets her story-weaving wand out with a gloriously rich story of past abd present love' InStyle
'Reading The Debutante was the most delicious treat. Engrossing, romantic, wise and witty - the perfect read. I could not put it down' Gillian Greenwood, author of Satisfaction and The Ghost Lover
Author
About Kathleen Tessaro
Born in Pittsburgh, Kathleen Tessaro studied drama at Carnegie-Mellon University before emigrating to London. After ten years working as an actress in films, television and theatre, she left the profession and spent several years working for the English National Opera, while training in the evenings as a drama teacher and voice coach.
During this time, she began to write. Working on short stories during her lunch hour, she soon became a regular member of the Wimpole Street Writers Workshop, a collection of female authors who meet every week. Her debut novel, Elegance, was a huge success, reaching number two in the Sunday Times bestseller list and gaining acres of press coverage. Kathleen is married with a son and lives in North London.
