Survivor, genius, perfumer, killer: this is Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Heis abandoned on the filthy streets of Paris as a child, but grows up todiscover he has an extraordinary gift: a sense of smell more powerfulthan any other human's. Soon, he is creating the most sublime fragrancesin all the city. Yet there is one odour he cannot capture. It isexquisite, magical: the scent of a young virgin. And to get it he mustkill. And kill. And kill...