The Girl from Perfume River

A story of love intersects with a murder mystery and, as told by a Vietnamese woman, becomes an elegy to the land, culture and history of Vietnam. The Girl from Perfume River will transport the reader to a different time and place. It is 1954 and French Indochina is at a turning point. France's colonial army is facing defeat at Dien Bien Phu in the north while, in the south, a priceless artifact known as the Black Elephant is stolen from a Saigon museum. The police show little interest. But a young woman, taught by her father the old values of honor and sacrifice for one's country, is determined to find it, putting her at odds with Saigon's criminal underworld. Soon, the Vietnamese woman and the American journalist she is falling in love with are on the run, trying to evade the killers sent after them.