Scent of a Truffle

A novel by Cécile Ganne

“She paused, transported by this incandescent vision… It was a limitless feeling of expansion that washed over her as the separation between interior and exterior merged, and the gleaming floor merged with the polished pews in a single flush.”

When clients ask where my inspiration comes from, the answer is plain. When clients ask where my inspiration comes from, the answer is plain an obvious. It begins in a place few know deeply but many dream of: the Dordogne Valley in the South West of France—a land steeped in mystery, rooted in memory, and pulsing with the quiet power of the unseen.

This novella is not just a story; it’s a fragrant trail of mischief and legacy, laced with the earthy allure of truffles and the secrets they guard. It evokes a world I carry in my bones—where every footpath, stone wall, and breath of wind feeds my art and awakens the imagination.

Writing it was not a task, but a reckoning. A way to gather the fragments of place, silence, and soul. To invite you, dear reader, to pause—and step into the stillness where stories begin to bloom.

Find out what readers are saying

Scent Of A Truffle is a timeless parable that speaks to the issues of our age. The story is about goodness, faith, self-interest and deceit. Sound familiar? Wonder who prevails?

Richard F. Martin

Deftly using the mystery formula, Cecile Ganne gently reminds us that culture is lost if it is not intentionally passed on. Today, everyone everywhere can view an endless stream of carefully crafted images that conceal reality. When do you slow down and savor what is right in front of you?

Herb

Scent of a Truffle is a captivating, original and sensory novella which smoothly and effectively blends together various narrative genres: childhood memories, detective fiction and philosophical meditations.

Sergio Parussa

A page turner set in a medieval southwestern French village, with exquisite/cinematic descriptions of the landscape, and detailed knowledge of the fauna and flora...For Francophiles, sensualists, mystery lovers and, last but not least, truffle hunters!

Julieta Holman

Scent of a Truffle is a sharply written allegorical portrayal of a village in Southern France, the Dordogne...Cécile Ganne tells an intrigue and depicts with colorful and nuanced strokes the beautiful scenery of the region...a must read if you love truffles or want to escape to the French countryside!

Sandrine Deschaux

If you enjoyed Louise Penny‘s Three Pines, this début novella by Cécile Ganne, with its deep sense of place and poetic descriptions, is your next read… The novella grabs the reader’s attention with subtle references to the art of outsmarting the proverbial fox in order to protect long held traditions… The central conflict between the mayor’s ambition and Adele‘s fight for preserving her family’s legacy reflect a broader struggle between modern greed and traditional values.

M.T

Reading Scent of a Truffle resonated deeply with me. Cécile Ganne captures that bond between place and soul so beautifully that it felt like stepping back into the landscapes of my own heritage. A story to savor slowly, like a truffle unearthed from rich soil.

Nella Lush