Edward Trencom's Nose: A Novel of History, Dark Intrigue and Cheese

By Giles Milton

Edward Trencom has bumbled through life, relying on his trusty nose to turn the family cheese shop into the most celebrated fromagerie in England. But his world is turned upside down when he stumbles across a crate of family papers. To his horror, Edward discovers that nine previous generations of his family have come to sticky ends because of their noses. When he investigates further, Edward finds himself caught up in a Byzantine riddle to which there is no obvious answer . . .

Giles Milton’s deliciously comic debut novel is a mouth-watering blend of Louis de Bernieres, Tom Sharpe and P. G. Wodehouse with every page permeated by the pungent odour of cheese.

'The pong of ripe Limburger lingers impressively' - Observer

'Comic novels are difficult to write: any old halfwit can produce 400 pages of stinking high seriousness, but it takes a real wit to manage 400 pages of mild, fragrant good humour' Guardian

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Aug 9, 2012
• ISBN: 9780330541473

Giles Milton

Giles Milton is the million-copy, internationally bestselling author of a dozen works of narrative history. His books have been translated into twenty-five languages. One of Milton’s previous books, Nathaniel’s Nutmeg, is currently being developed into a major screen project. Milton is the writer and narrator of the acclaimed podcast series Cover Up: Ministry of Secrets, produced by Sony. He lives in London and Burgundy.

Reviews for Edward Trencom's Nose

[spiritedtruthseeke-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought it was actually a different clever little book... something a bit out of the norm but intriguing indeed! I did not get bogged down in the cheese names but rather just followed the story & have been pleasantly pleased with the entire experience :-)

i actually bought the book partly because i felt sorry for it being on the clearance rack and each week when I went to my bookstore & saw all the copies were still there, so I read the inside cover & decided to give it a go... I am really glad that i did so...

[raizel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I picked this book up because of its title, read about the author's other books, and decided to give it a try. It kept my interest, but I don't need to keep it. SPOILER: I liked the ending and did not expect it: Edward Trencom's wife saves the day! The story is about an ordinary man with an extraordinary sense of smell who tries to discover the secret of his ancestors, who all seem to die in behalf of a mystery (they are the rightful rulers of Greece). Edward becomes more daring and interesting as the story progresses. Just as he is about to repeat the actions of his forefathers, his wife shows up and entices him back to his life as a master seller of cheese and thus probably saves his life.(Trying to follow one's destiny leads to death, frequently unpleasant, for Edward's predecessors; living in the present---enjoying one's life---is better than worrying about the past and the future. I'm reminded of Kazanzatkis saying that women are about the here and now and the real world, while men are the ones who dream of lofty ideals. I was impressed because I had thought that the stereotypical woman was "flighty" and that men were more down-to-earth.)

[devenish_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a strange one and no mistake. Edward Trencom is the owner of a top cheese shop in London. He has a fine nose which is capable of smelling out to a remarkable degree a wide selection of rare cheeses. His life is settled and satisfying until strange things begin to happen to him. He discovers a crate of family papers in the cellars beneath his shop,which change his life forever and sends him on a dangerous quest to find his roots. Apart from a rather unsatisfactory ending,this is quite a fun read.

[rubbah_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Despite being not as funny as promised in the blurb, and having quite an obvious ending I really enjoyed this book. The cheese descriptions in paticular are very good, and made me quite hungry at times. I would reccomend it to someone who wants to read a book with some substance, but that wont tax your brain too much.

[selimacat · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

What if your birthright were a hereditary knowledge of cheese and a rather remarkable nose? You would likely, as Edward Trencom and all the Trencom's before him, become a cheesemonger. This little mystery centers Trencom, his nose, his family history, and a whole lot of cheese. I can't really go into detail, because after 77 pages, not much had happened, and I gave up. I picked this up as a lark, but found that I don't have the patience to suffer through an awful lot of pretentious cheese references just to find the plot. The author, who I had not heard of, but seems to be known for his nonfiction, certainly does have a serious knowlege of cheesy comestibles, but has failed to make this book (or the first 77 pages) more than just a funny little joke for those in the know. I doubt there are enough cheese experts in the world to build a strong readership.