Nature’s Perfume & “The Masterpiece” by Mark Towse

Mar 23

“The smell of rotting wood, dying plants, new vegetation, and a multitude of other odours signifying life and death, but that somehow come together in an arousing earthiness that makes him feel glad to be alive. Nature’s perfume, that’s what his dad called it.”

Nature’s Perfume by Mark Towse is a novella with a bonus novelette included called “The Masterpiece.” It was published on March 11, 2022 by JournalStone Publishing and weighs in at 88 pages.

Nature’s Perfume takes us on a trip to the Amazon, exploring an Ecuadorian forest with four friends who get together annually to up the ante on life experiences. This trip is definitely one they’ll never forget. “The Masterpiece” gives us a glimpse at a writer struggling to come up with a story and how his obsession takes over.

The cover of Nature’s Perfume is a thing of beauty. I didn’t study it as closely as I should have before reading the book. There is a lot going on in the picture, and now that I’ve read it I love it even more.

If you’ve read any of my other numerous reviews of Towse’s work, you know I’m a huge fan. That is still the case! I was excited to learn that Nature’s Perfume veers a little from his usual writing style. It’s still deliciously horrific, dripping with gory moments and snappy dialogue. This one brings a little extra mainstream flavor, though, so clutch your pearls if you’re adverse to characters diving into their sexual personas. I was also thrilled to get an action adventure story, too, so buckle up - it’s definitely going to be a bumpy and exciting ride. If you enjoy fear, trepidation, and suspense in your stories, grab a copy.

The book starts off with a bang! You are thrown into action and a scene that is sure to get your heart pumping as much as the character’s on the page. It sets the stage for what’s to come. As the reader, you’ll be on alert for surprises that lurk around every corner and on edge as you watch unsuspecting characters dive deeper and deeper into danger. Yet, you won’t be able to stop. Towse keeps you interested and turning pages with exciting and surprising moments that you won’t expect.

“The Masterpiece” is a novelette that goes back to Towse’s roots - horror that leaves you in awe of the macabre thoughts that must be circling around in his head.

As much as I did enjoy Nature’s Perfume, I would venture to say I enjoyed “The Masterpiece” even more. This story about a writer struggling for ideas hit me emotionally, since as an author I can relate to that feeling on occasion. Towse takes it a step further, though, which is one of his best skills. He’s able to take a mundane situation and turn it into something absolutely and wonderfully horrific. The ending was perfect, too.

As I read this one, I felt like I was watching an episode of The Twilight Zone. It gave me a unique perspective of watching over the main character Tom’s shoulder as he worked out his thoughts and actions. Towse really captured that feeling I get when I watch some of those old episodes I love. This is why I keep coming back to his books and stories. You can find more of my reviews of Towse’s work at: