Scents of Home: Our Mystery Characters Share Whiffs of Nostalgia and Laughs
What smell or scent reminds you of home?
- Terry Ambrose:
Alexandra Atwood of the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery series says: A couple of years ago, I would’ve said my favorite smell was cookies fresh out of the oven. But these days, thanks to my baby brother, it’s more like… oh no, not again! Let’s just say, diaper duty totally fails the sniff test!
- Nancy J. Cohen:
Marla of the Bad Hair Day Mystery series says: The smell of freshly baked cookies reminds me of home. My mom used to make cookies for each holiday and get me and my brother to participate. We always looked forward to mixing the cookie dough and decorating the cookies afterward. Even though I don’t have much time to bake right now, I should start this ritual for my own son.
- Debra H. Goldstein:
Sarah Blair of the Sarah Blair Mystery series says, I may not like to cook, but luckily my twin sister does. That’s why, wherever I am, the smell of freshly baked bread or tangy spaghetti sauce makes me think of home.
- Cheryl Hollon:
Miranda Trent here. I own the Paint & Shine cultural adventure touring business in Eastern Kentucky. The fresh air that greets me when I step out on my front porch in the morning here in the Appalachian foothills lifts my heart. It smells like a combination of sweet cedar wood combined with a generous lashing of fresh sandalwood.
- Diane A.S. Stuckart:
Ophelia of the Tarot Cat Mysteries says, there’s nothing better than the smell of tuna in the morning. And in the night, too. Purrrrrr.
- Maggie Toussaint:
Tabby Winslow of A Magic Candle Shop Mysteries (which Maggie writes as Valona Jones) got a deep belly laugh out of this question. Tabby is in the business of scents as she makes her candles and soaps. She loves the citrus and coconut scents of summer, the apple, cinnamon and sandalwood scents of fall, the peppermint and evergreen scents of winter, and the fresh florals of spring. She’s also very fond of the jaunts she and her twin sister Sage take over to Tybee Island Beach. The scent of the crisp ocean breeze off the Atlantic is balm to her soul.
- Lois Winston
Anastasia Pollack, reluctant amateur sleuth of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries: “I wish I could say the comforting aromas of vanilla or freshly baking bread, but most of the time my home smells from a mélange of teenage boy, parrot, dog, and old lady (compliments of my communist mother-in-law.)”
What about you? Is there a particular scent that instantly takes you back to a treasured memory or makes you think of home? We'd love to hear your stories in the comments!
The scent of lavender and Basil instantly takes me back to younger years.
Fresh cut grass! That scent takes me many places in time!
Pine in the winter and peppermint, in the spring lavender and roses, in the summer Lemons and oranges and in the fall apples, cinnamon and pumpkin
Spaghetti sauce simmering (my mom made spaghetti every Sunday), the lemon polish she used on the furniture, the smell of fresh cut grass and the smell of the ocean (it was only a 30 min. drive so I got to go to the beach quite often.)
The scent of chopped garlic and fermented black beans used in various stir fry dishes.
Love all the authors’ scents of home! Hubby loves to bake his sourdough bread, and whenever I come home from work, and take a sniff of the fresh-baked bread…. mmm… I know that I come back to my home sweet home! – Emily
It would be popcorn. I loved the smell of popcorn. My dad had a kettle that he would use to cook popcorn on the stove every night. Wonderful memories!