Tilar J Mazzeo, the bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot, reveals the secrets behind the world's most iconic fragrance Chanel No. 5 in a new book set to hit shelves later this year.

The Secret of Chanel No. 5 explores the cultural impact of the famed perfumed. It collates details and extrapolates reasons behind the perfume's success: every minute someone buys a bottle of Chanel No. 5 translating to nearly half a million bottles a year, ninety years since it was created.

Chanel No. 5 has become a household name. Asked any woman if she had heard of the perfume, and you're likely to get an affirmative reply. After all, who can forget Marilyn Monroe's famous line? Asked on what she wore to bed, the Hollywood actress replied: "Why, Chanel No. 5 of course." In 2004, Australian actress Nicole Kidman was the face of the perfume when she appeared in the Baz Luhrmann's film No. 5 The Film.

But how much do we actually know about Coco Chanel's signature perfume? Chanel No.5 has enjoyed remarkable success for nearly a century, but little is known about the scent.

The Secret Of Chanel No. 5 is the story of Tilar J. Mazzeo's far-ranging and often quixotic search to discover the answer. Blending strong personal narrative with thoughtful research, The Secret Of Chanel No. 5 takes the reader on a journey of discovery into the legend of this iconic perfume and, along the way, untangles something about our own relationship to luxury and sensual pleasure.

Taking alternately historical, personal, scientific, and commercial approaches to solve the riddle of Chanel No. 5's unprecedented popularity, this is an intimate and engaging account of what it means to explore the multi-faceted nature of any cultural icon, and of the narrative power of luxury itself.

The Secret Of Chanel No. 5 will be available on December 1, 2010.