A is for Arsenic
Ratings5
Average rating4.5
15
Ratings5
Average rating4.5
Shortlisted for the BMA Book Awards and Macavity Awards 2016 Fourteen novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because it's fiction doesn't mean it's all made-up ... Agatha Christie revelled in the use of poison to kill off unfortunate victims in her books; indeed, she employed it more than any other murder method, with the poison itself often being a central part of the novel. Her choice of deadly substances was far from random – the characteristics of each often provide vital clues to the discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but this is not the case with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts? Christie's extensive chemical knowledge provides the backdrop for A is for Arsenic, in which Kathryn Harkup investigates the poisons used by the murderer in fourteen classic Agatha Christie mysteries. It looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, the cases that may have inspired Christie, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today. A is for Arsenic is a celebration of the use of science by the undisputed Queen of Crime.
Reviews with the most likes.
(Sort of) for my birthday, so thought I'd read it finally. :) <3
This was a really interesting book. It's perfect if you like Agatha Christie and/or are interested in true crime/murder. I've been reading Agatha Christie or watching adaptations for about as long as I can remember, so plus one from me. I've been interested in forensics and poison and murder and detective stories since elementary or middle school when I took a forensics summer class and we learned about how different things worked and got to write a short story using this information, so plus two for that.
I admit I didn't always understand all of the science Harkup discussed, how the different poisons operated on the body, etc. But the effects were really interesting to learn about, and the real life cases involving each poison were really fascinating too. Harkup also gives a bit of each story, many of which I am familiar, but you really don't have to be.
This was a really interesting book and a pretty quick read!
