A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them - Neil Bradbury

Written by Neil Bradbury
Read by Derek Perkins
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps
Unabridged

Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Release date: February 1, 2022
Duration: 07:15:17

This program includes an epilogue and acknowledgements read by the author.

As any reader or listener of murder mysteries can tell you, poison is one of the most enduring—and popular—weapons of choice for a scheming murderer. It can be slipped into a drink, smeared onto the tip of an arrow or the handle of a door, even filtered through the air we breathe. But how exactly do these poisons work to break our bodies down, and what can we learn from the damage they inflict?

In a fascinating blend of popular science, medical history, and true crime, Dr. Neil Bradbury explores this most morbidly captivating method of murder from a cellular level. Alongside real-life accounts of murderers and their crimes—some notorious, some forgotten, some still unsolved—are the equally compelling stories of the poisons involved: eleven molecules of death that work their way through the human body and, paradoxically, illuminate the way in which our bodies function.

Drawn from historical records and current news headlines, A Taste for Poison weaves together the tales of spurned lovers, shady scientists, medical professionals and political assassins to show how the precise systems of the body can be impaired to lethal effect through the use of poison. From the deadly origins of the gin & tonic cocktail to the arsenic-laced wallpaper in Napoleon’s bedroom, A Taste for Poison leads listeners on a fascinating tour of the intricate, complex systems that keep us alive—or don’t.

Narrator Derek Perkins’s voice is perfect for this work. He recounts the crimes with low drama and makes the science stand out. His performance elevates the text, which makes it hard for a listener to determine when to take a break. VERDICT Recommended for those curious about how things work and fans of true crime, history, and science.—Library Journal