The Poisoner's Handbook

Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

By: Deborah Blum

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Deborah Blum, writing with the high style and skill for suspense that is characteristic of the very best mystery fiction, shares the untold story of how poison rocked Jazz Age New York City.

In The Poisoner's Handbook, Blum draws from highly original research to track the fascinating, perilous days when a pair of forensic scientists began their trailblazing chemical detective work, fighting to end an era when untraceable poisons offered an easy path to the perfect crime.

Drama unfolds case by case as the heroes of The Poisoner's Handbook---chief medical examiner Charles Norris and toxicologist Alexander Gettler---investigate a family mysteriously stricken bald, Barnum and Bailey's Famous Blue Man, factory workers with crumbling bones, a diner serving poisoned pies, and many others. Each case presents a deadly new puzzle, and Norris and Gettler work with a creativity that rivals that of the most imaginative murderer, creating revolutionary experiments to tease out even the wiliest compounds from human tissue. Yet in the tricky game of toxins, even science can't always be trusted, as proven when one of Gettler's experiments erroneously sets free a suburban housewife later nicknamed "America's Lucretia Borgia" to continue her nefarious work.

From the vantage of Norris and Gettler's laboratory in the infamous Bellevue Hospital it becomes clear that killers aren't the only toxic threat to New Yorkers. Modern life has created a kind of poison playground, and danger lurks around every corner. Automobiles choke the city streets with carbon monoxide, while potent compounds such as morphine can be found on store shelves in products ranging from pesticides to cosmetics. Prohibition incites a chemist's war between bootleggers and government chemists, while in Gotham's crowded speakeasies each round of cocktails becomes a game of Russian roulette. Norris and Gettler triumph over seemingly unbeatable odds to become the pioneers of forensic chemistry and the gatekeepers of justice.

©2010 Deborah Blum (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Nominee - Best Nonfiction Audiobook, 2011

"Blum effectively balances the fast-moving detective story with a clear view of the scientific advances that her protagonists brought to the field. Caviar for true-crime fans and science buffs alike." (<>Kirkus)
"With the pacing and rich characterization of a first-rate suspense novelist, Blum makes science accessible and fascinating." (Publishers Weekly, Starred Review)
"Blum interlaces true-crime stories with the history of forensic medicine and the chemistry of various poisons…. [A] readable and enjoyable book.... Highly recommended." (Library Journal)

Forensic medicine and the importance of toxicology

If you are curious about fascinating crimes in the early 20th century and the struggles to make science important within the justice system, this book is for you
Fascinating

Very Interesting

It is a very graphic detail of what the poisons will do to the human body, and the story lines are very good as well. This book keeps you interested, and it seems to be very knowledgeable on the different poisons in the world. It keeps you wanting more.

Fascinating subject; uneven narration

I found myself completely fascinated by this book, and couldn't wait to get back in my car to hear the next section.

Minus one star for the narration, which was a bit stilted and awkward in several places. That's the fault of the editor or producer rather than the reader, though; it should have merited a re-take.

It's not a novel.

I don't know why I thought this was going to be a mystery novel. It is about mysteries but it is definitely not a novel. It is about the history of lethal poisonings since about 1820 or so, and how people learned to use them for nefarious purposes.

It all started when science came up with ways to extract and mix chemicals for various reasons. Some intent was strictly for the good of others, such as trying to help people by drinking radium every day because of promises of improved health. Only after a certain accumulation of the poison within their bodies did they start to die off. Other concoctions were mixed up for the purpose of undetectable murder.

During this period of time and into the 20th century, tests to discover the poison in a corpse became more and more sophisticated so that murder by poison was not as easy as it once was.

And so much more. It was largely due to the work of two men, Norris and Gettler, that forensic toxicology became a respected form of helping to solve crimes. They should be honored for their work.

In spite of this turning out not to be a novel, I was fascinated by it. So much went on that I never realized. I was horrified by many of the things I read about, but being a history buff, I was still interested in poison and its history. There is much to learn from this book. I think most people would enjoy reading it.

A great mix of science, mystery, crime writting

This is a cracking good listen. A story about the birth of forensic police investigation and chemistry.

I really loved how Blum built up the stories (like a great storyteller) involving mystery, intrigue, corruption, murder. While mixing in elements of of chemistry, history, and criminology to a seamless whole.

There is not too much heavy science and the narration was great. A definite reccomendation.

Wow - a great read and a learning experience

I must have turned to my husband many times during this listen and said, "Wow, are we lucky we weren't around during prohibition". An incredible read and an amazing peek into NYC at a pivotal time. The story of the dialpainter girls is enough to make you buy this book!

Agree With Others Regarding the Narrator

What made the experience of listening to The Poisoner's Handbook the most enjoyable?

It was fascinating to learn how much more toxic the world was in the early 20th century than it is now.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dr. Norris.

What aspect of Coleen Marlo???s performance would you have changed?

All of it! I thought at first the narrator was a computer-generated voice. She seemed to have little understanding of the content, and made many mistakes. I think the most glaring mistake was when she said one of the characters wrote a "one-letter sentence." It then became apparent that it should have been a "one-sentence letter." Does no one "proof listen" to audiobooks?

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I found it very interesting, but it wasn't a particularly emotional book.

Any additional comments?

Re-record this book with a different narrator!

Meticulously researched and perfectly paced.

The scientist fascinating, the crime stories are intriguing, and the scene of early 20th century New York is crafted perfectly. This book is a page-turner with real substance.

Fascinating treatise on prohibition

First, I didn't mind the narrator.

Second, I found the first few chapters boring, but glad I stuck it out

Main point - I was fascinated by how much of a role prohibition played in the development of forensic medicine. I was interested to learn how the various distillations of underworld alcohol impacted forensic science at the time. The details of poisoning, both accidental and criminal via consumption of industrial alcohol is a little mentioned byproduct of that foolish chapter in American history. Like with today's drug war, the somewhat glamorous lives of underworld bosses make it to our consciousness, but the thousands?... hundreds of thousands..? Millions? of sad characters who suffered neurological devastation, painful, slow, physical destruction, and pathetic demise due to consumption of improperly distilled spirits is rarely addressed. There is a thorough analysis of the subject in the Poisoners Handbook, along with the impact of prohibition on the coroners offices, and science of forensic medicine.

I was also interested to learn how the government persisted in making the problem worse, even going so far to restrict industrial alcohols to those that would cause the most damage when consumed by humans, even though it was patently obvious that humans would end up consuming much of the product. I also learned what Jake-Leg is.

I think the book was worth the effort for what I learned about prohibition, and would recommend to those interested in US and political history, as well as those interested in the scientific content. Good character development as well.

Fascinating history of an era of change

Told through the age of new chemistry and forensics, following the careers of a few pioneers in those fields. Little mysteries, big discoveries, gruesome deaths, and some painful descriptions of the research conducted to establish protocol and prove innocence or guilt. There is some chemistry talk that may confuse readers who aren’t into such things, but it is sporadic and brief, hence easy to just wait til it passes. The result (chemistry aside) is also explained in layman’s terms. Recommended read for history buffs and who dunnit afficiandos.