A Taste for Poison

Eleven Deadly Substances and the Killers Who Used Them

By: Neil Bradbury

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

An Amazon US Best Book of 2022

As any 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 narrative crime nonfiction, 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: 11 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 fascinating tales of spurned lovers, shady scientists, medical professionals and political assassins, showing 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-and-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.

©2021 Neil Bradbury (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"An engrossing history of poisons, poisonings and poisoners. Alongside the very human stories of the people who fall victim to these deadly substances, it’s packed with quirky detail and easily digestible (pun intended) science." (Kate Morgan, author of Murder: The Biography)

"Indecently entertaining." (A Daily Mail Book of the Week)

"A fascinating tale of poisons and poisonous deeds which both educates and entertains." (Kathy Reichs)

So much fun

A gem of a book, full of science and incredible murder stories. I really recommend it