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

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

A brilliant blend of science and crime, A TASTE FOR POISON reveals how eleven notorious poisons affect the body--through the murders in which they were used.

As any reader 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 readers on a riveting tour of the intricate, complex systems that keep us alive--or don't.

Author: Neil Bradbury
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 02/01/2022
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781250270757


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 06/01/2021 pg. 129
Publishers Weekly 08/16/2021
Booklist 12/01/2021 pg. 8
Publishers Weekly 11/22/2021 pg. 97

About the Author
NEIL BRADBURY, Ph.D. is Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, where he teaches and conducts research on genetic diseases. A full-time scientist and educator, Bradbury has won numerous awards for his unique approach to teaching physiology. He has presented his research around the world and authored more than 80 scientific articles and book chapters. He currently lives in Illinois with his wife and two border collies. A Taste for Poison is his first book.