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Fourteen Agatha Christie novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because it's fiction doesn't mean it's entirely made up . . .
The popular fascination with murder is no more evident than in the enduring popularity of Agatha Christie's Golden Age mysteries. The more unusual or macabre the method, the better, and Agatha Christie delivers: she used poison to kill her characters more often than any other crime fiction writer. Christie learned a great deal about chemistry working in a pharmacy during both world wars, and her knowledge is on display in such mysteries as Five Little Pigs and Appointment with Death. The poison was a central part of the novel, and her choice of deadly substances was far from random; the chemical and physiological characteristics of each poison provide vital clues to the discovery of the murderer.
Written by former research chemist Kathryn Harkup, A is for Arsenic takes on fourteen beloved Christie novels and investigates the poison used by the murderer. Fact- and fun-packed, A is for Arsenic looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering, and detecting these poisons, both when Christie was writing and today.
Published | Jan 03 2017 |
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Format | Paperback |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 320 |
ISBN | 9781472911322 |
Imprint | Bloomsbury Sigma |
Illustrations | Black and white illustrations throughout |
Dimensions | 198 x 129 mm |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
Remember the homicidal glee of that old Cary Grant movie 'Arsenic and Old Lace'? Those adorable aged aunts, earnestly luring lonely old men to their house so they could knock them off with poison-laced elderberry wine? If you liked that, you'll like A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie; it has a little of that lethal charm . . . And while it's essentially good book-club-style fun, the book has a practical application: For every poison, it offers some antidotes.
Washington Post
[A] scholarly and enjoyable analysis of the great author's penchant for poison . . . if science was a banquet, then poison was her dish.
The New York Times Book Review
Chemist Harkup delves deep into the history and science behind more than a dozen lethal substances, introducing each through its appearance in Christie's writing. You don't have to be familiar with the likes of Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot, however, to enjoy Harkup's detailed, near-gleeful dip into what she calls Christie's deadly dispensary.
Discover
If you're an Agatha Christie fan, read this book. If you're a forensic-science fan, read this book. If you know someone harboring a grudge and an unseemly interest in poison, hide this book. Harkup, a chemist, has written a knockout analysis of poisons used in Christie's novels and short stories . . . This is an absolutely bravura chemical compound.
starred review, Booklist
Intriguing and illuminating . . . This compilation should please mystery fans, true crime readers, and lovers of popular science.
Publishers Weekly
This would be a perfect reference for anyone writing murder mysteries and is scientific enough to be used as a textbook . . . The addition of real-life cases and comparisons to Christie's works make this a nice little murder mystery of its own. Fear not, she's careful not to spoil the endings of the classic novels.
Kirkus Reviews
This book is available on Bloomsbury Collections where your library has access.
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