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A is for Arsenic

The Poisons of Agatha Christie

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A is for Arsenic

By: Kathryn Harkup
Narrated by: Nicky Diss
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Bloomsbury presents A is for Arsenic by Kathryn Harkup, read by Nicky Diss.

Shortlisted for the BMA Book Awards and Macavity Awards 2016

Fourteen novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because it's fiction doesn’t mean it's all made-up ...

Agatha Christie revelled in the use of poison to kill off unfortunate victims in her books; indeed, she employed it more than any other murder method, with the poison itself often being a central part of the novel. Her choice of deadly substances was far from random – the characteristics of each often provide vital clues to the discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but this is not the case with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts?

Christie's extensive chemical knowledge provides the backdrop for A is for Arsenic, in which Kathryn Harkup investigates the poisons used by the murderer in fourteen classic Agatha Christie mysteries. It looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, the cases that may have inspired Christie, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today. A is for Arsenic is a celebration of the use of science by the undisputed Queen of Crime.©2015 Kathryn Harkup (P)2022 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Crime Law Literary History & Criticism Science Social Sciences True Crime Murder Forensics Fiction
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Critic reviews

A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie ... has lethal charm. [Kathryn] Harkup leads every chapter with a literary quote, then proceeds to tell us what the poison is, how and under what circumstances it kills, some real-life instances of its use and what role it plays in the Christie plot ... good fun.
...this book is fascinating and anyone who is interested in the myriad painful and unpleasant ways in which people can be killed will relish it.
...a cracking compendium of Christie's poisonings...A Is For Arsenic will appeal to any fan of Christie's work, but as a potted history of poisons, antidotes and medicines it has much wider reach than that. (Mark Lorch)
Harkup superbly captures the texture of Christie's books, the sunshine and the surreptitious villainy.
Fact and fun packed, A is for Arsenic looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with th body, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons.
...a knockout analysis of poisons used in Christie's novels and short stories...Each chapter gives riveting information on the poison's chemical makeup, how it kills, whether there's an antidote, its history and its use in Christie's works and in real life...This is an absolutely bravura chemical compound. (Connie Fletcher)
Intriguing and illuminating ... will please mystery fans, true crime readers, and lovers of popular science.
An enjoyable, alphabetical overview of the renowned mystery writer's frequent weapon of choice.
A fascinating look at the poisons used in Christie's work.
If you are coming to Agatha Christie's work for the first time, an avid fan, have an interest in crime or toxicology, or just like being taken on an adventure through time, A is for Arsenic is a must read.
A killing read that combines scientific expertise with fan-based knowledge.
All stars
Most relevant
If you love Agatha Christie and a bit of science, this is the boom for you. Loved every second of it!

Christie plus Science

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Firstly this book contains spoilers to Agatha’s books in which the poisons are used - you are given a warning before the spoiler - but it’s something you need to know.

If ever I want to bump someone off with poison this will be my go to book but seriously there’s a huge amount of information about the individual poison alongside real murder cases in which the poison were used and the book where Agatha used the poison as a murder weapon is also dissected.

This book is wonderful. As an AC fan it gave me a better insight into her methods and where she learnt her skills to use said poisons.

So worth a credit…

Loved this journey through an alphabet of poisons

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This is the best book I’ve listened to/read in a long long time. I particularly love the chemistry and scientific explanations which are excellent. The book and narrator are a great match and really compliment each other, the experience certainly wouldn’t have been the same without the pairing.
It’s difficult to articulate exactly why I love this book so much, perhaps it’s uniqueness, perhaps the mix of complex yet comprehensible science with real life examples.

I simply loved it, and given the small number of reviews so far, I’m chuffed to have stumbled across it. Now, I’m off to peruse the other books on Kathryn’s shelf.

Truly excellent

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This is a perfect mix of literature, chemistry and history. Great format and right amount of detail, beautifully read. I loved it.

Very engaging and perfectly read

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