n Dr. Neil Bradbury’s A Taste for Poison, which publishes on October 19, 2021, he explores the history and science of 11 poisonous substances. Dr. Bradbury, professor, scientist, and writer, tells true crime stories of each poison as well as how the poison disrupts the normal functions of the body. It’s a delightful and informative read for anyone who is fascinated by the world of poisons—and this includes virtually anyone who is a murder mystery or true crime aficionado.

Murder & Mayhem had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Bradbury about his work. Below, read our interview with an author who truly understands the power of poison.

a taste for poison by dr. neil bradbury
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Murder & Mayhem: What made you decide to write this book? What drew you to the particular subject?

Dr. Neil Bradbury: I'm obviously a scientist and medical school professor, so I've always been interested in science and a bit of a science geek. But I've always been interested in mysteries as well. So this seemed an obvious marriage between those two passions in my life. And looking through things, I found it really hard to find the kind of book that I wanted to read about the topic. And so not being able to find it, I decided to write one myself.

As a student of biochemistry as an undergraduate student, I spent all my time learning about the effects of different chemicals on the body. But there was actually one class…[where] they mentioned a chemical called Bongkrekic Acid, which pretty much nobody's ever heard of. As the professor was going through the effects on cells and tissues on it, I just thought, “I wonder if that could be used for murder, and no one's ever heard of it.” Could you get away with it, since no one's ever heard of it? That's kind of been percolating in the back of my mind ever since then.

Nowadays, I try to include murders and poisonings in all my classes, as a way to give a different spin on what's going on. But I think it really does give an interesting perspective on just how the body works, and how you could interfere with the body. I guess it has been a lifelong interest of mine.

Many of the stories that I presented in class are included in the book. Now, obviously, the book is not intended for anybody reading it to end up with a medical degree. I did want it to be something that people who are interested in mysteries and science would enjoy reading, and also include a little bit of history as well.

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Why do you think people are so fascinated with poisons?

I think it's certainly something that resonates with everybody on a deep level. Most of us grew up with the stories of Snow White eating the poisoned apple. I think there's that kind of almost cultural curiosity.

But I think there's also some sense that poisons are almost magical. [When] we think about someone being hit over the head with a baseball bat or a tire iron, that's pretty obvious how that would kill someone. But when you're talking about poisons, you're really talking about just a few grains of a little white powder that looks totally innocuous, but can kill you, oftentimes rather quickly.

Related: Hidden Gems: Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers

It's also the fact that you can give someone a poison, and actually then be quite a distance away from the victim before they may succumb to it. So in terms of certainly murder mysteries, when the person dies, the murder can be several thousand miles away at the time of the death, but yet still be responsible for the death.

But different poisons will kill in quite different ways. And oftentimes the precise symptoms that a person would have when they're experiencing being poisoned can actually be quite useful in determining what they've been exposed to. One of the stories that I tell is a poisoning that occurred in Scotland. One of the victims was married to an anesthesiologist who immediately recognized the symptoms and was able to save his wife and son from dying from the poison, because he recognized those specific symptoms.

You did an incredible job communicating biological functions that the poisons impacted. Why was this important for the book?

I think that there really is a genuine interest in learning how poisons work and how they affect the body. People are generally interested in how the body works as well.

This is how the body normally works and it usually works pretty darn well. But if you put these poisons in, it can disrupt things. And also to really give some exposure to the fact that whilst we generally think of poisons as something nasty, something terrible, they are just chemicals at the end of the day, and they're not really good or bad. It's just how you use them. I'm thinking of people like [serial killer nurse] Charles Cullen, who used digoxin, which is a really important medicine in treating heart complaints. But if you abuse it, you can kill someone.

I also wanted to get across that there are these two sides of the coin as well. And oftentimes, some poisons contain drugs that can be used to treat other poisons. One of the things that I bring out in the book is that atropine on its own, if you take it in higher levels, will kill you. But I think also it came out in prominence just recently with the attempted assassinations of the Russian double agents in England in Salisbury. I guess just about 18 months ago, when they were poisoned with nerve agents, it turns out that one of the best antidotes for that is atropine.

How did you decide which poisons to include in your book? There’s a lot of poisons out there to choose from.

Trying to narrow those down was quite difficult. Obviously, you've got to cover the big three (arsenic, cyanide, and strychnine). I wanted to pick out those poisons that really did illustrate the fact that they operate in different ways. Some poisons attack the nerves. Other poisons will attack the heart and stop it from beating. Other poisons will pretty much destroy the protein production inside every cell. I didn't want to come up with a whole series of poisons that all just worked in the same way.

I also wanted to find poisons that had really good stories associated with them, if I can say that a murder is a good story. How many times will you come across a story where someone had been poisoned in chicken curry?

Related: 11 Culinary Cozy Mysteries Bursting with Recipes for You to Try Out

What mysteries do you like to read? I presume Agatha Christie is one of them.

Obviously I read a lot of Agatha Christie growing up. That was certainly my main interest. [Also I read] the classic ones like Sherlock Holmes, who also included several poisons in some of his stories, and obviously other classics. I was more focused on British writers at the time. So people like Ruth Rendell...and also P.D. James, who I will admit, I kind of stole the title for my book from. She had written a book called A Taste for Death. So I admit, I somewhat purloined part of her title to put mine for A Taste For Poison.

Any final thoughts?

It certainly should be known that it's really difficult to get away with poisoning someone these days. The ability to detect even fairly exotic poisons has come in leaps and bounds since early times, and now it's pretty much impossible to come up with a poison that can't be detected. So if you're going to kill someone, probably poisoning is not the best way. Although in murder mystery books, you're free to run the gamut.

If you're a fan of true crime books or podcasts, don't miss Neil Bradbury's A Taste for Poison. While some books cover murders and suicides by various methods, this author focuses only on poisons that involve 11 molecules and that can be swallowed, inhaled, injected or touched. It's a dark but fascinating subject.

Some of the cases Bradbury covers are infamous, some are still unsolved, and some have been forgotten, but crime fans will probably stay up late to read about them.

his is a different take on true crime in that it focuses on the weapon of choice, that being poison. It goes through several cases over decades where folks tried unsuccessfully to poison others, describing the cocktail used, what the poison does, and how the perpetrators were ultimately caught. This covers a multitude of time periods, and it was extremely fascinating to see how not only the methods of using poison have evolved, but also how each time someone thought they had outsmarted everyone and successfully killed their target, there was always something that eventually brought them down, something basic. Bradbury covers all types of cases here, not just spurned spouses, and goes into detail on how the poison works in the system and what should have, or did happen.

As a true crime fan this was absolutely fascinating, and I listened to this on audio so for those that love podcasts I think you’ll love this too. Either way, if you love crime, I promise you don’t want to miss this one.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital galley and ALC to review. This one is available now.

Very enjoyable book; I liked the Poisoner's Handbook and the Deadly Dinner Party & this is a natural addition to those titles. Engaging and historically edifying.

Neil Bradbury takes subject matter that could be dry and boring or sordid and macabre and manages to make it entertaining, combining the historical and scientific aspects with an awareness of the humanity of the people involved. I hope there is a sequel in the works!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a book filled with poisons that have been used for murder. Taking a different approach, Neil Bradbury tells us about the poisons and then tells us about cases where that particular poison was used. It was a unique way of learning about the poison and those cases and the people who used them.

Anyone interested in forensics or true crime is sure to like this look at how murderers have killed with poisons. Poisons have long been looked at as a women’s weapon, but both genders use it and it is not gentle, forgiving or weak as a method of death. Peppered with anecdotes of serial killers who roomed in college with famous crime novelists and tales of killers of all walks of life and intelligence as well as the science of how each poison kills. Thanks to Netgalley for a digital advance of this title.

A Taste for Poison by Neil Bradbury PhD

A Taste for Poison was a really interesting read about eleven different poisons (aconite, arsenic, atropine, chlorine, cyanide, digoxin, insulin, polonium, potassium, ricin and strychnine) used in various crimes and murders. I am all for true crime and this is like an insiders-behind the scenes-scientific look at how certain chemicals are used. And it's easy to understand and follow along--this does not read like some scientific instructional book. Along with a story of some poisoners, the author really dives in to explain what each poison does to the body and how it is detected. I found this book quite fascinating and I learned a lot while reading this book which just makes me want to read more (& watch more) true crime.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my review.

There are some books that make you sit back and think, Oh My! "A Taste For Poison" was a book that I could not put down. From the start, I was hooked. When we think poison, we usually think of how they have been used for horrid deeds. While that is true, there were other uses - and sometimes it was misguided.

Neil Bradbury takes us on a journey through the history of poisons. From their medicinal uses to make-up, wallpaper, and so much more - murder always comes in. While some of the poisons started out innocently enough, there is always someone that is going to figure out how to use it for nefarious means. I love that he takes you from the start to the finish, without unneeded information. The uses for medicine and murder really intrigued me, I could have gone for a book twice this length! I was not ready for it to end! The information flows smoothly, with background information, the names of those who used the poison for ill will, and ends with forensic breakthroughs, and high-profile cases.

Every single one of the poisons that were discussed were ones that I was familiar with, but I did not know their backgrounds. From accidental discoveries to advances in medical fields - I was amazed at the varied differences in the formulas, what makes it deadly, and if there are any antidotes available.

Perfection in a book! Grab this one now, you will not be disappointed at all! I look forward to reading more from this author.

Neil Bradbury’s new book, A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them, is a fascinating and fresh take on true crime narrative forms. Rather than just recount the stories of killers who murder by poisoning, Bradbury shifts the focus to the substances themselves.

Across eleven sections, accompanied by a helpful appendix and bibliography, Bradbury unpacks the history of various poisonous and deadly substances as well as their illegal and legal uses throughout history. Bradbury acknowledges that poison has been the weapon of choice for many killers for centuries, and there are many harrowing tales of systematic or sudden deaths by poisoning that one can draw on to prove their point. However, Bradbury encourages us in this text to slow down and consider the nuances between poisons, how they work to destroy the body, their effectiveness in doing so, and even unpacks their molecular breakdown in an accessible and engaging way. Bradbury’s text is a blend of science, true crime, and medical history.

Perhaps what is most intriguing about this book is its refreshing take on true crime. When I began reading, I expected yet another anthology of true crime stories, this time with a focus on poisoners. What I got instead was an interesting an educational book full of the context that allows these substances to work. In his introduction, Bradbury contextualizes his text by breaking down some of the fundaments in the chemistry behind these positions, such as the difference between a toxin and a poison, the various methods of ingestion and their consequences, and how different poisons are derived. As he writes

“This book is not a catalogue of poisoners and their victims, but rather explores the nature of poisons and how they affect the body at the molecular, cellular, and physiological levels. Each poison kills in its own unique way, and the varied symptoms experienced by the victims often give clues as to the nature of the poison used against them. In a few instances such knowledge has led to appropriate treatment and full recovery. In other cases knowledge of the poison is not a therapeutic benefit, because there is simply no antidote.”

In each chapter, organized with helpful subheadings, Bradbury discusses what each poison is made of, how it kills, how it is commonly used, how it was discovered, and, of course, how it has been used to kill. This structure places the emphasis on the substance itself rather than the crimes it has been used for and provides some important context in relation to how and why people might choose to use these to kill. Some of my favourite chapters included the Arsenic, Cyanide, and Strychnine sections.

Beyond the interesting and original structure, Bradbury’s text will appeal to true crime readers because the stories he recounts are little-known crimes and they often oscillate between historical and modern examples. Tales from the Victorian period, the cold war, and even the 2010s are spread across Bradbury’s text. There are many stories of dangerous doctors and nurses, poisoned cold war secret agents, and more. Bradbury’s discussion of the poisons got me invested in the history of the substance itself, which made the true crime portions of the book much more informative and contextually relevant.

Much more than a simple anthology of poisoner stories, Bradbury’s book is a truly original take on true crime, popular science, and medical history. I highly recommend!

Please add A Taste for Poison to your Goodreads shelf.

Don’t forget to follow True Crime Index on Twitter and please visit our Goodreads for updates on what we’re reading! You can find Rachel on her personal @RachelMFriars or on Goodreads @Rachel Friars.

About the Writer:

Rachel M. Friars (she/her) is a PhD student in the Department of English Language and Literature at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She holds a BA and an MA in English Literature with a focus on neo-Victorianism and adaptations of Jane Eyre. Her current work centers on neo-Victorianism and nineteenth-century lesbian literature and history, with secondary research interests in life writing, historical fiction, true crime, popular culture, and the Gothic. Her academic writing has been published with Palgrave Macmillan and in The Journal of Neo-Victorian Studies. She is a reviewer for The Lesbrary, the co-creator of True Crime Index, and an Associate Editor and Social Media Coordinator for PopMeC Research Collective. Rachel is co-editor-in-chief of the international literary journal, The Lamp, and regularly publishes her own short fiction and poetry. Find her on Twitter and Goodreads.

A digital copy of this book was graciously provided to True Crime Index from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Taste for Poison by Neil Bradbury, PhD

9781250270757

293 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: February 1, 2022

Nonfiction, True Crime, Poison

The book is divided into the following parts and chapters. Each chapter has a story associated with the poison. I was familiar with a few and horrified with others.

Part I: Biomolecules of Death
Chapter 1: Insulin
Chapter 2: Atropine
Chapter 3: Strychnine
Chapter 4: Aconite
Chapter 5: Ricin
Chapter 6: Digoxin
Chapter 7: Cyanide
Part II: Molecules of Death from the Earth
Chapter 8: Potassium
Chapter 9: Polonium
Chapter 10: Arsenic
Chapter 11: Chlorine
Epilogue: The Garden of Death

This book was amazing. For years I have studied poisonous plants and I smiled as I read about several of them. The author has a unique writing style that made me feel as if he was sitting with me and telling stories. It is a fast read and will keep your interest until the very end. I would have given it more than five stars if I could. If you have an interest in true crime or poisons, you will enjoy reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Neil, and St.Martin’s Press for an advance copy of A Taste for Poison.

A Taste for Poison explores 11 poisons in depth. He explains where they come from and their uses, both good and bad. Woven through the science of the poisons are tales of true crime, making this a perfect read for historians, scientists, and true crime fans.

My favorite thing about this book was the exploration of the molecules and how most could be used for good or evil. It’s fascinating that in the hands of the right person, something could be lifesaving, but in the wrong hands it is deadly. This obviously isn’t a new concept, but I was not aware that many “poisons” also have been used for good throughout time.

The chapter layout was also great. We get a brief history of the molecules and how they work / how they kill, followed by some real life examples of the molecules in action.

I do not have a science brain, my eyes tend to glaze over when this sort of convo arises, but Neil did a great job of balancing the science with the true crime, and telling the science side of things in an interesting non-science brain way.

I picked up this book because I thought it sounded interesting. I admit, I am more interested in the true crime portion than of the history and composition of the different types of poison, but much to my surprise I found the parts about poison very interesting too...especially the parts about how the same type of poison can be both a remedy and a poison depending on how it is utilized and who's hands it is in. There are some interesting cases of infamous poisinings highlighted throughout the book, but the book is predominately about how the different poisons work. It was definitely an interesting read.

Neil Bradbury phd has written a fascinating book about poisons and the crimes and the particular poisons were used in.A unique look at true crimes real and crimes in literature.Will be recommending perfectfor true crime collection #netgalley#st.Martins

I really enjoyed this book. I was pleasantly surprised to find I had heard of most these cases before. There were a few times when the book had a bit of a "text book" feel to it, but it wasn't enough to make me stop reading it. I would suggest the book to my fellow true crime loving people!

If you like true crime this is the book for you it was incredibly interesting! There was information about both well know cases and other cases that are lesser known. The information regarding the science behind why certain elements medications and other items may be use for health reason can be deadly. I really enjoyed the easy to understand chemistry behind all of the explanations and real cases where the item was used and the outcome of the cases. It also was very interesting to hear how certain cases were solves without the use of modern forensic science. Overall very interesting read!

A TASTE FOR POISON focuses on eleven substances which have been used as poisons: Insulin, Atropine, Strychnine, Aconite, Ricin, Digoxin, Cyanide, Potassium, Polonium, Arsenic, and Chlorine. These substances are divided into “biomolecules of death,” which include the first seven and “molecules of death from the earth,” which cover the final four. The epilogue describes a poison garden on the grounds of Alnwick Castle in England. For each substance, the appendix provides a summary of route of entry, how it targets the body, lethal dose, administration route, symptoms, and any antidotes, making it a great reference tool for crime writers.

Each chapter throughly examines each substance, providing its history, detailed description of how it affects the body, fictional and true crime case studies (including how the killers brought to justice), and identifies any antidotes. The comprehensive coverage of each of the substances makes the book a riveting read. I particularly liked how the book included fictional cases as well as nonfictional ones and the particulars on the investigations into the murders. I found the history of each of the substances fascinating. Each page is infused with the author’s engaging voice and enthusiasm for the subject.

This book is sure to be a hit with those who enjoy true crime and history.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

While I don't think you'd expect it from the title, this is actually a quite entertaining read! The author has a great sense of humor, actually, which really lightens this dark topic up a lot. It's an interesting reference book - with each chapter highlighting a different poison - how it is used, at least one criminal case and exactly how it impacts the human (and sometimes other animals) body. The criminal case usually includes how it's detected as well. Bradbury breaks down the biology to be understandable and it's never dull. I read it straight through - which I think many people will, too, once they dive in. But I imagine that you could also approach it just in specific sections or just whatever is relevant for the reader's purposes (hopefully not murderous purposes...). But, honestly, I wouldn't recommend that approach - the book is quite good! Though, I suppose, maybe take the dust jacket off before you read it on the bus,.. or leave it on your nightstand where your spouse could see!

I learned a lot - the expected poisons are covered here.- like strychnine, arsenic and cyanide - but there are also some that I was totally unfamiliar with, like polonium. One warning though - this book does contain some spoilers for Agatha Christie novels - though I would hazard to guess that those who pick up this title have most likely already read those titles. And if not, I definitely recommend them! It made me want to revisit a few that I haven't read since I was young! I really enjoyed this more than I expected to - and I am looking forward to reading the new fiction that this book will undoubtedly inspire!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this title, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It is organized loosely around eleven of the most commonly used poisons down through history. Each section includes a variety of startling facts, jaw-dropping stories, and lots of tongue-in-cheek humor. It is definitely written with the layman in mind, and, it seems to me, with entertainment as the main goal. I certainly enjoyed reading this, and look forward to sharing some of the astonishing things I learned.

What an interesting read about eleven poisons and some of the cases involving death by these poisons.
While some poisons were lauded as undetectable and perfect crimes that is not the case today. Aconite poisons were horrible deaths and untraceable until the doctors started testing and found ways to trace the drugs by symptoms and testing.
Others have been used for sports enhancements and beauty products but not without their fallacies. Chances were also being taken and not always with the results you wanted.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for an ARC of this book. It was very informative and entertaining.
#Netgalley #StMartinsPress