Neil Bradbury Ph.D.

As a mystery fan, I've read a fair number of bookks on poisons and poisoners and this one stands out as a home run. The approach to the topic was very methodcal and satisfying. the reader learns of a specific crime,or crimes, with the characters involved .One of those characters is the poison. How does it work, what does it do when it is not being used to kill , how can it be detected? You also learn a lot about the human body, why each poison has the effects on it that it does and how to counteract it. The author includes several medical professionals and seems to enjoy seein thise who thought they'd plotted the perfect crime being served their comeuppance. perhaps not for the weak of heart or stomach, since horrfic deaths via gas and the murder of children are depicted, but always in a scholarly non exploitative way. Overall an instructive and enjoyable book… (mais)

The book actually covers both poisons which can be "natural or man-made" and toxins, which are "deadly chemicals made by living things." Accompanying them, of course, is a crime associated with each. This includes insulin, atropine, aconite, ricin, digoxin, potassium chloride, polonium, and chlorine. Ricin is the scariest one in my opinion if you want to wiki it. I'm grateful it wasn't the usual line-up of arsenic, cyanide and strychnine.

Outright, this book concerns the methodology, so don't go into it expecting deep psychological examinations or family drama. Unlike most other true crime reads, Bradbury breaks down and explains each poison's effect on the body. This portion is what really sold me, because it could've derailed the narrative, but Bradbury's explanations are very easy to understand. He assumes just enough to avoid isolating the reader without patronizing them. His writing style is engaging, and each poison doesn't overstay its welcome. Even better, most of the examples given are of recent memory! I used to think "murder-by-poison" had its place in ancient times or the 19th century, but not anymore! A Taste for Poison features crimes from 1957 to 2011. I think this is an excellent non-fiction read for those who don't usually delve into the genre.… (mais)