Reviewed by Mystereity Reviews on
What a great book! Very well organized and thoroughly researched, the book neatly lays out the progression of forensic toxicology in the 1800s, encompassing some truly outrageous poisonings in England, France and even in the United States. I don't know what surprised me more, how many people got away with it, or how many people were found guilty of their crimes. Forensic toxicology was in its infancy during the nineteenth century and some of the techniques used to find poisons in the body after death were ingenious. Equally amazing was that many scientists would take samples from the stomach, intestines and vomit of the poison victim and taste a small amount. Good grief, that takes a lot of guts (pun intended.)
Warning: there are numerous references to animals being experimented on, so if you're an animal lover, you may find it hard to read at times (I know I did.)
Absorbing and horrifying, The Secret Poisoner will appeal to fans of true crime or forensic science.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 29 June, 2016: Finished reading
- 29 June, 2016: Reviewed