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amotisse's review against another edition
4.0
A written documentary into the curious history of the study and use of poison, including the authors family skeletons. Scientific storytelling at its best. Listening to an audio version was a treat, such clever descriptions and interesting facts.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘Poison is rarely if ever perfect.’
In 1927, William Macbeth apparently poisoned two of his sons with strychnine. William Macbeth was Gail Bell’s grandfather, and he died before she was born. When Gail was ten, her grandfather’s sample case was delivered to her father. She opened one of the bottles in the case, and put the end of the stopper to her nose.
‘My father snatched it from my hand and said ‘Never, never do that. You could die.’
In 1980, Ms Bell spoke with her Great-Aunt Rose, six months before Rose’s death, and was told about William Macbeth. Rose’s story was that she and her younger sister Ellen met William Macbeth, a travelling showman who travelled the country selling his miracle cures. Ellen and William married and had four sons. But when the marriage came under strain, according to Rose, William poisoned first his ‘retarded’ first son Thomas and then a few months later his son Patrick. Ellen left with her two surviving sons while William, although never tried for these murders, continued his life of crime. According to Rose, he impersonated a doctor in a lunatic asylum, stole money from the bank account of a rich inmate and then, decades later, died of tuberculosis.
Ms Bell thought that there must be more to the story, and was struck by the comment of another relative who believed that Rose herself fancied William, until he married Ellen. Would it be possible to find out more, especially now that all of the participants were dead?
‘Sometimes, stories are a melange of subjective truths, and sometimes lies tell you more than all the evidence you can hunt down.’
By persevering, Ms Bell was able to find the truth (which readers learn in the final pages of the book). Ms Bell started with a few newspaper clippings, birth marriage and death certificates. In the end, with information in a file from a mental institution, she is able to find the truth. And the truth shows her grandfather in a different light.
‘Antidotes come out of the shadows, like kind spirits holding lamps.’
I found this book fascinating. Ms Bell is a pharmacists and a teacher as well as a writer. Along the way, while unravelling the story of William Macbeth, we are treated to an extensive history of poisoning. Fictional and historical poisoners are included, as are those poisoned. A range of poisons are discussed, as are their effects on both humans and animals.
Toxicity takes many forms and not all poison is chemical.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In 1927, William Macbeth apparently poisoned two of his sons with strychnine. William Macbeth was Gail Bell’s grandfather, and he died before she was born. When Gail was ten, her grandfather’s sample case was delivered to her father. She opened one of the bottles in the case, and put the end of the stopper to her nose.
‘My father snatched it from my hand and said ‘Never, never do that. You could die.’
In 1980, Ms Bell spoke with her Great-Aunt Rose, six months before Rose’s death, and was told about William Macbeth. Rose’s story was that she and her younger sister Ellen met William Macbeth, a travelling showman who travelled the country selling his miracle cures. Ellen and William married and had four sons. But when the marriage came under strain, according to Rose, William poisoned first his ‘retarded’ first son Thomas and then a few months later his son Patrick. Ellen left with her two surviving sons while William, although never tried for these murders, continued his life of crime. According to Rose, he impersonated a doctor in a lunatic asylum, stole money from the bank account of a rich inmate and then, decades later, died of tuberculosis.
Ms Bell thought that there must be more to the story, and was struck by the comment of another relative who believed that Rose herself fancied William, until he married Ellen. Would it be possible to find out more, especially now that all of the participants were dead?
‘Sometimes, stories are a melange of subjective truths, and sometimes lies tell you more than all the evidence you can hunt down.’
By persevering, Ms Bell was able to find the truth (which readers learn in the final pages of the book). Ms Bell started with a few newspaper clippings, birth marriage and death certificates. In the end, with information in a file from a mental institution, she is able to find the truth. And the truth shows her grandfather in a different light.
‘Antidotes come out of the shadows, like kind spirits holding lamps.’
I found this book fascinating. Ms Bell is a pharmacists and a teacher as well as a writer. Along the way, while unravelling the story of William Macbeth, we are treated to an extensive history of poisoning. Fictional and historical poisoners are included, as are those poisoned. A range of poisons are discussed, as are their effects on both humans and animals.
Toxicity takes many forms and not all poison is chemical.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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