Absolutely fascinating! A perfect book for people who are interested in not just the gore of true crime. A Taste for Poison does of course have the gore but it is perfectly blended with the science behind poison. Informative and fascinating without becoming dull or like a college pharmacy textbook. It also helps that the narrator added that perfect British poshness.

An interesting nonfiction book about common types of poison, how they were used to poison people, an in-depth chemical breakdown of each, and a notable murder or murderer who used it (including more recent cases of poisoning).

For me, the in-depth sections felt a little long, but I was more interested in the true crime stories. The narrator, Derek Perkins, delivered the majority of the book in a monotone voice so I found myself zoning out at times.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was incredibly interesting Dr. Bradbury walks readers through 11 deadly substances, and discusses 11 murder cases involving not only the poison used, how it would kill the victim and finally it was determined in the body after death.

It is incredible to hear not only the science involved but how hard it was to initially prove it was murder. In early cases (pathology has cone along way so it would be easy to prove now).

This book was a fasinating and informative listen. I did have to listen in sections because although fasinating it is very scientific. But well worth the time. Very well written and meticulously documented.

I listened to the audio version, and I really enjoyed it.
This discussion of poisons and criminal cases involving the poisons is very interesting. It is very intelligently written and includes plenty of scientific information including chemistry, biology and biochemistry. The author discusses the chemistry of each substance, where it is found in nature, the history of its use, medicinal properties, how it affects the human body, etc. Important criminal cases involving the poison are also presented.
I have a background in chemistry and found the content well-researched and thorough. While a background in the sciences is probably not necessary to enjoy this book, it certainly is helpful. The author probably assumes the reader is college educated with more than a passing interest in scientific topics.
Those who enjoy true crime will also be drawn to this book.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook.

#ATasteforPoison by #neilbradbury is what I listened to for #Nonfictionnovember. In this book Dr. Bradbury takes us on a journey about 11 deadly substances, with 11 murder cases discussed as well as how the poison kills. He meticulously reviewed the processes in the body that are interrupted by the poisons, from increasing electrical impulses, to creating chemical reactions, to the complete destruction of the dna in cells themselves (as in the case of the Polonium). This would be a great read for November but it is actually being released in January. I really love non fiction about science or the natural world, and this audiobook was done so well (of course, it was by @macmillan.audio )!
Many thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for making this available on @netgalley. Check this one out, it's entertaining and informative, with disclaimers at the end to say that poisoning in this day and age rarely goes undetected due to our advanced pathology. I think the author wanted to make sure to point that out, in case someone wanted to try their hand at one of these methods...just dont, you're sure to be caught, um unless maybe your last name is Putin.... maybe. lol

I really enjoyed this audiobook. As a true-crime enthusiast, this was a fascinating yet different take on the genre that really intrigued me. There were definitely a few points when the author was giving context that I felt like I was in a chemistry class, but I really felt like I was learning something as well as being entertained. I liked that in addition to murders themselves, there were other anecdotes and survivor stories included within each chapter. It was also interesting to think about how much more difficult a murder by poison can be to detect and prosecute! This kept me very interested and engaged on a 6 hour solo drive, and I'd recommend this to anyone who is interested in true crime past and present.

Very interesting book on the history of poisons, the making of them, the ways they are used to help, and the people that use them to kill. In depth and entertaining while also teaching. Science interests, plant enthusiasts, true crime lovers and avid readers alike will become immersed in this book.

Have you ever wanted to scare strangers or even your friends with your oddly specific knowledge of poisons and their medicinal applications? Then this a book for you. This book focuses on eleven types of poisons and the author really manages to make the technical side of using these poisons just as interesting as the stories he tells of the people who used them.
The stories that are included in this book are truly interesting and showcase just how these would-be killers; some who succeeded and a few who didn't; decided to go about on their murderous urges.
This book also showcased just how different it was years ago to not only commit murder and be reasonably sure that you could get away with it, but also to investigate such murders and not be able to complete the investigation due to the limits of the time. However, this also brought about some incredible advancements in the field of police and forensic investigation and even in the medical field.
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone interesting in true crime, poisons or even about the advancements that these crimes brought about in the field of forensic science.
This book will be released in February of 2022

This was an absolute fascinating book. I love to watch True Crime TV shows and to read murder mysteries. A TASTE FOR POISON brought the two together in an interesting manner. Eleven poisons are introduced (although we know most of them already), the composition, effects, and a historical case of murder via the poison, comprise each chapter.

Highly recommended for others who enjoy my same kind of affection for the science of murder.

The narrator of this audiobook had a very smooth voice. His reading of the text was enjoyable.

I received an ARC of this audiobook by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

Do you like microhistories? Do you like pop science? Do you find poisons interesting? Do you want an awkward answer when a first date asks you what your currently reading? If you answered yes to any of these, then A Taste of Poison will be right up your alley. Dr. Bradbury's first book is a deep dive into eleven poisons that you find in nature. Their history, where they come from, the science behind how they work, trivia about them, and famous cases involving people attempting/succeeding to poison others with the specific poison featured in the chapter.

Dr. Bradbury did a good job of using cases from the 19th century to now. It's fascinating to dive into the history of forensic science. A lot of the cases from the 19th century reflect how doctors and scientists developed ways to detect different poisons in cadavers. Poison used to be a fairly safe method to get away with murder. But due to the pioneering work in forensic science, many of which are discussed in detail in A Taste for Poison, the ability to get away with a poisoning is highly unlikely. Discussed are also newer types of poisons that have come onto the scene in the 20th and 21st century vs your classic poisons such as arsenic and belladonna.

The overall pacing was good and there weren't any moments where I drifted off into boredom. I learned a lot from this book (I now might be terrified of medical professionals) and I found it a fun read. Plus the narrator for the audiobook was great. If you liked Stiff by Mary Roach I'd highly recommend A Taste for Poison.

4 out of 5 stars

This was a really well written exploration of poisons, looking at eleven chemicals and how they have been used for murder and mayhem. I really enjoyed the book's structure; each compound was explored both scientifically and criminologically, starting with its origins. The author goes deep into biochemistry and exactly what each poison does in the body that causes harm; I like scientific deep dives and I was extremely impressed with how well the author explained complex biochemical concepts. That's what made the book for me. But there was more! He then detailed the way each poison was used, several high profile criminal cases involving the poisons, and the way forensic science learned to identify he use of each poison. He also took pains to identify the way poisons have been used for beneficial health reasons too. On the whole a well compelling and entertaining book!

Some really interesting information here about some of the most commonly used poisons - some of which are inherently toxic, some of which are only deadly if used maliciously. The author has clearly done a lot of well thought out research and organization.

I cannot stop thinking about this book! As a huge fan of thrillers and true crime, this was so interesting to me. I like how it was setup giving the facts about different poisons then giving real stories on how the poison was used in such destructive ways. It was so disturbing and interesting at the same time. Specifically feedback on the audiobook, the narrator was easy to understand and follow. I would highly recommend this book!

A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them (audible)
by Neil Bradbury

This is a remarkable collection of use of toxins and positions in literature and real life. The people who in later years are captured easily with forensic procedures, attempt new concepts of extinguishing life of their rivals, lovers, and political opponents. The use of plants and other toxic substances is not a new idea all the way back to Roman times people have used poison's. Its an amazingly well read book with all the details like a pbs program showing the actions of murders. It was very interesting, showing in the instances of the bodies reaction to the poisons' and toxins.

I found the audio version even more entertaining than reading the book. The narrator was good to listen to and I enjoyed hearing the book after reading it previously. Great true crime stories about people using poison to kill. I already reviewed the kindle edition of the book and you can read it below.

This book is filled with some fascinating stories about past poisoners and the various substances they used. It also goes deep into detail about how the substances work and affect the body which, while interesting, became a little tedious at times. I was amazed by how one such substance was able to be used to try and kill someone in one instance, and to try to hide the use of poison in another. And then it was used as an antidote to a poison in the 3rd situation! You can’t get more versatile than that. It always amazes me how people come up with so many ways to try and kill one another, and poison is one of the most sneaky and sinister. It’s a good thing that science has gotten so much better at detecting it in recent years, but it still takes someone who thinks to look for it first, in most cases. A satisfying read, overall. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Neil Bradbury, and the publisher.

This book was a really interesting blend of popular science, medical history and narrative crime nonfiction. Dr. Neil Bradbury explores the most morbidly captivating method of murder from a cellular level. The biomolecules of death covered were insulin, atropine, strychnine, aconite, ricin, digoxin, cyanide, and naturally occurring minerals potassium, polonium, arsenic and chlorine. I thought this book read like a true crime podcast with an episode for each poison. Each chapter illustrated in detail a case that was attributed to that poison, explaining in detail all of the characters, the background and the extenuating circumstances. The author went to an amazing level of research with this book and the result is fascinating. He did not shy away from delving into the details of the science behind each substance- the reaction at the molecular level and the biological impact. Super interesting. It was excellent – the history, the crime and the science. I experienced this book as a dual read, flipping back and forth between reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillian Audio for providing me with a temporary ARC.

A very satisfying audiobook! I am kind of incredibly picky when it comes to what I'm alright with listening to instead of reading in print...
I listened to this on 1.25x speed while getting ready to leave the house, sewing, and doing some mundane household tasks like laundry, dishes, mopping, etc.
I think this book hit a goldilocks zone of information density where it didn't feel like a drag, but also wasn't too much to process auditorily for me.
This seems ideal for other people with an interest in chemistry, anatomy and physiology, or true crime; particularly if you like finding podcasts on these subjects like I do...
Fans of Dr. Death, Medical Murders, or SciShow in particular might like this book.

I did zone out and can't recall much from a couple portions of the book, but the nice thing is that the way this book is structured, I can simply go back to those chapters when I feel like it. You don't really need to listen to them in any particular order; there is a general arc throughout the book showing how poison has become easier to detect and how treatment for them has evolved over the centuries, but it still jumps around chronologically quite a lot.
Each section is pretty neatly devoted to a different toxin. You get a rundown of the characteristics and general history of each, followed by several notable instances of its use for nefarious purposes.
I really appreciate that you get a pretty thorough explanation (considering the laymen audience) of how the poison works on a microbiological level as well as how it affects the body's systems as a whole. The author managed to pretty seamlessly blend these more granular scientific details with contextualizing historical information while still holding together an engaging and easy to follow narrative for each case.

My one complaint... with the guy who drank his own cat poison, the moral of the story was not to keep poison out of your nightstand. It was to NOT poison cats! Served him right.

A quirky, informational listen that reads like multiple podcast episodes.

MV Rating: 6/10
• each chapter begins with an in-depth chemical/scientific breakdown of each poison, followed by a notable murder or murderer who used it.
•the scientific parts sometimes felt like listening to Charlie Brown’s teacher talk, but I loved the stories that followed.
•each chapter has the same setup, but is individualized, so it feels more like a short story collection than a cohesive book in some ways.

Overall, a great and informative listen with very entertaining detail in each chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listener access!

A very readable listening experience. Poisons cover both plant toxins and elements. Stories used to illustrate each poison where dramatically told, illuminating the poison's history, possible delivery methods, symptoms, and outcomes. A great read for listeners who like just a touch of lurid in their science NF.

3.5 stars

Historically, poison was a popular murder weapon because it was difficult (or impossible) to detect in the dead victim. Thus countless killers got away with murder. Now of course, modern technology can sniff out poison quite easily, and its use as a murder weapon has plummeted. Still, poisons are a fascinating subject.

'A Taste For Poison' is a compendium of eleven well-known poisons, familiar to fans of mystery fiction as well as true crime aficionados. For each substance, Bradbury describes its provenance, how it works, and its use by a killer. The poisons are aconite, arsenic, atropine, chlorine, cyanide, digoxin, insulin, polonium, potassium, ricin and strychnine.

Many poisons, such as aconite, atropine, cyanide, digoxin, ricin, and strychnine come from plants; insulin is a hormone made in animals; and other poisons are found in soil, rocks, and other naturally occurring substances. Bradbury explains, 'Whatever the poison may be, there are three distinct stages that occur before death: delivery, actions, and effects." Poisons can be delivered via four paths, ingestion (eaten or drunk), respiration (inhaled), absorption (taken in through the skin), or injection (shot into muscle or blood vessel). Once inside the body a poison might attack the nervous system; interfere with vital organs; affect cell chemistry; paralyze muscles; break down cells; and more. Taken far enough, any of these actions could result in death.

In some ways, the sections on how poisons kill is reminiscent of my college physiology class, but Bradbury's narrative is much more entertaining. I was also struck by the killers Bradbury uses as examples, some of whom crafted murder schemes worthy of the great Agatha Christie herself. Of course most of the murderers exemplified in this book were caught.....and I shudder to think of the many more that walked free.

Many people have heard of poisons like arsenic, cyanide and strychnine, and most of the other featured toxins probably 'ring a bell' as well. So, to provide a feel for the book, I'll briefly outline Bradbury's chapter on a rare and unusual killer - polonium.

Polonium, discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1903, is a lethal radioactive metal. Sadly, one of the first victims of polonium may have been the Curies' daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, who died of leukemia at the age of 58 - possibly from accidental exposure to the radioactive substance.

Polonium-210 is the ideal poison. It's lethal in small amounts, doesn't generate the hard gamma radiation that's easily detected by monitors at airports and shipping ports, and causes death relatively quickly. Of course polonium is very expensive and hard to get, but - in one case (at least) - it was used as an assassination tool.

The story: In 2006 a London man named Edwin Carter suddenly fell ill. He exhibited stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and labored breathing. At the hospital, Carter was diagnosed with gastroenteritis with dehydration, but Edwin's low white cell count argued against it. Nevertheless, Carter was treated with the antibiotics normally used to combat gastroenteritis.

When his health continued to decline, Carter announced that he was an ex-KBG agent named Alexander Litvinenko, and that he'd been poisoned. Hospital staff thought Edwin was delusional until his hair started falling out and his blood platelet count plummeted, which doesn't happen with gastroenteritis.

An MI-6 handler finally confirmed that Litvinenko had been a KGB agent who had publicly accused KGB officials of being in league with Russian organized crime. Litvinenko was fired in 1999, and defected to Britain, where he became an informant for MI-6.

Litvinenko was poisoned during a meeting with Russian 'businessmen' who would (supposedly) help British firms do business in Russia. Litvinenko unknowingly drank some polonium-laced tea during the conference, and fell ill while the 'businessmen' hustled back to Russia.

It turns out the polonium came from a nuclear facility in Russia, and the 'businessmen' were Russian agents called Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun - ostensibly sent by either Vladimir Putin or the Russian secret service. In any case, no one was ever extradited or arrested.

Bradbury explains what polonium does in detail, but in a nutshell: Polonium enters the body via the small intestine and breaks down the gut wall. This causes bacterial infections, which make the victim ill. Meanwhile, polonium enters the bloodstream, travels around the body, and destroys the liver, heart, hair follicles, immune system, bone marrow, and so on. Litvinenko's body was "literally shredded apart."

This is more dramatic than most of Bradbury's examples, which usually involve things like spouses killing their partners; nurses or doctors murdering patients; relatives killing for an inheritance; the Borgias poisoning their way to wealth and power; poison gas used for mass murder; and so on. In any case, the book will make you wary of what you eat, drink, touch, or breathe in.

Though most information in the book is available on the internet, the narrative pulls the information together in one place, and the audiobook is excellent for dipping into during free moments.

Thanks to Netgalley, Neil Bradbury, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.