This was an interesting non fiction read. I'm not typically a big reader of non fiction titles, but I enjoyed reading and learning about these famous women poisoners, most of which I have not heard about. The alternate story of Cleopatra that I was not aware of, like the theory of her poisoning, was really interesting to me. I also did not know that people used to poison people using boiled fly paper.
It did read like a textbook, though. Although I guess that may be the point?

Swings wildly between
1) These poisoners were brave women resorting to the only means at their disposal to escape abuse or death at the hands of men hurting them.
AND
2) Oh my gosh, look at these adorable, sassy ladies with their exotic little cultural quirks. They're like those little people from It's a Small World After All, except they murder people! So cute! Rawr, you go girl!

Somehow the first approach wraps its exculpatory arms around the women who killed purely for financial gain and lumps them in with the girl power dynamic. Sure, that makes sense.

The shifting tone and approach to these women is just baffling. We're told to be outraged that anyone would ever hold them back or mistreat them, but the book itself constantly belittles them and reduces them to literal cartoons. The drawings range from ridiculous and distasteful (dead husbands stuck to giant fly paper) to worshipful and distasteful (as if the poisoners are the patron saints of murder). Then there's the one depicting a casket full of poisons. Like a casket you put a body in. Maybe it's another cutesy take on the story, but I suspect it's because the artist/author didn't know that at the time, casket just meant box.

The whole thing would make more sense if the stories alternated tone, with one serious followed by one goofy. But the tone disconcertingly turns on a dime. Take the tale of three Hungarian midwives, referred to as "gothic nesting dolls". We're told the Hungarian town where they lived had "all the ingredients necessary to create a perfectly poisonous paprikash". Ok, so this is a lighthearted, voyeuristic romp through historical poisonings? Nope, because I kid you not, the very next sentence says, "This story and its characters shine a light on the toll of human suffering." Are you sure? Cause it seems to shine a light on your desire to have your cake and poison it too. I mean, people suffer and die in this story, and those midwives were soooo desperate and oppressed. But also, look at their cute little granny headscarves! Who could possibly consider them criminals??? Slay away, girl!

It took me a long time to process my thoughts after finishing this. I thought the tone might eventually bother me less, but my opinion hasn't changed. It's an entertaining read, but don't expect much more than that. Instead of an Edward Gorey-style take on morbid topics, I got a book that I'm pretty sure just fully supports murder as long as it's a woman committing it and she's got cute accessories.

I received my copy from NetGalley for review purposes.

The League of Lady Poisoners was a unique and entertaining non-fiction book about poisons and a number of women throughout history who used them in one way or another. Unlike some non-fiction, it didn't read as a history book which I appreciated. The author used some humor throughout and there were illustrations to break up the text. I love how well researched this seemed to be also. I recommend to anyone who may have an interest in the subject of poisons and/or true crime.

"If you find that you feel a frisson of satisfaction in reading about their dastardly schemes, you'll find no judgment here. As they say, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and packing rat poison in her purse."

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The League of Lady Poisoners: Illustrated True Stories of Dangerous Women by Lisa Perrin

Publication date: September 19, 2023

Date read: July 5, 2023



This riveting and well-researched volume by Lisa Perrin weaves together the stories of more than twenty-five accused women poisoners, exploring the circumstances and skill sets that led them to lives of crime.

This is such a fun book.

First of all, I really did learn a lot while reading this book. A few of the women profiled in this book I had heard of before - Wu Zetian, Cleopatra, Lucrezia Borges, and Catherine de Medici - but there were a lot that were new to me. Also, before you jump down my (or the author's) throat here, Perrin uses some of these women of the past (Cleopatra and Borges, especially) to discuss poisons, but also to somewhat clear their names.

Some of the female poisoners in this book are condemned for the things they did (as they should be). Their stories are interesting, but they're not exactly women that the author wants us to root for. Many of the women in this book, however, the author does want us to root for. Yes, they killed people. Yes, killing is wrong. But the Carribean woman who used poison to fight slavery... or the woman who sold her poisons to others who were being abused by their husbands... it's sometimes hard not to smile a bit at their misdeeds.

I don't know if this book will be available in audiobook, but if possible, you must pick up the book in paper form. The book is filled with gorgeous illustrations that shouldn't be missed. I also really enjoyed the sections that were just purely educational about poisons themselves - pages on poisonous plants, poisonous animals, origins and effects of various common poisons, and so much more.

I know that some will be put off by this book - it does treat murder in a rather flippant way, often nearly praising some of these women for what they did. And while I found the author to be really funny in her writing, there will be some who find it off-putting. But for those with a slightly more morbid sense of humor, or with an interest in true crime, this is a book that I can highly recommend. It's also not very scientifically complex - while science is sometimes discussed, it is written in a very layman-friendly format. There were a few parts that I personally even found a little too dumbed down, mostly in the chapter summaries, but it's generally written very well. It's fun, morbid, and educational - what's not to love?

Rating: 4/5 stars

Content warning: murder, cruelty to animals, misogyny, suicide, hanging, gore

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

The League of Lady Poisoners by Lisa Perrin was a captivating collection of stories about clever women throughout history.. I enjoyed learning about the women and their chosen poisons and was surprised to realize the amount of lore and history that incorporates women such as these. I'm always a sucker for tales about strong women rising above their restraints so this book was perfect for me.

This book highlights lady poisoners in history (I do really enjoy the fact that the author chose historical cases or at least not super recent; since work about recent true crime can feel exploitative and too soon). She tells the story of women and their different motivations for poisoning, and points out where the accusations of poisoning were likely due to the fear of strong, powerful women.

This book, despite detailing some heinous crimes done by women, is surprisingly very feminist. These women's stories through Lisa Perrin are given more context and they are no longer seen in a singular dimension.

I love the addition of scientific explanations for poisoning mechanisms and whatnot. I also enjoy the ability to pick out where things may have been simply symbolism or exaggeration in ancient cases.

This is a very informative and enlightening read.

Well researched and written!

"It seems to me that love could be labeled poison and we'd drink it anyways." -- Harper Lee

Lisa Perrin does a wonderful job of weaving together beautiful art, history, and true crime in her debut novel about some of the most badass, infamous women over time. Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the gifted copy.

The League of Lady Poisoners is an exploratory novel about women throughout history who shared a commonality: a taste for poison. The book begins with a primer that outlines the origins and effects of poison throughout history and traces the stories of at least twenty-five women who have been accused of the crime of poisoning.

Some of the crimes are honorable when you consider the historical context: women who want to rid themselves of abusive husbands or women unleashing poison onto their enslavers. Others stories though are about women who killed for insurance policy cash outs or swindled money from those they'd poisoned.

This book was both well-researched and fascinating to read. I think it was nicely put together and packaged well. Some of the infamous women, I'd already known about and then there were many that I did not. And in that regard, I'd say it was definitely worth the read!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this before it released. This is SUCH an awesome book and concept. I’m a true crime junkie so I was familiar with a lot of these stories but the author did such an amazing job of keeping the stories concise and engaging. This is obviously heavy material but was done in a tasteful way. The illustrations were SO GOOD. This would make a great unique gift for the spooky goulies in your life.

I admit - I probably watch too much ID, so when I saw this book, I just knew I had to check it out. (Deadly Women, anyone?) This was beautiful and informative. This was a fascinating insight into history, well-written and easy to read, but the illustrations were easily my favorite part of it. I not only learned a lot about infamous poisoners, but a lot about different kinds of poisons and venoms. (It's crazy where some of these poisons show up, and I'm not just talking about lead paint!) Cannot recommend enough if you enjoy learning new things, true crime, or just have a general morbid curiosity about life and history in general.

I didn't quite make it all the way through this book, simply because it isn't conducive to e-reading. The illustrations are beautiful and I imagine it would be a relatively joy to read in physical form, but all of the scrolling and zooming in/out was tiresome. However, outside of that the actual content was great! I loved the way it was broken down into sections and how the author let you know what could be proven and was was probably fable. There were some timeless poison stories and some that I'd NEVER heard before! Such a good read!

This was fun!!! The graphics were great and this was obviously very well researched. I'm a total true crime buff so this was right up my alley. I recommend this book for lesser-known pieces of history!

The League of Lady Poisoners by Lisa Perrin is a gorgeously illustrated guide to the women who chose to use their kitchens for brewing things other than coffee. Perrin takes readers on a well researched journey through history as she lays out the facts and fallacies of these infamous cases of poisoning.
While the storytelling flows and is perfect for any/all times of year, the true crime aspect makes it a perfect read for spooky season! This darkly funny tome is easy to understand and tries to answer to answer the question of “why” instead of just the “who” and the “what” behind the cases. Perfect for fans of Ancient History Fangirl, Spill the Mead, and Queens podcasts.

A fascinating read. Most of the women featured throughout this very well written book I've never heard of. The Legend of the Visha Kanya of India. The fact that Cleopatra was well versed and an expert in poisons and venom. The vileness of Mary Ann Cotton and all the horrific things she did for insurance money. Among many others.

This book gives the reader a good glossary of information without getting too granular in detail. You get an idea of these women and potential motives or reasons why they did what they did.
The illustrations can't be understated in their beauty. It adds on to the reading experience. Which is why I've given this book 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'd like to thank the publisher, the author Lisa Perrin and Netgalley for allowing me to give my review of this.

Despite the nefarious and sinister subject that the book covers, it tells the interesting history of women poisoners in history. It also includes lovely and intricate illustrations along with famous quotes. I would highly recommend it.

A wickedly fun, macabre look at lady poisoners throughout history, with some damn fine artwork to go with it. Caution: May Induce Paranoia

I had heard several of these cases already, but the detail that the author provides for each one is amazing. I also got to learn more about women I hadn't heard of and the reasonings as to why some of them did what they did. I always am so fascinated by the concept of what they did because it seems like only something you can get away with a long time ago.

If you really like to get into the weeds of true crime history, then I highly recommend this one. I read this in one sitting so that should tell you how easy this one is to get through!

I have to say I really enjoyed this book. If you like true crime you’ll love this book. It was interesting to have a book full of women who used poison for one reason or another. I love how the author divided up this book. First off showing that it’s not just women who use poison. Secondly showing you different types of poisons before jumping into these stories. I had so much fun reading that I could not put it down and walk away. And the illustrations are beautifully done! This whole book is gorgeous! I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone I know!

Thanks to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for the ARC of this illustrated history of women poisoners!

I absolutely loved the tone that this took, I am always more interested in non-fiction that feels conversational or snarky. I really liked the illustrations, as well as the variety of women included.

I learned so much reading this book. I just had no idea! It was definitely mind blowing. There were so many different types of Lady Poisoners. Some did it to help other and some did it because they were crazy or evil. This book was just wild. I loved it! Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review.