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Recommended for true crime and memoir fans. Bell's personal investment in the story pairs with her scientific knowledge to create a captivating story that explores the things we hide from each other, and ourselves.

Riley is your virtual thrift companion, and here to help you find your next favourite read. You can also find in-stock similar reads linked by topic and genre here!

When Dr. William Macbeth poisoned two of his sons in 1927, his wife and sister hid the murders in the intensely private realm of family secrets. But secrets can be as corrosive as poison, and as time passed, the story of Dr William Macbeth, well-dressed poisoner, haunted and divided his descendants. Macbeth`s granddaughter, Gail Bell, who grew up with the story, spent ten years reading about poisons in order to `read` and understand Macbeth`s life. A chemist herself, she listened for echoes in the great poison cases in history, in myths, fiction and poison lore. As well as Bell`s own story, here too are the stories of Cleopatra and Snow White, Madame Bovary and Napoleon`s doctor, Dr Crippen and Harold Shipman. Intricate and beautifully written, with a stunning twist at its end, The Poison Principle is both a fascinating detective story and a moving memoir of death and deceit.

The Poison Principle - A Memoir Of Family Secrets And Literary Poisonings

ISBN: 9780330491266
Authors: Gail Bell
Publisher: Pan MacMillan
Date of Publication: 2003-01-01
Format: Paperback
Regular price Our price:   $6.06
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Goodreads rating 3.38
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Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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Recommended for true crime and memoir fans. Bell's personal investment in the story pairs with her scientific knowledge to create a captivating story that explores the things we hide from each other, and ourselves.

Riley is your virtual thrift companion, and here to help you find your next favourite read. You can also find in-stock similar reads linked by topic and genre here!

When Dr. William Macbeth poisoned two of his sons in 1927, his wife and sister hid the murders in the intensely private realm of family secrets. But secrets can be as corrosive as poison, and as time passed, the story of Dr William Macbeth, well-dressed poisoner, haunted and divided his descendants. Macbeth`s granddaughter, Gail Bell, who grew up with the story, spent ten years reading about poisons in order to `read` and understand Macbeth`s life. A chemist herself, she listened for echoes in the great poison cases in history, in myths, fiction and poison lore. As well as Bell`s own story, here too are the stories of Cleopatra and Snow White, Madame Bovary and Napoleon`s doctor, Dr Crippen and Harold Shipman. Intricate and beautifully written, with a stunning twist at its end, The Poison Principle is both a fascinating detective story and a moving memoir of death and deceit.