"Bloomsbury presents V is for Venom: Agatha Christie's Chemicals of Death by Kathryn Harkup, read by Nicky Diss
Fourteen stories. Fourteen more poisons. Just because it's fiction doesn’t mean it's all made-up ...
Agatha Christie is renowned for her captivating plots and creative ways of killing off ill-fated victims. And what better way to add intrigue to a story than poison? The surreptitious ways they can be administered and the characteristic symptoms they produce make these killer chemicals the ideal method of murder in a ‘whodunit’. Christie perfected the use of poisons in her plots; her deft and varied use of toxic substances is one of her great strengths as a writer. But how is it that some compounds prove so fatal, and in such tiny amounts?
The follow up to Kathryn Harkup's best-selling A is for Arsenic, V is for Venom is a compelling exploration of Christie’s use of poisons and her extensive chemical knowledge. Featuring fourteen more poisons from the works of Agatha Christie, this book investigates the science behind the deadly substances, the history of their use in real-life murder cases, and how feasible was it to obtain, administer and detect these poisons in Christie’s time and today. Combining Christie’s murder mysteries, chemical science and true crime, V is for Venom is a celebration of the use of science by the undisputed Queen of Crime. C 2025 Kathryn Harkup P 2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC"
"Bloomsbury presents Superspy Science by Kathryn Harkup, read by Nicky Diss.
‘Witty and well researched.’ THE TIMES
‘A scientific dose of reality.’ MAIL ON SUNDAY
‘A fun and comprehensive exploration.’ LINDA McROBBIE
‘Endlessly fascinating.’ LIBRARY JOURNAL
The science behind James Bond’s exploits – armaments, tactics, plots and enemy tech.
The adventures of James Bond have thrilled readers since Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale was published in 1953, and when the movie of Dr No was released in 1962, Bond quickly became the world’s favourite secret agent.
Science and technology have always been central to the plots that make up the world of Bond, and in Superspy Science Kathryn Harkup explores the full range of 007’s exploits and the arms, technologies, tactics and downfalls of his various foes. From the practicalities of building a volcano-based lair, to whether being covered in gold paint really will kill you, and – if your plan is to take over the world – whether it is better to use bacteria, bombs, or poison – this book has all the answers and more.
Could our favourite Bond villains actually achieve world domination? Were the huge variety of weapons and technology in Bond’s arsenal from both the films and books ever actually developed in real life? And would 007 actually escape all those close shaves intact? From the plots to the gadgets to the ludicrous ways that his life is threatened, Superspy Science takes an in-depth look at the scientific world of James Bond. C 2022 Kathryn Harkup P 2022 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC"
"Bloomsbury presents A is for Arsenic by Kathryn Harkup, read by Nicky Diss.
Shortlisted for the BMA Book Awards and Macavity Awards 2016
Fourteen novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because it's fiction doesn’t mean it's all made-up ...
Agatha Christie revelled in the use of poison to kill off unfortunate victims in her books; indeed, she employed it more than any other murder method, with the poison itself often being a central part of the novel. Her choice of deadly substances was far from random – the characteristics of each often provide vital clues to the discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but this is not the case with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts?
Christie's extensive chemical knowledge provides the backdrop for A is for Arsenic, in which Kathryn Harkup investigates the poisons used by the murderer in fourteen classic Agatha Christie mysteries. It looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, the cases that may have inspired Christie, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today. A is for Arsenic is a celebration of the use of science by the undisputed Queen of Crime. C 2015 Kathryn Harkup P 2022 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC"
"Bloomsbury presents Death By Shakespeare by Kathryn Harkup, read by Nicky Diss.
A deep dive into the science behind the creative ways Shakespeare killed off his characters.
William Shakespeare found dozens of different ways to kill off his characters, and audiences today still enjoy the same reactions – shock, sadness, fear – that they did more than 400 years ago when these plays were first performed. But how realistic are these deaths, and did Shakespeare have the knowledge to back them up?
In the Bard’s day death was a part of everyday life. Plague, pestilence and public executions were a common occurrence, and the chances of seeing a dead or dying body on the way home from the theatre were high. It was also a time of important scientific progress. Shakespeare kept pace with anatomical and medical advances, and he included the latest scientific discoveries in his work, from blood circulation to treatments for syphilis. He certainly didn’t shy away from portraying the reality of death on stage, from the brutal to the mundane, and the spectacular to the silly.
Elizabethan London provides the backdrop for Death by Shakespeare, as Kathryn Harkup turns her discerning scientific eye to the Bard and the varied and creative ways his characters die. Was death by snakebite as serene as Shakespeare makes out? Could lack of sleep have killed Lady Macbeth? Can you really murder someone by pouring poison in their ear? Kathryn investigates what actual events may have inspired Shakespeare, what the accepted scientific knowledge of the time was, and how Elizabethan audiences would have responded to these death scenes. Death by Shakespeare will tell you all this and more in a rollercoaster of Elizabethan carnage, poison, swordplay and bloodshed, with an occasional death by bear-mauling for good measure. C 2020 Kathryn Harkup P 2020 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC"
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