The science behind Agatha Christie’s poisons

Instant Genius

Humans are enthralled by stories about murder. And the mysteries we tell these days – like in the Glass Onion films or TV shows like The Residence – often follow a blueprint set by the iconic Agatha Christie. It turns out, Christie knew a whole lot about science.

In this episode, we speak to Dr Kathryn Harkup, a chemist who writes about the science behind famous works of literature. Her newest book, V is for Venom: Agatha Christie’s Chemicals of Death, is her sequel to A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, exploring Christie’s expert use of dark chemistry.

She tells us about some of the poisons Christie used in her books – the brutal, the medicinal and the obscure – revealing Christie’s extensive chemical knowledge.

But be warned: this conversation gets quite dark. Listener discretion is advised.

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