As any reader of mystery novels can tell you, poison is one of the most enduring weapons of choice for a scheming murderer—it can be slipped into a drink, smeared onto the handle of a door, even filtered through the air we breathe. But how exactly do these poisons work, and what can we learn from the damage they inflict? From the deadly origins of the gin & tonic cocktail to the arsenic-laced wallpaper in Napoleon's bedroom, Neil Bradbury explores this most morbidly captivating method of murder, sharing intriguing anecdotes about a wide range of poisonings.