If you're an Agatha Christie or a chemistry fan -- this book is right down your dark alley...
Dr. Kathryn Harkup, writer, science communicator and vampirologist, will be with us discussing her book V is for Venom: Agatha Christie's Chemicals of Death. Join us for this fun and fascinating conversation about Agatha Christie's use of poison in her works, and the discover some of the science behind these compounds and how they work.
Questions? Contact Kerry: keodonnell@somervillema.gov
RECORDING NOTE: PARTS of this program will be recorded and a video link will be sent to all registrants.
About the Book:
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.
About the Author:
Kathryn Harkup is a former chemist who has turned writer and science communicator. Her interests are in anything gothic, gory and geeky, and preferably all three. She gives regular public talks on the disgusting and dangerous side of science. Her first book was the international best-seller A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie. She has also written Making the Monster: The Science of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Death by Shakespeare and Superspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond. Her latest book is V is for Venom: Agatha Christie's Chemicals of Death.
This program is presented in partnership with the Ashland Public Library and other MA libraries.
Registration will remain open until the program start time. When you register for this event, you'll receive an email confirmation with the Zoom link sent from the Ashland Public Library. Please make sure to check your spam folder if you don't see it initially.
