If it wasn't already clear or you are new to this blog, I am massive history nerd. Particularly when it comes to medical history. When I saw this book up for review on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to review it!
The Secret Poisoner by Linda Stratmann explores poison and how it interacted with the courtrooms, medical professions and public in nineteenth century society. Stratmann argues that poison was typically hard to prove to be the cause of murder in the courtroom, as it was difficult to detect and often caused symptoms very similar to common causes of death of the nineteenth century. The rise of toxicology and the medical profession's fight to prove murder by poison is an aspect of medical history that has been largely ignored by academics, so it was really refreshing to read such a new take on murder and medicine.
Stratmann has the enviable ability of being able to construct a valid, complex, historical argument whilst telling a gripping story. So much so that I managed to rattle through 5 or 6 chapters on a 35 minute train commute. When I'm reading just one chapter for a seminar it can take me an hour and a half... Perhaps this ease of reading comes down to the sheer amount of case studies used by Stratmann to illustrate a particular point; case studies which are so far fetched that sometimes its hard to believe they are true!
But this disbelief is what is great about history, and Stratmann has captured this mystery perfectly. For someone who can get terribly bored of history books very quickly, I rattled through The Secret Poisoner and enjoyed every page. I really hope this is not the last we hear from Linda Stratmann, she has certainly proven herself to be one of the more engaging historians of the 21st century so far!
Before I go I would just like to say a big thank you to Net Galley, Linda Stratmann and Yale University Press for granting me access to an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you would like to get your hands on a copy, The Secret Poisoner is out on March 22nd!
Beth x
