The Poisoner's Handbook

Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

By: Deborah Blum

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Deborah Blum, writing with the high style and skill for suspense that is characteristic of the very best mystery fiction, shares the untold story of how poison rocked Jazz Age New York City.

In The Poisoner's Handbook, Blum draws from highly original research to track the fascinating, perilous days when a pair of forensic scientists began their trailblazing chemical detective work, fighting to end an era when untraceable poisons offered an easy path to the perfect crime.

Drama unfolds case by case as the heroes of The Poisoner's Handbook---chief medical examiner Charles Norris and toxicologist Alexander Gettler---investigate a family mysteriously stricken bald, Barnum and Bailey's Famous Blue Man, factory workers with crumbling bones, a diner serving poisoned pies, and many others. Each case presents a deadly new puzzle, and Norris and Gettler work with a creativity that rivals that of the most imaginative murderer, creating revolutionary experiments to tease out even the wiliest compounds from human tissue. Yet in the tricky game of toxins, even science can't always be trusted, as proven when one of Gettler's experiments erroneously sets free a suburban housewife later nicknamed "America's Lucretia Borgia" to continue her nefarious work.

From the vantage of Norris and Gettler's laboratory in the infamous Bellevue Hospital it becomes clear that killers aren't the only toxic threat to New Yorkers. Modern life has created a kind of poison playground, and danger lurks around every corner. Automobiles choke the city streets with carbon monoxide, while potent compounds such as morphine can be found on store shelves in products ranging from pesticides to cosmetics. Prohibition incites a chemist's war between bootleggers and government chemists, while in Gotham's crowded speakeasies each round of cocktails becomes a game of Russian roulette. Norris and Gettler triumph over seemingly unbeatable odds to become the pioneers of forensic chemistry and the gatekeepers of justice.

©2010 Deborah Blum (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Nominee - Best Nonfiction Audiobook, 2011

"Blum effectively balances the fast-moving detective story with a clear view of the scientific advances that her protagonists brought to the field. Caviar for true-crime fans and science buffs alike." (<>Kirkus)
"With the pacing and rich characterization of a first-rate suspense novelist, Blum makes science accessible and fascinating." (Publishers Weekly, Starred Review)
"Blum interlaces true-crime stories with the history of forensic medicine and the chemistry of various poisons…. [A] readable and enjoyable book.... Highly recommended." (Library Journal)

CSI eat your heart out

For a person who has similar (morbid) tastes, "The Poisoner's Handbook" perfectly fits the bill. These crimes take place in New York City during the Jazz Age. The author carefully describes various poisons, such as wood alcohol, arsenic, and radium and the various effects it had on the victims. If your knowledge of poisons is based on tv shows or movies, you will be surprised to find out a lot you (probably) didn't know already.
As you can guess, forensic science was in its infancy at the time. This book focuses on Charles Norris, the New York City coroner, Alexander Gettler, Mr Norris' lead chemist and Harrison Martland, the New Jersey coroner. These people are for real, not like the old "Ouincy, ME" television show of long ago.
When you see old movies of people drinking "bathtub gin" during Prohibition, it looks so carefree and fun. But it wasn't. Many deaths were caused by the "hooch" that was made from renatured industrial alcohol. It wasn't a pretty death, either. It makes me wonder why anyone would be willing to take the risk of drinking homemade booze, but plenty of people did it, I guess thinking "It won't happen to me".
When you see what types of ingredients were in the common ordinary household items, you will wonder how anybody managed to stay alive in that type period. You think toxic products are bad now, when you read this book, you will be surprised how far (or maybe not) we have come.

WOW!!!

I can be a bit verbose with my reviews but I write what I want to see when I read the reviews of others. However the three-letter heading really sums it up! But, if you insist.....

While I know that forensics didn't begin recently, there has been a huge gap on books about criminal investigation in the decades between Victorian-era Sherlock Holmes and present day "CSI: Miami". And both of these accounts are largely science fiction - my long-time Sr. Crime Scene Investigator boyfriend doesn't drive a Hummer, conduct highly technical forensic and chemical tests, arrest perps, or interrogate suspects! He mainly "bags it 'n' tags it", i.e., collects evidence like bullet casings, weapons, blood, drugs, etc., dusts for fingerprints, and thoroughly documents the crime scene with schematics, photos, and video, assuring that everything is logged in which begins the critical chain of custody for trial.

This book gives credit to 2 brilliant dedicated scientists who created, formally organized, and set the current standard for catching murderers and/or exonerating innocent people of the most elusive and complicated manner of death - poisoning. Before there were mass chromatograph spectrometers, there was chief medical examiner Charles Norris and toxicologist Alexander Gettler, scientists who dedicated their time and, often, their own money to convince the corrupt NYC legal system that forensics had a much- needed place in criminal investigation. And they did it with glass tubes, petri dishes, and Bunsen burners in the 1920s! They could keep working in a blackout while today's forensic labs would have to close up until the computers had power!

My only complaint is the narrator. While she can spit out long hard-to-pronounce chemical names without batting an eye, for some strange reason she had Dr. Gettler sounding like Tony Soprano! Totally unnecessary and often distracting. This is not a book which requires gimmicky accents. The subject matter stands on its own. AMAZING!!

The Poisoner's Handbook

This book is excellent. The name is unfortunate because people who should read this and would find it excellent (most people) will pass it up because of the title. if you have an interest in medicine, how the medical communities work and how poor government affect every person, you should read this book.

CSI got nothing on this!

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Please note this is NOT a how-to book, but instead a glimpse back in time. This has history, murder, legal intrigue, political mess...all rolled into one, with a touch of environmentalism. It is amazing to see how complex our world is and how delicate our interaction with it can be.

Loved it

The cover looks like it was designed in ‘96 at Digital Media 101 class, the title is oblique and yet the research, the material and the story, the quality or the story make up for all of that.

Enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Magnificent

I loved this book, all the information was just the right amount to digest. The organization made it understandable. I highly recommend this book. Got it on audible and loved it.

Addictive, entertaining, informative

Where does The Poisoner's Handbook rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the absolute best audiobooks I've listened to. The writing is compelling, the stories told are fascinating, if a little creepy at times.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Probably Charles Norris, the dedicated physician and scientist.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Coleen Marlo?

Absolutely. Her writing is excellent, she is obviously well-versed in her subject matter.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

It's hard to pick just one, I've been irritating friends for the last week by spouting interesting (in their words, "creepy") facts and anecdotes from this book. I was fascinated by the things people drank during prohibition - everything from Sterno to Ginger Jake (which caused an odd paralysis of the muscles, resulting in a distinctive toe-heel tapping gait known as Jake Leg).

A Favorite

I am a life-long leaner and this is one of my all-time favorite books. I adore the storytelling Deborah Blume does and Colleen Marlo does a good job narrating the story. I love the way the information is presented in an informative yet entertaining manner. I also like really the Poison Squad but haven’t listened to it yet so can’t comment on the audio quality for it.

I LOVE the reader

From the moment she read her own name in the titles, I knew I was in for a campy good time. The accents are amazing! These previous, narrator-critical reviewers have no sense of fun!

The novel itself is extremely interesting, if at times not the best lunchtime companion. Recommended for anyone who's enjoyed noir/hard-boiled detective fiction.

Really cool book; fascinating!

It is a volume of fun, useful, cleverly told, fascinating information that is useful, if for nothing else, at making me look smart at social gatherings. Honestly, it is one of those books that I wish I could force on people "hey, you, read this! Right now!".

What you want to know is whether it is worth the credit and can you tolerate the narration. The answer is an emphatic YES to both. I enjoyed the perfectly paired narrator's presentation of the gruesomely enthralling subject matter, and I'm sure you will too!