Agatha Christie revelled in the use of poison to kill off unfortunate victims in her books; indeed, she used more poisons more accurately than any other crime writer. The poison itself often became a central part of the novel. This talk looks at how the writer used her extensive knowledge of drugs and medicines mixed with real life cases to create her brilliantly plotted crime novels. Her poisons were picked with care, often providing vital clues to the discovery of the murderer. We will look at howdunnit but whodunnit is for you to find out. Kathryn Harkup is a former chemist turned writer and science communicator. Her interests are in anything gothic, gory and geeky, and preferably all three. She has written several books on the crossover between science, literature and pop culture including A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie.
Presented by Elmbridge Borough Council in association with Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre