The Poisoner's Handbook | Deborah Blum

"Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in Jazz age New York" says the cover. It's all that and more.

This is a wonderful non-fiction account of the science of toxicology, pathology, forensics and the art of poisons. The setting is a mix of wild west and an emerging city trying to deal with thousands of deaths a year, corrupt city officials and two amazing men who challenged the system.

Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler were the two key men who standardised the procedures in crime scene forensic examination of bodies, the retrieval of cadavers and autopsies. Norris redefined the job of Medical  Examiner and the science of toxicology. Previous to his time, Medical Examiners were politically appointed, included plumbers, realtors, and drunks. Cause of death were either made up or exaggerated. Norris trained Gettler, the best chemist he ever worked with, to design tests for all kinds of poison and noxious substances and they pioneered systems to prove victims were murdered.

What I loved about this book is the very readable style, the amount of research done and the stories of people who were killed or were killing others with seemingly innocent substances.
Many died of radiation poisoning when using cosmetics that included Radon. Gas leaks decimated many innocent people in their homes, arsenic and lead and cyanide were included in  anything and everything. It's remarkable how many children died from poisoning in this era.

Once these new compounds were discovered, they were used in many common substances, with no regulations or labelling. Fascinating to see how Norris and Gettler were so forward thinking, astute and resilient in the face of ridicule. When they began in the department, science was laughed out of court and was not thought of as reliable material in criminal cases. By the end, they were providing the only proof needed to convict murderer's of their crimes.

At the the time of Gettler's retirement he estimated he had done 100 000 autopsies.

Fantastic read.

I am Pilgrim | Terry Hayes

This is a fabulous read. It's Hayes' first novel but he is no amateur. He is a screenwriter of renown  and a very experienced story teller.

It's a door stop of a book, 700+ pages but it is a quick read. Well pace, the characters leap off the page and in the end, you are busting to read another. I don't know if a series or a sequel is in the offing but I hope there is.

The main character is a secret agent in the USA, from a secret agency so secret it doesn't exist. He is the best agent and is involved in trying to hunt down a new breed of terrorist, one who has manufactured a deadly virus which is to be released into the USA through the health system.

There's not much point re-telling the story, it would spoil the read. But it is very worth while recommending the book, the author and the time spent reading will be well rewarded.

Wake | Elizabeth Knox

Knox has been a favourite of mine for a long time so I eagerly read this new book. She is amazing, what a great author we have. Her imagination is something else.

Wake starts by describing a strange fire seen in a valley. A police officer drives there as the first responder and on the way starts seeing horrible and unexplainable things. People dead and dying from gruesome injuries, cars crashed and abandoned.
Things are spinning out of control in this small community. Fourteen survivors emerge, but they don't know what they have survived from. There appears to be an impenetrable, invisible barrier surrounding the small town and many dead citizens inside the area.
 As they come to terms with their isolation they have to start managing the situation and the way this is portrayed and the characters developed is masterful. Half way through the book you start wondering if this really did happen or could be happening right now.  And this is why I think she is such an amazing author, she transports the reader into her world.

Really worth reading, highly recommended.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children | Ransom Riggs

It has to be said, a peculiar story! This is supposedly written for young adults, but it shouldn't be restricted to that audience.
The book is illustrated with bizarre old photographs the author has found in second hand shops and boot sales. They are 'trick' photos showing peculiar situations: a child standing by a pond, with two children reflected in the surface of the water. A small girl levitating...

The characters in the story are these children, who live on an island, in a home which accommodates all their peculiarities. A boy and his father arrive on the island to look into some family history and the boy stumbles across these children, and a portal through which he enters and discovers the secret his grandfather was trying to pass on to him.

Very engaging, worth reading. Quirky.

A Summer of Reading

Is has proven to be a cold summer holiday period for us here in New Zealand. The upside, plenty of time for reading.

I have had some great reads and I will try and post the reviews as soon as I can.

Here is the list of my summer reads:

Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children by Ransom Riggs
Wake by Elizabeth Knox
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
A Girl is a Half formed thing by Eimear McBride
Lost, Stolen or Shredded by Rick Gerkosky
The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna
An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris
Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin