<p>When Dr William Macbeth poisoned two of his sons in 1927, his wife and sister hid the murders in the intensely private realm of family secrets. Like the famous poisoner Dr Crippen, Macbeth behaved as if he were immune to consequences; unlike Crippen, he avoided detection and punishment. Or did he? Secrets can be as corrosive as poison and, as time passed, the story of Dr William Macbeth, well-dressed poisoner, haunted and divided his descendants. Macbeth's granddaughter Gail Bell, who grew up with the story, spent ten years reading the literature of poisoning in order to understand Macbeth's life. A chemist herself, she listened for echoes in the great cases of the 19th and 20th centuries, in myths, fiction and poison lore. This intricate story, with a moving twist at the end, is a book about family guilt and secrets, and also an exploration of the nature of death itself-as Bell turns to her grandfather's poisonous predecessors, from Cleopatra, Madame Bovary and Napoleon, as well as looking at Harold Shipman.</p>

THE POISON PRINCIPLE - A MEMOIR ABOUT FAMILY SECRETS AND LITERARY POISONINGS

Medical Books

Gail Bell

Pharmacology

Picador/Pan Macmillan

The Poison Principle

<p>When Dr. William Macbeth poisoned two of his sons in 1927, his wife and sister hid the murders in the intensely private realm of family secrets. But secrets can be as corrosive as poison, and as time passed, the story of Dr William Macbeth, well-dressed poisoner, haunted and divided his descendants. Macbeth`s granddaughter, Gail Bell, who grew up with the story, spent ten years reading about poisons in order to `read` and understand Macbeth`s life. A chemist herself, she listened for echoes in the great poison cases in history, in myths, fiction and poison lore. As well as Bell`s own story, here too are the stories of Cleopatra and Snow White, Madame Bovary and Napoleon`s doctor, Dr Crippen and Harold Shipman. Intricate and beautifully written, with a stunning twist at its end, The Poison Principle is both a fascinating detective story and a moving memoir of death and deceit.</p>

Biographies & Memoirs

Arts & Literature

Pan/Macmillan

A truly moving memoir and a fascinating exploration of the history of poison.When Dr William Macbeth poisoned two of his sons in 1927, his wife and sister hid the murders in the intensely private realm of family secrets. Like the famous poisoner Dr Crippen, Macbeth behaved as if he were immune to consequences; unlike Crippen, he avoided detection and punishment. Or did he? Secrets can be as corrosive as poison, and as time passed, the story of Dr William Macbeth, well-dressed poisoner, haunted and divided his descendants.Macbeth's granddaughter, Gail Bell, who grew up with the story, spent ten years reading the literature of poisoning in order to 'read' and understand Macbeth's life. A chemist herself, she listened for echoes in the great cases of the nineteenth and twentieth century, in myths, fiction and poison lore.Intricate and beautifully written, with a moving twist at the end of the story, this is a book about family guilt and secrets. It is also an exploration of the nature of death itself, as Bell turns to her grandfather's poisonous predecessors - from Cleopatra and Madame Bovary to Napolean and Harold Shipman.

Macmillan

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Books by Gail Bell