Macinnis ranges widely and rather light-heartedly in investigating the uses and misuses of poisons . . . and delivers his carefully researched material in a series of anecdotes crafted with dry humor and informed ruminations. Macinnis describes with zest the effects of legal and illegal poisons on humans and animals. . . . Engrossing.

An entertaining potpourri about poison: anecdotes, history, lore, science, and trivia . . . Macinnis has fun with his deadly subject, giving the reader a glimpse of famous poisoners and their victims, a bit of the science of poisons and their detection, and a brief survey of the uses and abuses, intentional and accidental . . . Poison, it seems, is everywhere—in us and around us—and is even essential to life. . . . Great fun to read.

An unusual and informative trek through poisons and poisoners real and fabled throughout history . . . Entertaining . . . Informative and attractive.

A book that seasons history with a good pinch of character and storytelling.

Fascinating and erudite . . . Painstakingly researched, Poisons uses history, science, and fun poison facts to make lively reading of all things lethal. . . . Witty.

Poisons would have been the Adams family’s favorite bedtime reader. . . . This book keeps a delightful mix of chemistry and anecdotes written in a light hearted humorous manner. . . . Fascinating.

Poisons provides a blend of vignette, history, and lively case histories.

A surprisingly breezy jaunt through history’s great poisons and poisoners . . . Poisons supplies an arsenal of fun dinner party facts. . . . It’s an effortless read, an oddly lighthearted, witty blend of cultural history and science writing that will sit happily on your bookshelf next to Diane Ackerman or Simon Winchester.

The historical presence of poisons in cosmetics and in the medicine chest is well presented and described, yet the author goes a step further and discusses poisons in the workplace and the adverse effect on the environment caused by certain commercial industrial concerns. . . . Even the poisons inflicted by fangs are very well discussed and make for interesting reading.

The author’s fluent and almost chatty style entertainingly imparts even complex information to his lay audience.