Molecules of Murder: Criminal Molecules and Classic Cases

Chemist John Emsley is hardly the first to observe that "real life is often stranger than fiction," but this real life forensic chemist's latest book is a fascinating look at the truth behind the cliche -- or the lethal substance behind the murder. The research is impeccable, and the subject matter will appeal to aficionados of folklore, criminology, forensics, medicine, herbology, chemistry, history of science, and pharmacology. Some of the stories are familiar: Alexander Litvinenko, the former KGB agent who died of radiation poisoning in 2006 after drinking a cup of tea spiked with a killing dose of plutonium; nurse Kristen Gilbert, the "Angel of Death" who killed at least 50 patients in veterans hospitals during the 1990s; the cyanide capsules that were slipped into bottles of Tylenol and placed on store shelves in 1982. Most frightening are the cases where the poisoning is misdiagnosed as a stomach virus or whatnot while the victim is still living -- shaking one's belief in the medical establishment while increasing one's respect for the medical examiners and other crime scene investigators. Each chapter follows the same basic structure: it starts with a brief outline of a criminal case, follows this with a background discussion of the history and folklore of the poison, its biological action and modes of detection, and concludes with what happened in the criminal case and perhaps other such cases. This type of parallelism is a good, solid syntactical technique and works well here. Dr Emsley's straightforward writing style is refreshing and also totally appropriate to the subject matter. This could have been a tabloid-style foray into the lurid and squeamish, and it is a credit to Dr Emsley that it is not. On the other hand, the book could certainly have benefited from a competent editor. For example, there is an inconsistent hodgepodge of Briticisms and Americanisms, with body weights variously rendered in kilograms, stones or pounds; prices sometimes in dollars, sometimes in pounds sterling; and the spelling "tonne" used throughout. Doses are rendered as a percentage and/or as parts per million, sometimes in the same paragraph, which can quite irksome. (All of this makes me wonder what he means when he says "trillion," which in the US is equivalent to 10 to the 12th power, but in the UK is 10 to the 18th power -- a huge difference.) Other editing lapses abound. When writing about belladonna in Chapter Three, Dr Emsley somewhat pointlessly discusses 2005 prices for a poison used to commit a murder in 1994. He should either research the appropriate price or omit it entirely, especially since this is the only place in the book where be bothers to proffer the price of a poison. In Chapter Nine, he refers to the "subject of ... poisoning" when he means the perpetrator; while that grammatical construction may be technically correct, it is nonstandard usage and therefore confusing to the reader. In Chapter 10, an essentially identical se

"Molecules of Murder" is classed as a popular science book, and I have to say, it is very popular with me. So much so, that I'm searching out other books by Emsley. Emsley has a warm, chatty style of writing and an approach that makes even chemistry, which can often be very dull, fascinating. And as with so many British writers, he has a understated humor that hits the mark, e.g. "...she poisoned her father with a white powder sent by her lover, Lieutenant William Cranstoun, who assured her it would end her father's objection to their marriage. It did--it killed him." You have to love a science book written like that. Emsley is popular, and no wonder. I wish some U.S. scientists would realize you don't have to be dull and humorless to write about science. In fact, I believe that the cold, somber style of most science papers written in the U.S. is directly responsible for the decline in science students. I'd rather read a British paper any day, since most of them have a much more accessible, warmer style and wry humor even while covering exactly the same subject with the same accuracy. But I digress. If you are at all interested in science or the application of chemistry to forensics, this book is highly recommended, particularly for anyone with the following interests: AUDIENCE Writers Students of Chemistry/Forensics Folks interested in or involved in Forensics Biologists Law Enforcement (I particularly think folks involved in law enforcement would love this book to get a better handle on, or at least an introduction to, the chemistry of poison in a very accessible way.) REVIEW DETAILS I have always loved science and forensics, and who doesn't love the television show, CSI? "Molecules of Murder" actually gives you the science behind the poisons. In the introduction, Emsley presents you with a brief look at the history of chemical analysis and its application in solving murders throughout history. The good news is that it appears poisoning's "heyday" is pretty much over. It's on the decline as a favorite murder weapon, and that's excellent news if you're in the law enforcement line. The book is divided up into chapters relating to different poisons, e.g. Chapter 5 "Adrenaline and the Near-Perfect Murders of Kristen Gilbert". The poisons discussed include: Ricin, Hyoscine, Atropine, Diamorphine, Adrenaline, Chloroform, Carbon Monoxide, Cynanide, Paraquat, and Polonium. In each chapter, there is a brief introduction of a historical (or recent) case of the use of a poison, followed by these sections: toxicology and chemistry; historical uses; production and application; the effects of poisoning; detection and identification; positive factors; examples of poison attacks; and then a specific case where the poison was used in murder. While that may sound dry and perhaps daunting, it is incredibly accessible because Emsley makes heavy use of anecdotes and examples from history, recent events and even liter

I have read some of the critques of the book that complain a bit about the chemistry aspects, so I would like to put in my small counterpoint to their critique. Yes, if you absolutely care less about chemistry, this may not be the right book for you. However, if you are like me and trying to learn organic chemistry and feel bored and overwhelmed by the seeming emphasis on memorization over use, this is definitely a great book! I am the kind of person who wants to know "Who cares?" This book answers why you should be interested in isomers, because one compound might kill you, while its isomer might only make you a little sick. I also felt the author was almost prescient in leading off with Ricin, which has been very much in the forefront of the news this year, because of the guy who had it in his hotel in Vegas. Some of the details about a few of the murders are thin, however, at least in some cases this is a result of the limitations imposed on historical preservation and not a reflection on the author's capabilities. For example, in discussing hyoscine and the murder of Belle Elmore, it is clear that more detail would be useful on what actually happened. However, I also read Thunderstruck by Erik Larson, where Ms. Elmore's murder was used as a vehicle to help the reader understand the importance of the invention of the wireless. The same details I would love to know are missing from both books. I have to say, I have absolutely enjoyed this book and it has had the wonderful side effect of teaching me a lot about organic chemistry, which has increased my interest and performance in Organic Geochemistry, in which I am enrolled this semester. This book shows that organic chemistry need not be the terrifying topic it is often labeled as by college students. Rather, it is an interesting and useful tool that has shaped medicine, forensics, and now, even geology (hence organic geochemistry). Kudos!

This book is a collection of articles explaining the chemistry of various poisons used for murder. Emsley is an analytical chemist working in the UK who has been called on to assist with a number of investigations in which poisoning has been suspected. In this book, he examines ten compounds or elements that have been used for murder (ricin, hyoscine, atropine, diamorhine, adrenaline, chloroform, carbon monoxide, cyanide, paraquat, and polonium), explaining the chemistry of their toxicity, and reviewing how murders involving the substances were solved. He has divided the book into two parts, naturally occurring toxins and synthetic toxins. The book is intended for general audiences, so chemical terms are explained in an extensive glossary at the back of the book, and sources are provided in a list of "Further Reading," rather than interrupting the text with footnotes. I found the book quite well written and straightforward to read. This is no murder mystery book, but rather very much a book about the chemistry of murder and forensics. For a chemistry book, though, Emsley does go into great detail about the lives and motives of the criminals who used the toxins that he describes. Although intended for general readers, parts of the text require at least a passing knowledge of general chemistry. Whereas Emsley has highlighted what he considers technical terms in the text and defined them in the glossary, he assumes that readers will at least have the background to understand terms like "covalently linked" and "ionically linked", as in "These drugs [Tagamet, Isoptin, and Celexa] are non-toxic due to the cyanide radical being covalently rather than ionically linked." Other such basic general chemistry terms and concepts are assumed rather than explained in the text or the glossary. Chemists, chemistry students, and others interested in forensic chemistry will find this book quite informative, as well as interesting.

I very much enjoyed this book, but as the author predicted, my enjoyment really didn't have much to do with Chemistry. I really wasn't that interested in the different molecules of various poisons. What I liked about the book was the history of the various poisons, many of them being known and used for thousands of years, the effects of each of them, the individual murders and attempted murders described in detail in this volume, the following investigations including the chemistry contributions and the trials and punishments of the murders. The single most important fact that I got from this book is that if one is planning to commit murder, don't do it with poison. Chemistry has been able to detect and prove some poisonings for hundreds of years. Very few people have gotten away with killing somebody with poison since Roman times. Today's chemistry can trace even the tiniest traces of poisons. The various natural poisons discussed in this book that were used for murders had been known for millenniums and while deadly poisons in the wrong quantities, most of the same poisons could also be used as medical cures. The Greeks and Egyptians published books that listed hundreds of uses of these natural poisons. One such ancient Greek had 800 such cures. One of the deadliest known natural poisons is Ricin, which is made from castor beans. Castor Oil has long been used as medicine. In its deadliest form, tiny amounts of it were used for political assassinations and as a weapon of Mass Destruction. Iraq is known to have used it in their war with Iran and quantities of it were discovered after the Americans Invaded Iraq. In World War I both sides tested it as a chemical weapon. Nazi's used a cup full castor oil as a Concentration Camp punishment. The second types of poisons discussed in the book were the Man-made Chemicals such as Carbon Monoxide, which is responsible for thousands of accidental deaths as well as suicides. It has been a silent, accidental killer for more than 300 years when "the poisonous nature of the fumes given off from red-hot charcoal was mentioned by Hoffmann in his book, "Considerations of the Fatal Effects of the Vapour from Burning Charcoal, published in 1716." Emsley discusses the molecular structure of these various poisons and how today's Forensic Toxicologists can easily identify poison victims with even the tiniest amount of tissue and sometimes even after the victim has been cremated. They get plenty of practice in their trade not looking for murderers, but in identifying accidental deaths and athletes using drugs to enhance their performances. For those people who love the current crop of Forensic Scientists who regularly solve the crime and catch the bad guy television shows, this is a great read. I loved it even though I didn't really care for all the chemistry. However, the other two-thirds of the book were riveting. For those geeks with a much stronger interest in chemistry and science that information will only