The Poisoner: The Life and Crimes of Victorian England's Most Notorious Doctor

(Paperback)

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'The greatest villain who ever stood trial at the Old Bailey,' as Charles Dickens described him William Palmer was convicted in 1856 of murdering his best friend, but was suspected of poisoning more than a dozen other people, including his wife and children. He was a new kind of murderer - respectable, middle class, and consequently more terrifying, Britain's most infamous WC

Reviews

This rollercoaster read really stands out fabulously readable -- Lucy Worsley * BBC History Magazine *
Through clearly exhaustive research and the occasional wry turn of phrase - he not only draws you into the scandalous and bewildering tale but also manages to make many aspects feel truly contemporary * New Scientist *
vivid and dramatic account of [Palmer's] life and crimes * Literary Review *

Author Bio

Stephen Bates is a journalist whose career has included spells at the BBC, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and, for the last 22 years, the Guardian, during which time he has reported from more than 40 countries. He is the author of God's Own Country: Religion and Politics in the USA and A Church at War: Anglicans and Homosexuality. He lives in Kent.