Released just in time to celebrate Agatha Christie's 125th birthday on September 15, this is essential listening for both aficionados of the Queen of Mystery and anyone with a morbid interest in dangerous chemicals. Narrator Beth Chalmers's demure British accent is easy to listen to and quite addicting. Harkup, a delightfully nefarious chemist and Christie fan, takes listeners through all the poisons used to off the characters in Christie's novels--their individual histories and their various ill effects on the human body before death ensues. The subject matter itself is grim, but Chalmers's buoyant tones perfectly suit the well-researched and good-humored text. Fascinating and shocking at times are the various factoids such as arsenic have been widely used in the nineteenth century for seemingly benign purposes--from coloring wallpaper to clearing up acne. The chapters--"B is for Belladonna," "C is for Cyanide," et cetera--go on to discuss other poisons in a ghastly alphabet that would make Edward Gorey proud. Listeners hear about Christie's personal history researching chemicals as part of her service as a nurse during both world wars, and about how those who praised her mysteries included the medical community, who lauded her accurate depictions of the effects of the poisons upon unsuspecting victims. At times, Harkup veers too much into the technical aspects of her topic, but Chalmers's steady pace and clear enunciation keep listeners engaged until the next fascinating topic surfaces.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2015
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Audible, Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The author describes her efforts to implement a meaningful sustainability initiative for Wales and the world at large. An educator and minister of the environment, sustainability, and housing in her tiny country, she's a wonderful narrator who sounds at once relaxed and passionate, likable and dignified. Her voice is a perfect vehicle for amplifying her humanitarian intentions as well as the breadth of her methodical thinking. But what makes this audio so inspiring are the personal asides she shares throughout concerning her willingness to be vulnerable and her calm resolve to do something for the world's future generations. Davidson's descriptions of the laborious process of cultural transformation would have been dry listening without her pleasing UK speaking voice.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Lisa Flanagan has a wonderful vocal personality--lithe with a broad palette of pitch patterns and a range of believable emotional tones. Her friendly voice works well with this lighthearted overview of how dramatically the Internet has changed the world in the past 30 years. Though being digitally connected has improved life in many ways, the author says we've lost many of the interpersonal experiences that used to sustain us. We have less privacy, don't need all those reference books, and have largely forgotten how to have vocal conversations with other people. The audiobook is entertaining nostalgia for anyone who feels incompetent navigating the World Wide Web, and a soothing reminder that those of us who miss the simplicity of the pre-Internet era are not alone.
Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593418055
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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