Caution, Poisoned! Poisons and Their Masters in Human History

Among all the crimes ever committed by humans, few are as intriguing and mystical as poisonings. How did Lucretia Borgia, Catherine de' Medici, Ivan the Terrible, and other famous poisoners deal with their enemies and competitors? Which poisons were the most popular? Why is poison considered a woman's weapon, and what does gender inequality have to do with it? Before you is a collection of mind-stirring stories, where there is room for detectives and political tragedies, psychological thrillers, and love stories. And although over the centuries they have accumulated all sorts of myths and legends, this book will show how it all really was. You will look into the imperial palaces of Ancient Rome, witness the Great Moscow Fire, visit the suburbs of Paris where the most mysterious witches of the 17th century lived, breathe the damp air of Victorian England, and even visit the Chinese Empire a few years before its fall.