Kathryn Harkup is a former chemist turned writer and science communicator. Her interests are in anything gothic, gory and geeky, and preferably all three. She has written several books on the crossover between science, literature and pop culture including The Secret Lives of the Elements, The Secret Lives of Molecules, A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, Making the Monster: The Science of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Death by Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts, Superspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond and Vampirology: The Science of Horror’s Most Famous Fiend.
Kathryn also loves talking about the darker side of science. She is happy to help anyone devolop their plots to take over the world, or advise them on how to protect themselves from poisoners or the undead.
News & Events
Vile Bodies: Investigating the Golden Age of Crime
6pm Thursday 31 st October 2024 – Thackray Museum of Medicine
This Hallow’s Eve, the Bright Young Things invite you to a rip-roaring, jazz infused party to end all parties!
But wait. Is there more to this group of beautiful beings than meets the eye? Rumour has it there have been shrieks in the night and rum deals being played out. A detective has been called. Could this thrilling celebration turn out to be just a little bit toxic?
Join us as we turn the golden age of crime on its head, exploring the favoured method of murder for crime writers through the ages – poison. We’ll need you to bring your little grey cells to grill the finest experts in the land on the medicinal roots and lethal charm behind that little green bottle, all whilst celebrating the real science behind your most loved whodunnits.
For this sparkling new addition to our Thackray Lates series, expect our usual evening blend of expert talks and hands-on demonstrations, served with a side of gorgeous glamour and some distinctly deadly goings on.
We invite you to embrace the mood of the evening by donning your finest 1920s themed glad rags for the occasion (though modern day dress is very much acceptable too!).
Tickets available here
New book coming soon ...
V is for Venom: Agatha Christie’s Chemicals of Death
Fourteen stories. Fourteen more poisons. Just because it’s fiction doesn’t mean it’s all made-up …
Agatha Christie revelled in the use of poison to kill off unfortunate victims in her books; indeed, she employed it more than any other murder method, with the poison itself often being a central part of the novel. Her choice of deadly substances was far from random – the characteristics of each often provide vital clues to the discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but this isn’t the case with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts?
This book, the follow-up to Kathryn Harkup’s best-selling A is for Arsenic, features fourteen more poisons from the books of Agatha Christie. V is for Venom explores the scientific facts behind the chemicals Christie put to such deadly use in her fiction. How do these compounds affect the body? What is their history of use in real-life murder cases, some of which may have inspired Christie, and how feasible was it to obtain, administer and detect these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today?
V is for Venom is a celebration of the use of science by the undisputed Queen of Crime.