The Inheritor’s Powder: A Cautionary Tale of Poison, Betrayal and Greed

In the nineteenth century it was criminally easy to bump off unwanted relatives.

A Household Thrown into Chaos

Plumstead village, 2 November 1833. Wealthy landlord, George Bodle is taken violently ill. He dies within hours. When his wife, daughter and two maids are also taken ill, there is only one terrifying explanation … arsenic poisoning.

A Murder Most Foul

Yet, while arsenic was readily available over the counter in the 1800s, poisoning was almost impossible to prove. As the evidence mounted up, a picture emerged of bitter family rivalries, brewing resentment, greed and ill-will.

A Sensational Tale

In this account of one of history’s most notorious poisonings, Sandra Hempel tells the story of the birth of toxicology - the science of poison - and of a mystery which gripped the nation.