Antidote to Venom - (British Library Crime Classics) by Freeman Wills Crofts (Paperback)

About the Book

George Surridge, director of the Birmington Zoo, is a man with many worries: his marriage is collapsing; his finances are insecure; and an outbreak of disease threatens the animals in his care. As Surridge's debts mount and the pressure on him increases, he begins to dream of miracle solutions. But is he cunning enough to turn his dreams into reality-- and could he commit the most devious murder in pursuit of his goals? This ingenious crime novel, with its unusual 'inverted' structure and sympathetic portrait of a man on the edge, is one of the greatest works by this highly respected author.

Book Synopsis

Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder

"Crofts makes great use of the 'inverted mystery' structure (he was among the first to employ the technique) in which the traditional whodunit is turned on its head, with the reader following the murderer through temptation and commission and then watching the detective sort through the sparse clues." --Booklist STARRED review

George Surridge, director of the Birmington Zoo, is a man with many worries: his marriage is collapsing; his finances are insecure; and an outbreak of disease threatens the animals in his care.

As Surridge's debts mount and the pressure on him increases, he begins to dream of miracle solutions. But is he cunning enough to turn his dreams into reality--and could he commit the most devious murder in pursuit of his goals?

This ingenious crime novel, with its unusual 'inverted' structure and sympathetic portrait of a man on the edge, is one of the greatest works by this highly respected author. The elaborate means of murder devised by Crofts's characters is perhaps unsurpassed in English crime fiction for its ostentatious intricacy.

This new edition is the first in several decades and includes an introduction by the award-winning novelist and crime fiction expert Martin Edwards.

Review Quotes

This wonderfully intricate puzzle by one of the foremost writers during the Golden Age of British crime fiction was first published in 1938 and has been re-issued as part of the British Library's Crime Classics series. Crofts introduced the inverted mystery structure here, in which the traditional whodunit is turned on its head, with the reader following the murderer through temptation and commission and then watching the detective (Crofts' continuing character, Inspector French) sort through the sparse clues. With Crofts at the helm, this makes for identification with the murderer and also excruciating suspense throughout. The action centers on George Surridge, a zoo director whose life is unraveling. Surridge has a miserable marriage, a gambling habit, and a new drain on his finances in the form of a woman he's fallen in love with. Crofts also presents us with a fascinating backdrop with the running of the zoo. The day-to-day operations (how many herrings are needed to feed a king penguin each day, for example) are given in precise detail, with a special emphasis on security arrangements for the reptile house, which figures prominently later on. While the murder plot and method are gasp-inducing, Crofts' depiction of a man sliding more and more into temptation is thrilling as well. Each chapter starts with the word venom connected to a path (as in family or office) through which this metaphorical poison can enter someone's life. Brilliant in construction and theme. (starred review)-- "Booklist"

About the Author

FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS (1879-1957) was one of the pre-eminent writers in the golden age of British crime fiction. He was the author of more than thirty detective novels, and was greatly acclaimed by peers such as Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler.