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A Pocketful of Poisons: A Collection of Deadly Short Stories
'Brian Price is a very clever and promising crime writer.' PETER JAMES
'Brian Price is the greatest expert I know when it comes to poisons.' MARK BILLINGHAM
'What a wonderful book. It is a smorgasbord of delicacies, a selection of Belgian chocolates and a well-stocked wine cellar all in one. Of course, I would never eat or drink anything that Brian Price served me. Highly recommended ... now I must wash my hands.' DAVID JARVIS, AUTHOR OF MIKE KINGDOM THRILLERS
Noxious plants, potent medicines, toxic household chemicals.
Harmless if handled with care.
Fatal if not.
Innocent, ordinary substances can have lethal potential in the hands of those seeking revenge or motivated by greed, misguided altruism or self-protection. Why is poison the choice of the calculated killer? What can go wrong? Poison may seem to offer the perfect murder, but even the best laid plans...
In this thrilling kaleidoscope of short stories written by critically acclaimed crime fiction writer and poison expert, Brian Price, you will enter the dark recesses of a poisoner’s imagination. You’ll wish you hadn’t had that coffee before heading up the motorway.
PRAISE FOR BRIAN PRICE
'Brian Price is a very clever and promising crime writer.' PETER JAMES
'A true must-read writer.' DAVID MARK
‘Superb!’ GRAHAM BARTLETT
'Brian Price is the greatest expert I know when it comes to poisons.' MARK BILLINGHAM
'What a wonderful book. It is a smorgasbord of delicacies, a selection of Belgian chocolates and a well-stocked wine cellar all in one. Of course, I would never eat or drink anything that Brian Price served me. Highly recommended ... now I must wash my hands.' DAVID JARVIS, AUTHOR OF MIKE KINGDOM THRILLERS
Noxious plants, potent medicines, toxic household chemicals.
Harmless if handled with care.
Fatal if not.
Innocent, ordinary substances can have lethal potential in the hands of those seeking revenge or motivated by greed, misguided altruism or self-protection. Why is poison the choice of the calculated killer? What can go wrong? Poison may seem to offer the perfect murder, but even the best laid plans...
In this thrilling kaleidoscope of short stories written by critically acclaimed crime fiction writer and poison expert, Brian Price, you will enter the dark recesses of a poisoner’s imagination. You’ll wish you hadn’t had that coffee before heading up the motorway.
PRAISE FOR BRIAN PRICE
'Brian Price is a very clever and promising crime writer.' PETER JAMES
'A true must-read writer.' DAVID MARK
‘Superb!’ GRAHAM BARTLETT
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2025
About the author
Brian Price
96 books12 followersLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
I am a chemist and biologist. I worked for many years in the environmental field and as an Open University tutor. I am also an avid crime reader.
I turned from science to crime when I attended Crimefest in Bristol, in 2016. I found the crime writing community open and friendly so I resolved to use my knowledge of science to help authors get scientific details correct. I have advised a number of leading crime writers on scientific topics. In 2019 my website www.crimewriterscience.co.uk metamorphosed into the book Crime Writing: How to Write the Science.
In the same year, I won a competition, run by the Facebook group Crime Fiction Coach, to find the best opening line for a crime novel. I then had no option but to write the book to go with that line! The result was Fatal Trade, published on 14th September 2021 by Hobeck Books. Fatal Beginnings, a free novella introducing some of the characters, is available at www.hobeck.net
Fatal Hate followed in April 2022 and Fatal Dose in January 2023.
Several of my short stories are published in the Writers in Stone anthologies Cuckoo, Lock and Key and Seventy Three. One of my stories appears in The Dark Side of Christmas, a charity anthology produced by Hobeck Books, and another in the Crime Writers Association anthology Music of the Night. I also contributed a recipe and short story to the Hobeck 2022 charity collection Cooking the Books
I am a chemist and biologist. I worked for many years in the environmental field and as an Open University tutor. I am also an avid crime reader.
I turned from science to crime when I attended Crimefest in Bristol, in 2016. I found the crime writing community open and friendly so I resolved to use my knowledge of science to help authors get scientific details correct. I have advised a number of leading crime writers on scientific topics. In 2019 my website www.crimewriterscience.co.uk metamorphosed into the book Crime Writing: How to Write the Science.
In the same year, I won a competition, run by the Facebook group Crime Fiction Coach, to find the best opening line for a crime novel. I then had no option but to write the book to go with that line! The result was Fatal Trade, published on 14th September 2021 by Hobeck Books. Fatal Beginnings, a free novella introducing some of the characters, is available at www.hobeck.net
Fatal Hate followed in April 2022 and Fatal Dose in January 2023.
Several of my short stories are published in the Writers in Stone anthologies Cuckoo, Lock and Key and Seventy Three. One of my stories appears in The Dark Side of Christmas, a charity anthology produced by Hobeck Books, and another in the Crime Writers Association anthology Music of the Night. I also contributed a recipe and short story to the Hobeck 2022 charity collection Cooking the Books
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 28, 2025
This is a short story collection by crime writer Brian Price. These bitesize police procedurals and mysteries make good coffee break reading for a crime fiction fan. Here’s a quick guide to each piece:
The Scent of an Ending – A neat mini locked room mystery.
Dead Man's Fingers – A police procedural. I'll never look at an organic veg box delivery the same way again.
The Dose Makes the Poison - A thriller told mainly from the killer's viewpoint, plus a guest appearance by DC Mel Cotton, the main series character in Brian's crime novels.
Killer on the Hop –Good title for this short and furry story. I once studied this very poison for a whodunit I wrote. I learnt a lot but not this method of application.
Taking the Biscuit – Genteel enemies take revenge in this 1930s piece.
Payback – An already toxic atmosphere at work gets steadily more poisonous.
Lamb to the Slaughter - A shocking find between the pages of a Mrs Beeton.
Natural Justice – Was it murder or arrogant stupidity?
Summertime, and the killing is easy – A well-paced piece told mostly in monologue. For a while, the reader might sympathise with the murderer until the full story is revealed...
Death After Dinner – Golden Age style murder set in the present day.
Mind the (knowledge) gap. – In the manufacture of genetically modified food, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Peace and Quiet – When medicine becomes poison.
The Venomous Bread – Murder involving an unusual poison is carefully planned and carried out.
Scum – A stomach-churning way to make a water company pay for its negligence.
The Case of the Poisoned Apple – A Charming Mash Up of two widely different literary phenomena.
The Sound of Death – When a successful author changes publisher, lots of people have reason to want him dead.
The Tipping Point – When enough is enough for a victim.
Getting Away with It – A 150-word story with a twist.
Death on the Doorstep – a dog walker chances upon double fatalities outside a rental cottage.
Death on the Tracks – Murder on a moving vintage train.
The Lock on the Toilet Door – An amusing tale about a husband's attempts to poison his wife.
Fatal Dose – The collection closes with a taster of the opening chapter of the third novel in Brian Price’s DC Cotton police procedural series.
The Scent of an Ending – A neat mini locked room mystery.
Dead Man's Fingers – A police procedural. I'll never look at an organic veg box delivery the same way again.
The Dose Makes the Poison - A thriller told mainly from the killer's viewpoint, plus a guest appearance by DC Mel Cotton, the main series character in Brian's crime novels.
Killer on the Hop –Good title for this short and furry story. I once studied this very poison for a whodunit I wrote. I learnt a lot but not this method of application.
Taking the Biscuit – Genteel enemies take revenge in this 1930s piece.
Payback – An already toxic atmosphere at work gets steadily more poisonous.
Lamb to the Slaughter - A shocking find between the pages of a Mrs Beeton.
Natural Justice – Was it murder or arrogant stupidity?
Summertime, and the killing is easy – A well-paced piece told mostly in monologue. For a while, the reader might sympathise with the murderer until the full story is revealed...
Death After Dinner – Golden Age style murder set in the present day.
Mind the (knowledge) gap. – In the manufacture of genetically modified food, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Peace and Quiet – When medicine becomes poison.
The Venomous Bread – Murder involving an unusual poison is carefully planned and carried out.
Scum – A stomach-churning way to make a water company pay for its negligence.
The Case of the Poisoned Apple – A Charming Mash Up of two widely different literary phenomena.
The Sound of Death – When a successful author changes publisher, lots of people have reason to want him dead.
The Tipping Point – When enough is enough for a victim.
Getting Away with It – A 150-word story with a twist.
Death on the Doorstep – a dog walker chances upon double fatalities outside a rental cottage.
Death on the Tracks – Murder on a moving vintage train.
The Lock on the Toilet Door – An amusing tale about a husband's attempts to poison his wife.
Fatal Dose – The collection closes with a taster of the opening chapter of the third novel in Brian Price’s DC Cotton police procedural series.
June 3, 2025
A collection of short stories based on poisoning might seem a little macabre, but some of the tales are a homage to the ‘golden age’ of fiction, when it was a preferred method of despatch. While the second half of the twentieth century saw controls tightened and access restricted, even today we do have poisoning cases make the news, and they have greater impact because of this rarity.
Writing convincingly about poisons requires some expertise, Agatha Christie of course worked in the pharmacy at University College Hospital during WWII and Mr. Price’s credentials as a scientist are impeccable. In this collection he has brought his knowledge and experience to bear with a wide variety of substances used in entertaining and creative ways. I guess we shouldn’t consider a book about murder, often leaving the victim in agony, as fun, but nevertheless I found myself chuckling at some of the exploits. The author possesses a dry, playful wit that is rather subtle at times, perhaps not the most obvious to pick up on, but when you do you smile and sometime think that’s a bit naughty.
With tales of revenge, greed, some people getting their comeuppance and a few spousal arguments being resolved with a degree of certainty, there is going something to appeal to the most jaded reader. Poison was always the weapon of choice for women, so naturally there are several female murderers, but by no means all of them, there are some memorable male efforts too.
The stories have been written over several years, as the author honed his individual style, which adds to the feeling of variety, with no two stories feeling similar in their composition. This brings an unintended sense of nostalgia; remember internet cafes, iPods and public recycle bins? The world can change so quickly in just ten of fifteen years, yet there are still stories that sum up the here and now perfectly.
One thing that is clear is the author loves to write and there is a touch of joy in these stories. I don’t think writing short fiction is as easy as some people make out, but we all improve with practice and innovation. With one story at less than 150 words (less than a third of those used in this review) he demonstrates how the simplest germ of an idea can come to the page and still be complete.
A selection box of murder and revenge, suffused with charm and subtle wit.
Writing convincingly about poisons requires some expertise, Agatha Christie of course worked in the pharmacy at University College Hospital during WWII and Mr. Price’s credentials as a scientist are impeccable. In this collection he has brought his knowledge and experience to bear with a wide variety of substances used in entertaining and creative ways. I guess we shouldn’t consider a book about murder, often leaving the victim in agony, as fun, but nevertheless I found myself chuckling at some of the exploits. The author possesses a dry, playful wit that is rather subtle at times, perhaps not the most obvious to pick up on, but when you do you smile and sometime think that’s a bit naughty.
With tales of revenge, greed, some people getting their comeuppance and a few spousal arguments being resolved with a degree of certainty, there is going something to appeal to the most jaded reader. Poison was always the weapon of choice for women, so naturally there are several female murderers, but by no means all of them, there are some memorable male efforts too.
The stories have been written over several years, as the author honed his individual style, which adds to the feeling of variety, with no two stories feeling similar in their composition. This brings an unintended sense of nostalgia; remember internet cafes, iPods and public recycle bins? The world can change so quickly in just ten of fifteen years, yet there are still stories that sum up the here and now perfectly.
One thing that is clear is the author loves to write and there is a touch of joy in these stories. I don’t think writing short fiction is as easy as some people make out, but we all improve with practice and innovation. With one story at less than 150 words (less than a third of those used in this review) he demonstrates how the simplest germ of an idea can come to the page and still be complete.
A selection box of murder and revenge, suffused with charm and subtle wit.
May 12, 2025
I’m such a huge fan of short stories and poisons, but when you combine them together, then we have a perfect balance!
Brian Price takes us on a journey through various poisons, from the well-known, such as cyanide and arsenic, to the more obscure ones, such as abrin and phosgene.
We encounter poisons prevalent in nature like mushrooms and foxgloves, to the pharmaceuticals found in Diazepam.
There is truly something for everyone.
A few stories stood out for me. I had chills running down my spine as I read Peace and Quiet. I was amazed and equally appalled at how calm the main character was as he committed his crimes.
I loved reading Scum, in which a 5-year old boy dies after falling into contaminated water. A person starts a smearing campaign against the water company which is believed to be responsible.
In Lamb for the Slaughter, a woman is clearing her Great Aunt’s house and she finds a clipping in which she discovers her dead relative was an acquitted poisoner… was her great aunt truly a killer?
My favourite by far was Payback, in which Sally hates her manager, Kelly, who’s been making her working life miserable for some time. Sally devises little things to mess with Kelly’s mind, and life. However, there is a chain of command here, as Kelly is the way she is because of her manager, Lorna. Lorna has been making Kelly’s life a misery, and now Kelly wants revenge… This story was truly superb!
If you love poisons and short stories, then this book is definitely for you.
The stories vary in length, which means you can pick one up whenever you fancy. I definitely recommend this collection.
Brian Price takes us on a journey through various poisons, from the well-known, such as cyanide and arsenic, to the more obscure ones, such as abrin and phosgene.
We encounter poisons prevalent in nature like mushrooms and foxgloves, to the pharmaceuticals found in Diazepam.
There is truly something for everyone.
A few stories stood out for me. I had chills running down my spine as I read Peace and Quiet. I was amazed and equally appalled at how calm the main character was as he committed his crimes.
I loved reading Scum, in which a 5-year old boy dies after falling into contaminated water. A person starts a smearing campaign against the water company which is believed to be responsible.
In Lamb for the Slaughter, a woman is clearing her Great Aunt’s house and she finds a clipping in which she discovers her dead relative was an acquitted poisoner… was her great aunt truly a killer?
My favourite by far was Payback, in which Sally hates her manager, Kelly, who’s been making her working life miserable for some time. Sally devises little things to mess with Kelly’s mind, and life. However, there is a chain of command here, as Kelly is the way she is because of her manager, Lorna. Lorna has been making Kelly’s life a misery, and now Kelly wants revenge… This story was truly superb!
If you love poisons and short stories, then this book is definitely for you.
The stories vary in length, which means you can pick one up whenever you fancy. I definitely recommend this collection.
May 13, 2025
Here is my review for A Pocketful Of Poisons by Brian Price
This was a fantastic short story read about different poisons being used to kill and the methods were genius, reaIly well thought out. It was intriguing how the facts panned out. It was like a normal story but in a condensed form but still just as good. I enjoyed all the stories I read as they were intricately worked out and penned in the usual brilliant author’s style which is not to be missed. Also, with a short story book, you can just read a story then put the book down and come back to it at some point whereas with a normal book you read it till you have finished it. There's a lot of different characters to absorb but they are interesting and the stories kept me interested in the book. I thought the stories were really well written and kept me intrigued so I wanted to keep reading the stories. The synopsis drew me to read this book and I wasn’t disappointed. I look forward to reading the next book from this author.
Blurb :
Noxious plants, potent medicines, toxic household chemicals.
Harmless if handled with care.
Fatal if not.
Innocent, ordinary substances can have lethal potential in the hands of those seeking revenge or motivated by greed, misguided altruism or self-protection. Why is poison the choice of the calculated killer? What can go wrong? Poison may seem to offer the perfect murder, but even the best laid plans...
In this thrilling kaleidoscope of short stories written by critically acclaimed crime fiction writer and poison expert, Brian Price, you will enter the dark recesses of a poisoner’s imagination. You’ll wish you hadn’t had that coffee before heading up the motorway.
This was a fantastic short story read about different poisons being used to kill and the methods were genius, reaIly well thought out. It was intriguing how the facts panned out. It was like a normal story but in a condensed form but still just as good. I enjoyed all the stories I read as they were intricately worked out and penned in the usual brilliant author’s style which is not to be missed. Also, with a short story book, you can just read a story then put the book down and come back to it at some point whereas with a normal book you read it till you have finished it. There's a lot of different characters to absorb but they are interesting and the stories kept me interested in the book. I thought the stories were really well written and kept me intrigued so I wanted to keep reading the stories. The synopsis drew me to read this book and I wasn’t disappointed. I look forward to reading the next book from this author.
Blurb :
Noxious plants, potent medicines, toxic household chemicals.
Harmless if handled with care.
Fatal if not.
Innocent, ordinary substances can have lethal potential in the hands of those seeking revenge or motivated by greed, misguided altruism or self-protection. Why is poison the choice of the calculated killer? What can go wrong? Poison may seem to offer the perfect murder, but even the best laid plans...
In this thrilling kaleidoscope of short stories written by critically acclaimed crime fiction writer and poison expert, Brian Price, you will enter the dark recesses of a poisoner’s imagination. You’ll wish you hadn’t had that coffee before heading up the motorway.
April 21, 2025
It is not often that I read collections of short stories, however having read a number of the Mel Cotton series of books, and seen some of the advice he has given other authors, I was very interested to read this collection. When most people think of poisons in crime fiction, like me they probably think of Agatha Christie era fiction but the author brings them into the modern world in a number of situations and including a variety of poisons. There are different lengths of story, from one page to over 20, so it is easy to pick up the book and read a story that you have the time available for.
The front cover, and back cover blurb really tells you all about what you can expect from this collection. Having read the book you may find that the next time you taste, or smell, something different in your favourite food or drink then you may well want to check it out before consuming more.
Many thanks to the author, and to Hobeck Books for providing me with an advanced review copy of the book, in electronic format, in return for a honest and unbiased review
The book will be published in e-book and paperback formats and will be published on 13th May.
The front cover, and back cover blurb really tells you all about what you can expect from this collection. Having read the book you may find that the next time you taste, or smell, something different in your favourite food or drink then you may well want to check it out before consuming more.
Many thanks to the author, and to Hobeck Books for providing me with an advanced review copy of the book, in electronic format, in return for a honest and unbiased review
The book will be published in e-book and paperback formats and will be published on 13th May.
May 14, 2025
Well, where do I begin?
First of all, this a clever, a razor sharp collection where I can honestly say there is not one bad one in the whole collection. Every single one had me gripped.
A wonderful concoction of shorter tales, longer ones but each one had its own special ingredient (pun intended) to make it unique and special.
From some tricksy husband/wife relationships, affairs, frenemies- the dynamic between the characters was intriguing.
With the current mushroom poisoning case in the press, this felt topical but I will say, I would not want this author's google search history!
First of all, this a clever, a razor sharp collection where I can honestly say there is not one bad one in the whole collection. Every single one had me gripped.
A wonderful concoction of shorter tales, longer ones but each one had its own special ingredient (pun intended) to make it unique and special.
From some tricksy husband/wife relationships, affairs, frenemies- the dynamic between the characters was intriguing.
With the current mushroom poisoning case in the press, this felt topical but I will say, I would not want this author's google search history!
May 12, 2025
Brian Price is well known to be an expert on poisons. So, he has written a collection of short stories based on his knowledge. I really enjoyed this short story collection. It was well written and very descriptive and almost scary what the villains were thinking and feeling whilst going about their crimes.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews