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Inspector French #17
Antidote to Venom
Mr Wills Crofts is deservedly a first favourite with all who want a real puzzle’ – Times Literary Supplement 'He always manages to give us something that really keeps us guessing’ – Daily Mirror 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.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1938
80 people are currently reading
951 people want to read
About the author
Freeman Wills Crofts
137 books89 followersBorn in Dublin of English stock, Freeman Wills Crofts was educated at Methodist and Campbell Colleges in Belfast and at age 17 he became a civil engineering pupil, apprenticed to his uncle, Berkeley D Wise who was the chief engineer of the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR).
In 1899 he became a fully fledged railway engineer before becoming a district engineer and then chief assistant engineer for the BNCR.
He married in 1912, Mary Bellas Canning, a bank manager's daughter. His writing career began when he was recovering from a serious illness and his efforts were rewarded when his first novel 'The Cask' was accepted for publication by a London publishing house. Within two decades the book had sold 100,000 copies. Thereafter he continued to write in his spare time and produced a book a year through to 1929 when he was obliged to stop working through poor health.
When he and his wife moved to Guildford, England, he took up writing full time and not surprisingly many of his plots revolved around travel and transport, particularly transport timetables and many of them had a Guildford setting.
In retirement from engineering, as well as writing, he also pursued his other interests, music, in which he was an organist and conductor, gardening, carpentry and travel.
He wrote a mystery novel almost every year until his death and in addition he produced about 50 short stories, 30 radio plays for the BBC, a number of true crime works, a play, 'Sudden Death', a juvenile mystery, 'Young Robin Brand, Detective', and a religious work, 'The Four Gospels in One Story'.
His best known character is Inspector Joseph French, who featured in 30 detective novels between 1924 and 1957. And Raymond Chandler praised his plots, calling him "the soundest builder of them all".
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2010
In 1899 he became a fully fledged railway engineer before becoming a district engineer and then chief assistant engineer for the BNCR.
He married in 1912, Mary Bellas Canning, a bank manager's daughter. His writing career began when he was recovering from a serious illness and his efforts were rewarded when his first novel 'The Cask' was accepted for publication by a London publishing house. Within two decades the book had sold 100,000 copies. Thereafter he continued to write in his spare time and produced a book a year through to 1929 when he was obliged to stop working through poor health.
When he and his wife moved to Guildford, England, he took up writing full time and not surprisingly many of his plots revolved around travel and transport, particularly transport timetables and many of them had a Guildford setting.
In retirement from engineering, as well as writing, he also pursued his other interests, music, in which he was an organist and conductor, gardening, carpentry and travel.
He wrote a mystery novel almost every year until his death and in addition he produced about 50 short stories, 30 radio plays for the BBC, a number of true crime works, a play, 'Sudden Death', a juvenile mystery, 'Young Robin Brand, Detective', and a religious work, 'The Four Gospels in One Story'.
His best known character is Inspector Joseph French, who featured in 30 detective novels between 1924 and 1957. And Raymond Chandler praised his plots, calling him "the soundest builder of them all".
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
November 1, 2015
This is an unconventional Golden Age crime story, which starts with a long build-up to murder. Then, once the killing has happened, it's slightly like Columbo, as we follow a policeman (Crofts' series detective Inspector French) in his efforts to bring the culprit to justice. Even though by this point we know whodunit, we don't know exactly how, and there is still a fiendishly complicated riddle to unravel.
The book has an intriguing setting, in and around a zoo, and author Crofts did a lot of research to make sure the atmosphere is utterly convincing. His writing style is also very readable.
I'll admit I preferred the section which follows French's investigations and am now keen to read some of Crofts' more traditional mysteries. French is an instantly appealing detective and I'd like to see a lot more of him.
At times I found the earlier chapters where we largely see through the eyes of a character who may or may not become a murderer rather oppressive and depressing. The book also has some religious content in its later stages which doesn't really work all that well. There's an interesting introduction by Martin Edwards which looks at how these various elements work together.
The book has an intriguing setting, in and around a zoo, and author Crofts did a lot of research to make sure the atmosphere is utterly convincing. His writing style is also very readable.
I'll admit I preferred the section which follows French's investigations and am now keen to read some of Crofts' more traditional mysteries. French is an instantly appealing detective and I'd like to see a lot more of him.
At times I found the earlier chapters where we largely see through the eyes of a character who may or may not become a murderer rather oppressive and depressing. The book also has some religious content in its later stages which doesn't really work all that well. There's an interesting introduction by Martin Edwards which looks at how these various elements work together.
May 11, 2020
This is without doubt one of the most intriguing crime novels I have read for a long time. Freeman Wills Crofts called it 'an inverted story' as the events are initially seen through the eyes of the culprit(s). Only late into the novel, when Chief Inspector French enters the fray, do the usual police investigations take over. And the method works wonderfully well.
The setting is unusual in that it revolves around Birmington Zoo where one of the protagonists, George Surridge, is director. Surridge is struggling with his marriage, finding it difficult to manage his money and trying to sort out disease that has struck some of his animals at the Zoo. He is understandably under tremendous pressure so when he meets a young lady he is ever-willing to become good friends with her.
He is awaiting an inheritance from someone who is seriously ill but who continues to hang on to life. When Surridge's debts become almost crippling this is too much for him to bear but he hangs on to the hope that when this person dies he expects to inherit quickly. But when this happens and once he meets the solicitor, a Mr Capper, who is acting for the person, the whole perspective of what is to come changes. And with it Surridge's life changes somewhat dramatically.
The solicitor himself is expecting to inherit some money from an ailing client and, with the help of Surridge, he decides to speed things along. And he does but even then things do not go smoothly and Surridge is left with little money, just expectations, which he finds difficult to come to terms with.
The client eventually dies suddenly and his complicated death is considered an accident so the matter is closed. That is until, quite by chance, Chief Inspector French hears about the case and immediately has his suspicions. He persuades his boss that he should be allowed to go to Birmington to see if he can prove the theory that he has formed from his reading of the case in the newspapers.
Thus begins a more thorough investigation that eventually leads to a different verdict and also to the downfall, in quite different ways, of the two men who planned and executed the crime. French is justified in his thinking and he is quite happy that Scotland Yard have come out tops.
'Antidote to Venom' is a superb crime novel with excellent and cunningly planned plot twists and as a consequence the tension builds throughout the tale to a terrific climax.
The setting is unusual in that it revolves around Birmington Zoo where one of the protagonists, George Surridge, is director. Surridge is struggling with his marriage, finding it difficult to manage his money and trying to sort out disease that has struck some of his animals at the Zoo. He is understandably under tremendous pressure so when he meets a young lady he is ever-willing to become good friends with her.
He is awaiting an inheritance from someone who is seriously ill but who continues to hang on to life. When Surridge's debts become almost crippling this is too much for him to bear but he hangs on to the hope that when this person dies he expects to inherit quickly. But when this happens and once he meets the solicitor, a Mr Capper, who is acting for the person, the whole perspective of what is to come changes. And with it Surridge's life changes somewhat dramatically.
The solicitor himself is expecting to inherit some money from an ailing client and, with the help of Surridge, he decides to speed things along. And he does but even then things do not go smoothly and Surridge is left with little money, just expectations, which he finds difficult to come to terms with.
The client eventually dies suddenly and his complicated death is considered an accident so the matter is closed. That is until, quite by chance, Chief Inspector French hears about the case and immediately has his suspicions. He persuades his boss that he should be allowed to go to Birmington to see if he can prove the theory that he has formed from his reading of the case in the newspapers.
Thus begins a more thorough investigation that eventually leads to a different verdict and also to the downfall, in quite different ways, of the two men who planned and executed the crime. French is justified in his thinking and he is quite happy that Scotland Yard have come out tops.
'Antidote to Venom' is a superb crime novel with excellent and cunningly planned plot twists and as a consequence the tension builds throughout the tale to a terrific climax.
April 7, 2020
So for anyone interested in reading old British Library Crime Classics, Kindle Unlimited has added a huge majority of them to their platform!
Antidote to Venom is a classic 1930s published novel (since to be honest, I've been craving more books from this era lately, no idea why!) This isn't your speedy thriller novel, nor a slow textbook read. Rather somewhere in the middle. We follow Inspector French who is called to investigate a murder. However, the novel is mainly told from the culprit's point of view so since I went into the book not knowing this, I felt a little thrown-off. Since from about 20% onwards I knew who the guilty party was, the suspense was lost for me personally. It's an interesting writing idea, just not the clearest nor the most compelling for me.
Antidote to Venom is a classic 1930s published novel (since to be honest, I've been craving more books from this era lately, no idea why!) This isn't your speedy thriller novel, nor a slow textbook read. Rather somewhere in the middle. We follow Inspector French who is called to investigate a murder. However, the novel is mainly told from the culprit's point of view so since I went into the book not knowing this, I felt a little thrown-off. Since from about 20% onwards I knew who the guilty party was, the suspense was lost for me personally. It's an interesting writing idea, just not the clearest nor the most compelling for me.
June 27, 2015
The most interesting feature of Antidote to Venom is its structure: as an inverted detective novel, it starts out following the criminals and not the detective, dealing with the prelude to murder from the eyes of the guilty. In this case, the guilty is one George Surridge, director of the Birmington Zoo and desperate for money. His marriage is dry and loveless, all due to his perpetual lack of funds. He's scraped by for years waiting for an inheritance from a wealthy aunt. And when he falls for another woman and takes her up as his mistress, he finds the need for wealth even more pressing---with the inheritance, he can start life anew, dreaming of life in a small cottage with his mistress.
His aunt's death brings much-needed relief, until George finds that his inheritance is not forthcoming after all---the solicitor Capper has spent it all, and has nothing to offer a distraught George but a cunning plan. For Capper is waiting on an inheritance of his own, from a wealthy but ailing uncle who works at the zoo. With venomous snakes. If George can provide him the poison and dead body of one such snake, Capper will make all of their problems go away---don't ask about the details, it'll be better if George doesn't know for the inquest. And out of desperation, George takes him up on the offer.
It takes a good 75% of the novel before Crofts' series detective, Inspector French, even appears, and while that seems antithetical it works surprisingly well---it worked for Colombo, didn't it? French begins to pick and prod at the setup, certain that there's foul play at hand; I quite enjoy that element of the novel, watching the detective make and discard theories as they piece the case together. Some faulty theories lead to more successful ones, and soon French thinks he's on the right track, doggedly pursuing this case as his reputation---and Scotland Yard's---is on the line.
This structure offers a good look at George's existential woes, but as ambitious as the novel is, I'm not sure Crofts' writing is able to make the psychological elements work. George is sympathetic, but also came across less as a put-upon everyman and more as a desperate loser gambling everything on a bad bet. It is fascinating to see him put under the microscope, and I think that's where Antidote to Venom sells the inverted trick---the reader gets a solid feel for George and a good idea of why he turned to crime. And there's still a strong mystery element, as we discover the trick alongside the brilliant Inspector French---an ingenious method that took some serious thought and skill to pull off, and stands as one of the best of its kind that I've read. They don't make them like this any more---for one, the plot would easily be solved by checking the zoo's surveillance cameras. For another, George's behavior in the finale perhaps works best if the reader is of a religious persuasion----Crofts intended the novel to be a "positive" crime novel, and ends on a much different note than the usual fare.
Antidote to Venom is a novel of historical importance, as its combination of the inverse-mystery and the "direct" detective novel makes it unique in the Golden Age. The mystery is as ingenious as its solution, though the existential angst and the crushing burden of George's poverty aren't entirely successful, nor is Crofts' portrayal of this criminal's redemption. It remains a fascinating and enjoyable curio, though I think it will appeal most to Golden Age readers drawn to it by its inverted structure. In that department, Crofts was a capable writer who came up with several innovative ideas, and I think it lives up to its reputation.
His aunt's death brings much-needed relief, until George finds that his inheritance is not forthcoming after all---the solicitor Capper has spent it all, and has nothing to offer a distraught George but a cunning plan. For Capper is waiting on an inheritance of his own, from a wealthy but ailing uncle who works at the zoo. With venomous snakes. If George can provide him the poison and dead body of one such snake, Capper will make all of their problems go away---don't ask about the details, it'll be better if George doesn't know for the inquest. And out of desperation, George takes him up on the offer.
It takes a good 75% of the novel before Crofts' series detective, Inspector French, even appears, and while that seems antithetical it works surprisingly well---it worked for Colombo, didn't it? French begins to pick and prod at the setup, certain that there's foul play at hand; I quite enjoy that element of the novel, watching the detective make and discard theories as they piece the case together. Some faulty theories lead to more successful ones, and soon French thinks he's on the right track, doggedly pursuing this case as his reputation---and Scotland Yard's---is on the line.
This structure offers a good look at George's existential woes, but as ambitious as the novel is, I'm not sure Crofts' writing is able to make the psychological elements work. George is sympathetic, but also came across less as a put-upon everyman and more as a desperate loser gambling everything on a bad bet. It is fascinating to see him put under the microscope, and I think that's where Antidote to Venom sells the inverted trick---the reader gets a solid feel for George and a good idea of why he turned to crime. And there's still a strong mystery element, as we discover the trick alongside the brilliant Inspector French---an ingenious method that took some serious thought and skill to pull off, and stands as one of the best of its kind that I've read. They don't make them like this any more---for one, the plot would easily be solved by checking the zoo's surveillance cameras. For another, George's behavior in the finale perhaps works best if the reader is of a religious persuasion----Crofts intended the novel to be a "positive" crime novel, and ends on a much different note than the usual fare.
Antidote to Venom is a novel of historical importance, as its combination of the inverse-mystery and the "direct" detective novel makes it unique in the Golden Age. The mystery is as ingenious as its solution, though the existential angst and the crushing burden of George's poverty aren't entirely successful, nor is Crofts' portrayal of this criminal's redemption. It remains a fascinating and enjoyable curio, though I think it will appeal most to Golden Age readers drawn to it by its inverted structure. In that department, Crofts was a capable writer who came up with several innovative ideas, and I think it lives up to its reputation.
August 18, 2015
I totally love this series of British Crime Classics....and this one was a cracker. Set in the city of Birmington (I assume it's supposed to be Brum), it's a tale of how love and money are usually at the root of a good old fashioned poisoning. And although we are clear from the outset who the killer is....will they get away with it? Not revealed until the final chapter. Excellent writing style too, I shall read more from Mr Crofts.
December 28, 2025
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October 25, 2018
Another crime author from the dim and distant past that I wasn't aware of - but according to the blurb it sounds like someone we probably should have - I guess reading this book fixes that. The author provide us with a pretty unconventional murder mystery though - we know who the murderers are up front, for example, as he is our narrator for the first half of the book. Previously I've only seen this where the murderer is an unreliable narrator, but here he his quite honest about his actions (if not entirely honest without himself about his relationship with his wife). Instead of whodunit, this is a quest for howdidit and willtheygetawaywithit?
The pace of the book is broken half way through with the arrival of Inspector French of the Yard, and the tone changes from the murderer's trying to get away with it and figure out what happened to the more methodical - and traditional - murder mystery. We know who did it, but French is trying to figure it out - and consequently let us know how the murder was committed. Initially I found this switch annoying, with the previous narrator hardly appearing in the second half at all, but as the book came to its denouement the two halves come together in a more satisfying way.
The pace of the book is broken half way through with the arrival of Inspector French of the Yard, and the tone changes from the murderer's trying to get away with it and figure out what happened to the more methodical - and traditional - murder mystery. We know who did it, but French is trying to figure it out - and consequently let us know how the murder was committed. Initially I found this switch annoying, with the previous narrator hardly appearing in the second half at all, but as the book came to its denouement the two halves come together in a more satisfying way.
April 21, 2017
Another editor turned me on to this little gem, and Wow! It's always such a pleasure when a forgotten classic turns out to be so well-crafted and accessible today.
Antidote to Venom was written in the late 1920s, the heyday of literary mystery. In fact, Freeman Crofts was a contemporary of the young Agatha Christie (and at the time his books outsold hers!) Antidote to Venom is a unique murder mystery in that it is inverted: We see the buildup and crime as they occur through the eyes of the murderer, not the detective. It is a fascinating psychological study as well as anything else, combined with all the heightened characters, suspense and thrills of a classic mystery.
Our main character, George, is the director of a prominent zoo, trapped in a loveless marriage and hounded by bills. He worsens his own situation through gambling and the addition of a mistress. When he is put in a position he cannot turn away from and falls into the role of murderer, we can almost sympathize with him. We have spent a large portion of the book identifying with this very human character and it's hard not to hope that all will end well for him and he will get away with it.
Approximately the final third of the book shifts POV, and we follow Detective French of Scotland Yard as he tries to break the case. The contrast is intense, and as a reader it's tough to know who we're rooting for in the end.
Throughout there is no end of tension, and if there are a few scenes that lag slightly the overall effect is still one of a thriller.
A preview I read warned me of Crofts' tendency towards evangelism, and that the end of the book would make a case for the moral upper hand of God and religion. I braced myself for this the entire read, but found the part referred to was, in the end, neither too overwhelmingly religious nor very long, about two pages. It works fine and does not distract from the story.
4.5/5, really. A unique and fascinating read!
Antidote to Venom was written in the late 1920s, the heyday of literary mystery. In fact, Freeman Crofts was a contemporary of the young Agatha Christie (and at the time his books outsold hers!) Antidote to Venom is a unique murder mystery in that it is inverted: We see the buildup and crime as they occur through the eyes of the murderer, not the detective. It is a fascinating psychological study as well as anything else, combined with all the heightened characters, suspense and thrills of a classic mystery.
Our main character, George, is the director of a prominent zoo, trapped in a loveless marriage and hounded by bills. He worsens his own situation through gambling and the addition of a mistress. When he is put in a position he cannot turn away from and falls into the role of murderer, we can almost sympathize with him. We have spent a large portion of the book identifying with this very human character and it's hard not to hope that all will end well for him and he will get away with it.
Approximately the final third of the book shifts POV, and we follow Detective French of Scotland Yard as he tries to break the case. The contrast is intense, and as a reader it's tough to know who we're rooting for in the end.
Throughout there is no end of tension, and if there are a few scenes that lag slightly the overall effect is still one of a thriller.
A preview I read warned me of Crofts' tendency towards evangelism, and that the end of the book would make a case for the moral upper hand of God and religion. I braced myself for this the entire read, but found the part referred to was, in the end, neither too overwhelmingly religious nor very long, about two pages. It works fine and does not distract from the story.
4.5/5, really. A unique and fascinating read!
January 3, 2020
Dame Agatha Christie and Her Peers
BOOK 46 - 1938
In the introduction, Martin Edwards tells us that this "is an ambitious and unusual detective novel." It is. And we learn that Crofts "was widely regarded as one of the leading crime writers of the day" and had among his admirers T.S. Eliot and Raymond Chandler! Why, then, did this author virtually disappear? Is it true that Agatha Christie was just better, or perhaps more prolific, or both, or did she maybe have Hercule and Marple and Tommy and Tupence buy all other crime books in bookstores globally and they are all sitting in someone's basement? That's the reason I'm diving into this Christie and Peers readathon.
CAST - 3:George Surridge-zoo director- needs money as he has gambling debts and a roaming eye for the ladies. His wife, Clarissa, is very unhappy, and George knows it. George's aunt, Miss Lucy Pentland, is elderly, ill, and has money! That's one solution: get rid of her. Capper, a solicitor, needs even more money, and knows someone even richer than Miss Pentland. George and Capper - natch - are not nice people. But it's interesting watching them hatch their evil money-grabs. That said, all-in-all, the cast is rather average.
ATMOSPHERE - 4: Most of the action has to do with the Reptile Room at George's zoo. The set is unusual and if you want to learn a lot about snake venom and how to use it for profit/murder, this is the book for you! I believe this is the only crime novel I've read with a zoo as a central setting.
CRIME - 5: We get to see almost all aspects of the crime as it happens: Crofts tells us up front who does what to whom, when, how, and why. The only thing we don't know is if the investigators can figure it all out. This is an unusual method to tell a murder mystery and Crofts tells the of the crimes in exact details.
INVESTIGATION - 4: An inquest rules death by accident. But as readers we know it's murder. After everyone has pretty much walked away, smiling about their evil deeds, what detail was overlooked? (You know there is something, somewhere as you still have half the book to read.) There follows some amazing Sherlock-Holmes deductions and a page on which an ingenious, original 'weapon' is drawn in detail. And the weapon itself is absolutely one-of-a-kind: only the most devious of minds could have built it. (Someone of this level of brilliance should be very rich in the first place, but we must suspend belief for a moment.)
RESOLUTION - 2: Perfectly executed, BUT there is a rather flawed "Crime and Punishment" kind of final chapter that, although brings everything to a close, is as unbelievable as the final moments of Dosty's "C&P." In reality, you could skip the final chapter and this would improve the book.
SUMMARY -3.6. Normally, my ratings are a bit lower than average goodreads ratings. (Not sure why.) But today, the average goodreads rating is the same as my own: 3.6. I liked the original set -the reptile room at the zoo-the original structure - and the absolutely ingenious murder weapon diagrammed nicely.. The cast is unexceptional, the end is slightly flawed, but still this is unlike most British mysteries - or for that matter this is unlike most mysteries I've ever read.
BOOK 46 - 1938
In the introduction, Martin Edwards tells us that this "is an ambitious and unusual detective novel." It is. And we learn that Crofts "was widely regarded as one of the leading crime writers of the day" and had among his admirers T.S. Eliot and Raymond Chandler! Why, then, did this author virtually disappear? Is it true that Agatha Christie was just better, or perhaps more prolific, or both, or did she maybe have Hercule and Marple and Tommy and Tupence buy all other crime books in bookstores globally and they are all sitting in someone's basement? That's the reason I'm diving into this Christie and Peers readathon.
CAST - 3:George Surridge-zoo director- needs money as he has gambling debts and a roaming eye for the ladies. His wife, Clarissa, is very unhappy, and George knows it. George's aunt, Miss Lucy Pentland, is elderly, ill, and has money! That's one solution: get rid of her. Capper, a solicitor, needs even more money, and knows someone even richer than Miss Pentland. George and Capper - natch - are not nice people. But it's interesting watching them hatch their evil money-grabs. That said, all-in-all, the cast is rather average.
ATMOSPHERE - 4: Most of the action has to do with the Reptile Room at George's zoo. The set is unusual and if you want to learn a lot about snake venom and how to use it for profit/murder, this is the book for you! I believe this is the only crime novel I've read with a zoo as a central setting.
CRIME - 5: We get to see almost all aspects of the crime as it happens: Crofts tells us up front who does what to whom, when, how, and why. The only thing we don't know is if the investigators can figure it all out. This is an unusual method to tell a murder mystery and Crofts tells the of the crimes in exact details.
INVESTIGATION - 4: An inquest rules death by accident. But as readers we know it's murder. After everyone has pretty much walked away, smiling about their evil deeds, what detail was overlooked? (You know there is something, somewhere as you still have half the book to read.) There follows some amazing Sherlock-Holmes deductions and a page on which an ingenious, original 'weapon' is drawn in detail. And the weapon itself is absolutely one-of-a-kind: only the most devious of minds could have built it. (Someone of this level of brilliance should be very rich in the first place, but we must suspend belief for a moment.)
RESOLUTION - 2: Perfectly executed, BUT there is a rather flawed "Crime and Punishment" kind of final chapter that, although brings everything to a close, is as unbelievable as the final moments of Dosty's "C&P." In reality, you could skip the final chapter and this would improve the book.
SUMMARY -3.6. Normally, my ratings are a bit lower than average goodreads ratings. (Not sure why.) But today, the average goodreads rating is the same as my own: 3.6. I liked the original set -the reptile room at the zoo-the original structure - and the absolutely ingenious murder weapon diagrammed nicely.. The cast is unexceptional, the end is slightly flawed, but still this is unlike most British mysteries - or for that matter this is unlike most mysteries I've ever read.
March 22, 2015
This is an intriguing study of a crime and what led up to it. The reader knows from the start who was involved in the murder and why it was carried out but it is still interesting to read about how circumstances seem to conspire to lead otherwise law abiding people into crime. What is equally fascinating is the way Inspector French - coming to the case late and at first reluctantly - reasons that there was something strange about the death.
George Sturridge has what for him is the perfect job. He is the director of a provincial zoo, which is something he has wanted to do since he first saw a zoo as a child. Unfortunately, his wife Clarissa, is not terribly happy to be living anywhere but London and George doesn't earn quite as much as she would like him to earn so his home life isn't as tranquil as it could be. George takes refuge, as many before him have done in gambling and the arms of another woman.
I found this a well written crime story which has stood the test of time. The murder is ingenious and almost fool-proof and it proves that most of us have no idea how our actions and demeanour will be viewed by other people. If you like older crime stories then this one is well worth reading and I shall definitely be reading more by this author.
George Sturridge has what for him is the perfect job. He is the director of a provincial zoo, which is something he has wanted to do since he first saw a zoo as a child. Unfortunately, his wife Clarissa, is not terribly happy to be living anywhere but London and George doesn't earn quite as much as she would like him to earn so his home life isn't as tranquil as it could be. George takes refuge, as many before him have done in gambling and the arms of another woman.
I found this a well written crime story which has stood the test of time. The murder is ingenious and almost fool-proof and it proves that most of us have no idea how our actions and demeanour will be viewed by other people. If you like older crime stories then this one is well worth reading and I shall definitely be reading more by this author.
January 15, 2022
An early police procedural that becomes tiresome toward the end.
March 23, 2024
Antidote to Venom [1938] – ★★★★
“…of the Good in you I can speak, but not of the Evil. For what is Evil but not Good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? When Good is hungry, it seeks food, even in dark caves, and when it thirsts, it drinks even of dead waters” (The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran).
There are few murder-mysteries out there that have truly unique settings, and since this Golden Age detective mystery is set in a zoo, it certainly appeals just on the basis of its intriguing set-up. Irish author Freeman Wills Crofts (1879-1957)’s story is about Birmington Zoo Director George Surridge, whose life starts to slowly unravel right under his nose: he and his wife grow increasingly indifferent towards each other, he has recently forced to fire one of his zoo guards for misconduct, and now he has to deal with the most astonishing mystery: the disappearance of a poisonous snake from his zoo. That’s not all: following the snake’s disappearance, a man is found dead – presumably, from that snake’s bite. But, nothing is as it seems. Inspector Joseph French starts investigating and comes up with the most ingenious solution that would explain a whole sequence of odd events in George Surridge’s life. Antidote to Venom is one thrilling mystery read from one of the most esteemed Golden Age crime authors.
At its heart, Antidote to Venom is about a full-scale dive into a character, a character that appears ordinary at first glance, but whose actions become anything but. That character is George Surridge and we step into his shoes. Surridge wishes well for his wife Clarissa, but he also meets another woman he falls in love with, and wants to build his future with her. Clarissa has no place. Surridge likes his rich, elderly aunt, but he also wants to lay his hands on his inheritance from her as soon as possible. Thus, his aunt Lucy apparently has no place (in Surridge’s perfect world). Surridge is a dutiful zoo director that genuinely cares for his employees and animals, but he also has a gambling habit to take care of – all understandable – to an extent? George Surridge is a man pressured, a man in despair pressed against the wall. It is here that Freeman Wills Crofts shines, showing how easily the unthinkable can turn into something very much “thinkable” and doable. Not to give any spoilers away, it is only safe to say that the author in his one character (who is not a detective)-centred approach appears ahead of his time, way predating Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho – (though not in the first-person narration, of course).
There are unexpected turns in this book, with the narrative seemingly leading the reader into one direction, only for them to end up in another, and, for once, we have a very clever murderer and an ingenious crime solution. That solution would have seemed too-far-fetched, but Freeman Wills Crofts’s fluid writing engages us in every sentence and paragraph, helping us to suspend our disbelief. The same helps us to overlook some of the plot’s melodrama and familiar crime motives. “Two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead”, the saying goes, and we certainly get that too in this plot. In Freeman Wills Crofts’s story, the evil has never felt so close to home as the author also makes a point that you must never underestimate a truly desperate man.
🐍 Antidote to Venom is not so much a whodunit as howdunit story, but it is still a detective story that holds its own in the genre. It is one with a too perfect a crime that has enough intrigues, red herrings and a bunch of poisonous snakes to satisfy any curious mystery lover who will undoubtedly admire its highly observant detective – Inspector French.
“…of the Good in you I can speak, but not of the Evil. For what is Evil but not Good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? When Good is hungry, it seeks food, even in dark caves, and when it thirsts, it drinks even of dead waters” (The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran).
There are few murder-mysteries out there that have truly unique settings, and since this Golden Age detective mystery is set in a zoo, it certainly appeals just on the basis of its intriguing set-up. Irish author Freeman Wills Crofts (1879-1957)’s story is about Birmington Zoo Director George Surridge, whose life starts to slowly unravel right under his nose: he and his wife grow increasingly indifferent towards each other, he has recently forced to fire one of his zoo guards for misconduct, and now he has to deal with the most astonishing mystery: the disappearance of a poisonous snake from his zoo. That’s not all: following the snake’s disappearance, a man is found dead – presumably, from that snake’s bite. But, nothing is as it seems. Inspector Joseph French starts investigating and comes up with the most ingenious solution that would explain a whole sequence of odd events in George Surridge’s life. Antidote to Venom is one thrilling mystery read from one of the most esteemed Golden Age crime authors.
At its heart, Antidote to Venom is about a full-scale dive into a character, a character that appears ordinary at first glance, but whose actions become anything but. That character is George Surridge and we step into his shoes. Surridge wishes well for his wife Clarissa, but he also meets another woman he falls in love with, and wants to build his future with her. Clarissa has no place. Surridge likes his rich, elderly aunt, but he also wants to lay his hands on his inheritance from her as soon as possible. Thus, his aunt Lucy apparently has no place (in Surridge’s perfect world). Surridge is a dutiful zoo director that genuinely cares for his employees and animals, but he also has a gambling habit to take care of – all understandable – to an extent? George Surridge is a man pressured, a man in despair pressed against the wall. It is here that Freeman Wills Crofts shines, showing how easily the unthinkable can turn into something very much “thinkable” and doable. Not to give any spoilers away, it is only safe to say that the author in his one character (who is not a detective)-centred approach appears ahead of his time, way predating Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho – (though not in the first-person narration, of course).
There are unexpected turns in this book, with the narrative seemingly leading the reader into one direction, only for them to end up in another, and, for once, we have a very clever murderer and an ingenious crime solution. That solution would have seemed too-far-fetched, but Freeman Wills Crofts’s fluid writing engages us in every sentence and paragraph, helping us to suspend our disbelief. The same helps us to overlook some of the plot’s melodrama and familiar crime motives. “Two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead”, the saying goes, and we certainly get that too in this plot. In Freeman Wills Crofts’s story, the evil has never felt so close to home as the author also makes a point that you must never underestimate a truly desperate man.
🐍 Antidote to Venom is not so much a whodunit as howdunit story, but it is still a detective story that holds its own in the genre. It is one with a too perfect a crime that has enough intrigues, red herrings and a bunch of poisonous snakes to satisfy any curious mystery lover who will undoubtedly admire its highly observant detective – Inspector French.
July 18, 2022
Back in March, I wrote about Anthony Berkeley’s engaging Jumping Jenny (1933), a fine example of the ‘inverted mystery’ genre, where the identity of the murderer is known to the reader (but not the investigators of the crime) at an early stage. Originally published in 1938, Antidote to Venom is another mystery in this tradition — and if anything, I think it’s even better than the Berkeley, especially for those of us who enjoy crime fiction with a psychological edge. The novel starts by focusing on events from the perpetrator’s perspective, showing us how easy it is for a seemingly ordinary, law-abiding man to be drawn into criminal activities when circumstances force his hand…
The novel is set in and around Birmington Zoo in the Midlands, which I assume is a thinly disguised stand-in for the Birmingham enclosure. George Surridge, the Zoo’s director, has got himself into a bit of a fix. Trapped in a loveless marriage to the rather prickly Clarissa, George has been drawn into habitual gambling, an addiction that has left him struggling to pay off his debts. The one bright spot in his life is Nancy, a likeminded woman he meets one day at the Zoo. Additional furtive meetings subsequently ensue, and before long, George finds himself embroiled in a steady affair, desperately dreaming of a more relaxed life with Nancy in a chocolate-box cottage nearby.
As his troubles mount, George finds himself thinking of his Aunt Lucy, a frail, elderly woman with a sizable portfolio of investments. George knows that he is likely to inherit the bulk of Lucy’s estate on her death – she has made her intentions very clear in this respect. If only she would hurry up and die, George’s money worries would be over. He even finds himself toying with the idea of murder, however ghastly that might appear…
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2022...
The novel is set in and around Birmington Zoo in the Midlands, which I assume is a thinly disguised stand-in for the Birmingham enclosure. George Surridge, the Zoo’s director, has got himself into a bit of a fix. Trapped in a loveless marriage to the rather prickly Clarissa, George has been drawn into habitual gambling, an addiction that has left him struggling to pay off his debts. The one bright spot in his life is Nancy, a likeminded woman he meets one day at the Zoo. Additional furtive meetings subsequently ensue, and before long, George finds himself embroiled in a steady affair, desperately dreaming of a more relaxed life with Nancy in a chocolate-box cottage nearby.
As his troubles mount, George finds himself thinking of his Aunt Lucy, a frail, elderly woman with a sizable portfolio of investments. George knows that he is likely to inherit the bulk of Lucy’s estate on her death – she has made her intentions very clear in this respect. If only she would hurry up and die, George’s money worries would be over. He even finds himself toying with the idea of murder, however ghastly that might appear…
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2022...
March 24, 2018
I think Freeman Wills Crofts was better at writing the traditional whodunnit than these would-be psychological crime stories. I've come to this straight after 12.30 From Croydon and liked it even less. It doesn't help that the author put a note at the start explaining that he had made "an effort to tell a story of crime positively", an endeavour at which he completely failed. The motive for the murder is that the protagonist dislikes being poor and wants to support his mistress. Not exactly calculated to make the reader feel sympathetic towards him! In addition, he's entirely selfish - it's clear that he is interested only in himself and cares little for anyone else. You can see the author trying to make it look as though he finds himself forced into a corner where the only option is to connive in a murder, but it just isn't convincing. Also there's a really weird religious enlightenment bit at the end which doesn't fit in with the rest of the story, doesn't fit with the protagonist's character, adds nothing to the plot... it's just a bit odd!
I'm hoping Freeman Wills Crofts didn't try too many more of these experiments with the detective novel and stuck with what he was good at!
I'm hoping Freeman Wills Crofts didn't try too many more of these experiments with the detective novel and stuck with what he was good at!
October 7, 2019
The director of an English city zoo is gradually tempted into crime, leading to murder. This is another “reverse” mystery where the reader knows “who” from the beginning of the book, but with a cleverly plotted twist—the reader doesn’t know until the end how the murder was committed.
February 2, 2025
I'll give this book 3.5 stars. I'm on the fence with this book. George Surridge and his wife don't get along. He starts an affair with Nancy Weymore. He then realizes that he doesn't earn enough money to pay his bills at home and make Nancy happy at the same time. He starts gambling and loses more money than he makes. He finds out that his aunt is about to die. He can barely wait for her death because he needs her inheritance to pay for his debts. When she finally dies, he finds out that her solicitor - Mr. Capper - has used all her money to pay for the losses that he's incurred from making some bad investments. Professor Burnaby is Capper's uncle. Burnaby works at the zoo where George is an administrator. Burnaby works with the snakes at the zoo. He's using their venom to find a cure for cancer. Capper stands to inherit 22,000 pounds from Burnaby. He talks George into killing Burnaby with snake venom and making it look like an accident. That way he'll inherit the 22,000 pounds and he'll give George half the money. It will solve both of their money problems. The jury at the inquest come in with the verdict that Burnaby stole a snake, took it home to do some investigations, and then died of a snake bite. They say that his death was an accident.
The first two-thirds of the book are about George's unhappiness in his marriage and his misgivings about what he and Capper have done to Burnaby. The last third of the book is about a Scotland Yard inspector (Mr. French) who learns of the case from his brother in law. From newspaper articles, he learns that there are some things the local police should have done but didn't. He convinces them to reopen the case. His investigation bring George's and Capper's scheme to light and they're both charged with murder.
George's misgivings began going on my nerves. He knew he should stop his affair with Nancy but he didn't want to hurt her. I felt like reaching into the book and shaking him - it's easier to hurt her now rather than waiting until it's too late. For me, the book became more interesting when French became involved. It was interesting to read about his methods and how he looked for motives and began building his evidence.
The first two-thirds of the book are about George's unhappiness in his marriage and his misgivings about what he and Capper have done to Burnaby. The last third of the book is about a Scotland Yard inspector (Mr. French) who learns of the case from his brother in law. From newspaper articles, he learns that there are some things the local police should have done but didn't. He convinces them to reopen the case. His investigation bring George's and Capper's scheme to light and they're both charged with murder.
George's misgivings began going on my nerves. He knew he should stop his affair with Nancy but he didn't want to hurt her. I felt like reaching into the book and shaking him - it's easier to hurt her now rather than waiting until it's too late. For me, the book became more interesting when French became involved. It was interesting to read about his methods and how he looked for motives and began building his evidence.
May 27, 2025
Read review at: https://thereadingarmchair.blogspot.c...
Having grown up with Agatha Christie's novels, I was curious to read other British crime classics. So, when I received a copy of Antidote to Venom, I was more than excited. Not only it is the 17th adventure of Inspector French, but (according to the book's insightful introduction) upon release it was even more popular than Hercule Poirot's stories.
One of the most interesting things about Antidote to Venom was the book's structure. Unlike the typical whodunnit novel, it begins from the perspective of the culprits (or at least one of the culprits). This way, you get to explore all of their motives for wanting to commit the crime. However, there is still some mystery left to explore, as we don't get an explanation of how the crime was actually committed until later in the book.
This unique structure though, was also my main complaint with the book. By giving us away who had committed the crime, it took away the satisfaction I get from trying to find the guilty one in crime novels. It didn't help that I couldn't find George compelling, and I wasn't particularly interested in following his character.
The book definitely picks up after Inspector French enters the stage. But this only happens around 64% of the book. Is it enough to keep reading until that point?
All in all, Antidote to Venom did something different. Even though it wasn't my favourite crime novel, it was easy-to-read and it was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end. I would definitely read more of Inspector French's adventures.
Having grown up with Agatha Christie's novels, I was curious to read other British crime classics. So, when I received a copy of Antidote to Venom, I was more than excited. Not only it is the 17th adventure of Inspector French, but (according to the book's insightful introduction) upon release it was even more popular than Hercule Poirot's stories.
One of the most interesting things about Antidote to Venom was the book's structure. Unlike the typical whodunnit novel, it begins from the perspective of the culprits (or at least one of the culprits). This way, you get to explore all of their motives for wanting to commit the crime. However, there is still some mystery left to explore, as we don't get an explanation of how the crime was actually committed until later in the book.
This unique structure though, was also my main complaint with the book. By giving us away who had committed the crime, it took away the satisfaction I get from trying to find the guilty one in crime novels. It didn't help that I couldn't find George compelling, and I wasn't particularly interested in following his character.
The book definitely picks up after Inspector French enters the stage. But this only happens around 64% of the book. Is it enough to keep reading until that point?
All in all, Antidote to Venom did something different. Even though it wasn't my favourite crime novel, it was easy-to-read and it was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end. I would definitely read more of Inspector French's adventures.
December 6, 2021
This book started out like an episode of the Twilight Zone, got bogged down in the middle to the point of belaboring the point (he did The Thing! he worried about having Done The Thing!) and then to read about the investigation of the murder that we'd just seen from the murder's POV? Ugh, no thanks. If the plot had been chopped in half, and we followed said murderer from the initial seed of the idea to his eventual confession and execution, it would've been much more interesting. Slapping in 100 pages of investigation just felt tedious in the extreme.
October 24, 2024
Written in the late 1930's this is a book from what is known as the "Golden Age of crime fiction", in an innovative style the author starts writing as the murderer. The plot and the motivation are laid out and it is only as the police investigation starts we find that through the relentless probing that the moral pressure begins to play on the perpetrator and he is finally brought to book.
This is an excellent example from this age and one that sets the standard for many modern novels—a good read. 4 stars.
This is an excellent example from this age and one that sets the standard for many modern novels—a good read. 4 stars.
October 30, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It’s probably more like 4.5 stars. I enjoyed the story, the writing and the characters and think I would’ve loved it even without the crime element. However that gave it suspense and kept me wanting to keep picking it up - I read it pretty quickly. I really want to read another one of his books soon!
December 26, 2024
I have read a number of books from the British Library Crime Classic series and this book is up there as one of my favourites. Skillfully constructed by someone who knows his craft very well.
Thoroughly enjoyable
Thoroughly enjoyable
September 5, 2023
My only complaint is, the way the story is written, I was kind of rooting for the fall guy to NOT get caught... 😂🤦🏻♀️ But, I like how it ended with a good moral of redemption.
March 11, 2020
This is one of those "Oh, what a tangled web we weave!" mysteries where the hapless protagonist, concerned only by bringing a bit of joy into his life, ensnares himself in a murder plot that seems doomed from the start. The attraction here is the method of the murder itself--intricately planned (there's even a diagram!) but incredibly far-fetched. Also of note is the very human and sympathetic portrayal of the murderer.
January 12, 2025
Slow paced and perhaps a tad overlong, but a good story with shades of Zola's Thérèse Raquin.
March 13, 2023
Another good detective story from the golden age of crime classics, and this is another one of the Inspector French books, with plenty of plenty of twists and turns, this story and its events are seen at first from the prospective of the culprit (reminded me a little of Columbo) and the inspector having to crack seemingly unbreakable alibis.
I look forward to reading more of these in the series.
I look forward to reading more of these in the series.
September 22, 2020
Loved it! If only he had given George a past...
May 24, 2016
At first I was very taken with this mystery because of its location in a Midlands zoo and humdrum protagonists. Mostly they are ordinary people who have got their backs against the wall as a result of poor choices. Chief of these is George, the manager of the zoo, who finds himself cash-strapped because of a growing gambling addiction, compounded by an infatuation with a widow he decides to set up in a little cottage. When he finds out that the inheritance he was counting on to finance his double life has been embezzled by his aunt's lawyer, he colludes with the guy to bump off a nice gent whose money will save both of them from exposure and ruin. The build-up to the murder and the initial investigation are very well done. Crofts lost me when a Scotland Yard man who is convinced foul play was involved in the old man's "accident" slowly unravels the mystery. I was a bit disappointed with the amount of ingenuity bestowed on a plausible mechanical device to commit the murder. Eventually I was surprised by the very moral ending which sees George giving himself up and reconciling himself both with wife and his god. By the standards of mystery fiction, this is a fine story, but it didn't fulfill my expectations.
July 30, 2017
This is a crime novel with a difference..
From the start we know who the murderer is, we know why the murder has taken place and we know how the murder was committed.
George is a man who has money problems. His wife Clarissa, who has money of her own but never spends it in anyone but herself, doesn't know of George's financial state. When George starts an affair with a beautiful young woman he meets at the zoo where is the Director, his money worries become of a burden.
George's marriage to Clarissa is a cold one.George's Aunt, very frail and old has money and George knows he is to inherit all that she has.
George is shocked to find he is thinking more and more of his Aunts death and even has wicked thoughts about her demise.
This is a novel that has intrigue and is well written with an extremely clever plot.
Originally published in 1938, it has lost none of it's charm and set in the unusual vicinity of a zoo, Antidote to Venom is quite unlike most other crime novels.
I am really loving these books, this is the 3rd of the series I have read. Antidote to Venom is well worth a read, it has charm, and The author captures George's feelings of fright and anxiety perfectly.
A wonderful novel and perfect for crime lovers.
From the start we know who the murderer is, we know why the murder has taken place and we know how the murder was committed.
George is a man who has money problems. His wife Clarissa, who has money of her own but never spends it in anyone but herself, doesn't know of George's financial state. When George starts an affair with a beautiful young woman he meets at the zoo where is the Director, his money worries become of a burden.
George's marriage to Clarissa is a cold one.George's Aunt, very frail and old has money and George knows he is to inherit all that she has.
George is shocked to find he is thinking more and more of his Aunts death and even has wicked thoughts about her demise.
This is a novel that has intrigue and is well written with an extremely clever plot.
Originally published in 1938, it has lost none of it's charm and set in the unusual vicinity of a zoo, Antidote to Venom is quite unlike most other crime novels.
I am really loving these books, this is the 3rd of the series I have read. Antidote to Venom is well worth a read, it has charm, and The author captures George's feelings of fright and anxiety perfectly.
A wonderful novel and perfect for crime lovers.
January 6, 2016
Pretty good book. Nothing super exciting but it messes with the traditional format in a neat way while still having a satisfying and interesting actual mystery.
It's set up sort of like a "reverse whodunnit" but even stronger - it takes a long time for you to find out who's going to get murdered with multiple false hints as to who the victim will be and things only really get going like... halfwayish through? It works well, things get set up nicely and the build-up is well done. His character writing is hardly Nobel Literature level but the characters make sense and you get a good idea of their distinct personality and motives - they're more than flat stereotypes. The mystery itself is built around a single conceit but it's pretty ingenious and I liked it
MASSIVE ending spoiler
It's set up sort of like a "reverse whodunnit" but even stronger - it takes a long time for you to find out who's going to get murdered with multiple false hints as to who the victim will be and things only really get going like... halfwayish through? It works well, things get set up nicely and the build-up is well done. His character writing is hardly Nobel Literature level but the characters make sense and you get a good idea of their distinct personality and motives - they're more than flat stereotypes. The mystery itself is built around a single conceit but it's pretty ingenious and I liked it
MASSIVE ending spoiler
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