“Readers who enjoy plants and offbeat tales will find Brown’s book a happy mix” (Publishers Weekly).

Mankind has always had a morbid fascination with poisonous plants. Over the centuries, poisonous plants have been used to remove garden pests—as well as unwanted rivals and deceitful partners. They have also been used for their medicinal qualities, as rather dangerous cosmetics, and even to help seduce a lover when perceived as an aphrodisiac. Some of these and other uses originate in a medieval book that has not yet been translated into English. This book delves into the history of these plants, covering such topics as:

• How shamans and priests used these plants for their magical attributes, as a means to foretell the future or to commune with the gods


• How a pot of basil helped to conceal a savage murder


• The truth about the mysterious mandrake


• A conundrum written by Jane Austen to entertain her family—the answer to which is one of the plants in this book

These stories and many more will enlighten you on these treacherous and peculiar plants, their defensive and deadly traits, the facts behind them, and the folklore that has grown around them.