Before the Poison (original 2011; edition 2011)

Often, when I'm very fond of an author's series characters, I'm a bit resistant when that author surprises me with a standalone. But Peter Robinson's BEFORE THE POISON hooked me from the first page. As in several of his Alan Banks stories, a long-past case is involved. When a recently widowed Hollywood film score composer decides to return to his native England, he discovers that the house he has bought was the site of a famous murder that took place during his childhood -- one about which he begins to have doubts. The story of his investigation into, not only what happened, but why, kept me fascinated to the end. Highly recommended. ( )

I am a huge Peter Robinson fan having read all his Banks series. I did not love this book. I was in fact disappointed not by the absence of Banks but with the story (stories) told. The story of nurses in WW II was the best part. Aside from a personal connection with the main character and Grace's journal, which kept me reafing I can only hope Alan Banks comes back in the next book. ( )

Received for Review
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 3.75

First thought when Finished: That last half of this book was really well done and kept me riveted!

What I Loved: I can't really go into detail about what I loved about Before the Poison or the review would be full of spoilers. I will say there is a distinct point in the middle of the book where we start reading parts of Grace's journal that really, in my opinion, made the book start to sparkle. I was riveted and intrigued. I couldn't turn pages fast enough in an effort to learn what really happened!

What I Liked: I liked that there was a twist with the main protagonist that I just didn't seem coming. It did explain much of his behavior that I did not quite understand. The twist also tied together some things that I had been questioning the whole book.

What made me go HUH?: There were a few parts of the story I didn't like: the affair was a big one. I just didn't see the need for it but it didn't distract from the story for me. It did make me like the characters a little less though.

Final Thought: I think if you are a fan of Peter Robinson, you will like this stand alone novel. I also think if you are history/true crime buff you will enjoy it too. The crime isn't real but the way he hunts down the story reminds of investigation discovery.

My blog post about this book is at this link. ( )

I wish this book would have been from Grace's point of view and not Chris. I didn't really like Chris at all and a hard time caring enough about him to want to follow his story. I also hated his relationship with Heather. I could have without having to read about Heather. The part that I loved most about this book were Grace's journal entries. Her journal entries were compelling and I loved getting to read from her point of view. I would have rather read about the events that happened in her life when they were happening and not after 50 years had passed. Overall I felt that Grace's story was interesting but Chris' journey to uncover it was just boring and annoying. ( )

Chris is a widower and now, later in life has decided to return home to settle down, purchasing a house out in the country for a quite place to work on a new project. He becomes obsessed with the story of the past owners’ of the house, which turns out to be a famous recent murder cases. Everywhere he looks in the house he feels Grace’s presence and cannot escape the nagging feeling there was more to her life than being accused of murdering her husband.

The writing is so atmospheric and really takes the reader to a relaxing and sometimes melancholy world. The descriptions of the house and the land were breath-taking. It gives the reader the feeling of really being there, in this gorgeous mansion, expansive lands and quaint local stores and pubs.

This is my first read from author Peter Robinson. I loved the writing style and feelings that the story evoked. I must admit that I was expecting for the story to be more edgy as the clues began to unravel but it was like reading a classic crime novel; a slow unravelling of details and not much of a “big” moment, but an ending that lingers with you.

There are times when we are taken deep into the aftermath of World War II as Chris learns more about Grace’s life as a nurse; inlcuding pages of historical information about the process of war and the use of poisons and gas testing. About halfway through, we are introduced to Grace more directly through her old writings and get to see her life from her own perspective which was interesting and really puts us in her head. I had to take the book in sections and didn’t experience a lot of gasping, or moments that caught me off-guard.

Through his research and travels to find out about Grace’s life, Chris learns many things, solving more than one mystery along the way. These side stories held more of the “edge” I was looking for in the main narrative.

It is very much a character driven story, not only revolving around the obsession Chris has with Grace, but about his own life as well. He’s distracted from the events of his past. Moving to this quiet house was supposed to give him the space and time he needed for his new project, but he cannot concentrate and finds these distractions welcome. The time he takes to learn about Grace lets him come to terms with events from his own life.

If you’re looking for a read that is light on the crime and mystery with a slower moving plot line and a gradual revelation of secrets from the past (as well as travels from England to France to Southern Africa), this is your book. It will take you all over the world through the eyes of both Chris and Grace. Before the Poison is a novel of great writing that is both visually aesthetic and emotionally atmospheric. ( )

This is a standalone book from the author of the Inspector Banks series. In this book, a composer named Chris returns to Yorkshire after many years in the United States, where he enjoyed a small measure of fame composing film soundtracks. His new home is a rambling, isolated place in the Dales, and apparently it used to be owned by a couple where the husband was poisoned by the wife and the wife was hanged. But as Chris starts learning about the background of the case, he has to wonder: did she really do it? This sets him off on a quest for the truth.

As is usually the case with this sort of past story/modern-day story setup, the past story was more interesting. Firsthand accounts of active service during the Second World War will win pretty much every time over a 21st-century man's romantic travails! The past story is told via diary excerpts, letters and a book called Famous Trials, which chronicles the murder case. The modern-day story is told in first person and overall it works well, although I found the voice a bit hard to get used to because I associate Peter Robinson with third-person narration. But that's probably a personal quirk. Chris as a character was all right.

One thing I did really appreciate about the modern-day story was that Chris knew how not to repeat himself too much. He'd go off and do some research, and then he'd come back and tell a friend about it (he kept a LOT of people in the loop on his research), but when he recounted the conversation with the friend he'd just say "I told So-and-So what I'd learned at the library" instead of spelling everything out again for the reader. Very economical. I do, however, think the book could have done with a wee bit of trimming. The sheer heft of the book was somewhat startling, and there were a couple of places where I'd made the deductive leap just before Chris did and had to wait for him to catch up with me.

But all in all I'd recommend this if the description interests you, or if you haven't tried any Peter Robinson and want to get a feel for his style without needing to becoming invested in the Banks series. ( )

Probably one of the best books I have read in years!! Story is split in two (ish) with alternate chapters covering now and half a century earlier. As I assumed that the 'earlier' chapters would explain and give away what Chris (the main character) was trying to establish I purposely read only the 'now' chapters first. What a great story! All the characters, however small, are excellenty portrayed. The description of the area in Yorkshire is beautifully done, an area I am very familiar with. Cannot recommend this highly enough! ( )

Peter Robinson, favoriten, har kommit med en ny bok och jag ville inte vänta på översättningen så det blev originalet. Men den gick lätt att läsa så det var kul.
Det är en deckare men inte med kommissarie Alan Banks utan en helt separat bok. Huvudpersonen är en musikkompositör som efter tjugo år i USA nu återvänt till England och Yorkshire. Han är ganska nybliven änkling, runt de sextio och har obesett köpt ett gammalt hus på landet via en mäklare. Kilnsgate house ligger isolerat ute på landet och visar sig ha en mörk historia. En tidigare ägare, en läkare, blev mördad och hans fru, Grace Fox, dömdes för mordet och hängdes 1952. Chris blir alltmer fascinerad av historien och följer spåren bakåt. Var domen korrekt? Varför skulle Grace vilja döda sin make?
En spännade bok med intressanta kopplingar till andra världskriget. Och lite kärlek därtill! ( )

BEFORE THE POISON is Peter Robinson's third stand alone novel, and is set near Richmond, Yorkshire where he spends much of his time.

The death of his wife from cancer in the USA prompts Chris Lowndes, successful film music composer, to return to England. He has always promised himself he would return home when he was sixty. He buys Kilnsgate, an old house in the North Riding and is fascinated to learn of its connection to a woman hanged in 1953 for murdering her husband.

Lowndes' determination to know what led to Grace Fox committing murder gives the author the scope to do what he does so well - explore a facet of an historical period, this time World War II, and connect it with the current time. The fact too that Lowndes is a wealthy retiree allows the author to "grow" the plot, as Lowndes explores "leads" about Grace Fox's past, by travelling to France and South Africa. For much of the time Chris Lowndes is determined to prove that Grace could not have committed murder, but doubts creep in, as one theory after another is shattered.

I like the skilful combination of historical and mystery elements and BEFORE THE POISON is mapped against a rich canvas, with plenty to keep the reader thinking. Lowndes feels an affinity with Grace Fox right from the start, feels her presence in the house, and even begins to write music for her, and to envisage a film about her story. There are moments of harsh reality too, about the war in the Far East, and about war crimes on all sides.

The story is told through an interesting format: narration set in 2010 and 2011 by Chris Lowndes; interspersed with passages from a book called Famous Trials giving details about Grace Fox's trial and execution; and a journal written by Grace Fox 1940-1945 recording her experiences as a Queen Alexandra nurse. While the reader is given the story from all three angles, the main characters only gain access to Famous Trials and Grace's journal a littler later. So by the time Chris Lowndes reads these to items, we the reader, already know what he is going to find.

Very enjoyable read. ( )

This was the first Peter Robinson book I have read, and it was great!!
From the beginning to the end I couldn't put it down. Since I am a nurse, I could so identifiy with Grace Fox and understood her dilemma.
I would really recommend this book to friends. Since I have yet to read more of Peter Robinson, I dont know if this is typical of his writing, but if it is I am hooked! ( )

Before the Poison was a book chosen to be read for my mystery book club and is the first book that I have read by Robinson. I have to say that I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. Most of the story takes place in England, but the main character does do some traveling in his search for the truth about whether or not Grace Fox murdered her husband. Robinson did such an amazing job with his world building that I could really picture these places and especially Kilnsgate. Robinson also delivered an interesting and compelling main character in Chris as well as made Grace a compelling character as well even though she dies on page one. The story is filled with many twists and turns which made it a great mystery. Overall this was a great read that I would most definitely recommend. I am also looking forward to reading more books by Robinson. ( )

Chris Lowndes is a successful film score composer, well-known in the business and financially very comfortable. Having promised himself he'd return home at the age of sixty, he buys an isolated country house near the Yorkshire town where he grew up. He hadn't expected to be doing it without his wife at his side, but she'd died a few months earlier. He goes anyway, telling himself he needs solitude to work on the piano sonata he's always wanted to compose.

Having completed the purchase well before he returns to England, Lowndes is unsure what to expect when he arrives at the house late one October afternoon. He certainly doesn't expect to learn that the wife of the original owner, a physician named Ernest Fox, had been convicted of murdering him.

Out of curiosity, Lowndes begins to research the history of the house and it's early inhabitants. The more he learns about Grace Fox and her family, the more he becomes convinced that she was not guilty of the crime. Although he knows better than to tell anyone, he thinks he catches glimpses of her around the house. People begin to accuse him of being obsessed with Grace and her story, and it certainly appears that way, though Chris believes that all he's trying to do is uncover the truth.

Throughout Lowndes' search, the reader has the uncomfortable feeling that there is some underlying reason for his investigation. It's not expressed outright, but extremely subtle hints that this is the case permeate the narrative, very much in the vein of Rebecca,

In fact, as in Du Maurier's novel, although the narrative is in the first person from the protagonist's point of view, the central character of the story is a ghost whose history somehow becomes intertwined with that of the narrator.

As a devotee of Robinson's Inspector Banks, I was at first disappointed that Before the Poison was not part of that series. But this is such a well-written and well-told tale that the sadness was short-lived. ( )

Read from April 29 to 30, 2012

Received for Review
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 3.75

First thought when Finished: That last half of this book was really well done and kept me riveted!

What I Loved: I can't really go into detail about what I loved about Before the Poison or the review would be full of spoilers. I will say there is a distinct point in the middle of the book where we start reading parts of Grace's journal that really, in my opinion, made the book start to sparkle. I was riveted and intrigued. I couldn't turn pages fast enough in an effort to learn what really happened!

What I Liked: I liked that there was a twist with the main protagonist that I just didn't seem coming. It did explain much of his behavior that I did not quite understand. The twist also tied together some things that I had been questioning the whole book.

What made me go HUH?: There were a few parts of the story I didn't like: the affair was a big one. I just didn't see the need for it but it didn't distract from the story for me. It did make me like the characters a little less though.

Final Thought: I think if you are a fan of Peter Robinson, you will like this stand alone novel. I also think if you are history/true crime buff you will enjoy it too. The crime isn't real but the way he hunts down the story reminds of investigation discovery. ( )

I will never ever agree to review one of Mr. Robinson's books again. I can't manage to get through them and it's time to stop trying. It's just not fair to someone who might be a fan.

Author Peter Robinson is best known for his Alan Bank series, so let's start by saying that this is NOT part of this series. This is a standalone, and in my opinion a quite good one.
But if you are a fan of this series and pick this up expecting another, as it seems many reviewers were, you may be disappointed.
I love the feel of this book, in ways harkening back to mysteries of an early time. The atmosphere of the house, the Yorkshire setting, and especially the interspersed excerpts from the account of Grace's trial and her journal when she was a nurse in the heart of the horrors of WWII, make this a book with one foot firmly in the present and the other firmly in the world of the Second World War and it's aftermath in England. Chris is a great, very likable character...not so much his realtor girlfriend...but maybe the real star of this book is the executed Grace. She starts out an enigma, not testifying in her own defense, walking quietly to her death. But once we get to the excerpts from her wartime journals, her account of her horrible experience in the South Pacific and later in the battlefields of Europe, a very different woman emerges...and yes, one that might be capable of murder if she felt there was cause. And cause there might be.

The ending was very good, even if it felt a bit rushed. And most of the book was very interesting, even if it it took a big of a lag in the middle before we get started on Grace's journals. This is largely a character driven book. Not a great deal happens, much of the present day story consisting of Chris driving around and even flying to distant lands to interview people who knew Grace, a lot more talking than doing. Luckily, we have a successful amateur investigator, with the resources to pursue the leads that open up. And happily, the look back is much more eventful, creating a nice balance overall.

I think fans of Mr. Robinson will enjoy this book if they go into it not expecting it to be something it is not, part of the Bank's series, and readers new to his work, like myself, will find an author they will want to take a further look at. ( )

another reviewer didn't like the narrator's constant talk of music and wine. i guess inspector banks is not for her. wasn't crazy about heather. her "zany" sense of humour didn't even get a smile from me but she wasn't in it that much. why was she in it at all? the solution was plausible but kind of a let down.
also the book was too long. i think if you can't tell your story in 250 pages you aren't a writer. this was 434. ( )

Peter Robinson is known for his Inspector Alan Banks British mysteries. However, Before the Poison, is a stand alone book, somewhat mysterious, but not your typical procedural mystery.

Chris Lowndes is obsessed with two women: his wife, Laura, who succumbed to cancer a year ago and Grace Elizabeth Fox. Chris, a transplanted Brit, moved back to Britain from L.A. and purchased Grace’s secluded estate. It had been vacant for some time. His real estate broker failed to mention one key fact, until after the deal was consummated. Grace was convicted in the murder of her husband and was hanged in 1953. Upon hearing this, Chris becomes obsessed with Grace, her trial and whether indeed she was guilty.

Before the Poison bounces back and forth between the current day and an account of the 1953 drama in the form of a segment of a book Famous Trials or a segment of Grace’s journal written during World War II. Each chapter starts with a short segment of the book or journal and continues as Chris attempts to uncover the truth.

It’s funny, because my first Peter Robinson novel, In a Dry Season, also alternated between the 1940s and the present.

While, indeed, there is a murder in this book, I would not call it a mystery. I would call it an engrossing tale of a man obsessed. Robinson is a marvelous writer, more literary than most mystery writers. As such, one reads his books for the details and descriptions and use of language. Whether or not Chris solves the ‘crime’ is irrelevant because you get caught up in his life and feelings and actions.

Robinson has written over 20 books, too many for me to catch up on from the beginning. However, I am an avid fan of his and will read all his forthcoming books, as should you. Mystery or mysterious, Robinson is on my reading list for sure. ( )

This was the first book I have read by this author. I picked it up after seeing it mentioned on Book Club Girl's blog and the premise sounded very interesting.

The narrator of the novel, Chris Lowndes, is a recent widower who makes a move from LA to England so that he can begin to heal from the loss of his wife. He moves into a house that used to be owned by Grace Fox who was hanged for the murder of her husband Dr. Ernest Fox. Chris makes it his personal mission to investigate the story of Grace and Ernest to see if Grace was indeed guilty of the murder of her husband. The chapters are told in an alternating pattern between the coverage of Grace's trial in a book and Chris's personal investigation. Later on we are able to read Grace's wartime diary written when she was a nurse in WWII in the Pacific and this is when the story held the most interest for me.

I enjoyed the historical fiction presented in the journal of Grace Fox but the rest of the book was a bit tedious and I was not compelled to keep reading. It seemed like an exciting premise but I found I didn't really care for the narrator Chris or his new lady love Heather. I also got tired or reading about Chris's constant quest for his next glass of wine. The final murky reveal of whether Grace was indeed guilty or not was a let down as well. In the end I am glad I finished the book but I wouldn't rush out to recommend it to anyone. ( )

Stand alone by Robinson, I started it with trepidation, some authors stand alones I like but many have been big disappointments. Should not have been worried with Robinson because this man can write. Chris is a likable and many faceted character as one could hope to find. He returns to England, the Yorkshire Dales, after many years in California forging a vary successful career. He buys a huge old house, that comes with a mystery and a murder. This is not a big flashy novel with Aha moments, but a slowly unraveling of secrets all leading back to World War II. Very atmospheric, a novel to savor not rush through. ( )

Peter Robinson usually writes the Inspector Alan Banks series set in England. This book is a deviation from Alan Banks. This story involves the hanging of a young wife for the poisoning of her much older husband. Robinson writes two stories: the one set in the 1950;s and the other set in 2010. An old English manor ties the two stories. The 2010 story involves a grieving widower who watched his beloved wife succumb to cancer. Chris Lowndes, a composer of musical scores for American movies, has decided to leave America and return to England after his wife's death. He purchases the Kilnsgate House in the country without ever viewing the house. The house holds many secrets, especially concerning the doctor, Ernest Fox, and Ernest's death in 1953. Robinson does an excellent job balancing the two stories. The story jumps into action when Chris is given a copy of Grace's journal that she kept during her tour of duty as a nurse during WWII. Robinson's biggest detraction is his love of classical music and his constant mention of classic recordings. ( )

Reviewed at Reviewing the Evidence. A slow, atmospheric, rather Gothic story with a cracking good female character who steals the show when we get to read her diary. Good stuff.

The story alternates between the mid-1950's and 2010. It begins with the execution by hanging of Grace Fox,for the murder by poison of her husband. In 2010 a troubled composer of film music. Chris Lowndes,buys the isolated Kilnsgate House. he soon discovers that years ago,this was owned by Grace and her doctor husband. Lowndes soon becomes obsessed with the events leading up to the murder and the trial and hanging of Grace Fox.As the book progresses we learn that all is not as it appeared and that Grace is more complex than she seems at first.
This is a one-off ,non-series book for Robinson and one of which he can be justly proud. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this modern day mystery!
Hollywood composer Chris Lowndes is wounded emotionally from the death of his beloved wife. He decides to take some time off and return to his childhood home in Yorkshire England.
He buys a secluded mansion and quickly becomes absorbed in the story of Grace Fox, who was hanged for poisoning her husband over 50 years ago...in the very house Chris just purchased.
Chris feels a connection to Grace and would like to prove her innocence. He has both the time and the money, so he begins to piece together Grace's story.
The reader is gradually drawn in as well and becomes just as obsessed with discovering the truth about Grace.
I loved this book and would recommend it for those who love a good mystery, and as well as those interested in WWII fiction.

(I received this book through Amazon's Vine Program.) ( )

Chris Lowndes leaves Hollywood to go back to Yorkshire after his wife dies from cancer. I purchases a house sight unseen, but soon learns of its history and becomes obsessed with learning more about the previous owners Ernest and Grace Fox. Grace was convicted and hanged for poisoning her husband some fifty odd years earlier.

Although, I found it a little slow, I also found the diary of Grace interesting enough to continuing reading. I enjoyed the Chris’s search to find out if Grace was innocent or not and his travels across the globe to find the answers he seeks, but the climax was some of a letdown for me. ( )