Antidote to Venom

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 show more ingenious and I liked it

MASSIVE ending spoiler

The very ending is hilarious in a very grim way. The main character is redeemed by confessing to being an accessory to murder, and so he's going to be hanged. But it's ok cause he's come right with God! Incredible. I love it show less

A British Library Crime Classic mystery story told from two perspectives - the criminal and the detective. Originally published in 1938, Antidote to Venom begins with the introduction of zoo director George Surridge, a man struggling with gambling debt and an unhappy marriage. When George falls in love with another woman, he's convinced his luck is turning and that the inheritance from his recently deceased aunt will set everything right. But disaster strikes and George finds himself seeking a unique solution to his desperate circumstances. Enter Inspector French, a detective determined to uncover the truth, no matter how challenging the puzzle.

As much a character study as a mystery, this is an intriguing read with excellent pacing and show more some intense moments. All of the characters are fully developed, especially George, a man seeking something that seems forever out of his reach. The details about the zoo and it's operation were a highlight for me.

Note: this review is based on an ARC from the publisher show less