1 January 1953. Kilnsgate House, Kilnsgarthdale, District of Richmond, Yorkshire. Grace Elizabeth Fox, an ex-nurse, supposedly poisoned her GP husband, Dr Ernest Arthur Fox. He died.
20 January 1953. Grace Fox was arrested and formally charged with the murder of her husband.
21 January 1953. Grace Fox appeared before the magistrate and was remanded into custody.
16 March 1953. The trial began at Leeds Crown Court.
Jury returned with a verdict of guilty and a pronouncement of a death sentence.
23 April 1953. Grace Fox was sentenced to death by hanging at HM Prison, Leeds.
(Fast forward to) October 2010. Christopher Lowndes, a film composer, moved back to Yorkshire after a stint in America following the death of his beloved wife, Laura. He bought Kilnsgate House in the hope that it would give him the space to come to terms with his grief and the quiet to allow him to work.
But something about the isolated house, miles away from its neighbours, bothered him - you could say it was a feeling, or the atmosphere, or even a tingling sensation in his spine. You could say that this was what got him interested in the first place, otherwise what reason would he have, over a woman who had been dead for nearly sixty years and had no family connection with him whatsoever? Or was it to assuage a personal guilt?
When he found out that a man had died there sixty years ago and his wife the murderer, he wanted to know what actually took place all those years ago in the house which now belonged to him.
You see, hanging a woman was rare then. And as Chris was naturally curious, he wanted to find out what had pushed Grace over the edge, so much so that she felt compelled to murder her husband. Was it a way out for her? Or was it a spur-of-the-moment act? What was she thinking, what were her thoughts? Did she even commit the act at all or was she just unlucky? Had an innocent woman been hanged?
Chris set out on a quest to find out more about the mystery surrounding this femme fatale but what he was not prepared for was a connection between him and the woman who has hanged.
About the author: Peter Robinson grew up in Yorkshire, and now divides his time between Richmond and Canada. Before The Poison (2011) is his third standalone novel. He has also written two collections of short stories, and nineteen books in his bestselling Inspector Banks series which is now showing on ITV1. The critically acclaimed crime novels have won numerous awards in Britain, the United States, Canada and Europe, and are published in translation all over the world.
Visit his website at www.inspectorbanks.com
Robinson talking about his book on BBC Breakfast on 19 August 2011:
The trailer with a beautiful orchestral background:
A couple of the songs mentioned in the book, "When I am laid in earth" (Dido's lament) from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Alison Moyet:
And "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye:
Can't resist this one, "I Remember" by Judith Sephuma:
This is the author's first departure from the Banks series in over twenty years and is a poignant exploration of guilt, self-sacrifice and redemption and a novel of unsettling psychological suspense.
A remarkable, absorbing and haunting story. One of the more intelligent books I have read this year. I reckon Before the Poison has all the ingredients of a bestseller and it is a delight to read about a character who has a classical musical background as it is one of my interests. I look forward to more from Robinson. Gripping and very much recommended.
The Independent Review on 14 September 2011.
Rating: 5/5
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