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A Beautiful Poison
by
Lydia Kang (Goodreads Author)
Just beyond the Gilded Age, in the mist-covered streets of New York, the deadly Spanish influenza ripples through the city. But with so many victims in her close circle, young socialite Allene questions if the flu is really to blame. All appear to have been poisoned—and every death was accompanied by a mysterious note.
Desperate for answers and dreading her own engagement t ...more
Desperate for answers and dreading her own engagement t ...more
Paperback, 350 pages
Expected publication:
August 1st 2017
by Lake Union Publishing
Win a Copy of This Book
A Beautiful Poison
by Lydia Kang (Goodreads Author)
by Lydia Kang (Goodreads Author)
Release
date: Aug 01, 2017
Just beyond the Gilded Age, in the mist-covered streets of New York, the deadly Spanish influenza ripples through the city. But with so many victims i
...more
Format:
Giveaway ends in:
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Availability: 100 copies available, 791 people requesting
Giveaway dates: Jul 04 - Jul 31, 2017
Countries available: US
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
I do love a good mystery!
Lydia Kang's A Beautiful Poison takes place in 1918. Incorporated into the story are interesting historical elements such as the beginnings of forensic medicine, the 1918 influenza pandemic, and factories employing women to paint dials with radium.
With the first page opening immediately with a murder, this book grabbed my attention right away - and didn't let go. Perfect for mystery/historical fans.
Lydia Kang's A Beautiful Poison takes place in 1918. Incorporated into the story are interesting historical elements such as the beginnings of forensic medicine, the 1918 influenza pandemic, and factories employing women to paint dials with radium.
With the first page opening immediately with a murder, this book grabbed my attention right away - and didn't let go. Perfect for mystery/historical fans.
A BEAUTIFUL POISON
My Kindle First pick for July, I normally do not read historical fiction- but the other choices did not interest me at all. This book was interesting and entertaining.
There is an odd trio of friends trying to solve some suspicious deaths of friends and relatives, this is all occurring during the great flu epidemic. The book reflects the time period, where woman were discouraged from scientific pursuits - but Allene forges ahead. The ending was quite surprising. Overall, a very ...more
My Kindle First pick for July, I normally do not read historical fiction- but the other choices did not interest me at all. This book was interesting and entertaining.
There is an odd trio of friends trying to solve some suspicious deaths of friends and relatives, this is all occurring during the great flu epidemic. The book reflects the time period, where woman were discouraged from scientific pursuits - but Allene forges ahead. The ending was quite surprising. Overall, a very ...more
Macabre
I was very excited to read this book. Soon after starting it the excitement turned to confusion, which then morphed into mild loathing... Of the characters. The writing is pretty superb. The story while dragging a bit here and there, was full of twists and turns. The big twist in the end shocked me, and the second to last death scene was brutal but satisfying.
Back to the characters. None of the main characters were likable until the last third of the book. The story is told from their di ...more
I was very excited to read this book. Soon after starting it the excitement turned to confusion, which then morphed into mild loathing... Of the characters. The writing is pretty superb. The story while dragging a bit here and there, was full of twists and turns. The big twist in the end shocked me, and the second to last death scene was brutal but satisfying.
Back to the characters. None of the main characters were likable until the last third of the book. The story is told from their di ...more
A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang is a potent mixture of history, chemistry and mystery.
Let’s begin with the history lessons woven beautifully throughout the pages of this novel. The story is set in Manhattan and begins in August 1918 and ends in December of 1918. The entire book takes place over only 5 months of time, yet it is bursting with details. The author expertly weaves the realities of WWII and the deadly Spanish influenza epidemic into this rich historically driven tale. Kang also intr ...more
Let’s begin with the history lessons woven beautifully throughout the pages of this novel. The story is set in Manhattan and begins in August 1918 and ends in December of 1918. The entire book takes place over only 5 months of time, yet it is bursting with details. The author expertly weaves the realities of WWII and the deadly Spanish influenza epidemic into this rich historically driven tale. Kang also intr ...more
Mesmerizing
I couldn't put it down!!! The characters brought me in and I loved them!! I was terrified for them, worried about them!!! Dr. Kang is a wonderful writer!!! I can't wait to read more of her work!!!
I couldn't put it down!!! The characters brought me in and I loved them!! I was terrified for them, worried about them!!! Dr. Kang is a wonderful writer!!! I can't wait to read more of her work!!!
Jul 11, 2017
D. Starr
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Adults/Mature audience
I initially gave the book 4 stars because I was unsettled by the way the story unfolded. However, after re-thinking, I decided to give it 5. The reason for the change is that the story is well-crafted, and historically and scientifically accurate without ever being tedious. I was hooked from the beginning.
Rating MA This is not a book for young teens.
Sexual content mostly alluded to or described without sweaty detail.
Disturbing explanations of the Spanish flu symptoms and deaths, and radium poi ...more
Rating MA This is not a book for young teens.
Sexual content mostly alluded to or described without sweaty detail.
Disturbing explanations of the Spanish flu symptoms and deaths, and radium poi ...more
I actually really enjoyed this book a lot, which pleasantly surprised me. I received it through the Kindle First program for July, and I didn't really expect a lot. I was quickly surprised by how engaging the characters were, especially how well-developed they were. I thought I had figured out all the twists and tricks, but I did not, which was great. I liked the focus on early 20th century chemistry, where so many discoveries had been made, but others were still so unknown. It was a great summe
...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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3.5
I love historical fiction and mysteries, so this book caught my attention through Amazon's Kindle First program.
It was a very entertaining read; fast-paced and twisty, especially towards the end.
Make sure to read the author's note at the end for an explanation of the book's final unanswered mystery.
I love historical fiction and mysteries, so this book caught my attention through Amazon's Kindle First program.
It was a very entertaining read; fast-paced and twisty, especially towards the end.
Make sure to read the author's note at the end for an explanation of the book's final unanswered mystery.
A good book
Very descriptive writing. Many plot turns. A surprise ending. What more could you ask for as an avid reader. Good book.
Very descriptive writing. Many plot turns. A surprise ending. What more could you ask for as an avid reader. Good book.
Whilst I liked the style of writing the plot was crazy. The ending was so far fetched it was laughable
Thank the Kindle First Gods because I absolutely LOVED this book.
The story of Allene, Birdie and Jasper was quite a bit different than the blurb describes.
Was there a gilded age murder mystery to solve? Yes.
Was the Flu killing people left and right? Yes.
Did Allene dread her upcoming nuptials? Yes...
Did they suspect everyone, including each other, and did alliances shift? Not really... at all.
This is a story of three childhood friends who haven't seen each over in nearly 4 long years. These wer ...more
The story of Allene, Birdie and Jasper was quite a bit different than the blurb describes.
Was there a gilded age murder mystery to solve? Yes.
Was the Flu killing people left and right? Yes.
Did Allene dread her upcoming nuptials? Yes...
Did they suspect everyone, including each other, and did alliances shift? Not really... at all.
This is a story of three childhood friends who haven't seen each over in nearly 4 long years. These wer ...more
Sometimes it is hard to believe that you could learn something out of a novel that you might have missed in your high school science class. But if you're a fan of murder mysteries and the Gilded Age, then you will LOVE Lydia Kang's newest novel, A Beautiful Poison. Based in 1918, three childhood friends, Allene, Birdie and Jasper used to spend their days at Allene's estate playing and getting into all kinds of childhood trouble. But as we all know, over time, we grow and change but the affection
...more
This is a beautifully written book that makes no sense. I'm not quite sure how to rate it. I really enjoyed my first read-through. I liked the author's writing style and found her imagery very lovely. The story takes place in an interesting era, and as a historical fiction, I think it's quite an enjoyable read. And when I got to the twist at the end, my first reaction was positive. It was interesting and dramatic and not an outcome I had been anticipating. So then I reread the whole book (it's a
...more
Good twists and setting, dark for my tastes.
I was very surprised by how unexpected a lot of this book was! When you have three protagonists kind of flirting around one another, it's easy to take one of a few standard love triangle resolutions, but Lydia Kang side-stepped the standard wish fulfillment resolution of that plot. By making all three of them have so many unlikable qualities, by exploring Allene's desires for both Birdie AND Jasper, the romance angle was a bit more enticing. And I DID ...more
I was very surprised by how unexpected a lot of this book was! When you have three protagonists kind of flirting around one another, it's easy to take one of a few standard love triangle resolutions, but Lydia Kang side-stepped the standard wish fulfillment resolution of that plot. By making all three of them have so many unlikable qualities, by exploring Allene's desires for both Birdie AND Jasper, the romance angle was a bit more enticing. And I DID ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Interesting read
I enjoyed the book immensely. As far as historical fictions go it did a good job of making you feel like you were in the time period. As far as mysteries go it kept me guessing until the very end.
Having just finished a book on the radium girls that worked in clock factories. I found this aspect of the book intriguing. I loved the character of Allene. I just wish the author had spent mote time in her and her budding science career, than on Birdie. Birdie, Birdie, Birdie, words ca ...more
I enjoyed the book immensely. As far as historical fictions go it did a good job of making you feel like you were in the time period. As far as mysteries go it kept me guessing until the very end.
Having just finished a book on the radium girls that worked in clock factories. I found this aspect of the book intriguing. I loved the character of Allene. I just wish the author had spent mote time in her and her budding science career, than on Birdie. Birdie, Birdie, Birdie, words ca ...more
The "twist" ending earned this a 4-star rating
I was sure I had it figured out and I am legendary in my mystery deductions. Bravo, for besting me, Mrs. Lang. It wasn't a completely incongruous murderer and motive, but it took me by surprise.
The plot, however, I found to be a bit farfetched. While a world war is going on and the additional demise of twenty percent of the world from Spanish influenza, these young people go on sleuthing - even though they seem to be the motive or aim for multiple mu ...more
I was sure I had it figured out and I am legendary in my mystery deductions. Bravo, for besting me, Mrs. Lang. It wasn't a completely incongruous murderer and motive, but it took me by surprise.
The plot, however, I found to be a bit farfetched. While a world war is going on and the additional demise of twenty percent of the world from Spanish influenza, these young people go on sleuthing - even though they seem to be the motive or aim for multiple mu ...more
This book was one of Amazon's Kindle First books. I was torn between it and another book. I ended up choosing the other book, but decided I really wanted to read this one too so I made my mom get it as her Kindle First book and read her copy. (:
I'm not usually a fan of mystery novels- I get too impatient trying to solve them and don't take the time to enjoy them like I do other books. This one, however, was remarkably well written and continuously got better all the way to the very end. I didn' ...more
I'm not usually a fan of mystery novels- I get too impatient trying to solve them and don't take the time to enjoy them like I do other books. This one, however, was remarkably well written and continuously got better all the way to the very end. I didn' ...more
Jul 08, 2017
Cathy
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mysteries,
historical-fiction
There's a danger when you read so many books in the same genre (mysteries in my case) that eventually you will come across a book that seems nearly indistinguishable from all the other books you've read in the genre before. That was unfortunately my experience with A Beautiful Poison. While reading the book, I was first reminded of one mystery series, then later another, and it became difficult for me to view this book as anything more than a hodge podge of mysteries I've already read. Like many
...more
Jul 14, 2017
Andrea
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
read-historical-fiction,
read-mystery-suspence
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - historical fiction + mystery. The book did a good job setting the stage in NYC in the early 1900s - with the backdrop of WWI, the fear of the draft, and the deadly influenza epidemic.
The mystery of this book was solid. I thought I knew who "did it", but I was wrong. I enjoyed that added element of surprise (that I should have seen coming but didn't.)
There were a few unbelievable things - mainly that Allene (high society rich girl) would reunite so closely with t ...more
The mystery of this book was solid. I thought I knew who "did it", but I was wrong. I enjoyed that added element of surprise (that I should have seen coming but didn't.)
There were a few unbelievable things - mainly that Allene (high society rich girl) would reunite so closely with t ...more
Enjoyed the historical content
I enjoyed the historical content in this fictional book. I love a good murder mystery and it did surprise me a bit in the end. However, I didn't care for the sexual content and the book was slow going. I wanted to finish but some parts bored me. I'm glad I did finish because the ending was interesting.
***SPOILER ALERT***
things I didn't understand or enjoy: why did they try to kill Ernie? because he was annoying? that makes no sense. also, I don't understand how Alle ...more
I enjoyed the historical content in this fictional book. I love a good murder mystery and it did surprise me a bit in the end. However, I didn't care for the sexual content and the book was slow going. I wanted to finish but some parts bored me. I'm glad I did finish because the ending was interesting.
***SPOILER ALERT***
things I didn't understand or enjoy: why did they try to kill Ernie? because he was annoying? that makes no sense. also, I don't understand how Alle ...more
Wow. Just when I was about to give up on the Amazon Prime Free selections, this one came out. I was VERY surprised. This is an excellent book. Set in 1918, just as the Spanish Flu descends on New York City, a tale involving a millionaire's daughter who is engaged to be married (to a man she doesn't love) and her two less unfortunate friends, as they try to figure out a murder. But it's actually more than a murder mystery. This writer has a tremendous grasp on character development. I loved them
...more
I wasn't too sure at first whether I liked the story or not - it takes a while to work out how to engage with the central characters - but It just kept getting better. The author has studied medicine and the knowledge of chemistry, poisons and pathology are fascinating. The historical aspects of 1918 New York are interesting too. Add to this a murder mystery full of clever twists and turns in which three old friends struggle to trust anyone around them, including each other, and you have a deepl
...more
My grade is probably closer to 3.5 stars. There are several things I really liked about this: the author's voice is fantastic, there were multiple fantastically unreliable narrators, and the details about the devastation of the 1918 flu epidemic and the uncertainty of the final months of World War I were really well done.
That being said, the book felt a little crowded in terms of the sheer number of characters and I found myself more interested in reading about the back stories of the main chara ...more
That being said, the book felt a little crowded in terms of the sheer number of characters and I found myself more interested in reading about the back stories of the main chara ...more
A Dead-liteful Who-Done-It!
Masterful story-telling, twist-n-turns, colorful backdrop depictions of life in 1918 NYC against the broader background of the war, draft and the influenza that I think few have a knowledge of how severe it was. Very clear insight into class structure, uptairs and downstairs, the battles we all face in character and self.
Didn't want to put it down, wanted to keep going to find out who and why. And to figure out the title.
Interestingly, weaves in factual history that ...more
Masterful story-telling, twist-n-turns, colorful backdrop depictions of life in 1918 NYC against the broader background of the war, draft and the influenza that I think few have a knowledge of how severe it was. Very clear insight into class structure, uptairs and downstairs, the battles we all face in character and self.
Didn't want to put it down, wanted to keep going to find out who and why. And to figure out the title.
Interestingly, weaves in factual history that ...more
I'm not always a fan of historical books, but this one did a BRILLIANT job of dragging me out of my living room and into it with GORGEOUS descriptions. The three main characters are complex and well thought out, and push along the "who dunit" without feeling like a traditional mystery novel. A little slow in the beginning, but well worth it as you rocket to the end of the book to reveal a plot-twist that Kang buried so deep I completely missed it, following every single false trail she left for
...more
I normally do not read murder mysteries, but this one held my attention from the very first page. The combination of WWI soldiers going overseas after being drafted, the cancer deaths of young women working with radium in the watch dial factories, and the horrible influenza epidemic of 1917, the novel was a window into the lives of the three main characters.
There were twists and turns so that I kept suspecting one person after another. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the lives of young ...more
There were twists and turns so that I kept suspecting one person after another. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the lives of young ...more
Memorable Mystery
I liked the era in which this fictional mystery was set. It provided an historical background that was rife with uncertainty, challenge, and social changes. The author created an intricate web of intrigue that keeps the reader tangled in mystery until the very end. Readers who enjoy mysteries, history, or have any science or health background( not required) , will find this book well worth the read.
I liked the era in which this fictional mystery was set. It provided an historical background that was rife with uncertainty, challenge, and social changes. The author created an intricate web of intrigue that keeps the reader tangled in mystery until the very end. Readers who enjoy mysteries, history, or have any science or health background( not required) , will find this book well worth the read.
Entertaining
An entertaining story of NYC in 1918. While the writing could have used a more vigorous edit (awkward words such as 'sewer' instead of 'seamstress' is an example) and the mystery is a bit mundane, the recreation of life in the city in a tumultuous time makes this a fun summer read. I would pick up a second mystery with Allene as detective if there were one. She is smart and flawed--and it would be satisfying to know how her life unfolded.
An entertaining story of NYC in 1918. While the writing could have used a more vigorous edit (awkward words such as 'sewer' instead of 'seamstress' is an example) and the mystery is a bit mundane, the recreation of life in the city in a tumultuous time makes this a fun summer read. I would pick up a second mystery with Allene as detective if there were one. She is smart and flawed--and it would be satisfying to know how her life unfolded.
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I love salt more than chocolate. I'm somewhat small, yet deceptively strong. Sort of like an ant.
I'm a part time doc, full time family member, and if you offer me snacks, I'll be a friend for life.
My adult fiction debut is an historical forensic mystery, entitled A BEAUTIFUL POISON, coming August 2017 from Lake Union Publishing.
I have a nonfiction adult book written with Nate Pederson entitled Q ...more
More about Lydia Kang...
I'm a part time doc, full time family member, and if you offer me snacks, I'll be a friend for life.
My adult fiction debut is an historical forensic mystery, entitled A BEAUTIFUL POISON, coming August 2017 from Lake Union Publishing.
I have a nonfiction adult book written with Nate Pederson entitled Q ...more
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“Somewhere in the world at that moment, there was a birth, a death, a sunrise, and a sunset. There was despair, and a burst of laughter, a promise broken, and a vow made.
And there was this kiss.”
—
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And there was this kiss.”
“Funerals should be between a single person (dead) and a single person (alive) and ought to involve a discussion that no one else should hear. Should”
—
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Jul 20, 2017 06:23AM
I hope you like it, Bonnie!
Jul 20, 2017 04:26PM
Jul 21, 2017 07:52AM