A Passion for Poison cover art

A Passion for Poison

A true crime story like no other, the extraordinary tale of the schoolboy teacup poisoner

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

A Passion for Poison

By: Carol Ann Lee
Narrated by: Colin Mace
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £14.78

Buy Now for £14.78

The incredible crimes of Britain's most notorious schoolboy serial killer, Graham Young, as told by the bestselling and much-respected true crime author of The Murders at White House Farm.

There are few criminal cases more astonishing yet less well known than that of Graham Young. A quintessentially British crime story set in the post-war London suburbs, it involves two sensational trials, murders both certain and probable, a clutch of forgiving relatives, and scores of surviving victims.

Fourteen in the summer of 1962, Graham stood in the Old Bailey dock charged with poisoning a schoolfriend and family members by adding antimony to their packed lunches, Sunday roast and morning cups of tea. Diagnosed with multiple personality disorders, Graham's trial resulted in his detainment at Broadmoor, where he was the youngest patient.

But it was on his release from Broadmoor that Graham caused the greatest harm. Finding employment in Hadlands, a photographic supplies firm, his role as junior storeman meant he was expected to make tea and coffee for his colleagues. And very soon, numerous members of staff began experiencing crippling stomach pains...

A psychologically astute insight into the mind of a complex and intriguing individual, A Passion for Poison is true crime at its best.

Praise for Carol Ann Lee
Somebody's Mother, Somebody's Daughter: Victims and Survivors of the Yorkshire Ripper
'My book of the year... the first time the stories of the women who came into the sights of notorious serial killer Peter Sutcliffe have been told, and it gives voice to their families... deeply poignant' - Lynda La Plante

One of Your Own: The Life & Death of Myra Hindley
'Scrupulously unsensational and as good a biography of Hindley as we'll get' - Sunday Times Crime Murder True Crime
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
All stars
Most relevant
only got this book because I had heard of young but knew very little about the case.found the book very detailed and insightful I must for any true crime buff

brilliant and well read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great listening. super interesting. loved it . from start to finish . pretty sad I've finished it to be honest

Easy listening

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Purchased this book at airport to read on holiday, but never got around to it! husband did instead,saw it on audible so listened instead, different to say the least, would reccomend

Good book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book is too long for its own good. That said, the author really delves into the detail and you really get to know Graham through the pages. Given the time and context the research involved in this book must have been arduous and the Author really deserves credit for conveying a real sense of the poisoner and the context in which the events took place.

Held my attention for 13hrs....

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I had high hopes for this but have to say I found my attention wondering on more than a few occasions.
I found the narration to be rather dry and stilted which put me off
Fascinating story though and lots of information and history on poison and Broadmoor

Could have been brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews