Before the Poison by Peter Robinson

Through years of success in Hollywood composing music for Oscar-winning films, Chris Lowndes always imagined he would come full circle, home to Yorkshire with his beloved wife Laura.

Now he’s back in the Yorkshire Dales, but Laura is dead, and Chris needs to make a new life for himself. The isolated house he buys sight unseen should give him the space to come to terms with his grief and the quiet to allow him to work.

Kilnsgate House turns out to be rather more than he expected, however. A man died there, sixty years ago. His wife was convicted of murder. And something is pulling Chris deeper and deeper into the story of Grace Elizabeth Fox, who was hanged by the neck until she was dead . . .

I have to confess it took me a while to start reading Before the Poison by Peter Robinson, it sat on my “to be read” shelf for quite a while gathering dust and I can’t think for the life of me – now I’ve finished it – why I didn’t read it earlier! The cover is intoxicating, the plot is intriguing and it’s written by Peter Robinson – what more could you ask for? In many ways the main character – Chris Lowndes – reminded me of the character Jack Black played in the film Holiday – incidentally one of my favourite Christmas movies – starring Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, although in the movie the film composer travels to America and not the other way around! I digress, but stick with me, the movie reference is totally in keeping with the book – Peter Robinson loves his movie and music references!

Before the Poison is one of those books that grips you from the very first page and never lets go with an encapsulating fluidity that you come to expect from Peter Robinson – certainly from my experience! Immediately transported back to April 1953 we follow the final 15 painful seconds of Grace Fox’s life as she walks to the gallows, her dignity intact, following her conviction for the murder of her husband Dr Ernest Fox earlier that year.

Once at the gallows, she was placed in position over the chalked “T” on the trapdoor, and the assistant pinioned her ankles with a leather strap. Mr. Pierrepoint took from his pocket a white cotton hood, which he placed over Grace’s head, then he carefully and gently adjusted the leather-sheathed noose around her neck. When all was to his satisfaction, he stepped back, removed the safety pin and pushed the lever away from him in one sharp, swift motion. The trapdoor opened and Grace fell to her death.

There’s something mystical about this book, something I can’t quite put my finger on but the house, the surrounds, the back story and Chris Lowndes all combine to deliver a breathtaking narrative that is overwhelmingly captivating. When Robinson first introduced Kilnsgate House – Yorkshire – it didn’t take long before I was swept up in the romanticism and began to ponder if a hostile takeover was possible. I wanted Lowndes out of the house and I wanted to move in – at any cost! Moving from room to room as our protagonist explores his new surroundings I imagined lighting a log fire, cooking in the kitchen and sitting down to compose a piano sonata on the grand piano. It’s quite frightening the hold Robinson’s narrative had over me and I honestly began to believe the house existed and it was well within my grasp. Powerful stuff!

It’s been a while since I read Robinson’s last book – DI Banks series in August last year – and I have to admit I’d forgotten just how good he is. One of the things I love about the author is his obvious love for music and classic cinematography and he shares this passion in abundance in Before the Poison. Sleepless nights in front of the fire, whisky in hand and company in the form of Julie Christie or Celia Johnson all helping Lowndes settle in to his new home – my home – far from his idyllic life in Los Angeles. When I read a book, I often find myself creating an ideal soundtrack in my head to fit the novel but Robinson has done all the work for me. From Schubert’s Impromptu to Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas – a most beautiful aria – he steps up his knowledge with a little Ella Fitzgerald and Marvin Gaye to add a little variety. When an author makes you hunt out Janet Baker’s haunting rendition of Dido and Aeneas in the late 60’s you know he’s done his job. Magnificent.

It would also be remiss of me – as an Elvis fan – not to mention how impressed I was with Robinson’s knowledge of Elvis’s first recording for his mother’s birthday – My Happiness – which is arguably the greatest re-discovery since his death in 1977. The acetate, recorded in 1953 and thought to be lost, was owned by school pal Ed Leek and leased to RCA – it is widely known as the Holy Grail of Elvis discoveries – his first ever recording and is considered priceless.

Before the Poison is an intelligent, multi layered novel with the odd surprise or two thrown in for good measure – one admission towards the end of the book shocked me and although handled with great sensitivity was completely unexpected. Robinson creatively reconstructs Fox’s trial with articles taken from “Famous Trials” in 1953 and then seamlessly takes the reader back to the war torn era of the early forties as he shares entries from Grace’s private journal. Robinson’s attention to detail is amazing and I was blown away by how he introduces the insignificant blemish on Fox’s skin caused by sunlight early in the piece and later crafts the story to explain how this came about – attention to detail is incredible.

Together with a stunning landscape, vibrant characters and an evocative story, Robinson has created a highly intelligent and well-crafted standalone novel. My only disappointment came when I turned the final page and was faced with the realisation that the story had concluded and my dream house a distant memory – until I pick up the book and read it all again. Gripping stuff and highly recommended. One of my books of 2011.

Before the Poison, published by Hodder, is available in Hardback and Kindle formats.