‘Thanks so much,’ I say, wishing I knew her name – but it’s far too late to ask her what it is; we’ve been chatting for months.

I return to my flat and call Malcolm, realising, after apologising profusely for letting him down at such short notice, that he sounds relieved I’m taking time off.

‘Great. Super,’ he says. ‘Brilliant!’

‘I’ll be taking an early train to Berwick-upon-Tweed and probably won’t be back for a while. Is that OK?’

‘Of course, Amelia. Please, please don’t hurry back.’

I end the call, flop down on my bed, and close my eyes.

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Author’s Note

I’m not the first author, and I’m sure I won’t be the last, to use poison hemlock in murderous fiction. Agatha Christie springs to mind as the most famous writer to use the plant in her clever murder mystery Five Little Pigs.

When I was researching for a suitable poison that would suit my plot, I found what I learnt about poison hemlock fascinating.

It’s a beguiling plant, with an intriguing history, going back as far as Ancient Greece when it was used to execute prisoners. In 399 BC it was attributed to the death of Greek philosopher Socrates.

There are macabre tales of children using the stems of the plant as peashooters or whistles and reaching a sticky end. And a grisly story from the nineteenth century tells of two children innocently collecting the plant for a sandwich for their father, who never lived to tell the tale.

Extracts from poison hemlock were once used as a sedative, though this was discontinued by the early twentieth century because of its toxins. The plant contains the neurotoxin coniine, which can cause the central nervous system to shut down. Victims stumble about until their limbs become paralysed and their heart stops. Not a very nice death at all.

There are many names for the plant, including spotted hemlock, bad-man’s oatmeal, poison snakeweed, deadly hemlock, skarntyde – but I feel poison hemlock sums it up perfectly.

The plant can grow up to eight feet tall, and is related to the innocent carrot. The irony that two members of the same family can be so different hasn’t gone unnoticed on me.

Hemlock gives off a musty smell and the stems are hollow and speckled with blotches of purple. If you see it, I would very much advise keeping your distance.

Amanda Brittany

Acknowledgements