The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul written by Eleanor Herman A hugely entertaining work of pop history that traces the use of poison as a political - and cosmetic - tool in royal courts, from Western Europe in the Middle Ages to the Kremlin today. This book combines her unique access to royal archives with cutting-edge forensic discoveries to tell the true story of Europe's glittering palaces: one of medical bafflement, poisonous cosmetics, festering illness, and, sometimes, murder. Along the way, she analyzes the suspicious deaths of some of the most famous royals in history.