In April 1876, Charles Bravo, a young London barrister, died in agony at his Balham home after ingesting a lethal dose of antimony.
His death shocked Victorian society and set in motion one of the most baffling and sensational investigations of the 19th century.
Despite two lengthy inquests, the question of who poisoned Charles Bravo was never answered. Three suspects fell under the scrutiny of investigators — his wife Florence, her companion Mrs Jane Cox, and her former lover Dr James Gully — yet the truth remained tantalisingly out of reach.
Agatha Christie, the queen of crime fiction, was captivated by the case and offered her own theory. Yet the mystery defeated even her.
This is the story of a complex investigation, a household of secrets, and three people who each had reason to want Charles Bravo dead.
Over a century later, the case is still officially unsolved and the question remains: Who poisoned Charles Bravo?
The Mysterious Poisoning of Charles Bravo by Angela Buckley is published on 15 June, 2026. It’s the first book in the Historical Murder Files series.
Read Angela’s feature about Agatha Christie’s fascination with the case.
For more new releases in historical writing, have a look at Historia’s list of books coming out in 2026 — almost 160 of them.
