# Strong Poison — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers.

- [I](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/i.md): The judge delivers his summing-up in the trial of Harriet Vane for the murder of Philip Boyes, outlining the prosecution's case and the circumstances of their relationship, while Lord Peter Wimsey and Freddy Arbuthnot ob
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/ii.md): The chapter presents the judge's summing-up in Harriet Vane's trial for the murder of Philip Boyes. The judge reviews the evidence, including the timing of arsenic ingestion, the presence of arsenic in Boyes' hair, Harri
- [The Hung Jury](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/iii.md): The jury in Harriet Vane's trial fails to reach a verdict after hours of deliberation, largely due to the steadfastness of Miss Climpson, who refuses to convict. Lord Peter Wimsey expresses his belief in Harriet's innoce
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/iv.md): Following the jury's failure to reach a verdict, Sir Impey Biggs holds a council of war with Wimsey and Mr. Crofts. Wimsey recounts the jury's internal dynamics, highlighting the stubborn holdout of Miss Climpson and two
- [V](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/v.md): Wimsey visits Miss Climpson's typing bureau, which is secretly a front for his investigative network of women, to discuss motives for murder. He then goes to Scotland Yard to confront Chief Inspector Parker about the Van
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/vi.md): Wimsey visits the Rev. Arthur Boyes, father of Philip Boyes, to gather information about his son's death and possible motives. He learns that Philip had changed his will to leave his copyrights to Mr. Vaughan instead of 
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/vii.md): Lord Peter Wimsey visits Harriet Vane in prison and discusses a hypothetical murder plot involving a novelist who kills her partner to profit from his posthumous book sales. He reveals he knows about Philip Boyes' will a
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/viii.md): Lord Peter Wimsey interviews Ryland Vaughan, who expresses intense jealousy and resentment towards Harriet Vane and reveals his own suicidal tendencies. Wimsey then tasks Bunter with infiltrating the household of Norman 
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/ix.md): Mr. Bunter, having successfully turned a note delivery into a tea invitation, visits the kitchen of Mr. Urquhart's house. Over crumpets, he engages Mrs. Pettican and Hannah Westlock in conversation about the poisoning of
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/x.md): Lord Peter Wimsey and Chief Inspector Parker interview Mrs. Bulfinch, a former barmaid who recalls a suspicious young man leaving a white paper packet at the Nine Rings pub around the time of Philip Boyes' death. Later, 
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xi.md): Wimsey examines the will of Cremorna Garden, which disinherits Philip Boyes due to a family feud, and discusses the suicide theory with Urquhart. He then visits Harriet in prison, where their conversation reveals Wimsey'
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xii.md): At the Christmas gathering at Duke's Denver, Lord Peter Wimsey endures a barrage of insensitive and morbid questions about the Vane case from the guests, including Mrs. Dimsworthy, Captain Bates, and others. The conversa
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xiii.md): Miss Murchison visits Lord Peter Wimsey's flat for the first time, where he enlists her help in a covert operation to open a solicitor's deed box. She receives lock-picking training from the reformed burglar Bill Rumm, w
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xiv.md): Miss Murchison, working late at the office, attempts to secretly access the Wrayburn deed box after Mr. Pond leaves. She is interrupted by Mr. Pond's return, but manages to retrieve the box and, after a tense search in M
- [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xv.md): Lord Peter congratulates Miss Murchison on her work and takes her to lunch, but his mind is consumed with the need to prove Harriet Vane's innocence. He visits Miss Climpson to enlist her help in investigating Mrs. Wrayb
- [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xvi.md): Lord Peter Wimsey endures a week of enforced inactivity while awaiting developments in Harriet Vane's case, finding little solace in the happiness of Chief Inspector Parker and Lady Mary Wimsey. Meanwhile, Miss Climpson,
- [XVII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xvii.md): Miss Climpson visits Miss Booth under the guise of a spiritualist séance, gathering information about the household and Mrs. Wrayburn while participating in a manipulated table-rapping session.
- [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xviii.md): Miss Climpson returns to her boardinghouse late at night and faces scrutiny from the other ladies about her involvement with spiritualism and Mrs. Craig. Despite their warnings, she continues her investigations with Miss
- [XIX](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xix.md): Miss Climpson successfully opens and reads Mrs. Wrayburn's will, discovering that Philip Boyes is the primary beneficiary, and sends it to Mr. Urquhart. She writes to Lord Peter detailing her methods and findings. Wimsey
- [The Arsenic Test](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xx.md): Wimsey and Parker review the evidence against Norman Urquhart, including his financial motives and lies about Mrs. Wrayburn's will. Bunter performs a Marsh test on powder from Urquhart's envelope, confirming it contains 
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xxi.md): Lord Peter Wimsey proposes to Harriet Vane, who refuses marriage but offers to live with him. Wimsey then meets with a manicurist, Mabel Herridge, and enlists her help in a secret plan to collect nail parings and hair fr
- [XXII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xxii.md): Wimsey confronts Urquhart with his theory of arsenic immunity, revealing that Urquhart had been gradually immunizing himself with arsenic to poison Philip Boyes without being affected himself. After a tense exchange, Urq
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/xxiii.md): Harriet Vane is acquitted after the Crown withdraws the charge of murder, and Lord Peter Wimsey defends his sister Mary's desire to marry Chief Inspector Parker while revealing his own intention to marry Harriet.
- [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters/endnotes.md): The endnotes section provides references to The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club and a note on Valetta.

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/strong_poison_se/chapters