Kathryn Harkup

Harkup completed her PhD and post-doctoral degree at the University of York.[1]

After completing her studies, Harkup became a science communicator at the University of Surrey.[1] She has written several books about the history of science in popular culture.[2] In 2015, Harkup published A Is For Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, which explores the scientific basis of the poisons used in Agatha Christie's novels.[3] Harkup was inspired to write A Is For Arsenic because of her interest in Christie's mystery novels as a teenager, particularly those involving Hercule Poirot. As a science communicator, she noticed that young students were generally interested in "anything dangerous or disgusting", which further inspired the work.[4] The book was nominated for an Agatha Award,[5] and Mystery Readers International Macavity Awards.[6] She subsequently wrote Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in 2018.[7]

In 2020, Harkup published Death by Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts.[8] The book dealt with the portrayal of death in William Shakespeare's plays and the scientific understanding that went into his work. It received mostly positive reviews from critics.[9][10][11] Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review.[12]

In 2021, she published the popular science book The Secret Lives of Elements,[13] and the nonfiction Vampirology: The Science of Horror's Most Famous Fiend.[14]

Harkup published Superspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond in 2022, which dealt with depictions of technology in Ian Fleming's James Bond franchise.[15][16]

Harkup lives in Surrey, England.[17]

• harkup.co.uk