Paper

John McCabe

I was hooked from the first page - trying to piece together the disparate threads of the mystery while enjoying a very jaundiced view of scientific research, genetics DNA testing and those who work in the laboratories. It definitely isn't 'CSI', but it is great fun - and I almost understood Darren's 'one last big theory of science'.

Extract

Darren opened one of the small brown cardboard packages and read the label. Tropococaine hydrochloride. Molecular weight, 281.8. Chemical formula, C15H19N02HC1. Lethal dose for rats, 2 mg per kg of body weight. A quick reckon up. On that basis, a 10 gram dose would be alternately lethal. He decided to take half a gram. Unsure of the correct method of use, since this wasn't mentioned in the accompanying drug information, Darren weighed out the required quantity of tropococaine hydrochloride, tipped it into a glass of water and swallowed it like some sort of bitter LemSip.

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