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A Poison Tree (Time, Blood and Karma Book 3) Kindle Edition

by John Dolan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 715 ratings

“You kill my wife and I’ll kill yours.”

You must admit, as a proposition, it has an alluring symmetry to it.

It is 1999, and as the Millennium approaches, old certainties wither. For family man, David Braddock, his hitherto predictable world is undergoing a slow collapse. The people closest to him seem suddenly different. As desires and aspirations tangle around each other like parasite stems, betrayal is in the air.
And so is murder.

Fans of Braddock will finally learn the sequence of events that drove him into exile in Asia, while for new readers, A Poison Tree is the perfect introduction to the Time, Blood and Karma series.


The Time, Blood and Karma series will appeal to lovers of the following book categories: mystery, thriller, suspense, crime, psychological suspense, private investigators, British detectives, and amateur sleuths.


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  1. Book 3 of 4
    Time, Blood and Karma
  2. Print length
    314 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    April 28, 2014
  5. File size
    1.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00K0CRX8A
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tention Publishing Limited
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 28, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 314 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0957325654
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 3 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Time, Blood and Karma
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 715 ratings

About the author

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John Dolan

John Dolan

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"Makes a living by travelling, talking a lot and sometimes writing stuff down. Galericulate author, polymath and occasional smarty-pants."

John Dolan hails from a small town in the North-East of England. Before turning to writing, his career encompassed law and finance. He has run businesses in Europe, South and Central America, Africa and Asia. He and his wife Fiona currently divide their time between Thailand and the UK.

He is the author of the 'Time, Blood and Karma' mystery series and the 'Children of Karma' mystery trilogy.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
715 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's thought-provoking plot with carefully layered individual storylines, and appreciate its deep psychological insight and philosophical underpinnings. The writing style is well-received, with one customer noting its literary quality, while the characters evolve throughout the narrative. Customers enjoy the humor and find it an easy read, though opinions on entertainment value are mixed.

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48 customers mention "Plot"37 positive11 negative

Customers appreciate the plot of the book, describing it as thought-provoking and suspenseful with carefully layered individual storylines.

"...For lovers of mystery and thriller novels, there is plenty of intrigue and moments of "I DID NOT see that coming."..." Read more

"...is more literary than genre, and he employs a healthy number of obscure historical, cultural and mythical references to deepen the texture...." Read more

"...It is full of several different storylines and multi-dimensional characters and it is worth reading even if, like me, you have not read the previous..." Read more

"...A good suspense writer throws surprises at the reader. A great suspense writer hurls them at the reader like a 98 mph fastball...." Read more

32 customers mention "Writing style"29 positive3 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, finding it wonderful and well-crafted, with one customer noting how the prose combines literary elements with genre storytelling.

"...I challenge anyone not to be when it's written with poignant detail, yet never spirals into over-sentimentality...." Read more

"...Dolan’s prose frequently is more literary than genre, and he employs a healthy number of obscure historical, cultural and mythical references to..." Read more

"...A great storyline and well written and edited, however, there were too many loose threads for me. Who started the poison tree and why...." Read more

"...The characters are so real and well-developed that you can't help but root for them...." Read more

25 customers mention "Character development"21 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that they evolve as the story progresses, with one customer highlighting how the author deftly reveals facets of their personalities.

"...With colourful characters and a criminal element dished out in subtle narrative, A Poison Tree is an angst-filled journey guided by cunning..." Read more

"...It is full of several different storylines and multi-dimensional characters and it is worth reading even if, like me, you have not read the previous..." Read more

"...that the main character, David Braddock, is as deeply developed a fictional protagonist as I have ever encountered in modern suspense fiction...." Read more

"...What also makes the story so engaging is that all the characters evolve as the story develops, some for the better, some for the worse, and a lot of..." Read more

8 customers mention "Depth of thought"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's deep psychological insight and philosophical underpinning, with one customer noting that it never spirals into over-sentimentality.

"...not to be when it's written with poignant detail, yet never spirals into over-sentimentality...." Read more

"...a healthy number of obscure historical, cultural and mythical references to deepen the texture...." Read more

"...Yes, this book contains words such as wastrel, refulgent and mephitic, and enough abstruse allusions to keep me happy...." Read more

"...the writing flawless, it moves the characters along with greater depth of emotion and compassion, deftly revealing facets of their personalities as..." Read more

5 customers mention "Series quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the series, with one noting that it keeps getting better.

"...I like this series. He's a great writer and I particularly like the little touches of Buddhism...." Read more

"...I love the whole series." Read more

"The series keeps getting better..." Read more

"A GREAT SERIES - TIME, BLOOD, AND KARMA...." Read more

4 customers mention "Pace"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pace, with one noting it starts at a leisurely pace but becomes fast-moving, while others find it easy to follow.

"...First of all, I love the way John Dolan wrote this book. The book is pretty fast moving and you find yourself falling in love and often having a..." Read more

"...He starts at a leisurely pace that speeds up to a breakneck gallop. The boy can write, all right." Read more

"...Its a quick read and will hold your interest. Happy reading." Read more

"...characters perspective, but as they rolled out it was quite an easy way to keep up and move the story along...." Read more

3 customers mention "Humor"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book, with one mentioning how it blends with tragedy.

"...Loved the humor including passages like "She had managed to convince herself that he would calm down; that the act of eating wedding cake would..." Read more

"...I think John Dolan writes a great story, sometimes very humorous and sometimes very dark. Braddock is a character for sure...." Read more

"Very well written. Intricate plot. Humor blended with tragedy, served with deep insight." Read more

11 customers mention "Enjoyment"7 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's entertainment value, with some finding it engaging while others describe it as bland.

"...Thought-provoking and entertaining." Read more

"A bit bland. While the style of writing appears to be great, it unravels at the end into careless hastiness." Read more

"...third book in a trilogy it is in fact a prequel and a superb and entertaining novel it is. In one sense, prequels are really the book that..." Read more

"...It was a fun, free read and now I'm going to have to buy the other books. Yikes!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • eden
    5.0 out of 5 stars The series keeps getting better
    Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A Poison Tree, the third book in the Time, Blood and Karma series for author John Dolan is actually a prequel. It tells the story of how the main character, David Braddock came to be in Thailand.

    It is also my favourite of the three books so far. I know I'm giving away a lot here. It's akin to choosing a favourite child--you're not supposed to do it, but ...

    Everyone Burns (Time, Blood and Karma) kicked off the series and captivated me based on a strong protagonist in an exotic land. Hungry Ghosts (Time, Blood and Karma) continued the trend with more shenanigans and provided further insight into David Braddock's mind.

    In A Poison Tree, the setting has moved from Thailand to England. We are taken back in time (1999 - 2001) to where David Braddock grew up, got married, and led a `normal' life before something happened to him, causing him to flee to Southeast Asia. That something is revealed in this book. The tale is fascinating, twisted, and unpredictable.

    The intricate story of David and his wife Claire drew me in from the start. It was a complex relationship of secrets and lies, but in the end, it was a love story. I'm a sucker for a love story. I challenge anyone not to be when it's written with poignant detail, yet never spirals into over-sentimentality. If you don't feel your throat clenching or your heart sinking while reading some of the passages, I'd suggest checking to make sure you still have a pulse.

    With colourful characters and a criminal element dished out in subtle narrative, A Poison Tree is an angst-filled journey guided by cunning misdirection. For lovers of mystery and thriller novels, there is plenty of intrigue and moments of "I DID NOT see that coming." What's more, the atmospheric pace counterpoints perfectly with noir-ish undertones.

    Even though each of Mr. Dolan's books stands on its own, I loved reading them in the order he wrote them. He drew me in so cleverly with his first two books, and A Poison Tree answered the outstanding questions.

    What a joy to discover a series that only keeps getting better.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Pete Morin
    4.0 out of 5 stars Deeply satisfying, slight disappointment in the ending
    Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed this story a great deal, although its structure does not hew to the usual mystery template.

    Much like Patricia Highsmith’s telling of The Talented Mr. Ripley, the bulk of the mystery and tension in this story takes place between the ears, as a diabolical proposal of mutual uxoricide wends it way through a complex series of marital infidelities involving sisters. Dolan’s prose frequently is more literary than genre, and he employs a healthy number of obscure historical, cultural and mythical references to deepen the texture.

    My chief complaint with this novel is the somewhat insipid climax and denouement, which I forgave due to the richness of the prose. As I wavered between 3 and 4 stars, the better rating won out.

    This is not a novel that will satisfy the typical mystery reader looking for a big bang at the beginning and a riveting climax. But if you’re looking for excellent prose and intellectual fulfillment, this will impress you.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars A Poison Tree
    Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Very hard to rate a novel when it is book three and you have never seen the other two. But as a stand alone story this one is interesting. It is full of several different storylines and multi-dimensional characters and it is worth reading even if, like me, you have not read the previous two.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Robert A. Cohen
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Prequel Worthy of the Series
    Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A Poison Tree is a prequel to John Dolan’s previous two suspense/detective novels. A prequel is supposed to clear up all the earlier questions. In A Poison Tree, John Dolan introduces a half dozen new characters that will surely appear in future novels of the series (I have a couple of favorites. I look forward to encountering them again). He also performs the daredevil feat of creating a prequel that leaves more questions than answers. This, of course, assures that his readers will be eager to read his fourth outing, Running on Emptiness (due in 2015). Clever man, that Dolan.

    Digression: I’ve decided to go public with the book reviewer’s dirty little secret: sometimes a book review is just a book review, but sometimes it is an opportunity for the reviewer to show off. The following paragraph was written after reading only 4 pages of A Poison Tree. I debated leaving it out, but I’m a bit of an exhibitionist. Let this be a lesson to you.

    Three pages into A Poison Tree, I read the word “uxoricide”. Surely this was a harbinger of lagniappes to come. I rushed for my Tilley hat. I knew that my imminent immersion in Mr. Dolan’s smart-alecky tintinnabulacious perspicuity, like a diaphanous angiosperm in a fugacious rain, would best coruscate for me while in a galericulate state. Now get off your fat lassitude, and retrieve your OED. I’ll wait.

    Now back to the actual review. Yes, this book contains words such as wastrel, refulgent and mephitic, and enough abstruse allusions to keep me happy. But along the way, a curious thing happened to Mr. Dolan. He has to date fathered 3 works of fiction. With this 3rd child, he seems to be taking the responsibility of parenthood more seriously. He is less the smarty-pants and more the literary philosopher who plumbs the depths of the human soul. If you dig beneath the surface of a smart-aleck, you will often find a deeply serious temperament well suited to elucidating the human condition. Mr. Dolan proves my point. His earlier books made me feel a lot of different emotions, but they did not make me cry. This one did (don’t misinterpret me. I felt all of the other emotions triggered by good suspense, but there is also a depth in A Poison Tree that resonated with me).

    As to the suspense component, A Poison Tree has more twists and turns than San Francisco’s Lombard Street. A good suspense writer throws surprises at the reader. A great suspense writer hurls them at the reader like a 98 mph fastball. Warning: wear a protective helmet while reading A Poison Tree.

    I tend to eschew plot summary in my reviews. That is well covered by other reviewers. I will only mention that the main character, David Braddock, is as deeply developed a fictional protagonist as I have ever encountered in modern suspense fiction. Learning about Braddock, little by little, makes the series worthwhile, even if he were not surrounded by great suspense plots, which he is.

    The last time you and I spoke, dear reader, about Mr. Dolan was in Oct. of 2013, at which point I was bemoaning the fact that I would have to wait for the 3rd novel in the series. I now realize that one cannot demand great story writing on schedule. A Poison Tree was well worth the wait. I expect nothing less than greatness from Mr. Dolan, and I would urge him to take as long as he needs to complete Running on Emptiness.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Eric Kingman
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another stunning book
    Reviewed in Australia on May 9, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Book number 3 in the time, blood and karma series picks up right where the other two left off in terms content. This book takes the reader back in time to 1999 (some 5 years before the last 2 books were set in) where we meet a David Braddock that has yet to take the leap across to the more exotic side of the world. This book clarifies a lot of events that the author had already mentioned and the story more than exceeded my expectations.

    It's written in the same style as the other 2 books and has all the action, sex, crime and suspense that we've come to expect. It's great how John Dolan was able to take series out of chronological sequence and produce a book that is just as good, if not better.

    Do yourself a favor and get a copy of this book ASAP, you won't regret it.
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  • Servaes Peeters
    5.0 out of 5 stars From Braddock to David ...
    Reviewed in Germany on July 7, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Nr. 3 is a little bit of a re-boot but I liked this flash-back! Don't know how to do word count on Kindle but I don't think it is just because there were more "Davids" than "Braddocks" that I now call him David too. Comforting to know that even the pub owner found his way into Buddhism - so there's hope for me! Can't wait to bump into Jim Fosse - wonder if he is still playing Roald Dahl?
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  • Electa Graham
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Read
    Reviewed in Canada on October 8, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A Poison Tree is the prequel to the other two Time, Blood and Karma Books. We get to see David Braddock the family man, not Thailand David. We know vaguely how this book will end, but the mystery is how will we get there. The characters are many and they come in all the shades of grey there are. Not one has the corner market on sins or virtues and it makes them vivid and real. Just when you think you have everything figured out Mr. Dolan takes a left turn and the reader needs to come up with a new theory. I loved this book and I love the series. If you are a fan of thrillers or just a really well written book with an incredible story that keeps you turning pages long after you should have been asleep, then do yourself a favor and buy this one and the other two. Now I'm going to do something I very rarely do, I'm going to reread the first two books. Now that I know what brought David to Thailand I think I want to read about him again with new eyes.
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  • Yorkshire lass
    5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping prequel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 31, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Having recently discovered John Dolan I am now an ardent fan. A Poison Tree is the third book in the Time, Blood and Karma series, though I have yet to read the first two. As a standalone novel it holds up well and has a lot to offer.

    The idea of introducing the back story by way of a prequel to the series is clever. It gives the author scope to delve more deeply into the psyche of the characters in a way that wouldn’t have been possible had he fed the back story into the first two books of the series, as well as explaining why David Braddock ended up in Koh Samui and resolving a lot of unanswered questions.

    The complex relationships between David Braddock and his friends and family lend mystery and intrigue to this unusual gritty tale and reveal the characters’ motivations. With its strong spiritual theme and reflective passages it makes for thought-provoking reading, some of it quite poignant. A dark humour is at work throughout the book and the build-up of psychological suspense keeps the reader engaged and constantly on edge.

    Dolan’s work is rich in literary reference and he has an excellent command of the English language. I particularly liked his passages on the nature of desire...

    Desire is a chameleon
    He blends into the brickwork and the rocks of those lanes and pathways down which we walk. He lurks like a highwayman, at the crossroads of our lives, waiting to rob us of our reason.

    Desire is a tireless hunter
    He plants seeds of mephitic longing in our minds; seeds that germinate, take root and put out branches of madness to infect and torment us.
    He is a poison tree.

    I’m itching to see where life leads David Braddock and find out if his path crosses with that of the enigmatic Jim Fosse - Nefarious characters never fail to intrigue me! A Poison Tree has certainly inspired me to read the first two books in the series and gets a resounding thumbs-up from me.
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  • Sai Baba
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on May 2, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    well written. I could not leave it until I finished
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