Poison for Breakfast

A brand-new book from the bestselling author of A Series of Unfortunate Events – a cautionary tale about his own demise.

For curious children and adults alike.

‘Reading this little book feels like opening a window to let in air and light. It’s filled with curious information and powerful feelings, and is humorous, sad, meditative and rapturous by turns.’ Guardian

‘A strange, beguiling, beautiful book. No one else could have written it, or anything even a little like it. If Lemony Snicket didn’t exist, we’d have to invent him.’ Anthony McGowan, author of Lark

For more than twenty years, Lemony Snicket has led millions of young readers through a mysterious world of bewildering questions and unfortunate events. With this latest book – a love letter to readers young and old about the vagaries of real life – long-time fans and new readers alike will experience Snicket’s distinctive voice in a new way.

This true story – as true as Lemony Snicket himself – begins with a puzzling note under his door: You had poison for breakfast. Following a winding trail of clues to solve the mystery of his own demise, Snicket takes us on a thought-provoking tour of his predilections...

‘Reading this little book feels like opening a window to let in air and light. It’s filled with curious information and powerful feelings, and is humorous, sad, meditative and rapturous by turns – with ambiguous questions to be mulled and savoured.’

‘Poison for Breakfast is a strange, beguiling, beautiful book. No one else could have written it, or anything even a little like it. If Lemony Snicket didn’t exist, we’d have to invent him.’

‘Poison for Breakfast is a book to savour. Every sentence is perfectly balanced to surprise, delight, intrigue and, yes, bewilder the reader. A book about impending death which captures the simple, but profound, joys of being alive. I am a long-time Lemony Snicket fan and this is his best yet.’

‘Witty, clever and unsettling – it’s Lemony Snicket at his finest, and bright minds that love dark delights will gobble it right up.’

‘Poison for Breakfast is a murder mystery like no other, which will bewilder and beguile both children and adults alike. It’ll have you questioning everything – from whether or not you can outrun death, to even bigger questions such as whether or not you are choosing the most respectable method to cook your eggs each morning.’

‘Full of Snickety goodness, philosophical acrobatics and wry wit. A veritable treasure trove for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events.’

‘Poison for Breakfast is a delicious read with sentences to savour and philosophical questions to keep you awake long past midnight snack-time... It’s diabolically good.’

Lemony Snicket is the internationally bestselling author of the thirteen volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events; several picture books, including The Dark and The Bad Mood and the Stick; and the books collectively titled All the Wrong Questions. His work has sold between 70 and 80 million copies worldwide. Margaux Kent is an illustrator, thing maker, story gatherer and wanderer. She co-founded Peg and Awl with her husband. They live in West Chester, Pennsylvania with their two boys, their dog and a variety of other creatures.