“Poisoning as a Joke” is a masterpiece by John Dixon Carr, in which the mystery of a mysterious crime must be revealed by one of his favorite heroes - private detective Pat Rossiter - and his volunteer assistant Geoff Marle, who appears in most of Carr’s novels. The Quayles clan of New England millionaires known for the fact that absolutely all of its representatives hate each other. But all the Quayles dream of seeing the clan patriarch dead with equal force. Is it surprising that one day he is found murdered? Jeff Marle and Pat Rossiter, who happened to be at the scene of the crime, understand that they will have to look not for those who had a motive, but for the one who managed to translate their plan into reality.