I tried to read “Arrowood”, the first book in this historical mystery series, but abandoned it because I was irritated by William Arrowood’s constant carping about Sherlock Holmes. Arrowood is a less well known (and less capable) private detective, but he believes that he should have similar acclaim. In “The Murder Pit” Arrowood and his colleague Barnett are hired to by parents to find their mentally disabled daughter Birdie, who is married to a pig farmer. When they find her, it seems that things are just not right at the farm and then another person goes missing.

I did manage to get through “The Murder Pit”, which had slightly less carping. However, I still don’t like Arrowood or his colleague Barnett. I wanted to see how the story turned out, but the detection went around in circles and the explanation at the end was ridiculously dragged out. The book should have been 100 pages shorter. Also, towards the end of the book Arrowood pulls a cruel trick with a dog that turned me off him forever.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and the author, Mick Finlay, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of The Murder Pit in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I thought this book provided a good, quick read. The storyline was well written with compelling characters. Cannot wait for more from this author.
Worth a read.

*Many thanks to Mark Finlay, Harlequin MIRA and Netgalley for providing me with ARC in exhange for my honest thoughts on this book.*
This is Book 2 presenting a Victorian mystery with Willam Arrowood, a private investigator, and Norman Barnett, his sidekick, who this time act on behalf of the Barclays, parents of a young married woman. The Barclays claim their daughter, Birdie, is kept against her will by her husband's famlily on a farm and prevented from any contact with them. This apparently easy task turns out to be much complicated and requires all Arrwood's skills to uncover the truth. Arrowood & Barnett remind us of Holmes & Watson, and the famous detective is often referred to in the novel as Arrwood feels he is at least as good as Holmes, or even better, he is just not lucky enough to be given cases by the upper class clients. Arrowood and Barnett are not the characters you feel close to, but their courage to bring to light the misfortunes of those who cannot do it by themselves is admirable. The story is interesting, with private problems that ail both William and Norman, however, the main idea behind the novel is to present how those who suffered mental disorders were perceived by the society at the dawn of the 19th century and how this society allowed their mistreatment and exploitation.

The Murder Pit is a fascinating Victorian mystery. This is the first time I have read this author and I will be reading the other book. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed the storyline.

"The Murder Pit" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Mick Finlay (https://mickfinlay.com). This is Mr. Finlay's second publication and the second book in his "Arrowood Mystery" series. 

I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence and some Mature Language. The story is set in the England of 1896. The primary character is private detective William Arrowood. 

Arrowood is a contemporary of Sherlock Holmes, but he has little respect for him. Arrowood is engaged by a couple to find their estranged daughter, Birdie. Birdie has married, but since then she has refused any attempts at contact by her parents. 

Arrowood and his colleague, Norman Barnett, travel a short distance outside of London where Birdie is living with her husband. He and his entire family are well thought of in the local community, but they refuse to let Arrowood and Barnett speak to Birdie. The detectives nose around, asking questions, but they only stir up the ire of the locals. 

When an old gypsy woman who befriends them disappears, Arrowood asks even more questions, stirring up the locals even more. Arrowood and Barnett are threatened and attacked. The more they investigate the less they trust Birdie's inlaws or her parents. At the same time, they feel that something is clearly wrong at the farm where Birdie is living. 

I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 432-page mystery. I chose this novel because I thought it had something to do with Sherlock Holmes. It doesn't other than animosity towards Holmes by Arrowood. There are several characters in this story that suffer from mental problems. Revealing how they were treated at the close of the 19th century seems to be part of the mission of this novel. The story was OK, but I thought it was a little slow. The cover art is OK, but I think something more closely tied to the story would have been better. I give this novel a 3.7 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/. 

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis)

The Murder Pit is a witty take on Victorian London with frequent humorous potshots at the Holmes canon that also contains an intriguing mystery. If you ever wanted more humor in, say, the Hounds of the Baskervilles, this book is for you!

Arrowood is a consulting detective for the poorer residents of London. Perennially jealous of the money and fame of his contemporary, Sherlock Holmes, Arrowood insists his method of studying people—rather than footprints—is more effective. He just needs one big case to make him as well known as that other consulting detective.

The Barclays engage Arrowood’s services complaining that their daughter’s husband won’t let them see or talk with her. They are concerned that Birdie has been harmed or is being held against her will on the husband’s rural farm. Birdie is slow and her husband, Walter, has served time for blinding a man in a fit of rage. Despite Arrowood’s concern with the Barclay’s authenticity, Arrowood and Barnett, his scrappy Watson, investigate and find an unusual case indeed.

The Murder Pit is the second entry in the series but can be read as a standalone. It is an enjoyable and humorous dive into lower class London and the Holmes canon. Arrowood’s appetite and marital problems seem genuine. Barnett doesn’t always agree with Arrowood but continues to protect him from physical harm.

Overall, the unusual setting, superb characterizations and witty banter make the Murder Pit an excellent mystery choice. 4 stars!

Thanks to Mira and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Private investigator William Arrowood and his assistant Barnett are contemporaries of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Whereas Sherlock handles cases of the wealthier class, Arrowood investigates for the working class/poor of London. He is called upon to investigate the disappearance of Birdie who is noted missing by her parents. The last time they saw her she was moving to the country with her new husband, but the concern is that Birdie has some cognitive and mental deficits and they worry if she is being cared for properly.

What an excellent historical Victorian novel. I was pleasantly surprised as I was not sure what to expect with an investigator with a similar intellect and reasoning of Sherlock Holmes (whom I love), but the author did an excellent job. This book was well researched and written in the vernacular of the day. It takes us into the world of how those with deficits were treated in asylums. Excellent character development and it kept my attention the entire time.

I did not read the first book in the series but it was not needed. This book could be read as a standalone. I plan to read the other book in the series and look forward to upcoming ones. I highly recommend this one.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

Oddly enough I had two books set in the same time period in the last month and both were equally as good yet different. Arrowood is like a poor man’s Sherlock Holmes. He is in London back in the 1800’s and like Holmes people come to him when they need help.

Arrowood is clever and quizzical. He sees the clues most can’t and makes the discoveries no one else is able to do.

If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes pick up this series. I suggest reading the first in the series before this one so you understand Arrowood a bit better but trust me you will not be sorry you did.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I think I am more in the minority on this one. This was only a 3 star book for me. I didn't read the first book (which is unusual for me) so maybe that played a part. It was a chore for me to get through. Must be a case of... it's not you, it's me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

I'm happy that this is the second installment in a series because it means there's another book I can read.
I found this book enthralling and entertaining, a very good historical mystery.
The cast of characters is well written and fleshed out, you cannot help liking them because they're so human with all their faults.
The plot is engaging, full of twists and turns, it never bores and keeps you guessing till the end.
i liked the well researched historical background, so dark and realistic.
i look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to HARLEQUIN - MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC

The Murder Pit is the second in the Arrowood Victorian mystery series featuring Enquiry Agent Arrowood and his assistant Barnett. It's a dark and gritty story set in 1896 London, not a kind place for the poor and developmentally disabled. At times very difficult to read. It's clear that Mick Finlay has done extensive research and accurately portrays dangerous and difficult times.
Mr. and Mrs Barclay have hired Arrowood to find their daughter Birdie. She's married to a local farmer but the family won't let her see her parents and the Barclays need to make sure she's all right. Arrowood is concerned and is bound to talk to her. Colorful 3 dimensional characters and several twists make this a very satisfying mystery.
Thank you to Netgalley for early copy of The Murder Pit to read and review.

Murder Pit ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️by Mick Finlay

If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, as am I, this author has painted such a vivid picture of London during that time. The private detective Arrowood seems to be ignored by his peers but has more than proven he is an outstanding detective.

The descriptions of the depravity used upon the mentally ill and the handicapped is heart wrenching. The bitter terminology used for these humans is unconscionable.

The story had many twists which kept the readers interest and the characters were quite
fascinating. I enjoyed the cat and mouse of this book maybe a bit long but I would recommend.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Harlequin/MIRA for an advance copy of The Murder Pit, the second novel to feature Victorian Enquiry Agent William Arrowood (the guvnor) and his assistant, Norman Barnett, the narrator of the book. Unlike their nemesis, the more aristocratic Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, the working class Arrowood and Barnett take on cases from the wrong side of the tracks, cases that Holmes would not touch, and cases that do not draw the public accolades that Arrowood longs to achieve. In this case Mr. and Mrs. Barclay engage him to find their estranged daughter, Birdie, the new wife of a pig farmer, whose family refuses to allow any contact with the young woman. But there is more here than meets the eye, and the case soon draws The Guvnor and Norman into the dark world of mental asylums, poor houses and the neglect ad abuse of those with mental and developmental issues. The author does a wonderful job of providing a historically accurate sense of time and place. He also does a superb job of creating characters with depth and humor. Even his most minor characters are brought to life as living breathing persons, not just wooden background figures. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good Victorian mystery and a dark atmospheric story with plenty of humor.

The Murder Pit is the second book in the Arrowood Mysteries. It’s not an easy story. It’s full of deception and secrets and sorrow but the book is worth the time it takes to read it.

When I read a book there is alwasy something that keeps me reading. That something is mostly one of the characters. In the case of the Arrowood books is the comlexity of the story. I read the first book too and for some reason I haven’t got attached to any of the characters that much. Maybe Ettie, a little. But I very much love the way Mick Finlay goes with the story, how it makes me feel when I read it. His depictions are so real, the characters are clever, they feel like real people with real-life decisions. And they make mistakes too just like we all do sometimes.

I receved a digital copy from Harlequin - Mira through NetGalley.

1896 London and private detectives Arrowood and Barnett are employed by Mr and Mrs Barclay to determine that their wedded daughter, Birdie, is well, having not been able to see her since her marriage. But this straightforward case soon turns to murder.
While an interesting read, I really didn't care much for the character of Arrowood and I did hope for some more deaths rather than a description of the care of the mental ill.

Dark and almost a Victorian noir story. This is the second in the Arrowhead series.....sort of a poor mans Sherlock Holmes. But far more flawed and dark. And drunk. This story does an amazing job of portraying the parts of London where Sherlock would not have gone. I can’t say I like either main character but I can’t imagine having them behave any other way and have the story still be so compelling. This held my interest all the way through and made me want to go back and read the first in the series....
And also get excited for what I hope will be a third and fourth etc. Great mystery, great locale and interesting storyline. What more could you ask for in a well crafted mystery? Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review.

Barnett and Arrowood are a very interesting duo: one is disgusting and the other one is wise. One is guvnor and the other one is assistant. Arrowood is in constant competition with Sherlock Holmes and Barnett is grieving for his wife.
A very unusual suspense novel set in Victorian times London. The author does not hold back when London, dingy courts of poor, asylums and police work are described. Too much dark colours, too much stink, too much truth. However, I found this book interesting even though I had to squirm in a few places.
People with Down syndrome being used and abused. People disappear. Police do not want to do anything. 'they are poor', 'they are "mongols', they are gypsy - excuses, excuses.
Arrowood and Barnett take seemingly simple case that evolves into multi-layered conspiracy to fraud public funds, a very cruel conspiracy.
All in all, the author did a great job painting a picture of the world Sherlock Holmes would not touch.