‘Finlay depicts a seedy, desperate London and vivid characters with considerable skill’ The Times

Nowhere to hide.
London, 1896. As winter grips the city, a group of African travellers seek sanctuary inside the walls of the Quaker Meeting House. They are being hunted by a ruthless showman, who is forcing them to perform in his ethnic exhibition in the London Aquarium.
 
Nowhere to turn.
Private investigator William Arrowood and his assistant Barnett agree to help the travellers avoid capture. But when they arrive at the Meeting House, they find a scene of devastation. Two people have been murdered and the others have fled into the night.
 
Nowhere to run.
The hunt for the real killer leads Arrowood into the dark heart of Victorian London. A shadowy world of freak shows, violence and betrayal, where there are no good choices and only the slimmest chance of survival?

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 HWA GOLD CROWN AWARD
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 CWA GOLD DAGGER

London Society takes their problems to Sherlock Holmes. Everyone else goes to Arrowood

South London, 1896. William Arrowood, Victorian London’s less salubrious private detective, is paid a visit by Captain Moon, the owner of a pleasure steamer moored on the Thames. He complains that someone has been damaging his boat, putting his business in jeopardy.

Arrowood and his trusty sidekick Barnett suspect professional jealousy, but when a shocking discovery is pulled from the river, it seems like even fouler play is afoot.

It’s up to Arrowood and Barnett to solve the case, before any more corpses end up in the watery depths . . .

‘An excellent historical thriller set in late Victorian London ? highly recommended’ ***** Netgalley reviewer

‘Fantastic book. Beautifully written’ ***** Netgalley reviewer

London Society takes their problems to Sherlock Holmes. Everyone else goes to Arrowood.

1896: Sherlock Holmes has once again hit the headlines, solving mysteries for the cream of London society. But among the workhouses and pudding shops of the city, private detective William Arrowood is presented with far grittier, more violent, and considerably less well-paid cases.

Arrowood is in no doubt who is the better detective, and when Mr and Mrs Barclay engage him to trace their estranged daughter Birdie, he’s sure it won’t be long before he and his assistant Barnett have tracked her down.

But this seemingly simple missing person case soon turns into a murder investigation. Far from the comfort of Baker Street, Arrowood’s London is a city of unrelenting cruelty, where evil is waiting to be uncovered . . .

PRAISE FOR THE MURDER PIT:

‘Another brilliant read from Mick Finlay . . . even better than [Arrowood]’ B.A. Paris

‘Gripping’ Daily Telegraph

‘Astounding ? If you crave Victorian age murder mystery, love darkly gothic atmospheres and want your detective rather tattered and torn at the edges Arrowood is your man.’ SHOTS

‘Enthralling’ Publishers Weekly (starred review)

‘A gripping novel with an adept sense of place as well as a clear-eyed examination of the dark exigencies of human behaviour’ Crime Time