Mick Finlay – författare

‘Crackles with energy and wit’ – The Times London Society takes their problems to Sherlock Holmes. Everyone else goes to Arrowood. 1895: London’s scared. A killer haunts the city’s streets. The poor are hungry; crime bosses are taking control; the police force stretched to breaking point.While the rich turn to Sherlock Holmes, the celebrated private detective rarely visits the densely populated streets of South London, where the crimes are sleazier and the people are poorer.In a dark corner of Southwark, victims turn to a man who despises Holmes, his wealthy clientele and his showy forensic approach to crime: Arrowood – self-taught psychologist, occasional drunkard and private investigator.When a man mysteriously disappears and Arrowood’s best lead is viciously stabbed before his eyes, he and his sidekick Barnett face their toughest quest yet: to capture the head of the most notorious gang in London…

‘Think Sherlock Holmes is the only detective working in Victorian London? Meet William Arrowood, the hero of Mick Finlay’s series of absorbing novels’ The Times 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

‘Brimming with dark humour, fast-paced action … this is a top-class series that grows in stature with every new book’ Lancashire Evening Post 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. ‘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…