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A review by nietzschesghost
The Murder Pit by Mick Finlay
4.0
The Murder Pit, the second novel to feature Victorian Enquiry Agent William Arrowood and his assistant, Norman Barnett, is a superb choice for those who like Victorian murder mysteries with a stunning sense of time and place. Written in the same style as what became known as the golden age of crime, classics such as those by Dame Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle and has the same distinctive gothic atmosphere and gives an authentic portrayal of London in the 1900s. It is described within the book as Holmes providing services and investigations for the rich and cream of Victorian society and Mr Arrowood providing similar services to the poor; after all, we all need justice.
Arrowood is very much the opposite to Holmes in another respect to; he's practically thrown together. This rugged, slapdashness reminded me of Columbo, who made his dime tricking suspects into thinking he was a stupid, clumsy and simply clueless police investigator. Arrowood very much takes inspiration from Columbo, and he is ultimately a flawed and human character who it's easy to admire. He's an intelligent, solid investigator. I have to admit that the historical time period of the novel was executed better than the mystery, as I had figured out what was going on particularly early on. The sights, smells and noises leaped off the page and brought to life the poverty-stricken inner city and shone a light on the desperation of inhabitants. The sheer prejudice of the Victorians shocked and intrigued me in equal measure.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.
Arrowood is very much the opposite to Holmes in another respect to; he's practically thrown together. This rugged, slapdashness reminded me of Columbo, who made his dime tricking suspects into thinking he was a stupid, clumsy and simply clueless police investigator. Arrowood very much takes inspiration from Columbo, and he is ultimately a flawed and human character who it's easy to admire. He's an intelligent, solid investigator. I have to admit that the historical time period of the novel was executed better than the mystery, as I had figured out what was going on particularly early on. The sights, smells and noises leaped off the page and brought to life the poverty-stricken inner city and shone a light on the desperation of inhabitants. The sheer prejudice of the Victorians shocked and intrigued me in equal measure.
Many thanks to HQ for an ARC.