Not All Superheroes Wear Capes

The Murder Pit by Mick Finlay is a historical crime novel set in 1896. It was a time of poverty, fear and darkness as Jack The Ripper loomed large in the thoughts of people. This is the second instalment in the Arrowood series but can be read as a stand-alone.

An unlikely pairing of super sleuths fight injustice and search for the truth. Where they see hurt and pain, they seek to bring security and safety. They fight for the under dogs, the people whom society would rather forget.

The novel has the disturbing topics of cruelty and neglect of the mentally handicapped. Asylums in Victorian England were places of neglect and exploitation. There were few checks of those running them.

The novel portrays a fight against evil. Wrongs need to be righted as some really do suffer hell on earth.

The characters were well drawn, rough and ready likable heroes with no frills on them. A well executed plotline keeps the reader guessing to the end.

Comprehensive descriptions enable the reader to ‘walk’ the dark streets of Victorian England. It was a time of grime, both in characters and locations. Mick Finlay’s words really enable the reader to ‘see’ and ‘smell’ the dirt and muck.

The Murder Pit was a good old fashioned crime mystery, with shades of Holmes and Watson. Very entertaining but heart breaking and horrifying too.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON