Arrowood and the Thames Corpses

London, 1896 and private detective William Arrowood, and his assistant Norman Barnett have been asked by Captain Moon and his daughter, Suzie, to take on their case.  They have a regular route ferrying people to Gravesend. They have a complaint that a new competitor has started damaging their boat.

A few days later after an attack on the boat, Barnett is on his own guarding the boat.  As far as he is concerned, nothing untoward happens during the night.  However, the following morning, two ropes are found tied to the boat.  When they pull up the first rope he and Suzie discover a series of children’s skulls tied to the rope.  The second rope is attached to the bodies of two women and a man.

When Inspector Petleigh shows up, he tells Arrowood and Barnett that they are off the case now as it is now a police investigation. However, will that stop them?  Unfortunately, Captain Moon commits suicide a day later.  Why did he do that?

A few days later, Barnett is arrested for the murder of the two women found tied to the boat.  If he is found guilty, he will hang.  The detective who arrested him claims to have evidence.

How can Arrowood solve the case with his right hand man in jail and likely condemned to hang?  Author Mick Finlay has the answers and the adventures that await the reader in the concluding pages.  A very good read with a number of surprises awaiting the reader.  I look forward to reading the next book in this series.