Cards on the table – I love the Morton Farrier Forensic Genealogist series. And this latest instalment was right up there with the best.
My copy of The Hop-Picker Murders
It is classic Morton Farrier fare. A fast-paced crime fiction mystery, which right from the opening pages packs a punch. It intertwines the progress of Morton’s latest genealogy investigation with events of a bygone era – in this case the lives of East End seasonal hop-pickers working in Kent in the immediate aftermath of World War One, and a young woman’s quest to clear her missing brother’s name and find out what happened to him.
Nathan Dylan Goodwin skilfully weaves the multiple strands of past and present, with the latest developments in the hero’s own complicated family history backstory, and some professional twists along the way too. The characterisation of heroine Nellie means the reader is naturally and sympathetically drawn into her pursuit of truth and answers. The peppering of the story with various genealogical records and sources adds a further dimension for those involved in family history research, from the hobbyist through to the professional – though you do not need to be a family historian to appreciate this well-crafted crime fiction novel. The author’s meticulous research of seasonal hop-picking in this era gives it that all-important feel of historical authenticity.
The book was a joy to read, one of those I was truly sorry to reach the end of. The positive though is there’s clearly scope for more Morton Farrier adventures to come.
Now all I need is some of those weird and wonderful scone recipes to set me up for these future Forensic Genealogist exploits.
The book can be read as a stand alone novel, though as someone who has read all the previous books I’ve found knowing a little about Morton Farrier’s life up to this point does help contextually.
If you’ve not read any of the previous books in the Forensic Genealogist series and want to start at the beginning to sequentially see how the character’s backstory evolves, here’s the full list:
The Asylum – short prequel to the series.
Hiding the Past.
The Lost Ancestor.
The Orange Lilies.
The America Ground.
The Spyglass File.
The Missing Man.
The Suffragette’s Secret – Novella.
The Wicked Trade.
The Sterling Affair.
The Foundlings.
The Deserter’s Tale.
The Hop-Picker Murders.
Finally, here’s the all-important purchase information for The Hop-Picker Murders. I read the paperback version, ISBN-13: 979-8298809924, which is due out in Spring 2026, with the audiobook version also due around then. The kindle and hardback edition (£18.99 RRP) are already available.
Full purchase details forthese, and all the previous books in the series, can be found on Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s website. There’s also additional historical background information about hop-picking, and one of the real-life hop-pickers who features in the book.
Full disclosure: I received a free paperback copy of this book in return for a honest review. I have expressed my truthful opinion in this review.
A quick heads up for an online talk I will be giving via the Society of Genealogists on 25 April 2026. Don’t switch off at this point if you’re not a member – it is open to anyone.
If you follow this blog, or any of my online social media accounts, you will know I live in an area packed with Brontë history, and I’m a frequent visitor to Haworth and other Brontë linked sites.
Well, I’m delighted that I’ve been asked to give an online talk all about exploring Brontë Connections for Family History.
Here’s the blurb about it, to give you some idea of what I’ll be covering:
The latest film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s dark, Gothic literary classic, Wuthering Heights, has triggered a fresh wave of Brontë-mania. A new generation of tourists are descending on the village of Haworth, keen to find out more about these world-famous sisters, and wanting to carve out their own slice of Brontë magic. But family historians can also channel into the Brontë family’s lives and literature, seeking their own Brontë connections and research inspiration. Jane’s talk will give you some ideas of how, and where to look.
I’d love to see you there, as I’m immensely proud of where I come from, my area’s Brontë links, all things Brontë, and I might even let you in on my quest to find my links to this amazing literary family!
You never know, as a result you may have ideas and inspiration to see how your family history might be connected.
February has been a particularly busy month for the Batley St. Mary of the Angels One-Place Study, with five new posts. This brings the total number of posts up to 427. Three more were updated.
Peter Gavaghan
This month’s additions and updates included one new War Memorial biography, that of the first Peter Gavaghan to be killed in the war (his cousin also named Peter died later on, and his biography was added some time ago). Both men’s biographies can now be found in The Biographies: War Memorial Men section.
Several more men who served and survived were identified, and this page has been updated. Their biographies will follow in due course.
Someone from the parish who died but is not on the church War Memorial has been identified, Michael Howley. I have added his biography to the section covering Men Associated with St. Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial, and that overall page has been accordingly updated too. I have also updated the War Memorial Chronology of Deaths page, to include him.
There are two new posts in the Miscellany of Information section. One deals with the horrific, but all too common, circumstances surrounding the death of a child in the 19th century. The other concerns three pigs, a headstone and a long-lived parishioner.
There is also the parish history snippets piece for February 2026. These snippets cover a variety of events and people from the parish from years gone by, and can be found in the Bulletin for Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick section. One is an amazing piece connected to The Beatles and a circus! Even if you have seen them on the Bulletin, it is worth checking them here as some have links to more detailed pieces I have written.
Below is the full list of pages to date. Simply click on the link and it will take you straight to the relevant page. I have annotated the *NEW* and “UPDATED” posts, so you can easily pick them out.
If you want to know the background, and what is involved in a one-place study, click here. Otherwise read on, to discover a wealth of parish, parishioner and wider local Batley history.
Postscript: I may not be able to thank you personally because of your contact detail confidentiality, but I do want to say how much I appreciate the donations already received to keep this website going. They really and truly do help. Thank you.
The website has always been free to use, and I want to continue this policy in the future. However, it does cost me money to operate – from undertaking the research to website hosting costs. In the current difficult economic climate I do have to regularly consider if I can afford to continue running it as a free resource.
If you have enjoyed reading the various pieces, and would like to make a donation towards keeping the website up and running in its current open access format, it would be very much appreciated.
Please click 👉🏽 here 👈🏽 be taken to the PayPal donation link. By making a donation you will be helping to keep the website online and freely available for all.
Thank you.
As a professionally qualified genealogist, if you would like me to undertake any family, local or house history research for you do please get in touch. More information can be found on my research services page.
Finally, if you do have any information about, or photos of, parishioners from the period of the First World War please do get in touch. It does not have to be War Memorial men. It could be those who served and survived, or indeed any other men, women and children from the parish.
I would also be interested in information about, and photos of, those parishioners who were killed in World War Two, or others from the parish who undertook any war service and survived. This can be as broad as serving in the military, or work in munitions factories, the Land Army, even taking in refugees. This is an area I’m looking to develop in the future.
Past To Present Genealogy 