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The Forensic Genealogist #11
The Hop-Picker Murders
When Molly Moon discovers her aunt’s discarded 1920 journal, hidden in the attic of her Kent cottage, she uncovers a chilling claim among its cryptic that four missing hop-pickers, including her own uncle, were murdered. Desperate to learn the truth, Molly turns to forensic genealogist Morton Farrier for help. What begins as a challenging case soon becomes far more complex as Morton delves into a murky world of disappearance, deception, and murder—while battling an unknown menace bent on destroying his career.
This is the eleventh novel in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime mystery series, though it can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone story.
This is the eleventh novel in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime mystery series, though it can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone story.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2025
105 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Dylan Goodwin
36 books633 followersAuthor of the acclaimed genre-bestselling Forensic Genealogist series, featuring Morton Farrier.
Born in the famed battle town of Hastings, England, Nathan Dylan Goodwin has always had a passion for writing in one form or another. Having gained a degree in Radio, Film and Television Studies, Nathan went on to gain a Masters degree in Creative Writing, from Canterbury Christ Church University.
Nathan started his writing career with non-fiction, his first book 'Hastings at War' being published in May 2005. This was followed by three further local history books pertaining to the area around his home town of Hastings.
His first forays into fiction writing culminated in the publication in 2013 of 'Hiding the Past' - a genealogical crime mystery novel. This was followed in 2014 by book two in the series - 'The Lost Ancestor'. Also released in 2014 was the the third, a Morton Farrier novella - 'The Orange Lilies'. The fourth book in the series, 'The America Ground' was published in September 2015, followed in September 2016 by 'The Spyglass File'. The sixth in the series, 'The Missing Man' was another Morton Farrier novella and was followed by 'The Suffragette's Secret', a short-story. 'The Wicked Trade' was the ninth instalment of the series and is a full-length novel, as is the 2020 follow-on, 'The Sterling Affair.' 'The Foundlings' followed on and 2023 saw Nathan's return to Morton's world once more in 'The Deserter's Tale'. 2025 was the chosen moment for the long-awaited 'The Hop-Picker Murders'.
The 11th November 2018 saw Nathan release the first of a second series, called Ghost Swifts, Blue Poppies and the Red Star - Mrs McDougall Investigates Book 1. This features a distant relative of Nathan's in the starring role and is set in the aftermath of the First World War.
In December 2018, Nathan created a prequel to the whole Forensic Genealogist series, in the form of a short story, The Asylum, which is available for FREE via his official website.
Nathan designed a special online choose-your-own-story for Morton Farrier fans and wrote about the protagonist's activities during the English 2020 Coronavirus lockdown. The story is currently free and is hosted on the author's website.
January 2021 saw Nathan launch a third series, Venator Cold Case Series book 1 - 'The Chester Creek Murders.' This series is a US-based spin-off from his UK-based stories and features Madison Scott-Barnhart as the lead character. October 2022 brought us the next installment of the series, 'The Sawtooth Slayer.'
In his forties, Nathan enjoys running, skiing, reading, genealogy, writing and time with his husband, son, dog and chickens.
That about sums it up!
Born in the famed battle town of Hastings, England, Nathan Dylan Goodwin has always had a passion for writing in one form or another. Having gained a degree in Radio, Film and Television Studies, Nathan went on to gain a Masters degree in Creative Writing, from Canterbury Christ Church University.
Nathan started his writing career with non-fiction, his first book 'Hastings at War' being published in May 2005. This was followed by three further local history books pertaining to the area around his home town of Hastings.
His first forays into fiction writing culminated in the publication in 2013 of 'Hiding the Past' - a genealogical crime mystery novel. This was followed in 2014 by book two in the series - 'The Lost Ancestor'. Also released in 2014 was the the third, a Morton Farrier novella - 'The Orange Lilies'. The fourth book in the series, 'The America Ground' was published in September 2015, followed in September 2016 by 'The Spyglass File'. The sixth in the series, 'The Missing Man' was another Morton Farrier novella and was followed by 'The Suffragette's Secret', a short-story. 'The Wicked Trade' was the ninth instalment of the series and is a full-length novel, as is the 2020 follow-on, 'The Sterling Affair.' 'The Foundlings' followed on and 2023 saw Nathan's return to Morton's world once more in 'The Deserter's Tale'. 2025 was the chosen moment for the long-awaited 'The Hop-Picker Murders'.
The 11th November 2018 saw Nathan release the first of a second series, called Ghost Swifts, Blue Poppies and the Red Star - Mrs McDougall Investigates Book 1. This features a distant relative of Nathan's in the starring role and is set in the aftermath of the First World War.
In December 2018, Nathan created a prequel to the whole Forensic Genealogist series, in the form of a short story, The Asylum, which is available for FREE via his official website.
Nathan designed a special online choose-your-own-story for Morton Farrier fans and wrote about the protagonist's activities during the English 2020 Coronavirus lockdown. The story is currently free and is hosted on the author's website.
January 2021 saw Nathan launch a third series, Venator Cold Case Series book 1 - 'The Chester Creek Murders.' This series is a US-based spin-off from his UK-based stories and features Madison Scott-Barnhart as the lead character. October 2022 brought us the next installment of the series, 'The Sawtooth Slayer.'
In his forties, Nathan enjoys running, skiing, reading, genealogy, writing and time with his husband, son, dog and chickens.
That about sums it up!
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 1, 2026
I say it each time but best yet!
Loved this one, had me googling for my own images of hop-pickers accommodation. I love how these books bring in mystery, genealogy, history and humour. Well done Nathan
Loved this one, had me googling for my own images of hop-pickers accommodation. I love how these books bring in mystery, genealogy, history and humour. Well done Nathan
January 24, 2026
So lovely to read a good mystery with a genealogical slant, and learn something new at the same time.
Nathan Goodwin checks all the boxes. Clearly, lots of research went into this one, and it shows. Bravo!
Nathan Goodwin checks all the boxes. Clearly, lots of research went into this one, and it shows. Bravo!
December 29, 2025
well of course it is good
Give it the coveted five stars because I did not guess the villain until very close to the end. As always, I got a lot of good tips about genealogy and it came with a good story to boot. I just love this author’s writing style and he tells a good story with well developed characters and doesn’t make me work at guessing what’s going on. Really enjoyed this book. Hope there’s another one and I think it’s time I go back and reread the first one.
Give it the coveted five stars because I did not guess the villain until very close to the end. As always, I got a lot of good tips about genealogy and it came with a good story to boot. I just love this author’s writing style and he tells a good story with well developed characters and doesn’t make me work at guessing what’s going on. Really enjoyed this book. Hope there’s another one and I think it’s time I go back and reread the first one.
January 3, 2026
I love Morton Farrier, and his family and always enjoy following along on his genealogical adventures.
This was a more complicated plot searching for the a murderer from a century ago.
I had previously read about the hop-pickers in another mystery novel. But what struck me about this was the joy that the Partridge family felt when they got leave London to go to Kent for the hopping.
Goodwin always does a great job of researching his stories and this one was remarkable. Always read the author’s notes. The nefariousness of the bad guys was drawn largely from actual events.
A bonus was the connection to Maddie, owner of Venator forensic genealogical firm in Salt Lake City. That’s another great series by NDG.
Can’t wait for more books from any of his series.
This was a more complicated plot searching for the a murderer from a century ago.
I had previously read about the hop-pickers in another mystery novel. But what struck me about this was the joy that the Partridge family felt when they got leave London to go to Kent for the hopping.
Goodwin always does a great job of researching his stories and this one was remarkable. Always read the author’s notes. The nefariousness of the bad guys was drawn largely from actual events.
A bonus was the connection to Maddie, owner of Venator forensic genealogical firm in Salt Lake City. That’s another great series by NDG.
Can’t wait for more books from any of his series.
February 3, 2026
Another excellent Morton Farrier mystery
Very unique and interesting story. I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next book and finding out who is impersonating Morton.
Very unique and interesting story. I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next book and finding out who is impersonating Morton.
January 3, 2026
I love Morton Farrier, common man. I typically devour his stories. With Hop-Pickers, I struggled. It seemed to be a bit of a slog for me. It could be because Morton and Nellie faced a very complicated case. It could be because I wasn’t in the right space. It could also have been the multiple storylines.
Either way, I am still a Morton fan and I look forward to my next opportunity to engage with him.
Either way, I am still a Morton fan and I look forward to my next opportunity to engage with him.
January 22, 2026
As always, a great read!
I absolutely loved this book. Goodwin puts you right beside him while he's researching. He spins s great story. Couldn't put it down!
I absolutely loved this book. Goodwin puts you right beside him while he's researching. He spins s great story. Couldn't put it down!
January 13, 2026
Best Yet!
Wow! Well done Nathan, you have really excelled yourself this time. I have read all your fictional books and been with Morton from his and your beginning. I am a 66 year old man and you had me in tears at one point. Thank you so much for this book.
Wow! Well done Nathan, you have really excelled yourself this time. I have read all your fictional books and been with Morton from his and your beginning. I am a 66 year old man and you had me in tears at one point. Thank you so much for this book.
January 14, 2026
Excellent!
Such a wonderful book, I loved every bit of it. Poor Morton, his troubles appear to be unending! Can't wait for the next book.
Such a wonderful book, I loved every bit of it. Poor Morton, his troubles appear to be unending! Can't wait for the next book.
January 14, 2026
Absolutely brilliant, as far as Morton’s personal disclosure I think we had all sussed that one out !
January 13, 2026
Brilliant story, the London hop pickers stories are a great insight into the way of life 100 years ago. Nathan’s book are always fantastic and I can’t wait for the next one.
January 8, 2026
A fantastic addition to the series
Morton gets into a few scrapes while pursuing his career and that fate continues in this book. There's many twists and turns in this exciting sequel and it's an excellent addition to the Morton series. If you haven't already read these books, you're definitely missing out! I suggest you start at book 1 to follow the progression of Morton's story but any book can be read as a stand alone story.
Morton gets into a few scrapes while pursuing his career and that fate continues in this book. There's many twists and turns in this exciting sequel and it's an excellent addition to the Morton series. If you haven't already read these books, you're definitely missing out! I suggest you start at book 1 to follow the progression of Morton's story but any book can be read as a stand alone story.
January 11, 2026
The best yet!
January 6, 2026
Another great book
Once again Nathan Dylan Goodwin has produced another great Morton book and left us with a dangling hook to reel us in to the next Forensic Genealogist adventure.
Once again Nathan Dylan Goodwin has produced another great Morton book and left us with a dangling hook to reel us in to the next Forensic Genealogist adventure.
January 4, 2026
Thank you Nathan Dylan Goodwin for this book. Your best one so far.
December 29, 2025
Another brilliant book by Nathan in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime series. I really enjoyed it and it kept me gripped from beginning to end. I especially liked the character Nellie Partridge and the storyline she was involved in. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
February 13, 2026
Whether you’ve read all ten previous Morton Farrier books or are jumping in for the first time, The Hop-Picker Murders is a standout. It’s a story about the secrets families keep and the length someone will go to to keep those secrets buried. Goodwin’s research is impeccable, but it’s his ability to make the "search for ancestors" feel like a life-or-death race that makes this book a winner.
A must-read for fans of historical mysteries and anyone who loves a good "hidden journal" trope.
A must-read for fans of historical mysteries and anyone who loves a good "hidden journal" trope.
February 15, 2026
I enjoyed all the books in this series but this one seemed particularly good, maybe because a few months ago I discovered a hop-picking scandal in my own family tree (I’m looking at you, great grandparents!).
Only one, tiny, thing wrong. Twice Aunt Win referred to going to the pub for how’s your father. As far as I know how’s your father has always referred to a bit of slap and tickle, not the demon drink!
Only one, tiny, thing wrong. Twice Aunt Win referred to going to the pub for how’s your father. As far as I know how’s your father has always referred to a bit of slap and tickle, not the demon drink!
February 24, 2026
I did enjoy this book but got very muddled between past and present. I kept having to refer back to what I had read earlier to find out who was who. However as the book continued it became easier. I would recommend people to read it especially all the family history knowledge that was used to unravel the mystery.
February 24, 2026
I have read every book NDG has written, both fiction and non fiction.
None have disappointed and this is no exception. I love the attention to detail in the genealogical and the obvious research into hop picking, it felt like you were there. I also love following Morton and his family from book 1 to now. It also helps that the places are so familiar to me. More please!! Thank you
None have disappointed and this is no exception. I love the attention to detail in the genealogical and the obvious research into hop picking, it felt like you were there. I also love following Morton and his family from book 1 to now. It also helps that the places are so familiar to me. More please!! Thank you
March 2, 2026
Nathan does it again!
Once again a great story that includes not only genealogy but mystery and a little suspense because not all is answered by the end It’s an easy read but does keep your brain ticking trying to work out how the plot ends. I was way off with my deductions. Ok Nathan next one please!
Once again a great story that includes not only genealogy but mystery and a little suspense because not all is answered by the end It’s an easy read but does keep your brain ticking trying to work out how the plot ends. I was way off with my deductions. Ok Nathan next one please!
Read
February 11, 2026I really enjoyed this genealogy story, it was fascinating that people spent a whole month picking hops in Kent. I always like the way he includes different time periods and then brings them back together. Looking forward to the next instalment.
December 31, 2025
Morton Farrier uses his expertise to solve a hundred plus year old mystery. Meanwhile someone is impersonating him and someone punches him in the face when he answers his front door!
January 3, 2026
Excellent story!!
From the historical point of view to the fictional one, this novel is absolutely bright.
A pleasure to read again.
Monica Beltrami, Montevideo, Uruguay.
From the historical point of view to the fictional one, this novel is absolutely bright.
A pleasure to read again.
Monica Beltrami, Montevideo, Uruguay.
February 25, 2026
Another great read from Nathan Dylan Goodwin!
February 26, 2026
In 1918, a young hop-picker disappears, accused of theft, and his sister is convinced he was murdered and was determined to find out what happened. Two years later, she dies mysteriously. Her niece brings her note book to Morton Farrier, hoping he can sort out the mystery. And of course he succeeds, as he always does, at the same time trying to sort out some personal challenges.
The book moves back and forth from Morton's search in the present to the hop-picking period where the story gradually unfolds. This makes the unravelling of the story by Morton interesting and gives the reader a picture of that time and place. Morton's personal issues get a bit overwhelming in this book, and not resolved which detracted from the book a bit.
The book moves back and forth from Morton's search in the present to the hop-picking period where the story gradually unfolds. This makes the unravelling of the story by Morton interesting and gives the reader a picture of that time and place. Morton's personal issues get a bit overwhelming in this book, and not resolved which detracted from the book a bit.
January 17, 2026
This story alternates between two time periods: the present, where Morton pursues his research into this fascinating case; and 1920, when Morton’s client’s aunt, Nellie Partridge, attempted to discover the truth of her brother’s disappearance at the same time as the season’s hop-picking earnings also disappeared. Morton also faces an unknown enemy determined to sabotage his career, as well as a very surprising revelation. A fascinating glimpse into a past when East Enders traveled down to Kent every autumn for the hop harvest, earning extra money to tide them over through the winter. The intriguing, multi-faceted plot combined with believable characters make this book hard to put down.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews