The Asylum

The Forensic Genealogist #0.5

by Nathan Dylan Goodwin

The job presented to forensic genealogist, Morton Farrier, ought to have been simple and easy. But the surprise discovery of an additional marriage to his client’s father leads Morton on an enquiry, revolving around a mysterious death in the county asylum. Requiring his various investigative genealogical skills, Morton must work to unravel this complex eighty-year-old secret and finally reveal the truth to his client.

This is the first story in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime mystery series. There are a further eight stories in this series:

Hiding the Past
The Lost Ancestor
The Orange Lilies
The America Ground
The Spyglass File
The Missing Man
The Suffragette’s Secret
The Wicked Trade

The story is currently free from the author's official website (correct as at Jan 2019) at nathandylangoodwin.com .

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Short Stories, British Literature, Audiobook, Adult Fiction

93 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2018

About the author

Author 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!

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of a”forensic genealogist” out solving crimes is attractive. The main character makes his living answering the ancestry questions of clients evidently too lazy to do modest footwork themselves. The client here is in his eighties so maybe he can be forgiven. Well, you guessed it, the client gets more than he was looking for. The forensic genealogist discovers an eighty year old crime which would never in a million years go to trial.

The book is “cozy.” The romance is fluffy. In spite of all it is likable. It’s possible that the other full length books in this series are better. This is a little short at 93 pages.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things that I appreciate most about Goodreads is reading reviews from other readers, especially my friends. I discovered this series from reading reviews from two of my friends. The role of forensic genealogist sounded quite unique to me and I thought I would give it a go.

I'm very glad that I did, as I truly enjoyed listening to this novella, which is the prequel to the series and introduces us to the very likable Morton Farrier who works as a forensic genealogist. While doing research for a client he meets a young woman at the library. It was a fun and interesting read and I am intrigued enough to continue with the series.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I downloaded this mystery novella featuring a forensic genealogist I wasn't sure what to expect and thought it might be very "dry". How wrong I was!
What started out as interesting soon became fascinating and the thrills associated with information revealed, heightened with a sense of eerieness, ensured I didn't stop reading until the exciting finale. Adding in a bit of light hearted fun was the protagonist's first date and the start of a burgeoning relationship, this was a well rounded, fabulously written start of a new series that I'll be adding to my TBR list.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morton Farrier finds an additional marriage for a client's father; however, he initially did not research it since the client told him not to research more recent generations. When the client adamantly denies the previous marriage and Morton's present work load allows him time, he retrieves the marriage record and death certificate for the first wife. The client wants to learn more about the first wife who died in an asylum. One must always prepare for unexpected discoveries, and this case illustrates the lesson. Genealogical ethics once again seem a bit problematic. Farrier discusses his case more openly than a professional genealogist should without written client authorization. I understand why the author had him discuss it with the person he did, but I don't think the story would suffer with the omission of the unethical behavior. Still I enjoyed this short story. (3.5 stars)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the story, just as I like the characters, but it was so short! I felt a little pang of exasperation when I realised I’d come to the last page.

Still, it does serve its purpose as a mini-prequel for the rest of the series.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start for a promising new series!

The story is currently free from the author's official website at nathandylangoodwin.com

[Cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this was a surprise, not only reading his biography but also reading this book. I haven't come across another book written with genealogy as the main content! And, as an amateur genealogist of decades of researching my umpteen family trees, I really enjoyed this book!

Morton Farrier is a forensic genealogist, must admit that was the first thing to stump me, aren't all genealogists to some extent forensic ones? I've hit so many brick walls and discovered some very strange things behind them. Anyway I digress, Morton is researching the family tree of a man whom he discovers he dislikes, but he's being paid. I can relate to all of the researching techniques he is using and the how and the why, so this wasn't in the least bit boring for me. The man concerned is unhappy at some errors on his tree, such as the spelling of his family's home village, the spelling of one of his ancestors and I forgot the other two now, but Morton did feel at this point that this were very simple errors which he should have spotted, but the one thing Morton did disagree with was the man's insistence that his father did not marry twice, certainly not before he was born.

Morton came away thinking that he knew he was right, I know the feeling I've been proved right more times than I've had hot dinners, and he began the long trawl through the records office and parish records and even visited the asylum where the man's father's first wife was committed. Then Morton made the discovery, through researching the good old newspapers of the day, that this first wife died and then his father remarried just 3 weeks after. Considering banns took 3 wks to be read out in churches, it looked like he married in unnatural haste. Then he discovered that the man's birthdate was incorrect, in fact he was born the year before and... Damn now I've giving away some of the plot.

Oh and Morton finds a girlfriend along the way, the nice young girl who works in the local library, it's nice to have a soul mate. I thoroughly enjoyed this short book, and it sent me looking at his other works on Amazon, but alas there weren't within my budget, so I shall be visiting the local library which I'm sure Mr Goodwin knows, and see if they have any on their shelves or could reserve a few for me.

Good book, if you are interested in genealogy!

[Wendy Percival · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Asylum is the perfect introduction to the Morton Farrier forensic genealogist series. In this novella we get to know a little about Morton himself (who’s a very likeable character) and about his investigation methods as he uncovers the mystery behind a woman’s death in an asylum in the 1920s.

We also meet some of his regular characters, including the dragon of an archivist Miss Latimer, and find out how Morton meets his girlfriend Juliette. This delightful prequel gives us a flavour of the sort of intriguing genealogy stories to be discovered in the other books.

An enjoyable read for lovers of all mysteries, family history related or otherwise.

[Sallie Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Nathan Dylan Goodwin is a new author to me. He has written a series that features a forensic genealogist. The Asylum is a “prequel” published in 2018. I see the first book in the series has a 2013 copyright. The Asylum is a novella, perhaps a longer short story that introduces the reader to Morton Farrier, the aforementioned forensic genealogist. He’s pushing 40, doesn’t have a girlfriend, but thinks the girl that works the library research desk is pretty hot.

The story centers on research of a family tree for a client that Morton sort of dislikes. But hey, it’s a job, and a bit of cash flow for not-rolling-in-the-dough Morton. Add a tad of romance: Morton has a first date with the library girl that he doesn’t even know her first name.

Interesting story line, and a new series that the first book (at least) is available on Kindle Unlimited. New Years Resolution: use my KU subscription more effectively. I’ll report on my success in December 2026.

Goodreads 2025 Challenge
Book #122 of 115

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forensic genealogist Morton Farrier is a bulldog when it comes to his research. Once he scents a traul, he's indefatigable. In THE ASYLUM he turns over rocks to find hidden nuggets of truth, upending the client's personal history, but providing readers with an intriguing and satisfying read.

[Lisa Shower · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun!

A neat short story that gives us the background to Morton & Juliette's origins. This series has been most enjoyable!

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know it's a prequel and a novella, but it was honestly kind of boring. I might try the first full book in the series.

[Peggy Clemens Lauritzen]

This was a short and fast read. And, I loved it! Morton Farrier is on the hunt again, right to the very end.

[marilyn moore langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

This was very good, well written and one of the best, I always love the twist that he puts in!! Another hit, can't wait for more!!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After seemingly completing one of his research cases, forensic genealogist, Morton Farrier feels that there is more to this story than meets the eye. Further investigation leads him to the suspicious death of a woman in an asylum many, many years ago. Morton must now ensure that all of his facts are right before revealing the awful and life-changing truth to his client.

The Asylum is a prequel to Nathan Dylan Goodwin's Morton Farrier series and as it is only 93 pages long, is an excellent introduction to anyone who has not yet come across this brilliant series. For regular readers, like me, you will be pleased to know that as well as the mystery being investigated, we also get a chance to discover how Morton met his partner, Juliette.

The mystery is an emotive one, dealing with the controversial issue of asylums and the reason women could find themselves incarcerated. Again, we see the steps Morton took to solve the mystery, using the sources that would have been available at that time. There were also some light-hearted moments, though, and I particularly enjoyed reading about his solo trip to the asylum and his realisation when studying a photograph in more detail.

The Asylum is another great addition to the series and I hope it won't be too long before we get to read the next one.

[Wendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great short prequel to the series.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel to Nathan Dylan Goodwin's books. Mystery which involves genealogy searches and just plain good reading.

[Zoe Obstkuchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short prequel introduction to this popular series, very enjoyable and a great place to start for new readers

[Joy Brady Beer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this prequel perhaps having read all of the series through The America Ground, and stopped to enjoy this short little treat. Although it was brief, it turns out to be very touching.

I’m a fan of audiobooks and I’m moving through the series by way of the audio versions of these books. The narrator does a wonderful job. As you move through the series, Morton Farrier becomes a more and more sympathetic character.

if you haven’t started the series, I suspect that reading or listening to this little prequel might give you a nice boost in understanding the gentle humor of the series, and the quite adorable beginning of Morton’s romance with his Juliet, as well as Morton’s urge to uncover unsolved mysteries—at any risk.

This past couple years it seems that I read a serious book and then recharge with a Nathan Dylan Goodwin book and then back-and-forth. These can be quite exciting! I’ve also enjoyed historical stories that I never would have learned except for through these books.

[Mikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, introductory novella to the life of forensic genealogist Morton Farrier. A page turner - not cluttered with extraneous characters or events. Just a simple plot couched in regular English language in a location I'm somewhat familiar with, believable and informative. I learned a modicum amount about the ancestry research process. Good to know that public libraries are still usually repositories of historical documents. Not everything from the past has been digitised. A bit of romance was a nice touch. I will probably read the first full novel at some point.

[Leanne Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an amateur genealogist myself with ancestors from England, I was keen to learn something new from this novel. The title promised some fascinating insights into what it was like for inmates of an asylum. However, the story was light on detail, focusing more on the protagonist's movements between research library and the boarded-up asylum building, with a spot of romantic interest thrown in. I found the book unmemorable.

[Deda Sab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!!, I really liked Morton's character and occupation. I will definitely try to read the whole series, the only problem is that the first 3 books aren't available in google books. But I read in the 4th book's blurb that it could be read as a stand alone. So I hope this is the case with all the books in this series.

[Dave Robison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The genealogy aspect holds my interest as, like Morton, genealogy is my profession. The plots, sub-plots and how Goodwin manages to build to interesting conclusions is a real talent which adds to my interest in theses stories.

[Oriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for this free book. It covers the topic well whilst allowing the reader to get to know the main characters. I look forward to getting to know them better and cover more genealogy in the rest of the series.

[Karl Wiggins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cut all the descriptions of what the protagonist's is wearing today - nobody cares

I quite enjoyed this short story. My father was a genealogist, wrote two books on it, and I’m currently tracing the family tree – or rather one branch of the family tree, so I have an interest in forensic genealogy. But here’s the thing; Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s characters are all a bit stilted, their personalities a bit forced, although I do like the lady Morton Farrier dates a couple of times. She’s quite playful, and I think Morton needs to up his game if he hopes to keep her interest.

It’s a good plot, although a little predictable. No sudden surprises at the end that the reader couldn’t see coming.

However, and I have to say this, one of my pet hates is when an author insists on informing the reader what clothes the protagonist is wearing today. The book is full of remarks such as ‘Wearing a pair of smart beige chinos, a navy shirt and a pair of brown brogues,’ or ‘Chosen one of his best shirts and his best pair of jeans to wear, or ‘Dressed casually in a loose-fitting, white t-shirt and faded jeans. He ran his fingers through his short, dark hair, as his chestnut-brown eyes ….’ WHO CARES! GET ON WITH THE STORY!

This is something I’ve noticed female authors sometimes do. You’re reading a who-done-it and every chapter begins with the female detective going through her wardrobe deciding what to wear!! Just allow the reader to picture the people in the book how he/she wants and crack on with the story!

SPOILER ALERT NOW

Although you could see the ending coming – SPOILER ALERT HERE – there’s no actual evidence that the woman Gerald Peacock had thought of as his mother his whole life had actually murdered his real mother. It’s all kind of hinted at, which Peacock kind of accepts, but it’s never proved. How a writer would go about proving something from 80 years, I’ve no idea, that’s up to the author. Maybe a written admission hidden in a trunk in the loft or something. But it all left a kind of an empty feeling to end the book with.

I’m going to stick with the 3-star. I’d like to score it 3½, but I can’t do that, and its not worth a 4-star. Would I read another book by Nathan Dylan Goodwin? Yes, I think I would. As I said, I quite enjoyed it, but I think his books are overpriced for what they are.

[Ainee Beland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first story in the Morton Farrier genealogical crime mystery series. A fascinating read, at times slow because of the drudgery and mechanical nuisance of genealogical research, I found that bit boring, yet it got interesting when it appeared that nurse Casey was actually nurse Carey, wife number 2, and she may have had a part in the death/suicide of the first Mrs. Peacock while incarcerated in the asylum. Nurse Casey, but actually named Carey (there was never a Casey, misreading r for s), became wife number 2, and she may have had something to do with Louisa’s suicide, who may have been Gerald’s mother, proving that he has other siblings.

Surprising ending and factual from this reading: Emma Carey worked as a nurse at the then Hellingly Hospital (the asylum) for two years, resigning the day after the inquest had been made into the death of Louisa Peacock; leaving her job with a very positive appraisal of her two and a half years there. Three weeks after Louisa’s death, the husband married Nurse Carey…that’s the surprising twist in the Asylum story/tale; that woman may have given birth before her death, and that child is most likely Gerald Peacock, the person who initiated the search.

There are facts in Morton’s research, and there is an undocumented conclusion, and this makes for a fun and unusual reading… it reads a bit like Halloween’s Michael Myers return or revenge, as there was a hospital… oh, I don’t make sense ever. I am doing as Morton had done when telling Gerald about his family tree: he made his own interpretation of history known.

There is a brewing romance between Morton and his Juliette who is a librarian with a dark sense of humor; there was a bit of a thriller when Morton went to visit the abandon (very dilapidated) hospital to try and find the room that Louise had resided in and to find where she hanged herself; as there was another person (a blond male) on the property but we don’t get to know more about him perhaps in another tale. A fascinating read for this reviewer who is much too late at it all.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

2011, Eastbourne, East Sussex, England. Gerald Peacock had asked Morton Farrier (forensic genealogist) how Stephen Peacock’s (father, general laborer) family tree was going.

What did Gerald find out when he went to the library on microfiche.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.

A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A very well family mystery (short story) book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great family thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free BookFunnel; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn; MSW)

[Anne Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Asylum' by Nathan Dylan Goodwin. This short story (just over 80 pages) was a free download recommended to me by a friend yesterday. I downloaded it and read it in one sitting. The story is set in Sussex around Sussex and Rye and the protagonist, Morton Farrier, is a freelance forensic genealogist (is that a real thing?). He helps people discover and document their family trees, sometimes uncovering skeletons in the closet along the way. In this story his current client is a grumpy old man who accuses Morton of making a mistake when he first presents him with the completed tree. Morton digs a bit deeper and discovers ... well, if I told you, it would be a massive spoiler. There is an asylum involved though.
I liked reading about how someone in this job goes about their research and I picked up a few tips in case I ever want to do this for my own family - I already know there are some things that don't add up (not necessarily for any nefarious reasons but more because of shoddy record keeping), so it could be both an interesting and frustrating project.
Goodwin has written a whole series and I'm planning to read them over the coming year.

[Kathy KS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short introduction to the main character of "The Forensic Genealogist" series. I have not read any of the full-sized novels, but will continue.

For those that enjoyed researching family history, this series appears to be fun in the same way that many people enjoy police procedurals in print and video media. Watching the step-by-step research and analyzing clues is part of the fun of genealogy. I was somewhat surprised at the opening scene of this novella because some of the errors the client points out seem like very rookie problems. There should have been some documentation that would show where the information was from and explanations about choices of name spellings, etc.

But I'll give the first full volume a try because I found the MC and his new girlfriend to be pretty likable. And I'm curious about watching the character and his research methods mature, hopefully. From reading blurbs of future books in the series, it appears that one of the strengths is the blend of genealogy and history. That sounds right up my alley.

[FeedMyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you work on putting together a full genealogical picture of a family tree it is surely going to be a nice and simple task thanks to the internet and all of the tools at your disposal nowadays, surely? When Morton sets out on his latest job assignment to put together a full family tree for a client, a simple finding of a second wedding for the father of the client will create more questions than could be imagined and may well change everything that the client thought they knew.

This is a book which intrigued me as I wondered how someone could write a fiction work about putting together a family tree and make it sound entertaining but Nathan has managed to do this in the most amazing way and this has drawn me into the series to ensure that I will be checking out more of the work from this author.