The Spyglass File is book 5 in Nathan Dylan Goodwin's Morton Farrier Genealogical Mystery Series. I have read several books in the series and, to date, all have been awesome. This book counts as a selection for the 2022 What's In A Name Reading Challenge in the compound word category as well as The Cloak and Dagger and Finishing the Series Challenges.

When the story begins, Morton Farrier is no longer at the top of his game. His career as a forensic genealogist is faltering and he does not want to accept any new cases. Morton prefers to spend time working toward locating his biological father. However, when an intriguing case appears, Morton is compelled to help a woman find the relatives that she lost during the Battle of Britain in WWII. He soon discovers that the answer can only be found in a secret document called the Spyglass File.

As always, I enjoyed reading about the methods Morton uses in his geneological research. Every step he takes forces him to look in different places for information. This is how we get the twists and turns of the story. The mystery element is provided by Morton going from up to down and vice versa in his research.

The Battle of Britain has been well researched by the author. It was fascinating to read about this particular battle. I don't believe I have ever read any WWII historical fiction novels that focused on just one battle. All the others cover the entire period of the war. It was a treat to learn all of the details about it. What made it even more interesting was that one of the characters in the book worked for a spy agency.

The Spyglass File is an extraordinary tale. I highly recommend it and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars. ( )

loved this series ( )

A few years ago I read the first of Nathan Dylan Godwin’s Forensic Genealogist series. This is the fourth volume and, in my view, the best.
Morton Farrier is a professional genealogist whose investigations into past events often lead him into trouble in the present. As he approaches the date of his wedding to Juliette he is trying to avoid new cases, but he is intrigued by the situation of a woman who was adopted soon after her birth, during the Battle of Britain. As he tries to locate her family, we follow parts of the story of her birth-mother, Elsie, who was a WAAF officer in the Y service, listening in to German pilots as they approached England.
It is fascinating to learn about the invaluable work of these young women and to observe the terrifying lives of the fighter pilots they encountered. It is understandable that they were living for the moment.
As Elsie’s story is revealed, Morton becomes aware that criminal activities which started in a cottage on the Kent coast in 1940, reverberate in the present day. We empathise with Elsie, an intelligent girl, threatened by her mother-in-law and seeming to have lost any chance of happiness. Morton’s investigations are intriguing, especially if you are interested in genealogy and the final chapters are surprising and satisfying.
Now I am hoping that Morton will learn more about his own family in a future book.
( )

Goodwin has really reached his stride in this fourth book in the Morton Farrier series. In it he skillfully balances a modern story of an adoptee wanting to connect with her biological family, a World War II romance, an instructive genealogical search, and Farrier's own personal relationships.Thanks to Goodwin supplying a review copy, it is available on the Members Lending Library shelf.

With its cliffhanger chapter endings and twists and turns this book kept me reading right up to the last page. That it was a genealogical mystery from World War 1 added to my interest.

Having read earlier books in the series I have become quite fond of genealogist, Morton Farrier, whose character is further developed in this tale. Following the relationship of Morton and his long suffering fiance, Juliette, adds an extra dimension. to this series.

I enjoyed reading about the various real resources Morton used while researching Barbara Springett's ancestry and have added a few museums to the must visit list for my next trip to the UK. I was impressed that Morton used Ancestry DNA tests to confirm his traditional research. Of course Morton had more success in knocking down brickwalls than we ordinary genies have but The Spyglass File is a work of fiction.

While not a masterpiece The Spyglass File is competently written and engaged this reader right up to the last words. It is a page turner that provides a few hours amusement - just what I needed. This is not just a book for those interested in genealogy I think that any readerwho is fond of a good mystery would enjoy this book .... and, if you're into genealogy, you will definitely enjoy it.

I hope that it's not long before I can read of Morton's next adventure. ( )