Customer Reviews

A Bone of Contention: The Third Chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew (The Chronicles of Matthew Bartholomew)

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The University of Cambridge is in a state of near warfare with the townspeople and the staff and students of the colleges, coming to actual blows and riots occurring regularly. Physician and teacher, Matthew Bartholomew and his friend, Friar Michael, are convinced that the anarchy is being deliberately caused for someone's advantage and, after the discovery of a body in a nearby ditch, which is declared to be the bones of a saint, determine to discover the real reason behind all the trouble. It's an involved plot with dozens of characters..in fact, there are too many characters for my liking, and it becomes a real effort to keep up with them. More murders occur and more of the main players disappear before all is revealed in the final chapter. I don't think that I'll bother with any more of this series as it's too much like hard work and not enough about the pure enjoyment of a good story.

I quite enjoyed the first book in this series, and this title, too, has things to recommend it. But there are problems that make me think the author is getting a little careless or hurried in her writing--the book is much longer than it needs to be; the style sometimes bespeaks hasty composition or at least lack of editing (just one example--the word "definitely" appears three times in three sentences without apparent rhetorical purpose); the plot features far too many nick-of-time and against-all-odds escapes (sometimes within just a few pages of each other); and some of the characters are less than plausible, their believability sacrificed to the demands of story. And while I understand that a 20th-century novel set in the 14th century is bound to have anachronisms, I wish Gregory had avoided some of the more obvious linguistic ones (such as "side-tracked" and "mesmerized").

Of course, it's possible that this book is intended as a parody of historical detective fiction, and I just missed the point.

Judging from the high body count in Susanna Gregory's latest Matthew Bartholomew/Friar Michael who-dun-it, 14th Century Cambridge was Murder Central! By the time this tangled tale - which begins with the murder of a University student and the discovery of what appear to be the bones of a saint - is unraveled, about a baker's dozen of the local folk have been knived, bludgeoned, etc. The reader may feel mentally bludgeoned as the murders pile up, the mystery deepens, red herrings surface and sink till the murderer is finally unveiled 490-odd pages later.

To her credit, few authors are as adept at recreating the sights, sounds and smells of Ye Olde England than Gregory. And, as always, the Bartholomew/Michael friendship is nicely done. In this story, Bartholomew is shown to be totally at sea when it comes to the fairer sex, a nice touch that adds a little humor to the story.

As with others in this series though, I feel the book is overly long and convoluted. 'Bone of Contention' is awash in characters, so much so that you almost need a scorecard to keep them straight. And when yet another character is dispatched, you know there will be yet another dialogue between Michael and Bartholomew about "What does this mean?...We thought he/she was (fill in the blank)...if not, then how...," etc. Methinks a few less characters/murders would leave the reader in a slightly less exhausted state at book's end. You know it's a complicated plot when the killer needs 18 pages to explain the preceding events!

In any case, medieval mystery buffs will enjoy the latest outing of Matthew and Michael.

Physician and teacher Matthew Bartholomew is summoned by Brother Michael to the King's Ditch by the Hall of Valence Marie to identify bones found among the rubbish and sewage of the ditch. The Master of Valence is hoping the bones will be from the martyr Simon d'Ambrey in order to make the Hall famous and shower the Hall with gifts and money. The next day, Matthew is called back as the body of a student has been found and, shortly after, the lover of the dead student and daughter of a Principal of one of the student hostels disappears. When riots break out in the town, people die and buildings are burnt, Matthew and Michael sense there was a purpose to it and seek to tie together all events finding out who is behind them.

Gregory does such a masterful job of describing life in 14th century England; I certainly wouldn't want to live there. Gregory's descriptions of the practice of medicine during this time are especially fascinating. But that and her wonderfully dimensional characters, particularly the balance between Matthew and Michael are what make her books delightful to read. The fact that physician Matthew is completely clueless about women and receives advise from Brother Michael adds levity to the darkness of the story. I did feel the plot became overly complicated in this book, but enjoyed the twists at the end.

Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. Her series of mediaeval mysteries have gained a formidable following. This book is the second in the series and introduces the physician Matthew Bartholomew to the reader. There are now a number of books in the series and they are always eagerly awaited by the author's fans.

Besides practising medicine Matthew is also a teacher at a Cambridge University and his sometimes unorthodox treatment of his patients draws accusations of heresy from his more traditional, but less skilled colleagues.

In this novel Matthew Bartholomew, a physician at Michaelhouse College in Cambridge, is called to the King's Ditch, a horrible stinking place that contains most of the rubbish and sewage from the town. Some mysterious bones have been found there, but are they old or new? The following day he is again called to the Ditch, this time because a student has been found dead there.

There is also unrest in the town. Much more than the normal bickering between the townsfolk and the students of the university. There is the disappeance of Dominica, former lover of the dead student and daughter of the well known Principal of a Cambridge student hostel.

Can all these events be connected? Then there is another find in the Ditch, a skeletal hand. It is hailed by the townsfolk as the last remains of a local martyr Simon d'Ambrey. When Matthew find out that on the finger of the gruesome find there is a ring, identical to a pair worn by Dominica and her dead lover, he knows that his teaching duties will have to wait while he attempts to solve the mystery.

This is the third book in the series and Matthew Bartholomew now seems like an old friend to the reader. It was also inspirationally by the author to place the books in mediaeval Cambridge. It just seems to add some extra atmosphere to the books.

I really enjoy Susanna Gregory's books about Matthew and Brother Michael. The mystery is very good, and there is enough murder and mayhem to suit any one's taste. This is a great sereis, and you can't go wrong by beginning it. Ms. Gregory does a very good job of depicting what life was like in the Dark Ages in England. The more I read of her work, the better I like it. I can't wait to read "Deadly Brew". Wouldn't it be great if we could go back, as observers anyway, to this period in history?

I was initially afraid that this would be just another medieval mystery..you know long on historic detail and short on mystery. But, I was wrong. The mystery is well done with a strong touch of evil that seems appropriate for a novel in that period. The history is also pleasently done. Interesting without extra detail. I would recommend this and the rest of the series.