It is 1392, and Matthew Bartholomew, physician to Michaelhouse College, is called to examine some mysterious bones found in the King's Ditch. The next day he is called to the Ditch again—a student has been found dead there. Meanwhile, there is unrest in the town, and the strange disappearance of Dominica, the former lover of the dead student. Are these events connected? Then a skeletal hand is found in the Ditch, hailed by townsfolk as the final remains of local martyr Simon d'Ambrey, and hence a holy relic. When Bartholomew finds that the hand is wearing a ring apparently identical to a pair that were worn by Dominica and her ex-lover, and now missing, he knows that his investigative skills are called for.
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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
A new college in 14th-century Cambridge hopes to improve its fortunes by displaying saintly relics recently discovered in the King's Ditch surrounding the town?even if it must manufacture its own. Series protagonists Brother Michael and physician Matthew Bartholomew of Michaelhouse College (An Unholy Alliance, LJ 12/96), who dispute medicine and argue murder theories, spot the scam but must tread carefully for fear of igniting various rival antagonisms in the town. This is a finely detailed cross section of life in medieval England, still recovering from the plague of 1348. Fans of historical mysteries will clamor for more.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews
A second visit to the 14th century and Cambridge, England, once again focuses on physician-teacher Matthew Bartholomew and his friend Brother Michael, a Senior Proctor, both living at Michaelhouse, one of several competitive, quarrelsome college residences (An Unholy Alliance, 1996). This time out, though, there's something more menacing than intraschool rivalry. Some behind-the-scenes force is pitting townspeople against students- -inciting riots, killing in the streets, and more. Then Scots student James Menzie of David's Hostel is found dead, a precious ring missing from his finger. The ring's mate belongs to Dominica, daughter of Principal Lydgate of Godwinsson Hostel. Dominica is also soon to disappear, and a twin to the missing ring will be found on a hand dragged from the town's sewer system--a ditch--by Master Thorpe of Valence Marie house, and will be declared by him to be a sacred relic. All of this is but a tiny sample of the many violent confrontations; characters venal and benign; and plots and subplots that abound here in an undisciplined, unbelievable saga of vengeance sought against a whole town for a decades-old grievance. Patient students of medieval England may stay the course for the thoroughly researched background. Most other readers will be long gone. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Martyr's bones,
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This review is from: A Bone of Contention (Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles) (Paperback)
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.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Needs Another Draft, I Think,
By
This review is from: A Bone of Contention (Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles) (Paperback)
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.
4.0 out of 5 stars
See 14th Century Cambridge and Die!,
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This review is from: A Bone of Contention (Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles) (Paperback)
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.
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