- Hardcover: 480 pages
- Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group (2 Jun 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0316726400
- ISBN-13: 978-0316726405
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 13.8 x 4.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 574,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Mark Of A Murderer
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
On St Scholastica's Day in February 1355, Oxford explodes in one of the most serious riots of its turbulent history. Fearing for their lives, the scholars flee the city, and some choose the University at Cambridge as their temporary refuge. However, they don't remain safe for long. Within hours of their arrival, the first of their number dies, followed quickly by a second. When Bartholomew and Brother Michael begin to investigate the deaths, they uncover evidence that the Oxford riot was not a case of random violence, but part of a carefully orchestrated plot. With the Archbishop of Canterbury about to honour Cambridge with a Visitation, and a close colleague accused of a series of murders Bartholomew is certain he didn't commit, the race is on to solve the riddles and bring a ruthless killer to justice.
About the Author
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.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
First rate, as ever,
By
This review is from: The Mark of a Murderer (Matthew Bartholomew Series) (Hardcover)
I've now read all eleven Matthew Bartholomew chronicles (in the proper sequence, though that's strictly speaking not a necessity) and this one is as good as the previous ten.Enough historical detail to fully immerse yourself in medieval Cambridge, a intricate plot, and - the feature that above all else makes these novels so lovely - a host of very-well drawn characters. Most of those I will sorely miss until volume twelve is published: Matthew (what will happen to him and Matilde?), Michael (will he stick to his diet?), Father William, Clippesby (what a gentle person, I'm sure the ducks at Merton Hall agree), Agatha, Langelee, and so on... Superb entertainment, can't wait for volume twelve!
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engrossing puzzle, intriguing characters,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Mark of a Murderer (Matthew Bartholomew Series) (Hardcover)
This is an excellent story for anyone who likes a traditional 'whodunnit' well-written, with deftly-drawn characters and a real sense of place. Set in a damp, isolated Cambridge which is vividly portrayed, the scholarship and period knowledge is fascinating but never intrusive.This is the eleventh story to feature Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael in mediaeval Cambridge. Although it isn't necessary to read them in order, it's probably better to have read a couple of others first for the ending to have its intended effect. I now have to wait nearly a year before the sequel comes out in hardback! Highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The mark of a quality author,
By
This review is from: The Mark Of A Murderer: The Eleventh Chronicle Of Matthew Bartholomew (Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles) (Kindle Edition)
Pseudonymal Susanna Gregory launches us into her eleventh Matthew Bartholomew mystery with alacrity and yet again confounds her seasoned reader with a darkly convoluted tale that weaves in the fear of a rabid animal and the potential for riot with head scratching enigma. Gregory opens her prologue during a Scholastica Day riot in Oxford that leaves sity scholars dead and twice as many townspeople. All instigated by the dark monk.
Moving forward some months we find ourselves at Michaelhouse where Matthew is stealing out nightly to Mathilde's house and not being very inconspicuous about it. Being the gossip of the town doesn't sit well with our reflective sleuth and we quickly find Michael dragging him off to Merton Hall to investigate the stabbing of an Oxford scholar, Chesterfelde, one of a party of Oxford merchants and scholars who have left Oxford for a variety of reasons. Our suspect list builds quickly as Matthew discovers the real cause of death is a slashed wrist. In Michael's sights are Daurant (Matthew's Oxford teacher, a poppy juice addict), Polmorva (Matthew's sworn enemy from his Oxford days) and Spryngheuse (one of the monks involved in the early fight in Oxford that led to the riot). Aside from Chesterfelde, there was also Okehamptone who appears to have died from a fever en route. Accompanying them are three Oxford merchants, Wormynghalle, a tanner, Abergavenny, a burgess and Eu the spicer each tasked by Joan Goneral to find the murderer of her husband during the riots. His dying breath condemned a Cambridge scholar and they have come to seek his assailant. Throw into the mix the Merton Hall residents of Eudo, a tenant, and Boltone, bailiff of Merton Hall together with the impending visit of archbishop Islip to potentially found a new college and you have a heady brew of mystery in a political tinderbox. Woven into the tale is King's Hall whose inhabitants of Wolfe, Norton, Hamescotes and Wormynghalle all take major supporting roles alongside the stationer Weasenham and his Langelee-loving wife, Alyce. The other Cambridge physicians take a large role here, particularly with Rougham having been attacked by the mysterious wolf and Clippesby is given a greater starring role as he acts as a useful witness whose mildly insane method of reporting confounds and exasperates us all. By the end the riot is staved off, hell hath no fury like a woman denied her right to study and Matthew intends to marry Mathilde. It ends on a slightly sour note as our hero trots off to propose whilst she's heading out of the gate thinking he'll never get round to it. I do hope Gregory sorts it out as she's created a character that any fan of the series will have invested an emotional interest in plus it'll be interesting to see how she can keep them together and not have Matt renounce his career. We'll see. What makes Gregory all the more plausible is the rich historical note where she details that the major events really occurred and characters are all based on real personages. It makes it even more impressive. This is one author at the height of her literary powers and needs far more exposure to the public than she gets at the moment. Read it.
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