Cambridge University is in dire financial straitsbut his success threatens Matthew Bartholomew's professional reputation, and his life.
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reviews
Nov 07, 2009
Carmen
rated it: 
The town almost explodes in anarchy in this story. Money issues are a problem, how much to charge for rents, etc, and a fake healer comes to town who claims to be able to cure people with a magic feather. He tells everyone that there are answers for everything, if he does not think he can cure someone, he says they have a bad spirit. It is amazing how superstitious people were. Reading this book with all the historical details really makes the time period come alive. Plus there is a mystery
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Dec 31, 2009
Laura
rated it: 
This is from another one of those historical mystery series - medieval setting (Cambridge in the 1300s), town/gown tensions, monks galore. The sad thing is that every one that I've read barring Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael takes themselves so seriously it hurts.
The conflict here is threefold. One, an outsider claims to be a better doctor than the ones currently practicing in town; two, the town wants to raise rents on the hostels occupied by the varying University students; three, More...
The conflict here is threefold. One, an outsider claims to be a better doctor than the ones currently practicing in town; two, the town wants to raise rents on the hostels occupied by the varying University students; three, More...
Aug 14, 2010
Charlotte
rated it:
I read and enjoyed the first 12 Matthew Bartholomew books, but could not get into this one - the characters and background themes are becoming stale. Matthew and Michael are what they are. I don't like the personal lives and miseries of the main characters in a mystery to overwhelm the story (as I find they do in the later Alan Banks novels by Peter Robinson), but a little evolution in their lives keeps the story fresh. For me, Lindsey Davis hits a happy medium in her Falco mysteries.
Jul 05, 2011
Rachel
rated it:
I haven't read any of the other Matthew Bartholomew books and picked this up at the library after reading dissolution and wanting to stay in the same theme. It was ok, not great, a bit drawn out and the mystery really wasn't that mysterious. The characters were a bit annoying and two-dimensional and I seriously found MB really thick. I don't think I will bother reading any of the other MB books after this one.
Sep 28, 2011
Veronica
rated it: 
An enjoyable novel with interesting strong characters and a plot that keeps moving. Got a bit bogged down mid way.
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