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Matthew Bartholomew #1-2
A Plague on Both Your Houses / An Unholy Alliance
There are two novels in one omnibus. Susanna Gregory writes historical, detective fiction about Cambridge in the 1300's. The first book chronicles the arrival of the bubonic plague to Cambridge and the horrendous death toll which follows, along with a some other murders, motivated by something entirely different. The second one deals with events that followed the plague and what people turned to following it--satanic cults instead of traditional religion.
832 pages
First published January 1, 2001
3 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Susanna Gregory
89 books433 followersSusanna Gregory is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cruwys, a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. She is married to author Beau Riffenburgh who is her co-author on the Simon Beaufort books.
AKA Simon Beaufort
She writes detective fiction, and is noted for her series of mediaeval mysteries featuring Matthew Bartholomew, a teacher of medicine and investigator of murders in 14th-century Cambridge.
These books may have some aspects in common with the Ellis Peters Cadfael series, the mediaeval adventures of a highly intelligent Benedictine monk and herbalist who came to the Benedictine order late in an eventful life, bringing with him considerable secular experience and wisdom combined with a deal of native wit. This sets him apart from his comparatively innocent and naíve monastic brethren. His activities, both as a monk and a healer, embroil him in a series of mysterious crimes, both secular and monastic, and he enthusiastically assumes the rôle of an amateur sleuth. Sceptical of superstition, he is somewhat ahead of his time, and much accurate historical detail is woven into the adventures. But there any resemblance to the comparatively warm-hearted Cadfael series ends: the tone and subject matter of the Gregory novels is far darker and does not shrink from portraying the harsh realities of life in the Middle Ages. The first in the series, A Plague on Both Your Houses is set against the ravages of the Black Death and subsequent novels take much of their subject matter from the attempts of society to recover from this disaster.
These novels bear the marks of much detailed research into mediaeval conditions - many of the supporting characters have names taken from the documentation of the time, referenced at the end of each book - and bring vividly to life the all-pervading squalor of living conditions in England during the Middle Ages. The deep-rooted and pervasive practice of traditional leechcraft as it contrasts with the dawning science of evidence-based medicine is a common bone of contention between Matthew and the students he teaches at Michaelhouse College (now part of Trinity College, Cambridge), whilst the conflict between the students of Cambridge and the townsfolk continually threatens to escalate into violence.
Another series of books, set just after the Restoration of Charles II and featuring Thomas Chaloner, detective and former spy, began with A Conspiracy of Violence published in January 2006, and continues with The Body in the Thames, published in hardback edition January 2011.
AKA Simon Beaufort
She writes detective fiction, and is noted for her series of mediaeval mysteries featuring Matthew Bartholomew, a teacher of medicine and investigator of murders in 14th-century Cambridge.
These books may have some aspects in common with the Ellis Peters Cadfael series, the mediaeval adventures of a highly intelligent Benedictine monk and herbalist who came to the Benedictine order late in an eventful life, bringing with him considerable secular experience and wisdom combined with a deal of native wit. This sets him apart from his comparatively innocent and naíve monastic brethren. His activities, both as a monk and a healer, embroil him in a series of mysterious crimes, both secular and monastic, and he enthusiastically assumes the rôle of an amateur sleuth. Sceptical of superstition, he is somewhat ahead of his time, and much accurate historical detail is woven into the adventures. But there any resemblance to the comparatively warm-hearted Cadfael series ends: the tone and subject matter of the Gregory novels is far darker and does not shrink from portraying the harsh realities of life in the Middle Ages. The first in the series, A Plague on Both Your Houses is set against the ravages of the Black Death and subsequent novels take much of their subject matter from the attempts of society to recover from this disaster.
These novels bear the marks of much detailed research into mediaeval conditions - many of the supporting characters have names taken from the documentation of the time, referenced at the end of each book - and bring vividly to life the all-pervading squalor of living conditions in England during the Middle Ages. The deep-rooted and pervasive practice of traditional leechcraft as it contrasts with the dawning science of evidence-based medicine is a common bone of contention between Matthew and the students he teaches at Michaelhouse College (now part of Trinity College, Cambridge), whilst the conflict between the students of Cambridge and the townsfolk continually threatens to escalate into violence.
Another series of books, set just after the Restoration of Charles II and featuring Thomas Chaloner, detective and former spy, began with A Conspiracy of Violence published in January 2006, and continues with The Body in the Thames, published in hardback edition January 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 16, 2011
Just arrived from UK.
I made a separate review for A Plague on Both Your Houses. In this second book, Matthew Bartholomew and his colleague from Michaelhouse, the Benedictine monk Brother Michael tries to solve a mysterious death of a friar which body is found in the University's massive document chest. At the same time, they try to solve the case of the murders of the town's prostitutes.
I didn't know that Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer.
I made a separate review for A Plague on Both Your Houses. In this second book, Matthew Bartholomew and his colleague from Michaelhouse, the Benedictine monk Brother Michael tries to solve a mysterious death of a friar which body is found in the University's massive document chest. At the same time, they try to solve the case of the murders of the town's prostitutes.
I didn't know that Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer.
August 6, 2018
Susanna Gregory is wonderful at plunging her readers into the life and times of 14th Century Cambridge England. Not to mention that the murder mysteries that she comes up with are complex and keep the reader guessing. I am on the second in a "Matthew Bartholomew Chronicle" series of twenty-three books. I plan to read them all!
March 4, 2021
It was a pleasant read. I’ll happily read more in the series.
February 15, 2009
I love the setting of this book which is during the first bubonic plague in England. And many of the characters are great esp. matt. But I will say that the whole university system described is so alien to what I know of today's system, that I was often really confused. This made the motive a bit hazy for me. But still a good read
July 29, 2010
The history of Cambridge colleges and the onset of the plague make for an intense period of history. The conflicts of interest between town & gown are eternal however.
October 17, 2010
Picked up in a church book sale for £1 - at least the £1 went to charity!
Turgid.
Turgid.
March 6, 2014
The second story was better than the first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2008
Good book--historical fiction, my favorite.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews