A Masterly Murder

The Sixth Chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew

By: Susanna Gregory

Narrated by: David Thorpe

Michaelhouse is in uproar: Kenyngham, the saintly but ageing master, has announced his retirement, and with unseemly haste Runham arranges his own 'election' as his successor. Within days he has dismissed several members of staff, including the redoubtable laundress Agatha, and is making life so unpleasant for the scholars that even Matthew Bartholomew believes his future as physician and teacher at the college is untenable. But Matthew has many patients to divert his attention, and Brother Michael, proctor of the fledgling university, has some suspicious deaths to investigate, although they cannot help but notice that the new master has commissioned a flurry of building work. Then Runham himself is murdered, and, although he is mourned by none, Matthew and Michael know they have to solve the mystery before any more damage is done to their beloved Michaelhouse.

©2000 Susanna Gregory (P)2017 Little Brown Book Group

Relaxing Fun

I wish they would make these books into a television series. The characters are so good and often so funny. The mysteries are entertaining but without stressful cruelty or disturbing violence. They are more in the Agatha Christie vein. They also remind me of Lyndsey Davis’s Falco series. They keep me enthralled! I am going to listen to them all.

Another good one from Susanna Gregory

Another fun mystery with many twists and turns. I enjoy listening to Susanna Gregorys books I have listened to a few others in her series based in 14th century Cambridge University.I would like to commend David Thorpe, who narrates this and the other books in the series, he has a wide array of accents and voices for the various characters. I especially like the voice of the foppish monk Michael.

Well

Well I did not see that coming! You will know what I mean toward the end. A long journey of greed and importance that simmers below the surface. Great narration. Some disputable characters

Pedantic for no purpose

Well researched, but chaotic. The plot gets so entangled that an epilogue was necessary to clarify.