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Matthew Bartholomew is a doctor, a teacher of medicine and Official Corpse Examiner at the University at Cambridge in the 14th century. After a deadly riot in Oxford many scholars fled to Cambridge for safety. But safe refuge was not in store for one group of clergy and scholars. First one man dies from what they think is bad water, then another is found with a knife in his back. Brother Michael, the Senior Proctor, sends Matthew Bartholomew to investigate and he discovers the gory truth. Both men had been murdered, both bled to death and both had the truth of the real crime hidden. When more violence and dead bodies turn up it's up to Bartholomew and Brother Michael to find out the perpetrator of the misdeeds as quickly as possible, hopefully before the Archbishop of Canterbury's scheduled visit. Author Susanna Gregory does a masterful job in recreating the 14th century, her description of the location and each character's outlook as a person of that time brings the readers completely into Cambridge of 1355. Unfortunately, this over 450-page book is far too long, as almost each of the very large cast of characters discusses the same facts from every angle. Yet even with all the constant talking heads doing their best to cover the same ground, the reader is still left wondering why no one sees many of the obvious clues in front of them. Jumping to wrong conclusions seems to be everyone's second nature and it grows tiresome after a while. A lot of time is also squandered on the night-time secret meetings between Bartholomew and his lady Matilde. It's hinted at, brought up and laughed at by, it seems, every character in the book, and though we are privy to Bartholomew's inner thoughts during all these conversations, not once does he think the truth to himself. Creating a mystery where none is necessary simply adds to already long read and frustrates the readers. This is the 12th in the Matthew Bartholomew Chronicle Series but it's the first I've read. I'm pleased to report that THE MARK OF A MURDERER stands on its own very well. Though I wish the story had been tighter and the ending had not been quite so filled with coincidences, I found THE MARK OF A MURDERER quite satisfying and well worth the effort.
Reviewed by Sharon Katz, July 2005
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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