Rumours of plague threaten Cambridge again, ten years after the Black Death had almost laid waste to the town. Neither the church nor its priests had defended people from the disease and now they turn elsewhere for protection, to pagan ritual and magical potions. It is a ripe atmosphere to be exploited by the mysterious 'Sorcerer', an anonymous magician whose increasing influence seems certain to oust both civil and church leaders from power. One murder, another unexplained death, a font filled with blood, a desecreated grave - all bear the hallmarks of the Sorcerer's hand, only the identity of the magician remains a mystery. A mystery which Matthew Barthlomew must solve before he loses his reputation ... and his life.
The Devil's Disciples
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"Taut." —Publishers Weekly
"Immaculate research, a well thought-out plot, and a sense of drama." —Choice on The Mark of a Murderer
"A good, serious, and satisfying read." —Irish Times on A Mastery Murder
About the Author
Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of a Cambridge academic who previously worked as a coroner's officer.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By NorthVan Dave
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
I'll state my biases upfront. I like the Susanna Gregory mystery series starring Matthew Bartholomew. So. Having said that it should come as no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Anyone following the series knows Ms. Gregory's formulae and there is no deviating from the script in this novel.
Someone dies at the beginning of the novel under suspicious circumstances. Then a stranger comes to town and starts to cause trouble by sowing the seeds of discontent. This caused the townsfolk and university folk to start turning on one another. This leads to more deaths and, of course an overall rise in tension between one fraction of people and the other.
As Matthew Bartholomew books go, this one featured all of the regular cast of characters as well as the sights and sounds of Cambridge. It was well written and I thought the plot was well structured.
For those of you following the series, then by all means give it a read. You won't be disappointed.
Someone dies at the beginning of the novel under suspicious circumstances. Then a stranger comes to town and starts to cause trouble by sowing the seeds of discontent. This caused the townsfolk and university folk to start turning on one another. This leads to more deaths and, of course an overall rise in tension between one fraction of people and the other.
As Matthew Bartholomew books go, this one featured all of the regular cast of characters as well as the sights and sounds of Cambridge. It was well written and I thought the plot was well structured.
For those of you following the series, then by all means give it a read. You won't be disappointed.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another good one!
April 8 2009
By S. Schwartz
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
This is another good one in the Matthew Bartholomew series. The time is summer of 1357 when Cambridge is experiencing an unprecedented heat wave in June. Strange things appear to be happening and a Sorcerer is gathering many townspeople as followers. There is a lot about witches and warlocks and of course the superstitions of the people of this age. The atmosphere in these books is great, and Ms. Gregory captures the period so well. Her characters are very well-drawn. This particular book isn't as bloody as these books can get. Matthew and Michael are trying to solve a whole bunch of little mysteries as well as one or two murders. I highly recommend this series for anyone who loves medieval who-dunits.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent addition to this medieval series
Oct 1 2008
By Historical mystery fan
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Matthew Bartholomew is once again called upon to reduce the tension between town and gown in medieval Cambridge. If you think student unrest and violence is new, this series will quickly change your mind. And the animosity between the different monastic orders rings true through the centuries.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great story, unpredictable outcome.
Nov 4 2011
By Skylark
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I don't usually read murder mysteries, but the historical setting and characters in this book appealed to me, so I gave it a shot. I'm glad I did.
Even though this is the fourteenth book in a series, it reads like a stand-alone novel (which was excellent for me, as this was the first one I've read!). What particularly impressed me was the way in which the characters were so easy to relate to. There was no forced Old English to read, no artificial highlighting of the mediaeval conditions, no dwelling on issues that are politically incorrect today (e.g. sexism and the portrayal of women as helpless slaves in a patriarchy) - it was all written very naturally and matter-of-factly. All the characters were very fleshed-out and believable.
As for the story itself, I found it very unpredictable. I never knew where it was going to go next, and I liked the fact that answers were revealed at the same pace as when the characters made the discoveries. Some stories are too predictable, where you end up waiting in impatience for the characters to realise the obvious. I liked not being able to predict the outcome.
Great book! I find myself wanting to read more historical mysteries now, and certainly the others in this series. It's definitely worth your time.
Even though this is the fourteenth book in a series, it reads like a stand-alone novel (which was excellent for me, as this was the first one I've read!). What particularly impressed me was the way in which the characters were so easy to relate to. There was no forced Old English to read, no artificial highlighting of the mediaeval conditions, no dwelling on issues that are politically incorrect today (e.g. sexism and the portrayal of women as helpless slaves in a patriarchy) - it was all written very naturally and matter-of-factly. All the characters were very fleshed-out and believable.
As for the story itself, I found it very unpredictable. I never knew where it was going to go next, and I liked the fact that answers were revealed at the same pace as when the characters made the discoveries. Some stories are too predictable, where you end up waiting in impatience for the characters to realise the obvious. I liked not being able to predict the outcome.
Great book! I find myself wanting to read more historical mysteries now, and certainly the others in this series. It's definitely worth your time.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 7 reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
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