A Deadly Brew

The Fourth Matthew Bartholomew Chronicle

By: Susanna Gregory

Narrated by: David Thorpe

Length: 16 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

The fourth chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew continues the adventures of the 14th-century Cambridge physician when he is called to attend to two deaths from some poisoned wine. The opening of a new and very well-endowed college has created petty infighting amongst the academics as new appointments are made. The winter and spring have been appallingly wet, there is a fever outbreak amongst the poorer townspeople and the country is not yet fully recovered from the aftermath of the plague. The increasing reputation and wealth of the Cambridge colleges are causing dangerous tensions between the town, church and university, and then the poisoned wine kills the first victim - a student. The second victim is Dittone, the deputy master of the new college, but there seems no connection between him and the student. Matthew must establish the facts before relations between town and gown spiral out of control.

©2008 Susanna Gregory (P)2017 Little Brown

Series is so much more fun with narration

I hope the narrator’s compensation was in proportion the number of characters he voiced, because that is what makes this series so fun to listen to. Though the stories are good, it’s a bit dry to read ( hard to voice all characters in your head and understand the inflections implied). The narrator is extremely talented and makes this series so enjoyable just to hear the different characters- even when they’re eating or laughing, etc- makes the story come alive.

Great female characters shine in this volume.

This has been my favorite in the Bartholomew mysteries so far. Edith, Matilde, and the introduction of Michael’s wily and brilliant spymaster grandmother, plus the unlikeable niece make the story much more rich and interesting.

Too much of the same thing

I like Matthew and Brother Michael, but it seems like the books reuse far too many common threads. Okay, I think we get it, all the universities are in competition with each other, the religious hate the laypeople, and the towns people hate the university people. They are getting repetitive.

WAY TOO MUCH CONVERSATION

Unlike the prior books, this installment features an abundance (perhaps excessive) amounts of conversation between characters. Instead of moving the action through narrative and interaction, ‘Deadly Brew’ talks the reader into a stupor. Good story, just way too much conversation.