A Grave Concern

The Twenty Second Chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew

By: Susanna Gregory

Narrated by: David Thorpe

Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

Identifying the murderer of the Chancellor of the university is not the only challenge facing physician Matthew Bartholomew. Many of his patients have been made worse by the ministrations of a 'surgeon' recently arrived from Nottingham, his sister is being rooked by the mason she has commissioned to build her husband's tomb and his friend, Brother Michael, has been offered a bishopric which will cause him to leave Cambridge.

Brother Michael, keen to leave the university in good order, is determined that the new Chancellor will be a man of his choosing. The number of contenders putting themselves forward for election threatens to get out of control, then more deaths in mysterious circumstances make it appear that someone is taking extreme measures to manipulate the competition.

With passions running high and a bold killer at large, both Bartholomew and Brother Michael fear the very future of the university is at stake.

©2016 Susanna Gregory (P)2016 Soundings Ltd

Obsessed with this series

In the time of COVID Susanna Gregory’s Cambridge mysteries have kept me sane during this stressful times.
From volume one to A Grave Concern, I have been taken to a distant and interesting time.

Excellent series, looking for more in audio

What made the experience of listening to A Grave Concern the most enjoyable?

Susanna Gregory has developed an excellent series, maintaining certain enjoyable and evolving characters throughout the series while always introducing new people, new history to the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Matthew, the complexity of his character grows.

Would you listen to another book narrated by David Thorpe?

Not sure; there was rather a lot of what seemed like over-dramatization - as much as I loved the story, I was tempted to fast forward through some of the more emotional scenes.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Greed. politics, and scheming... a historical curriculum.

Any additional comments?

I do hope audiobooks of the earlier books in this series are done, especially if they are narrated by Andrew Wincott.

So disappointing

What would have made A Grave Concern better?

the story is repetitve to such an extent that we checked to see if the iPod had reset itself.

Would you ever listen to anything by Susanna Gregory again?

Thomas challanor series, yes, this one, no

What didn’t you like about David Thorpe’s performance?

to pronounce Cymric as Simrick instead of Kumric grates dreadfully upon me, a Welshwoman

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from A Grave Concern?

The area round 3 hours into part 2 which seems to repeat earlier material

Any additional comments?

Such a letdown after enjoying several of Gregory's Thomas Challenor books.

Poor reading

Excellent story brilliant research spoils by very disjointed reading with confusing voices all rather similar spoils flow of story trying to differentiate between them. Pity excellent book spoilt

Not the best in the series

One of the weaker books in the series. Starts out well with an interesting story about Satan killing one of the characters on the roof, then there is is a really long boring bit and the end is quite exciting. Not convinced that killing off some of the better known characters is such a good idea because the plots seem to get thinner with each book. This book seemed like a filler book in the series where various things happen to move Michael and Matthew on in their careers. Having listened to most of the series I find the writing is getting a bit repetitive with the characters doing the same things over and over again and saying the same phrases.

I usually listen to these books whilst commuting and the shouty narration works well in short doses but listening to this on a long journey made the story less enjoyable than I had hoped.

Fun, as usual, with plenty of twists and turns.

I'm getting to the stage now of beginning to realise that the most likely killer in the stories of Bartholomew is always going to be the least likely person - so I wasn't surprised by the killer's identity this time - but enough to keep you guessing for as long as possible.

If you’ve got this far…..

I love this series and although I enjoyed this the story was weak. Whilst I enjoyed the characters as normal the plot seemed to run out of steam. Tinkle being murdered by the devil added a bit of spice but I was confused as to what was happening. Matilde being referred to as finally returning to Cambridge and Matthew playing the typically indecisive swain sets it up for the next book… which I think is the last one ….

one of the very best

Thoroughly entertaining and theatrical from start to finish. ( Only Book One is more gripping, and that because of the Black Death). I loved that Michaelhouse is enjoying more comfy surroundings and snow! Plenty of hilarious spats and bodies galore. So many great characters, i was expcting Michael's grandmother to make an appearance ( she doesn't , don'n't worry) . Great my favourite characters ( Bartholomew and the one who talks to animals, ) were all there, Whereas the most irritating one has left the town.
NB, there used to be one character, who talked to himself out loud. He's been my favourite as you always knew what he was thinking! Maybe if THelmnettam ( sorry spelling: its an audiobook) can be revived in Coleman, maybe my talking out loud scolar could be re-invented.
Plus, the more analysing of gore, and talk of black death, the better, thanks : D

This Series Never Fails

As with any new Matthew Bartholomew Novel, I found this one hard to put down (stop listening). Great story, even more great characters brilliantly conveyed by David Thorpe. Roll on Book 24 (currently listening to 23.)

Great performance

Love to listen to David Thorpe... Great Narrator. And love the Matthew Barthomew chronicle. Very captivating

We all have bad days ...

What would have made A Grave Concern better?

A return to the witty, interesting, vivid and engaging writing that S Gregory has previously shown in her Matthew Bartholomew books.

What was most disappointing about Susanna Gregory’s story?

I have read/listened to other S Gregory books and this one just doesn't match up to the usual strong story line and interesting details that her other books have maintained. The relationship between the two main protagonists Matthew and Michael are dull, repetitious and even the usual characters like William, Edith and the delightful Clispby seem routine and formulaic.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of David Thorpe?

Out of all the narrators David Thorpe has been the best and for once my complaint is not with the narrator but with the writing.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Unfortunately, having listened to the whole book I am returning it, the first time ever for a S Gregory book. Redeeming qualities? The last part of the book became more interesting but I just didn't care what happened to the characters I normally love and invest time and effort.

Any additional comments?

I am hoping this is just a blip in the work of an author that so far has been consistently refreshing to read.