A Vein of Deceit

Matthew Bartholomew #15

by Susanna Gregory

Despite a new influx of well-heeled students, Michaelhouse has suffered from an acute lack of funds that has made itself manifest in a lack of decent provisions. It is only when the Brother in charge of the account books dies unexpectedly that an explanation is revealed: large amounts of money had been paid for goods the college never received. Although shocked by this evidence of fraud, Matthew Bartholomew is more concerned with the disappearance of a quantity of pennyroyal from his herbarium. Pennyroyal is known to cause a woman to miscarry, and a pregnant visitor to his sister's household has died from an overdose of the substance. Had she meant to abort her child, or had someone else wanted to ensure that she was unable to provide an heir to her husband's wealthy estates? When Matthew learns that it was the dead woman’s husband who had received Michaelhouse's missing money, he begins to search for other connections and quickly exposes a deep and treacherous conspiracy.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Medieval, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Crime

480 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Cruwys, a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. She is married to author Beau Riffenburgh who is her co-author on the Simon Beaufort books.

AKA Simon Beaufort

She writes detective fiction, and is noted for her series of mediaeval mysteries featuring Matthew Bartholomew, a teacher of medicine and investigator of murders in 14th-century Cambridge.
These books may have some aspects in common with the Ellis Peters Cadfael series, the mediaeval adventures of a highly intelligent Benedictine monk and herbalist who came to the Benedictine order late in an eventful life, bringing with him considerable secular experience and wisdom combined with a deal of native wit. This sets him apart from his comparatively innocent and naíve monastic brethren. His activities, both as a monk and a healer, embroil him in a series of mysterious crimes, both secular and monastic, and he enthusiastically assumes the rôle of an amateur sleuth. Sceptical of superstition, he is somewhat ahead of his time, and much accurate historical detail is woven into the adventures. But there any resemblance to the comparatively warm-hearted Cadfael series ends: the tone and subject matter of the Gregory novels is far darker and does not shrink from portraying the harsh realities of life in the Middle Ages. The first in the series, A Plague on Both Your Houses is set against the ravages of the Black Death and subsequent novels take much of their subject matter from the attempts of society to recover from this disaster.
These novels bear the marks of much detailed research into mediaeval conditions - many of the supporting characters have names taken from the documentation of the time, referenced at the end of each book - and bring vividly to life the all-pervading squalor of living conditions in England during the Middle Ages. The deep-rooted and pervasive practice of traditional leechcraft as it contrasts with the dawning science of evidence-based medicine is a common bone of contention between Matthew and the students he teaches at Michaelhouse College (now part of Trinity College, Cambridge), whilst the conflict between the students of Cambridge and the townsfolk continually threatens to escalate into violence.
Another series of books, set just after the Restoration of Charles II and featuring Thomas Chaloner, detective and former spy, began with A Conspiracy of Violence published in January 2006, and continues with The Body in the Thames, published in hardback edition January 2011.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazing mystery is the 15th volume of the wonderful "Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles" by the author, Susanna Gregory.

Storytelling is once again of a superb quality, the storyline is very well executed, and it includes and ends with a great plot, while the figures featuring, whether they are real or fictional, come all vividly to life within this mystery, and Cambridge and the small rural places in Suffolk are all wonderfully pictured in the story.

At the beginning of the book you'll find a well-drawn map of Cambridge, England, in the AD 1350s, where the main story is taking place, although there are also some chapters that are taking place in Suffolk, while at the end of the book you'll be provided with a very well researched and documented Historical Note.

The book starts off once again with a prologue which is set in AD 1357, and it will be the basis for the main story that is set in the autumn of this same year AD 1357.

Our protagonists, Physician Matthew Bartholomew and his friend the Benedictine monk, Brother Michael, will come once more into action to solve various murders, as well as burglaries and property problems.

While deaths, or more likely murders, are taking place in Cambridge with the likes of Joan, wife of Elyan of Haverhill in Suffolk, the scholar and lawyer Wynewyk of Michaelhouse, and not to forget that of Carbo, also originally from Suffolk, their deaths have one thing in common, and that is that this "Vein" of deaths will eventually lead to Suffolk.

And so Matthew, Michael, the book-bearer, Cynric, and three senior students are going to pay Suffolk a visit, with places like Withersfield, Haverhill and Clare, and in Clare is where Brother Michael will have a chance encounter with Matilde but that's unknown to Matthew who's Matilde's ex-friend, in an attempt to unravel the threads of this web of murder and intrigue, thus what is to follow is an adventurous mystery, in which the sinister pair of Osa Gosse and his sister Idoma will also play their part, and where Matthew, Michael and with Cynric in tow will have to be at their sharpest not to fall victim themselves, but finally they will be able to reveal the big culprit(s) behind all these murders, and all because of the property disputes and its findings there.

Very much recommended, for this is another superb episode of this wonderful series, and that's why I like to call this story: "A Very Enjoyable Deceitful Mystery"!

[Pamela Shropshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the more convoluted of plots, but the various characters are all so well drawn I can almost see them. I was so surprised that Ms. Gregory made Wynewyck a villain! She does create some awfully wicked bad guys - Ona Gosse and his sister Idoma Gosse were one such pair.

One of the things that makes this series such a pleasure for me are the historical details about everyday life. The possibility of a coal mine in Suffolk is one of the plots; of course, I knew about all the mining that took place in Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries, but I had no idea that coal was being mined in the Middle Ages! This book constantly makes me curious and leads me to looking things up.

Another casual sentence mentions a weather forecast, and that makes me curious about weather forecasting in the medieval period - something else to research!

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as the title hinted, the answers seemed to be found in Suffolk in relation to mining or the apparent presence of a mineral that does not in fact exist in commercial quantities in England. It all started when there were some unaccounted for items on the Michaelhouse books that were kept by the Wily Wynewck and that said items must be traced at once and the discrepancies explained. It turned out that the three items (pigs, timber and coal) with corresponding amounts disbursed were all found at a certain area in Suffolk. Apparently there were other missing items and at least one student missing then later on Wynewyck himself could not be found. Bartolemew was missing a large amount of his stock of the abortifacient pennyroyal, quite fatal for pregnant women and must therefore be instantly recovered. Unfortunately, it could not be found before their trip to Suffolk in the company of Michael and Beadle Meadowman plus Matt and three of his students. Still, murder followed them into the bucolic countryside.

[Deborah Grant-Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up late to finish this even though it’s the second time I’ve read it. There are so many twists and turns, it was impossible to remember the solution.

Although there are several victims in each of these books, I never feel they are just mysteries to be solved; each victim leaves a hole in other characters’ lives. In this story, one of the victims is a friend of the main character, so the ending had to address both the need for closure and a way to move forward. The author achieves this balance with a neatly tied up, but suitably poignant, ending.

I am looking forward to rereading the next book in the series.

[Marilyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Compared to the other books this was utter garbage, having a fashionable openly gay character is beyond the scope of imagination as in the time period such a thing was unheard of. Lots of ergo , which hasn’t been used beyond. The storyline is quite confusing and boring.
This book is only fit for the kittypan

[David Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid tale taking the central characters away from Cambridge for rather too long to investigate one of their colleagues dodgy dealings - plenty of action and murder, a surprise twist and what almost looked like a cliff hanger ending both dramatically and emotionally. A good read

[Nance Roepke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-done and tree in the Matthew Bartholomew series. I kept thinking that I had the mystery all figured out and then there would be a new twist at which point I thought I had it figured out again and then there would be another twist. And so it went. Which made it very enjoyable.

[Own Timis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Susanna Gregory at her finest! Another excellent tale of Matthew and Michael trying to unravel a convoluted mystery that reveals possible enemies and vagabonds everywhere. A fantastic pre-Christmas read.

[May · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy Suzanna Gregory’s medieval mysteries. However, this one had so many different threads going that I was as flummoxed as Matthew & Brother Michael.
I am not giving this one my usual 4 ⭐️ because I had to work so hard to get through this convoluted plot.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read and reviewed the first fourteen books in this series and this one is more of the same. Great read, I love the characters, especially Brother Michael, and I can't wait to read the next one.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practically everyone but Matthew & Michael are guilty of some crime and one villain escapes.

[Feodora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read many but not all of the Matthew Batholomew Chronicles. The last one is long time ago. In my rememberence the stories were more captivating. But this was.....long and in parts boring.

[Rose Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

What a cast of characters to choose from. A number of dead bodies and villains that led the reader astray.

[Rachel of Winterley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy this series very much, even though I get hopelessly lost in the convolutions of the plot every time.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little better than usual. Some of the questions were resolved before Chapters 11 and 12. However, it was a very convoluted ending.

[Kathleen Morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mystery set in the richly detailed world of Susana Gregory’s 1300s England. Plot was exciting and the main characters likeable. Another good novel

[Nicolette Wasling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story which revolved around Withersfield and Haverhill, home to ancestors on mum's dad's side of the family.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too contrived - bit of a curate's egg this time too.

[Dorothy Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Susanna Gregory creates a believable and stunning account that has you on the edge of your seat.

[Michał Hołda · Rating 4 out of 5]

14th century Cambridge monks in detective mystery about dead body found in University property that could be killed by poison from scholar's cupboard. So I have melted into reading this, because the style is very fluent.

[Richard Stueber · Rating 3 out of 5]

The body count is higher than usual for this series. Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael are up to their ears in mysteries in this tale which begins in August, 1357.
Their search for answers takes them out of Cambridge to Haverhill, Withersfield and Clare in Suffolk County.
There are the usual multiple suspects for the multiple murders (some originally misdiagnosed as suicide or natural causes. One victim died laughing.)
Eventually some characters give up their closely held secrets and our heroes piece together what has really happened.
Michael has a chance to bring together Matthew and his true love Matilde, but she declines, saying that it wouldn't be good for Matthew's career.
A very fiendish woman villain is at large at the end and promises to create more mayhem.
The author is very fond of very large (often dangerous) women and here there are a number of them.

[Emmanuel Gustin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought it on an airport to fill the time on a flight, and it served that purpose, but not much more... The positive side of the book is that the author makes a strong effort to recreate the atmosphere of the 14th century. Although it is hard to say how accurate this really is, it is convincing. And Gregory has a mischievous sense of humor that keeps the readers entertained. On the downside, the plot of this detective story does not make much sense at all. As a new murder occurs every few pages, the plot tangles rather than thickens. At the end the writer resorts to the cheap stage trick of hiding the heroes in the bushes while the criminals explain their plan and actions... to themselves. Ridiculous.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

After becoming increasingly disappointed by books in this series, I finally hit one that I truly enjoyed. Many of the past books in the series seemed to loaded with evil or unlikeable characters, but that was not the case with this book. Hopefully the rest of the series will be as good.

[Cecily · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing with me and the Matthew Bartholomew series is that I think I know what is going on for the first three-quarters of the book, and then as the action comes to a climax and the sleuthing unveiled I realise I have no idea what has been going on. Or who half the characters were. And yet I keep reading them. I shall give up eventually (I nearly did when the author took Matthew to the brink of proposing to Mathilde and then backed away) but for the moment there is a sort of enjoyment in not knowing what is going on.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susanna gets so many twists and sub plots in these books it's hard to work out the murderer(s) before all is revealed. She fleshes out her regular characters so you can really empathise with them. Great series of books.

[Claire]

Another thoroughly enjoyable read in Susanna Gregory's 'Matthew Bartholomew' series of medieval murder mysteries. I particularly like the way that Gregory weaves a fictional story around real, historically verifiable characters and events, bringing the past to life in a highly readable fashion.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifteenth Chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew. I've read all the others and have enjoyed the series but I do feel the series is perhaps beginning to run out of steam. Or maybe I have just become too familiar with the characters and settings.

[Ryan LaDage · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Gregory's best in this series! Plenty of twists and turns in the plot and kept me guessing throughout the whole book! Plus, there's a good little cliff hanger at the end making me wonder what Matthew and Michael are going to do!

[Sandra Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great addition to this series, with lots of jeopardy and Medieval danger when the protagonist-Cambridge don/physician must entangle the murders of friends/colleagues and the puzzles of missing college relics and embezzled college funds.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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