Matricide at St. Martha's

Robert Amiss #5

by Ruth Dudley Edwards, Bill Wallis (Narrator)

When an enormous bequest is left to St. Martha's College, the dons split into three factions: the Virgins, the Dykes and the Old Women. As the factions fight over how to spend the money, one of the Virgins is found dead. Once again, Robert Amiss finds himself with a murder investigation...

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Crime, British Literature

Audio CD

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

After being a Cambridge postgraduate, a teacher, a marketing executive and a civil servant, Ruth Dudley Edwards became a full-time writer. A journalist, broadcaster, historian and prize-winning biographer who lives in London, her recent non-fiction includes books about The Economist, the Foreign Office, the Orange Order and Fleet Street. The first of her ten satirical mysteries, Corridors of Death, was short-listed for the CWA John Creasey Memorial Dagger; two others were nominated for the CWA Last Laugh Award. Her two short stories appeared respectively in The Economist and the Oxford Book of Detective Stories.

Series:
* Robert Amiss Mystery

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A totally politically incorrect mystery taking place in a fictional college at Cambridge, UK. St. Martha's is a strange fish : partially dedicated to women's education, and partially anchored in the Victorian dogmas about women and needlework, cooking and flower arranging. The narrator, a young man without clear profession or affiliation, except a past job in the Civil Service, is invited by an old friend, the formidable "Jack" Troutbeck, currently bursar, to help with an ongoing academic conflict. The Old Guard (aka The Virgins), wants to use a recent bequest to further rigorous scholarship. The New Guar (aka The Dykes) want to establish a center for marxist women's studies. And The Old Women (the only men on the faculty) just want to put the money towards increasing their creature comforts. Jack Troutbeck throws herself into this academic infighting with great gusto and consummate wiles... until the dead bodies start showing up. The narrator cozies up to the tutor for Feminine Crafts, endures the unctuous oratory of the chaplain, and in general tries to be an undercover agent for Jack. "Undercover" is the right word here, because he discovers to his delight that the beautiful Mary-Lou, the only Black faculty member and associated with the Dykes, is actually quite willing to dally with him.

This book made me laugh. Jack is a fun character, as subtle as Machiavelli and as rough as a tractor bulldozing her opponents. The obvious fun she experiences while wading into this academic cesspool, was infectious. There is plenty to be offended by in this book for almost everyone, with Jack being an equal-opportunity offender.

[R.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I have read all the Robert Amiss books out of order, but I do think this is my favorite although it was my first. I like the character of Robert Amiss. He is a bit of a bumbler, and I'm not sure he really knows his own mind, a bit wishy-washy. But he is kindhearted and that counts for something. In this story he is called to interview for a position at an institute of higher learning that seems to be in the throes of chaos. The other professors and assistants all seem to have formed clicks to attach each other. When one is found dead, then another, and assaults take place, Amiss must come out of his shell to rally around his friend Jack, a blustery woman who seems to be orchestrating the battle.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 3 out of 5]

If for some reason you want to read this book, don't expect a British cozy. This one is far from it. It is set at St. Martha's College, and the matricide refers to the death of the College's mistress. Set against a backdrop of warring factions on campus, the mystery, of course, is who killed the Mistress?

I didn't exactly love this book, but it was okay. I'm not really sure I'd recommend it except to really diehard British mystery fans. At times it was very long winded and I just wanted to get through it; the scenes of politics and the move to extreme political correctness were kind of funny.

[Lady Hermione · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hilarious, and although the PCness exhibited by some of the characters seems over the top, anyone who knows about recent and modern academia will know that the exaggeration is slight. Robert Amiss is dropped in it by Jack Troutbeck in every book, poor bloke. I have read many of RDE's Amiss/Troutbeck books, own four and have just sent away for the other seven. Jack is a superb character. The idiot who suggested her as the person to chair a conference on Anglo-Irish relations and culture (The Anglo-Irish Murders) should have known better. If one happens to be of Irish descent, this book is doubly hilarious.

The books may not appeal to some US readers, as they are very English.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Satire so broad she must have laid it on with a trowel. The character of 'Jack' saved the book.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each of these mysteries is unique and fascinating. This one is set at a small Cambridge women's college in the 1970's where there is major schism between the Traditionalists and the new Feminists in how the college should be run. After the strange death of the college Dean-a library ladder that runs off the rails through a window, the battle begins between the factions, with sleuth Robert Amiss brought in to discover the truth and now the killer.

[Silke · Rating 5 out of 5]

read it in 2000 and loved it back then

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Amiss still can’t make up his mind what to do with his life when an old friend from his civil service days – ‘Jack’ Troutbeck – asks him to apply to be a Fellow at St Martha’s where she is Burser. St Martha’s is a Cambridge college and Robert finds himself in a hot bed of political correctness where almost anything he says can be misinterpreted and probably will be. Then the mistress of the college is killed in quite spectacular fashion and DS Ellis Pooley, a friend of Robert’s, is sent on loan to the Cambridge police force to help investigate the case.

This is fast paced romp of a mystery which introduces Jack Troutbeck a pipe smoking, out-spoken, tactless, highly intelligent maverick who can turn her hand to almost anything, is one of the bets books in this entertaining series in my opinion. Jack makes an excellent foil for the more conservative Amiss and she features prominently in the rest of the series.

The satirical picture of gender equality and university life is superbly well done and had me laughing out loud on many occasions. The mystery itself is complex and owes a certain amount to Dorothy L Sayers’ Gaudy Night which will entertain those who like spotting literary references. This is one of my favourite books in this entertaining series.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Various factions at a women's college in Cambridge (The Dykes-the young women fellows who want a womyn's studies center, The Virgins-the older fellows who want to concentrate on scholarship, and The Old Women-the male fellows who just want some nicer amenities like a decent wine cellar) are fighitng over a bequest from an old girl and Robert is called in by a loud and profane former colleague, Ida "Jack" Troutbeck, to help ferret out some info. Soon after he arrives violence occurs which leads to murder and mayhem. Very funny look at some of the excesses of political correctness on the campus

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first mystery I've read in this series. I don't know what the tone of the other books is, but this one was an amusing over the top satire on political correctness run amok in the world of academia.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this was written by Benny Hill.

[JenniferB]

I couldn't complete this book.

[Regine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wicked sendup.