Third in this Excellent Series - Rated 
Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. Her series of medieval mysteries have gained a formidable following. This book is the second in the series and introduces the physician Matthew Bartholomew to the reader. There are now a number of books in the series and they are always eagerly awaited by the author's fans.
Besides practising medicine Matthew is also a teacher at a Cambridge University and his sometimes unorthodox treatment of his patients draws accusations of heresy from his more traditional, but less skilled colleagues.
In this novel Matthew Bartholomew, a physician at Michaelhouse College in Cambridge, is called to the King's Ditch, a horrible stinking place that contains most of the rubbish and sewage from the town. Some mysterious bones have been found there, but are they old or new? The following day he is again called to the Ditch, this time because a student has been found dead there.
There is also unrest in the town. Much more than the normal bickering between the townsfolk and the students of the university. There is the disappeance of Dominica, former lover of the dead student and daughter of the well known Principal of a Cambridge student hostel.
Can all these events be connected? Then there is another find in the Ditch, a skeletal hand. It is hailed by the townsfolk as the last remains of a local martyr Simon d'Ambrey. When Matthew find out that on the finger of the gruesome find there is a ring, identical to a pair worn by Dominica and her dead lover, he knows that his teaching duties will have to wait while he attempts to solve the mystery.
This is the third book in the series and Matthew Bartholomew now seems like an old friend to the reader. It was also inspirationally by the author to place the books in mediaeval Cambridge. It just seems to add some extra atmosphere to the books.
Very good - Rated 
Another very good detective story in medieval Cambridge with Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael. Enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you engrossed until you've reached the end. On to volume four in the series!
My first read of this author - Rated
A good story line, good background (was the University really that hated though!), nice characters, and a bumbling detective. THis is the first Susanna Gregory I've read and I will read some others (promise!)
Yes the plot twists and turns, but it's a detective story, shouldn't they always do that. This book kept me up til 2am to finish it!
A Bit Too Long - Rated
Hence the one star off. This is the thrid in the series, and it's the first one which could've done with a bit of shortening. In truth it would been none the worse for being 50 or so pages less, with a few less twists and turns in the story - to the extent that it's a tad confusing who is who and when they died or didn't die. The ending expecially is verging on the contrived, whereby she had a perectly good end, but proceeded to change it, and make it less satisfying Notwithstanding that, the story is well thought out and the characters - both old and new - interact with each other brilliantly. There's always some sort of link from one book to the next - as there is from this one to "A Deadly Brew", which is the next one. It is a page turner and, if you can get over the mutitudinous plot twists, you'll be looking forward to the next one with more than a little expectation. Another good entry in the series
Brilliant medieval mystery - Rated
Do you like crime fiction? Are you interested in the Middle Ages? If the answer to both questions is "yes", why haven't you read this book yet? It's got it all - a gripping plot, believable characters and lots of information about life in 14th-century Cambridge. I found it very hard to put down and couldn't wait to go on reading.
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