A Wicked Deed

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These Books are Highly Entertaining - Rated
Susanna Gregory is the pseudonym of a Cambridge academic who was previously a coroner's officer. Her series of mediaeval 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.

Matthew Bartholomew fellow of Michaelhouse college, and doctor of medicine is taking a journey to Suffolk with other members of the college. They are travelling to accept the gift of the living of a parish in Suffolk, where one of their companions Unwin, is to be installed as priest. They reach their destination with some relief after being beset by a number of incidents.

Their hope that they can relax a little having arrived at their destination is short lived, as they are soon drawn into a dispute between local landowners, but worse is to happen. Unwin their travelling companion and the new priest of the church is found murdered and it is not the first time that an unnatural death has struck the village . . .

Wicked indeed - Rated
Even rural Suffolk isn't as peaceful as it may look on first sight. When Matthew and a small group of Fellows and students travel out there they are confronted with violence and murder as soon as they arrive...

As in the previous four novels an engrossing tale from start to finish, but what I particularly liked about this one though is how splendidly Gregory introduces some very humorous passages too (the scene when Alcote drinks one of Eltisley's potions! Hilarious!).

I do wonder about Alcote though... will we meet him again in the next book? Can't wait to start on that one!

A Wicked Deed : - Rated
Once again, Susanna Gregory grips your attention from start to finish. The book is easily as good as the first four, so if you've enjoyed them, you'll enjoy this one. Matthew travels to Grundisburgh with loyal Cynric, Michael, Roger Alcote, William and three students. On their travels they find a body....
Closely followed, by the apparent murder of one of their students.
This book, is just as intriging as the previous books in this series and well worth buying.

Susanna Gregory's best yet - Rated
I've just finished reading this book. Ms Gregory just keeps getting better and better. While I have enjoyed her earlier work for its detailed description of the historical context (particularly the Plague in "A Plague on Both Your Houses") she has successfully introduced humour into her writing and this book is successful on a number of different levels. I would heartily recommend it to readers who have already read the Matthew Bartholemew series, and to people who have not read the series but who enjoy historical crime.

One of Susanna Gregory's best to date - Rated
While I've lost interest in some other Historical mystery series, Susanna Gregory always manages to keep my interest fresh. A Wicked Deed is one of the best in her sequence about 14th century physician, Matthew Bartholomew, poignant at times and sometimes uproariously funny (don't miss the description of a village debate on the subject: Does The Earth Rotate?) The mystery is well paced and suspense builds and lasts through to the end of the book.

While Gregory's research is impeccable and paints a fascinating portrait of England in the years following the Black Death, her greatest achievement in my eyes is in the robust and three dimensional characters she draws. Matthew's idealism and honesty contrasts well with the more complex natures of his friends and colleagues as well as with a satisfyingly unpleasant and diversely motivated bunch of evildoers.

I'd recommend these books as much to those who enjoy a good historical novel as to mystery readers.