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A Plague on Both Your Houses

The First Chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew

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A Plague on Both Your Houses

By: Susanna Gregory
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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About this listen

Matthew Bartholomew, unorthodox but effective physician to Michaelhouse college in medieval Cambridge, is as worried as anyone about the pestilence that is ravaging Europe and seems to be approaching England. But he is distracted by the sudden and inexplicable death of the Master of Michaelhouse - a death the University authorities do not want investigated.

But Matt is determined to get to the truth, leading him into a tangle of lies and intrigue that cause him to question the innocence of his closest friends - and even his family - just as the Black Death finally arrives.

A Plague on Both Your Houses is the book that introduced Matthew Bartholomew to the world.

©1996 Susanna Gregory (P)2017 Little Brown Book Group Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Fiction Middle Ages Crime
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At last, the earlier books are coming to Audible. Sadly the narrator has changed from the old versions I have of some of the other books in the series, and now Michael has a quite effeminate voice which jarred with both those and my own impression of him. However, having enjoyed these stories and characters for so long I am happy to endure for the simple pleasure of having them on audio.
Thank you.







More Matt please

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I listened to some of the later Bartholomew mysteries so decided to try the first one.

I enjoyed this and the narrator was very good. Unlike other reviewers, I also liked the different narrator of some of the later books although I must admit the change in Michael’s voice was quite bizarre.

These are very complex with lots of characters and you have to follow carefully. If you enjoy that then great buy the book! It was nice to see how Matthew and Michael started out together.

The Oxford / Cambridge plot was slightly ridiculous but I enjoyed it all the same. This is much more grisly than Cadfael although I loved all the twists and turns. Can’t help feeling they could do with some stronger female characters as Phillipa just doesn’t do it for me.

Medieval Mayhem

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I really enjoyed the narration and content of this book.Highly recommend others to try it.

Really enjoyable

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The first few chapters would have benefited from tighter editing but once it got into its stride it was as ripping a yarn as any other by this author. Excellent narration, rewards perseverance past the first few chapters.

Good first outing

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Imagine a bad James Bond, Moonraker or Diamonds Are Forever, say, take it back 500ish years and you'll get a reasonable idea of the quality of this book. The characters are not exactly endearing and the plot seems to blunder about in the guise of being thrilling but actually only manages to be somewhat annoying. Each 'twist' seems to be mere happenstance rather than part of a carefully wrought storyline. When the protagonist's theories or deductions have unravelled - yet again - we are provided with a lengthy exposition as to what contributed to his mis-conception. I was expecting a white-clad, face-less monk, pew bound and stroking a moggy to materialise at many points throughout this tale.

The historical features seem accurate and certainly interested me - I think this is what kept me listening. Although, I am always annoyed by the assumption that because women lived in a fiercely patriarchal society they were ninnies and/or easily duped by men and are portrayed as such in historical novels.

The narrator was fine and gave distinctive features to each of his characters and made this relatively engaging to listen to.

Fairly Ridiculous

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