An Order for Death cover art

An Order for Death

The Seventh Matthew Bartholomew Chronicle

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An Order for Death

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

Believers in the theory of nominalism have set some Cambridge colleges at the throats of those who believe them to be heretics, and Michael, the senior proctor, has his work cut out to keep the peace. When a nominalist is murdered during a riot, Michael is certain he will easily find the killer amongst the Dominicans, but before he can get any sense out of them his junior proctor, Walcote, is found hanged, and he discovers that his trusted ally had arranged secret meetings at the St Ragelund Convent between men who would not normally be seen together - and the nuns of St Ragelund are renowned for behaviour entirely inappropriate to their calling.

Meanwhile Matthew Bartholomew learns that Michael, his lifelong friend, is in all probability the thief who relieved one of the antinominalist colleges of some of their most precious papers. If that charge were proved, it would put paid to Michael's long-term plans to become master of Michaelhouse - but would he kill to protect himself? Unable to believe his colleague would be capable of such acts, Bartholomew knows the only way he can quiet his own conscience is to solve the murders himself.

©2010 Suanna Gregory (P)2017 Little Brown Book Group Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Fiction Crime

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All stars
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wasnt as keen on book 5 but decided to give this one a go. Glad i did.

more enjoyable than last

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I have loved all of these books and this one is possibly my favourite so far, probably in the same way the best Morse episodes were set in the arcane world of Oxford university so this, for me, was enjoyable for being firmly set within the university life of Cambridge. I enjoy the setting and the time period as it is also leading me to learn a little more about the period and in this case the background of the philosophical idea of nominalism. However you don't have to be interested in anything else to enjoy the novel. The book is great fun despite the murders because of a thread of humour. The various orders of monks all brawling in the church at the end was straight out of a carry on film. The regular characters become like friends as you get to know them over the books and David Thorpe's narration brings them too life in great style. My only gripe would be the character of Matilde who seems totally unrealistic and too vapid in character but fortunately she is not in much and the real joy is the relationship between Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael as they bicker and blunder their way through to save Cambridge university yet again. Long may it continue.

Carry on in the Cloisters

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I am warmly committed to this series, and I have several more chronicles in my library.
Positives: Cambridge setting; the main repeating characters; complex plotting; great humour, and easy to listen/read and wanting to listen-on/read-on; clarity of diction in David Thorpe's performance - Mathew and Michael's voice characterisations are mainstays.
Less Positives: stock words over the novels (glower/glowering); Mathew and his hand through his hair - basically a want of greater editing in book and audio e.g. clarity on how long Lincolne had been in Cambridge (child, student or Prior); 1838 not 1338 in the audio. There are many, many characters in each chronicle and it must be hard to find voices for all. Greater attention to voicing lesser characters and sometimes straight reading might benefit (once a character's voice switches mid-speech.)
Longing: For Matilde to figure more significantly and Mathew to get on with things.

A little More Care...

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i love these books, David Thorpe is a genius, he brings life to Susanna Gregory's richly imagined characters and intriguing stories. This one is my favourite so far.

Brilliant

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To think that clerics previously killed each other is astounding, to consider it could even occur on Easter Sunday was even more shocking.
So was the notion of a Convent full of Nuns working as Prosecutes. Lol!
Great Narrator and very amusing story.

Great fun.

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As usual in this series the hero is dumb, the monk is the brains (but not always a nice person) and the most unlikely person did the deed, This version has the extra unpredictability of and even more obscure character coming out of the woodwork to claim he's the brains behind it all.
But, also, as usual, its listenable in an easy-going "background while your working" way and the history and characterisations are always good, Minor people from earlier books develop into mains and some older ones disappear which is good and keeps the series fresh in at least one way even if the detective process consists of going down the wrong road until the bad guy suddenly puts his hand up seemingly for no other reason than he wants to get hanged. But I'm addicted now so roll on book 8

Predictable by its unpredictability

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Great story based in 14 century Cambridge with interesting characters and one of the best narrators.

What's not to like?

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have however enjoyed all the books in the series. I like the characters , the time period and the setting. I also enjoy the narration. It is hard to make all the characters sound different and I think the narrator does a good job here. Yes it follows a set formula but personally I like that.

Nominalism

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Yet again Susanna Gregory has done a fantastic job with this book, and David Thorpe brought our favourite characters to life!!

Yet again

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With its many twist and turns one is kept guessing who did what. Well read as ever.

Another enthralling tale

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