Death of a Scholar : the Twentieth Chronicle of Matthew Bartholomew

The twentieth chronicle in the Matthew Bartholomew series. In the summer of 1358 the physician Matthew Bartholomew returns to Cambridge to learn that his beloved sister is in mourning after the unexpected death of her husband, Oswald Stanmore. Aware that his son has no interest in the cloth trade that made his fortune and reputation, Oswald has left the business to his widow, but a spate of burglaries in the town distracts Matthew from supporting Edith in her grief and attempting to keep the peace between her and her wayward son. As well as the theft of irreplaceable items from Michaelhouse, which threatens its very survival, a new foundation, Winwick Hall, is causing consternation amongst Matthew's colleagues. The founder is an impatient man determined that his name will grace the University's most prestigious college. He has used his wealth to rush the construction of the hall, and his appointed Fellows have infiltrated the charitable Guild founded by Stanmore, in order to gain the support of Cambridge's most influential citizens on Winwick's behalf. A perfect storm between the older establishments and the brash newcomers is brewing when the murder of a leading member of the Guild is soon followed by the death of one of Winwick's senior Fellows. Assisting Brother Michael in investigating these fatalities leads Matthew into a web of suspicion, where conspiracy theories are rife but facts are scarce and where the pressure from the problems of his college and his family sets him on a path that could endanger his own future... 'A first-rate treat for mystery lovers' (Historical Novels Review) 'Susanna Gregory has an extraordinary ability to conjure up a strong sense of time and place' (Choice) The University should have been delighted when an influential courtier decides to found a new College in Cambridge, but the older Colleges are jealous of the newcomer's ostentatious wealth, and the townsfolk bitterly resent yet another academic foundation thrust into their midst. Tensions between town and gown rise further still when physician Matthew Bartholomew snatches an unpopular felon from the jaws of death - an incident that coincides with a sudden increase in violent crime across the whole region. As the new College is about to receive the charter that will make it an official part of the University, an arrow flies through the air and kills the Junior Proctor. With the townsfolk and the scholars blaming each other for the murder, Bartholomew and his friend Brother Michael must find the culprit before the whole region erupts in a frenzy of recrimination and revenge. In 1358 Matthew Bartholomew returns to Cambridge to help his sister mourn the death of her husband. But he is soon distracted by a spate of burglaries in the town and the creation of a new foundation, Winwick Hall, which threatens the old colleges. A storm is brewing between the colleges and when one leading member of the Guild is murdered Matthew assists Brother Michael into investigation these fatalities.