THE SANCTUARY MURDERS Chronicles of Matthew Bartholomew, Book 24

Narrator David Thorpe meticulously depicts 1360 Cambridge as King Edward III calls for everyone to arm against France. University staff, including sleuths Brother Michael and Matthew Bartholomew, are concerned because there are French scholars to consider plus the usual town-and-gown conflicts. Thorpe deftly captures the rise in tension when the university hosts a colloquium of nuns, who add further complications. The nuns' petty and vicious arguments are upsetting, and the ruthless, horseback-riding Sister Joan is terrifying. Descriptions of medieval life are so well rendered that listeners can almost see, hear, and smell the town. Thorpe excels with diverse accents, the dramatic pause, and portraying the friendship of Brother Michael and Bartholomew. The epilogue and historical notes disclose that much is based on fact. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2019]