I have read all of the previous 13 in this series and have enjoyed them all. Will definitely continue with this series. Fun, quirky characters and engaging, complex plots although a few of them get a bit farcical at the end. They are a bit long hence not very fast paced so I tend to wait a couple of months before reading the next one. Very different from CJ Samson's Matthew Shardlake series and Gregory's own Restoration series. The latter two involve more actual historical events. With the Bartholomew series, you get a feeling for what it was like to live in the 14th century but without any reference to broader historical events. The only slight complaint I had about The Devil's Disciples was the occasional use of modern terminology: marketing, market forces, supply and demand, you get what you pay for, recap. Also, a minor error - in the phrase 'ferment religious rebellion' the correct word is 'foment'. ( )

This is the 14th in the Matthew Bartholomew series. It's amazing that Susanna Gregory can write so many books with more or less the same characters and keep them so fresh and interesting.

Cambridge in the 1350s is polarised into two factions: the true faithful; and those who believe God let them down during the black death. Those of the latter persuasion are dabbling in the occult when there arises a sorcerer with powers beyond what the normal practitioners have.

Matthew Bartholomew is targeted by some as the Sorcerer. Once more, he and Brother Michael are drawn where they would rather not go.

The mediaeval historical details are fascinating, as always; and the ending was a genuine surprise. ( )

It is June 1357 and the people in Cambridge are living though an unprecedented heat wave. Rumours of plague threaten Cambridge again, ten years after the Black Death had almost laid waste to the town. People remember that neither the church nor its priests had been able to defend people from the disease. People see omens everywhere and the mysterious Sorcerer is laying claim to many of the strange happenings. The townspeople turn to him for protection and to pagan rituals and magical potions to keep them safe. In the middle of all this Matthew and Michael are trying to solve a many small mysteries as well as a number of murders. Are all these event related?.
A great story capturing the feel of the era. There is a lot about witches and warlocks and of course the superstitions of the people of this age. ( )

This is another good one in the Matthew Bartholomew series. The time is summer of 1357 when Cambridge is experiencing an unprecedented heat wave in June. Strange things appear to be happening and a Sorcerer is gathering many townspeople as followers. There is a lot about witches and warlocks and of course the superstitions of the people of this age. The atmosphere in these books is great, and Ms. Gregory captures the period so well. Her characters are very well-drawn. This particular book isn't as bloody as these books can get. Matthew and Michael are trying to solve a whole bunch of little mysteries as well as one or two murders. I highly recommend this series for anyone who loves medieval who-dunits. ( )