The Devil's Disciples is the 14th book in the series to feature Matthew Bartholomew. This time around it is set 10 years after the Black Death. In this latest novel everyone is baffled when a mysterious figure only known as the sorcerer arrives in Cambridge and begins to advocate Satanism as an alternative religion to the Church. Even though he refuses to show his face to the people many of them are swayed by his arguments and begin to turn away from the Church.
However, Physician Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael, the Senior Proctor of the University, are not amongst the convinced, and they set out to expose the Sorcerer‛s identity along with solving the spate of crimes that appear to be linked to his appearance.
It is clear that in The Devil's Disciples that Matthew Bartholomew has his work cut out especially as he tries to unmask the sorcerer. The fact that we are unaware of his identity until near the end shows how good a writer Susanna Gregory is. One would have thought that we would have been privy to whom the sorcerer was earlier on in the story but this was not the case.
As ever, The Devil's Disciples combines historical truth with fiction to create a stimulating and credible mix.. Gregory takes real people from medieval Cambridge and weaves a web of fiction around them to make a powerful tale.
It is hard to believe, nowadays how much was accepted by people when faced with the belief of devil worship, talismans, exorcisms, charms and so on, but, given the superstitions of the Middle Ages, their inclusion in this novel certainly enhances the story. As usual Gregory‛s impeccable research comes shining through along with the humour and wit of her protagonists. It is always a pleasure to read this series.
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Ayo Onatade