Description (from cover):'The second book in the Grantchester Mysteries--six detective novels set against the backdrop of thirty years of British history.
The loveable full-time priest and part-time detective Canon Sidney Chambers continues his sleuthing adventures in late 1950s Cambridge. Accompanied by his faithful Labrador, Dickens, and working in tandem with the increasingly exasperated Inspector Geordie Keating, Sidney is called on to investigate the unexpected fall of a Cambridge don from the roof of King's College Chapel; a case of arson at a glamour photographer's studio; and the poisoning of Zafar Ali, Grantchester's finest spin bowler, in the middle of a crucial game of cricket. As he pursues his quietly probing inquiries, Sidney also has to decide on the vexed question of marriage. Can he choose between the rich, glamorous socialite Amanda Kendall and a beguiling German widow, Hildegard Staunton, three years his junior? To help him make up his mind Sidney takes a trip abroad, only to find himself trapped in a complex web of international espionage just at the Berlin Wall is going up.'
My thoughts:
When I think of the classic English detective stories, I think of Christie and of these fabulous stories. I love the quaintness of these stories and of the Cambridge countryside. Sidney Chambers is an intelligent priest who loves to snoop into the affairs of his parishioners. If something mysterious is going on you can count on Sidney to be right in the middle of the action. Sometimes he seems to find his way into trouble without trying, but other times he brings things on himself. I love his character and I can't wait to see what the author has in store for Sidney and the village of Grantchester.
I love how the author makes six short mysteries flow so well into one book. It is very captivating and engaging to me as a reader because it is something a little different in each story. There is not a lot of action and not a lot of clues to solve these mysteries, but I still appreciate them all the same. I find them amusing and can't wait for the next one to be released. Sidney has made some life-altering changes and I can't wait to see how he deals with those choices in the future stories.
These are the type of mystery stories that are bound to amuse you but not in the ordinary sense of the genre. They are different types of mysteries, but that are still interesting and are easy to get sucked into. The perfect novel for a rainy day where you want to appreciate short stories with the same general characters. I highly encourage cozy mystery lovers to read this series as I think it is a series that can appeal to both cozy lovers and historical mystery readers as well.
Overall Rating: 4
Title: Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night
Author: James Runcie
Series: Grantchester Mystery #2
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication Date: May 21, 2013
Pages: 368
Genre: Historical Mystery
Get It: Amazon; Barnes & Noble
Disclaimer: This book was selected from the library by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.
