Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night (Grantchester, 2) Paperback – May 21, 2013

We’re back in Grantchester, near Cambridge and its famed university. And Canon Sidney Chambers, vicar of Grantchester, has his hands full with mysteries and romance, in “Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night,” the second volume of the Sidney Chambers/Grantchester mysteries by novelist and mystery writer James Runcie.The basis for the television series Grantchester (shown on PBS in the United States last year), the Sidney Chambers mysteries are filled with questions and statements of faith, doubts, romance for Sidney, and distinctly nefarious things going on in and around Cambridge (which may soon threaten to rival Oxford for the number of fictional murders). This second volume of six stories covers several years, from 1955 to 1961.Ostensibly, Chambers is helping his good friend, police inspector Geordie Keating, help solve crimes. But in this volume, the good canon takes more of a sleuthing role than his inspector friend.In “The Perils of the Night,” a Cambridge professor falls to his death while trying to climb one of the university’s tall towers. It looks like an accident, but it is it? In “Love and Arson,” a photographer’s studio burns down, and a host of incriminating photos with it. “Unholy Week” concerns what initially looks like the accidental death of another Cambridge don (like I said, they’re dropping like flies; it’s as bad as Inspector Morse’s and Inspector Lewis’s Oxford). In “The Hat Trick,” a game of cricket is the way to a painful death and the facing down of racial prejudice. “The Uncertainty Principle” comes very close to home for Chambers, with him having to investigate his close friend Amanda’s fiancée. And in “Appointment in Berlin,” Sidney travels to West Berlin (this is 1961) to visit Hildegard Staunton, who may (or may not) become Mrs. Chambers. Instead of a restful respite from the rigors of Cambridge, he finds himself thrown into a prison in East Germany.Through each story, Runcie also develops Sidney’s romantic attachments. Amanda is an old friend who simply can’t imagine herself marrying a canon. Hildegard, whose husband was murdered in one of the stories in the first volume, “Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death,” has moved back to Germany, but she and Sidney keep exchanging visits. (By the end of the sixth story in this volume, the romantic “mystery” is resolved and Sidney finally marries.)Runcie has two more volumes in the series, “The Problem of Evil” and “The Forgiveness of Sins,” so there is more great fund (and entertaining reading) ahead.

I love England, Cambridge/Grantchester and books that demonstrate that an author is well versed in many different areas - in this case, religion, classical music, history( in the book the east Germany-West Germany division with the building of the wall) rugby(now that was a challenge to try and understand) and a good understanding of and ability to reflect on humanity in a humane, gentle way. This book has it all for me. When I realized the author was the son of a former Archbishop of Canterbury, I realized how he was so able to write with such great understanding about a local vicar and how his stories are so lovely in reflecting the same values I hold related to humankind and God. I think that the mystery aspect of the book is not the biggest draw to this book. It is everything else and the investigations of the many crimes that are part of this small community(you have to park your rationality at the door when you start to read as no small village could have so many crimes that need to be investigated) but realize that the solving of crimes is the vehicle for the many absorbing stories that help the reader get into the lives of the characters.

I was drawn to read Mr. Runcie's novels after seeing the televised series on PBS. The plots are quite different than those in the book especially with respect to romance. I highly dislike Hildegard and am disappointed that Sidney chooses to marry her. What a drudge. I almost hoped that she would have been killed off. (I may have liked her better if she played a bit of Chopin from time to time.) It seems as though Sidney has done exactly what he accused Amanda of doing - marrying someone about whom she, and the reading audience, knows nothing. Amanda would have been inspiring and a bit unpredictable as a wife, not just for Sidney but also for the parish. Romantic perils certainly ensue when one is unable to express one's emotion. Apart from this devastating disappointment I thought the stories well worth reading and would recommend this purchase. P.s. Sorry I gave away the romantic ending.

James Runcie takes us back to Grantchester, near Cambridge for this second volume of stories about Canon Sidney Chambers, Curate Leonard Graham, Mrs Macquire, Amanda Kendall and Hildegarde Stauton. This second volume of six stories covers several years, from 1955 to 1961, mostly we are beginning to get the feel of cold war and darker period. Canon Chambers is still helping, Inspector Geordie Keating.In “The Perils of the Night,” a Cambridge professor falls to his death while trying to climb one of the university’s tall towers. It looks like an accident, but it is it? In “Love and Arson,” a photographer’s studio burns down, and a host of incriminating photos with it. “Unholy Week” concerns what initially looks like the accidental death of another Cambridge don, while Hildegarde is visiting Sidney for Easter. In “The Hat Trick,” a game of cricket is the way to a painful death all in the cause of racism and love. “The Uncertainty Principle” really puts Sidney in a difficult spot, he feels the guy Amanda has fallen head over heals for is not right, something does not ring true. An finally, in “Appointment in Berlin,” Sidney travels to West Berlin (this is 1961) to visit Hildegard Staunton, Instead of a restful respite from the rigors of Cambridge, he finds himself thrown into a Stasi prison in East Germany, but he is released with Hildegard's help, but its just as the Wall is going up... so he has her come back to England... and you will have to read to find out what happens.The books are totally different from the series and though I like both, I find that I like the books more..they ring true.. I will be starting the third soon.

The Church of England has long been treated by writers as a long-running comedy. From Henry Fielding's Parson Adams, through Anthony Trollope's Barsetshire clergy, to the Reverend Timothy Farthing in 'Dad's Army' and the Rev Geraldine Granger of Dibley, not forgetting P G Wodehouse's Beefy Bingham and Harold 'Stinker' Pinker, writers treat us to a cavalcade of well-meaning eccentrics, sly opportunists, hen-pecked bishops, and bumbling idiots who cannot enter a room without knocking over some of the furniture. What a relief to find the Rev Sidney Chambers going strong in being a serious and committed clergyman - except when he's solving murders with his friend Insp. Geordie Keating. This novel takes us from a death at a Cambridge college to East Berlin in the early 1960s just as the Berlin Wall is being built. Sidney, whose amateur sleuthing exasperates Geordie, even though Sidney is correct in his conclusions, risks life and limb getting out of East Berlin with the German lady who is capturing his heart. A good read, and very different from the TV series based on the novels.

Six stories featuring Canon Sidney Chambers, Vicar of Grantchester move his life from the 1950s to the 1960s. Will he marry Amanda or will he marry Hildegarde with whom he is conducting a long distance relationship at the start of the book? Sidney finds himself drawn time and time again into investigating crimes which are really none of his business.`The Perils of the Night' is an atmospheric story about the night climbers in Cambridge - who climb the various college buildings under cover of darkness. Sidney finds himself acting as a go-between for his detective friend - Geordie Keating. My particular favourites in this well written collection are `Unholy Week' with its interesting digressions into codes in music and `Appointment in Berlin' where Sidney finds himself mixed up in the events leading to the building of the Berlin Wall.I read the first collection of stories about Sidney Chambers with enjoyment but I think this second collection is even better. Sidney is a likeable character and the background of university and church life is well done. Academic rivalry feels authentic and Sidney's doubts about his own relationships are excellent. If you enjoy reading stories set in what is to some extent a gentler era then try the Grantchester Mysteries.

This confused me when I started reading as there seemed to be a large unexplained jump from the previous book. The correct sequence is :Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death (2012)Sidney Chambers and The Perils of the Night (2013)Sidney Chambers and The Problem of Evil (2014)Sidney Chambers and The Forgiveness of Sins (2015)Sidney Chambers and The Dangers of Temptation (2016)

Unusually for me, in fact for probably the first time, I much preferred the TV version. The stories don't engage me, the characterisation poor, and I've given up after three stories, as I really don't care what happens to the characters. There's a lot of 'religion' but no description of people and no sense of place. The characters don't come to life for me at all, the dialogue is unlike normal conversation with no impression of what the characters are feeling or responding to the bland and boring murders. The first story at least ( didn't finish the book so possibly more) didn't have any satisfactory ending, and the way Sidney and Geordie interact give no impression of real communication, no sense of friendship and no real impression of Geordie's police procedure.

Once again a visit to the world of my youth. Can't remember the Berlin Wall going up but can remember the Cold War and the wall eventually coming down. Great stories not too much technical jargon. Beautiful descriptions. I like the way the crimes are solved quickly but all the ends are tied up. Difficult I would imagine to complete from beginning to end in what are relatively few pages and still maintain the on going relationships between the main characters. The church obviously an easy option for a Runcie to have knowledge of but music, chemistry, cricket and jazz means the author has either done his research well or is reasonably competent/ familiar with all. He seems in Hildegard to also have insight into the German national character. Easy reading but the book has everything ....... Looking forward to the next one.