Sidney Chambers and the Dangers of Temptation

Archbishop Sidney Chambers explores the dangers of temptation — his own and others — in this wonderful book of six interrelated novellas. And while each provides an interesting mystery, the book exudes a gentle thoughtfulness and an plea for the importance of an examined life as the only one worth living.

In Sidney Chambers and the Dangers of Temptation, the fifth book to feature the thoughtful Chambers, the curious clergyman investigates a shady secular cult, a missing priceless necklace, a husband’s terrible secret, a long-lost husband, a traffic “accident” in Eastern Germany, and a self-righteous blackmailer. While I enjoyed the mysteries, what really makes this novel five stars is Chambers’ consideration of human nature show more and God’s love. (Oddly, despite the author being the son of an archbishop, James Runcie’s writing never veers into the preachy.) Archbishop Chambers preaches the kind of loving religion that stands in sharp contrast with the intolerant messages too often found — both then and now.

Fans of the imperfect but benevolent Chambers and his coterie of loyal friends will, of course, adore this book; however, newcomers to the series will have no problem starting with Sidney Chambers and the Dangers of Temptation. In fact, I highly recommend the novel to fans of Dorothy L. Sayers, Julian Barnes, Georges Simenon, or so-called thinking-man’s detective stories.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA in exchange for an honest review. show less

How strange. I've fallen for Grantchester on PBS, so when I realized this was that I pounced on it on Netgalley. But this actually wasn't that… it's that plus a couple of decades. Sidney's relationship woes on the show have settled, and so has he.

And that's kind of a shame. The heart of the series is basically Sidney's angst, the post-traumatic stress from the War, and his difficult, ambiguous relationship with Amanda (well, no, his feelings for her are not difficult or ambiguous; she is difficult and ambiguous. And kind of awful. Poor Sidney), and his relationship with Geordie. And in this collection none of that is in evidence. Young and troubled Sidney is engaging. Middle-aged and settled Sidney is kind of smug and annoying.

I show more thought it was a little hilarious when someone (sorry – didn't note who) remarks "I hate it when vicars get the guitars out." I felt much the same way about what they called "folk masses" in my childhood church…

Great line: "You must never leave me to wait on my own in public again. I haven’t got the cheekbones for it."

I'm not sure how entertaining the name-dropping was – like "an up–and-coming actor called Ian McKellen", for example. There was more. I sometimes enjoy glimpses like that, but here it mostly caused eye-rolling.

I plan to at least try one of the novels, to see if the charm of the series is based in charming writing or if it's something endemic to the actors and television writers, but these stories? Meh.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review. show less

Sidney Chambers and the Dangers of Temptation (2016) (Grantchester #5) by James Runcie. Like his previous books, this is a series of novellas featuring his troubled but true man of the cloth. These tales are from the late 1960s with communes, love-ins and man on the moon.
The Dangers of Temptation finds Sidney called upon by a very attractive divorced woman to help get her son out of a meditation style commune. But when the leader of the sect is murdered in a most grizzly manner, suspicions point to the boy.
The other five stories in this collection are just as good as the title tale. If you have never read a Sidney Chambers book, I suggest you go back and find the first collection. Or any of these fine mysteries. Every one is a gem. If show more you only know Sidney via the PBS series, you’ll love him in the print format. Not since Father Brown leapt from the pages and onto both the small and big screen has there been a man of the cloth so well presented.
No matter, I can’t recommend this, or any book in the series, too much. show less

This is the next in The Grantchester Series about a full time Church of England priest and part time detective. When I started this book, I was expecting a good murder mystery. Instead, it was a collection of a number of short stories, loosely stuck together. In the first story I thought I had blundered into a soap opera and the last story was too involved with diversity and sin.

This was better than the previous book in the series with each of the 6 stories being good

My review of Sidney Chambers and the Dangers of Temptation is now up on Fresh Fiction!

"A very nice collection of stories for Grantchester fans (and new converts)"

Read the whole review here!

A nice, breezy read about a crime solving vicar in an English village.

For a complete review please click on the link below:

http://onerightword.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/the-granchester-mysteries-sidney.html