Sidney Chambers and the Dangers of Temptation by James Runcie

323 Pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Release Date: June 14, 2016

Fiction, General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Historical, 1960s

Sidney, along with his wife, Hildegard, and daughter Anna, go to East Germany for vacation to visit her family. During this time, the Americans are landing on the moon but since they are in a Communist country, it is not televised. The German household holds many secrets and Hildegard wonders if the house isn’t secretly being recorded. In England, Mrs. Maguire’s husband, missing since the war, returns. Amanda announces her intention to file for divorce. Lenard and Simon are being blackmailed.

This is the fifth book in The Grantchester Mystery Series. I have long been a fan of the PBS Granchester series but surprised how different the book was to the television show. I rather like the characters in the book better than the show. They are more authentic and not as emotional in the book. If you like Father Brown, Sister Boniface, and other cozy type mysteries, you will enjoy reading this.

Starting off with a later book in a series is not the best. I had no background of characters. I didn't find this a compelling story. I like the PBS TV series better.

Good read. Entertaining and interesting characters. Good story flow. Liked the conversations and the character interactions. Like a good whodunnit!

"It's the summer of love in late 1960s England. Basil D'Oliveira has just been dropped from the English cricket team before for a test series in apartheid South Africa; the war in Biafra dominates the news; and the Apollo 11 astronauts are preparing to land on the moon. In the midst of all this change, Sidney Chambers, now Archdeacon of Ely Cathedral, is still up to his amateur sleuthing investigations.

A bewitching divorcee enlists Sidney's help in convincing her son to leave a hippie commune; at a soiree on Grantchester Meadows during May Week celebrations, a student is divested of a family heirloom; Amanda's marriage runs into trouble; Sidney and Hildegard holiday behind the Iron Curtain; Mrs Maguire's husband returns from the dead and an arson attack in Cambridge leads Sidney to uncover a cruel case of blackmail involving his former curate.

In the rare gaps between church and crime, Sidney struggles with a persistent case of toothache, has his first flutter at the Newmarket races and witnesses the creation of a classic rock song.

Charming, witty, intelligent, and filled with a strong sense of compassion, here are six new stories guaranteed to satisfy and delight this clerical detective's many fans."

If you're addicted to the show or the books, good news, a new book with a new series being filmed!

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to download this title before it was archived

I love this series! A great fix when you are waiting for the next season of Grantchester to air on PBS!

Not a favorite. The plot was too slow and convoluted at times. It showed promise but didn't fulfill it, I will watch for other works by this author with hopes of better follow through next time.