Sidney Chambers, the Vicar of Grantchester and Honorary Canon of Ely Cathedral, is a thirty-two year old bachelor. Tall, with dark brown hair, eyes the colour of hazelnuts and a reassuringly gentle manner, Sidney is an unconventional clergyman and can go where the police cannot.In The Grantchester Mysteries, Sidney, together with his roguish friend Inspector Horatio Harry’ Keating, must enquire … Keating, must enquire into the suspect suicide of a Cambridge solicitor, a scandalous jewellery theft at a New Year’s Eve dinner party, the unexplained death of a well-known jazz promoter and a shocking art forgery the disclosure of which puts a close friend in danger. Sidney discovers that being a detective, like being a clergyman, means that you are never off duty, but alongside the mysteries he solves he manages to find time for a keen interest in cricket, warm beer and hot jazz, and the works of Tolstoy and Shakespeare – as well as a curious fondness for a German widow three years his junior.
With a whiff of Agatha Christie and a touch of Midsomer Murders, The Grantchester Mysteries introduces a wonderful new hero into the world of detective fiction.
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This is an unusual case of the TV version being better than the book. This book is actually like several short stories. But all in all it was enjoyable and the characters are endearing. I’m not sure it would be as enjoyable if one was not familiar with the television series.
read whole series, enjoyed
After trying to watch this on PBS and not able to understand the dialogue I was happy to find this book and even more delighted with the writing. Enjoying it right now! Canon is an interesting character. Amanda is a little strong. Wish he would land on someone who would appreciate him.
I enjoyed the Masterpiece Theater shows based on Runcie’s Grantchester books. This first book in the series is more innocent than the television renditions. The relationship between Amanda and Sidney is not as explosive as the tv shows…although it may heat up in the second book. The book is pretty heavy on philosophical ramblings and somewhat stodgy is places, but I still enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.