#BookReview :: Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night (The Grantchester Mysteries #2) by James Runcie

The loveable full time priest and part time detective Canon Sidney Chambers continues his sleuthing adventures in late 1950's 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 glamor 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 Hildegard Staunton, a beguiling German widow 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 as the Berlin Wall is going up. Here are six interlocking adventures that combine mystery with morality, and criminality with charm.

Goodreads I Amazon

Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death (The Grantchester Mysteries #1) by James Runcie

Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil (The Grantchester Mysteries #3) by James Runcie

The Perils of the Night is the second book in the Grantchester Mysteries series. Having read and enjoyed two Grantchester Mysteries before picking this one up, I had much expectations from this book.

By now we know Sidney Chambers quite a bit. He is a clergyman who has a knack for getting involved and solving mysteries around him. His personal relationships (Hildegard / Amanda) and his background in the army add to the character development. I was glad when Sidney finally makes decision on his relationship front as the triangle here just wasn’t working for me. I have enjoyed the many shades of Sidney Chambers so far and he feels real even in the fiction world. His sensitivity is something that makes him endearing to everyone. Perils of the Night bring together another collection of short stories. This time too, the stories range from murder to arson to spy thriller. I am starting to like the variety that the author consistently provides in each of his books. Sidney surprises everyone with his ways around the cases and especially loved the story where he is mistaken for a spy. However, while the leisurely mannerisms of the series felt charming towards the beginning, three books down it seems to be losing that charm. I wish the plots would call for some more urgency.

I am looking forward to watching the second season of the Grantchester TV series. They had made some changes in the first season and I had enjoyed both the book & the tv series equally. Let us see if it will be the same case this time around.

Review Copy received from the Netgalley