Sidney Chambers and the Dangers of Temptation

Grantchester, Book 5

By: James Runcie

Narrated by: Joe Jameson

Bloomsbury presents Sidney Chambers and The Dangers of Temptation by James Runcie, read by Joe Jameson.

The fifth installment in The Grantchester Mystery Series, and the inspiration for the primetime PBS/Masterpiece television series, Grantchester.

It’s the summer of love in late 1960s. The Apollo 11 astronauts are preparing to land on the moon, the war in Biafra dominates the news and Basil D’Oliveira has just been dropped from the England cricket team before a test series in apartheid South Africa. In the midst of all this change, Sidney Chambers, the loveable English clergyman, continues his amateur sleuthing investigations.

A bewitching divorcée 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 cast 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, these six new stories are guaranteed to satisfy and delight this clerical detective’s many fans.©2016 James Runcie (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Another solid Sydney Chambers mystery series

This is the 5th book in a series of 6. Each book is comprised of 6 or so short cozy mysteries. The protagonist is a Canon in the Church of England, Canon Sydney Chambers. The mysteries are really secondary to the main thrust of each story which is the life and relationships of Canon Chambers. That said, Canon Chambers is an exceptionally likable person and each mystery is very true to life. A thoroughly enjoyable series.