Sidney Chambers and The Problem of Evil: Grantchester Mysteries 3 (The Grantchester Mysteries)

“Evil could seed itself in the quietest places and grow unchecked for years, spreading its malevolent influence until it was too late to stop.”No, that’s not a commentary on the current U.S. presidential cycle. That’s the fictional Sidney Chambers, Anglican vicar of a church in Grantchester near Cambridge in the United Kingdom, musing to himself in James Runcie’s “Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil.”Runcie, an author and film producer, has written a continuing series of stories about Sidney Chambers which form the basis for the popular ITV (in the U.S.) and PBS (in the U.S.) series Grantchester (season 2 begins on PBS on March 27). Each of the four volumes are collections of stories, done in independent-yet-related-story style of John Mortimer’s “Rumpole of the Bailey.” “Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil” is the third in the series, and rather than the expected six stories in the volume of its two predecessors, it’s comprised of four longer stories.The stories cover the period 1962 to 1963, and Runcie includes enough factual events of the period to provide a context of authenticity – the rededication of Coventry Cathedral, the death of C.S. Lewis, geopolitical developments, and others.In the title story, “The Problem of Evil.” Sidney helps local Inspector Geordie Keating investigate what becomes a series of murders – of local vicars. The case starts with two dead doves left of Chambers’ doorstep, and escalates to something far worse.In “Female, Nude,” Sidney is attending an art exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge when a young woman removes her long fur coat and makes rather a spectacle of her nude self as she sings a French song. Minutes later, a painting is discovered to have been cut from its frame, stolen.In “Death by Water,” Sidney finds himself playing a minor role in a movie production of “The Nine Tailors” by mystery writer Dorothy Sayers, courtesy of a friend who is the director and wants to film in an “authentic local area” like Grantchester. Sidney plays (surprise) a vicar, and is learning the ups and downs (and moral highs and lows) of the movie businesses when one of the actors dies in what looks like, but isn’t, an accident.The final story, “Christmas, 1963,” a baby is stolen from the maternity ward of the local Cambridge hospital, and Sidney has a case of double anxiety over it, for his wife Hildegard is imminently expecting their first child.Through these collections of stories, Runcie is advancing Sidney both chronologically (the series starts in the 1950s) as well as spiritually. Sidney is familiar to us as a man of faith who wrestles with doubt and issues just as much as the rest of us do. He could easily have become either a failed priest or a hard-shell one, but Runcie makes him real, his humanity and flaws recognizable because we share them.“Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil” is not only a collection of good mystery stories, but also a discussion of the frailties and strengths of faith.

Sidney Chambers is back, in his third Novel "The Problem of Evil", but I will say again these are not like what you see on PBS, they have changed the characters around and the relationships to some degree, they have eliminated some and added some dimensions to others. You can see by these brief descriptionsIn the first, “The Problem of Evil,” someone is ritually murdering vicars in the Grantchester area, and Inspector Geordie Keating turns to his friend Canon Sidney Chambers for help. Sidney is always contemplating his religion, but know he has more to keep him focused his new wife.In “Female, Nude,” Sidney helps to recover a painting stolen during the distraction provided by a disrobing French blonde in the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. (Both the painting — The Trapeze by post-Impressionist Walter Sickert) — and the museum really exist.) Aided by his friend Amanda Kendall, he works out a plan to find ways and reason behind the theft.In “Death by Water,” Sidney takes enters into an acting career for a friend, but there is a drowning of a supporting actor during the film shoot — first presumed to be an accident. So with the help of the film crews knowledge, Sidney is able to determine both perpetrator and motive. He also suffers with personal tragedy..Lastly, in “Christmas, 1963,” Sidney helps to recover a newborn stolen out of the hospital. Don't want to give it all away, but there is happy ending to the season and the book..I love these books much better than the series, as I said in the beginning they have changed all the aspects of this characters except Sidney and Geordy, I wish they have just left it alone, the books are more real in human behavior, not sexed up as they now do even on PBS, to get ratings apparently... So have a read you will enjoy it and won't want to put it down.

These leisurely novels are criminal investigations somewhat cursorily conducted by a Cambridge detective and an Anglican priest. These events provide the author with a cross section of life in England in the fifties and, so far, the sixties of the last century. Recurring characters provide a continuity of vision to the criminal events and establish an almost Trollopian Barchester Towers picture of the social, cultural, academic and religious climate of those times. James Runcie's gentle depiction of the shy but persistent Reverent Sidney Chambers is affectionate and thoughtful, and his introduction to police problems of the period reflect the major concerns of food, transport, clothing, and entertainment faced by the British public in those years.The sudden construction of the Berlin Wall is dramatically worked into the plot, and Sidney's romance supplies the author with an opportunity to work out the prejudices that World War Two left in its destructive wake. The lead characters become old friends as the yarn marches into the future. Where it will lead only author Muncie knows. I look forward to following his lead.These books remind me of the observant quotidian eye of Barbara Pyn, or the political and academic life of the novels of C. P. Snow. If you aren't interested in things British, you might find the books slow and without melodramatic interest. While they are best read in their publication sequence, they remain coherent read in any order.

I have read all the books in the series and have loved every one for their nostalgia, religious and literary references, characterisation and their very Englishness. The historical events referred to are a reminder of how things have changed knowing what we all know now. Can there be another book knowing that the 1960's was probably the beginning of the world we know today. Would they lose their poignancy? Should Sydney, Hildegard and Geordie be left in ignorant bliss or dragged into the even harsher realities of the decline in law, order and respect for our fellow man? Less jazz more Mersey beat? I don't think so but maybe Mr Runcie has a master plan. Thoroughly enjoyable reading..

Bought these books having watched and liked the TV series. I bought the 4th book in a charity shop and enjoyed it, but realised I needed to go back to the first book. I have really like the style of the book. Although the life story of the main characters progresses through the book, each crime story is written as a chapter in itself, so the "chapters are quite long.You do really need to read the books in order.

Well written thoughtful prose that takes the reader into the minds of the characters and presents their personalities as small gifts to enhance the tales that are told with such attention to the smallest detail .Historical accuracy and political history along with theological reasoning with a good sprinkling of mystery ,romance ,life and death add up to a good well worth reading book.

Got this because of the Grantchester TV series, but the books, although good are not in my opinion as good as the TV series, the book is well written and you will enjoy it but some of my fav charactors Leonard, and Mrs Maquire for example are hardly mentioned, which surprised me, + the vicar Stanley, who is in the book a Canon, comes across as a bit pathetic! I will not be reading any more, but that's just me as I really loved the series.

Like all good novels, this one took a short while to get going but after that the narrative and characters came alive. James Runcie has the knack of creating realistic and interesting dialogue, giving Sydney words to say which can be comforting or probing, sometimes uncomfortably so.Very enjoyable