The Grantchester Mysteries is a series of short story collections by James Runcie. The short stories are all connected and follow the criminal investigations of Sidney Chambers, a vicar in Grantchester.
Sidney Chambers and the Peril of the Night is the second book in the series. I read the first book (Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death) in 2025 and I liked the stories so much that I started reading the next set of stories in late February.
There were only six stories in this collection, and they are all longish stories, between 50-75 pages each, so I consider them novellas. The crimes are not all murders, but they are all treated seriously.
"The Perils of the Night" is the first story in the book and takes place in January 1955. Valentine Lyall is a research fellow at Corpus Christi college, the same college Sidney attended. One evening, he and three other men at the college decide to scale one of four octagonal turrets of the King's College chapel as a prank. This results in a fall that kills Valentine Lyall. Sidney is drawn into an investigation into whether the death was accidental or not. There is suspicion that espionage is involved, and the story takes an unusual turn. I found the ending of this story to be interesting but also unsettling.
In the third story, "Unholy Week," Sidney is in the midst of Easter activities, plus he is expecting a visit from his German friend, Hildegarde. He has visited Hildegarde several times in Germany but this is her first trip back to Grantchester since they met several years earlier. While she is visiting, a mathematics teacher dies in his bath and the death is blamed on a heart attack. Both Hildegarde and Sidney suspect foul play and they investigate together. One of my favorite stories, and the longest one at 75 pages.
The last two stories are exceptional good. Both take place in 1961. In "The Uncertainty Principle," Sidney suspects that Amanda's newest beau is not all he claims to be. Amanda is a friend from childhood, and Sidney and Amanda have always been attracted to each other. This one has some very funny moments, but it is also very sad.
In "Appointment in Berlin," Sidney visits Hildegarde. When he gets there, he finds that Hildegarde has gone to East Germany to see her mother in the hospital, after she had a serious fall. He goes to meet her there, but is detained by officials on the way. This story has ties back to the first story in the book. Their return to Berlin is exciting.
I am enjoying these stories very much and I can't wait until I can get a copy of the third book of stories. We have started watching the Grantchester TV series. There are differences, but I like both versions.
12 comments:
I think I've read the first book in this series and was a bit so so about them. I've also watched quite a lot of the TV series and am a bit so so about that too, but Robson Green is so good in them that they're worth watching just for him. He does a doc series about places to visit and stay in the NE of England, his enthusiasm for that part of the world is a joy. Definitely one of my favourite actors.
These sound very good.
Nice how you're combining & comparing the stories and the TV series. The parts about Hildegarde and going to Germany sound interesting. Are Sidney and her old friends or more?
Cath, it is good to hear from you!
I definitely liked this second book better than the first, though there were many things I liked in that one too. I find for me that these books work best read in a short time, not over weeks or months like I often do with short story collections.
I think I read something recently about the documentary series that Robson Green does. I will look into them more.
I’m a fan of the Grantchester PBS series (I’ve just started Season 10) but I’ve not read the books yet. I’ve been meaning to take a look at the books but keep forgetting about them - so thanks for reminding me!
You know, Tracy, I found myself wanting to read some of the Granchester mysteries when I read your first post about them. I really need to do that, as these sound very good, too. I ought to check out the TV series, too...
Patti, I like the depth of most of the stories. Since they are longer, there is time to both investigate and crime and tell more of Sidney's personal life and thoughts and worries. They don't have as much of an edge as the TV episodes but that works fine for me.
I'm glad you are still enjoying this series. I really must get to them at some point. I have a feeling I'd like them, too.
Good questions, Susan. Hildegarde and Sidney meet during the first story of the first book, after her husband has died. It is her husband's mistress who asks Sidney to check into his death to prove that it was not suicide. Although Hildegarde moves back to Germany shortly after that, they develop both a friendship and an attraction over the next few years. I have only watched 3 episodes of the TV Show but I think their relationship in the TV series takes a different direction.
Sam, there are so many books to read. From what I have seen in the first three episodes of the TV series, the short stories are lighter. But not too light for me.
Margot, I would love to hear what you think of both the Grantchester short stories and the TV series.
Kelly, I think you would like the Grantchester short stories. I enjoy reading about his thoughts about doing his job and whether he should be investigating crimes also, and I like that he sticks to his convictions in both areas. I always like to read about different religions also.
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