Gabrielle's Reviews > Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death

I am not proud to admit that I got a copy of this book because I’ve been watching binging the ”Grantchester” tv show when I get an evening alone at home… and I am crushing very hard on James Norton… Honestly, cozy little mysteries are not my usual fare (my mother-in-law loves them, and I am always making fun of her about it…), and I do feel kind of weird getting so swoon-y about a man in a dog collar, but I couldn’t resist when I spotted this at the bookstore... Damn your gorgeous cheekbones, James!

Set in a small village outside of Cambridge, “Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death” is a collection of six short stories in the grand tradition of pre-forensic science mystery solving: a person with zero law-enforcement expertise ends up helping an irascible and overworked detective solve a murder most foul or two. In my opinion, stories like this rest entirely on the strength of their characters, because, let’s face it, there is nothing new under the sun in this genre. The character of Sidney being so unusual for a vicar certainly helps make the stories in this book more interesting: had he been a more conventional man of the cloth, this might have gotten boring quickly, but he is unusually liberal and non-judgmental, he loves books and sultry jazz, he probably drinks a bit more than he should... Of course, I love that he has a thing for smart women, but it also sounds a bit like what I think of as “bookworm fantasy fulfillment”: he’s just so damn kind, honest, selfless and attractive… and hard to get! Does it make me roll my eyes? Yes. Does it also make me drool a little? Yup.

In the first volume of Grantchester stories, Sidney helps solve the case of a strange suicide, a jewelry theft, the murder of a club-owner's daughter, a strange kidnapping and a final very public murder. I’m pretty good as suspense of disbelief, as I read a lot of speculative fiction, but I’ll admit that precious little mysteries like this always baffle me a little: how come so many murders and mysteries just happen to take place around those characters? Surely, living in the Cambridge suburbs is not that dangerous! Also, why is local police always so clueless? Characters like Sidney (or the lovely Phryne Fisher) only work if the detective they help out misses out painfully obvious stuff that they understand because they think so differently about human behavior… Or because people will say things to a vicar (or a flapper girl!) they wouldn’t say to the coppers. Aliens might be an easier sell on me, but what the Hell; this is still fun.

My GR rating of “Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death” was always going to be about whether the book is a better experience than watching the show for me, and I have to say that my enjoyment of said show goes beyond simple eye candy: the character of Sidney is made very interesting in the adaptation because of his angst and moral dilemmas, the PTSD from his stint in the Scots Guards he still struggles with, his incapacity to figure out what to do about the infuriatingly inconsistent Amanda (why don’t you say what you want, you silly cow!) and his bromance with Geordie. The book is a bit different: Sidney also teaches theology, which I find fascinating, the sentimental entanglements are much less far-fetched (it makes for fun TV, but it would have been annoying in writing) and we are treated to a lot of his inner monologue and self-reflection. I think that was my favorite part: his musings about life, faith, morals, love and music. Philosophically inclined men are so damn dreamy...

In the end, I can’t really decide if I like the book or show best: I think I prefer the book by a thin margin, because the stories are more varied (not just murders!). But I confess that I missed the vivid portrayal of the characters on the show, especially the snappy dialogues with Mrs. Maguire and Leonard…

My mother-in-law can now make fun of me right back because I really enjoyed this silly, cozy book; it was the book equivalent of a really nice hot chocolate with a ton of marshmallows. I'll be reading more of Sidney's sleuthing adventures and keep watching the show... Definitely recommended if you are in the mood for something light but smart and exceedingly British.