Der Schatten des Todes: Sidney Chambers ermittelt

Short Review - this is the basis for the PBS TV show that has a second season coming soon. This is more a collection of related short stories rather than a full cohesive book. But the young parish priest outside of Cambridge in the 1950s is a good main character. His struggle with his life and calling is compelling reading although that is the main interest here. The mysteries are decent but nothing special. It is the character development that I am more interested in.

Also interesting (I found out after I finished the book) part of what makes Chambers a realistic character is that the author is the son of the former Archbishop of Canterbury (from 1980 to 1991). And like Sidney Chambers, Archbishop Runcie was a military officer in WWII and a young parish priest in the Cambridge area in the 1950s.

My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/sidney-chambers-and-the-shadow-of-death-by-jame-runcie-granchester-mysteries-1/

Aww: a novel about a priest that didn't make me, a devout Christian in ministry, wince at the Christian-isms. I could believe in and like Sidney and his friends without rolling my eyes at the depiction of his vocation. I like the episodic plot structure. I'd seen season 1 of the TV series first, and I like this book better. I'll seek out and read more of these.