Sidney Chambers and the Persistence of Love is the sixth installment in the Grantchester Mysteries series written by James Runcie. The last story in this installment had a whiff of “series finale” to it. After some Googling, I found the Wikipedia page for the series that maintains that six installments are intended; while the book jacket does not say anything about this installment being the last, The Persistence of Love could very well be Archdeacon Chambers’ final outing. If indeed this is the final installment, I wish they would have publicized it a little more. Much like some previous installments, this one covers five years (1971-76). When we first met Sidney Chambers, he was young bachelor vicar shepherding the parish of Grantchester. The very first story draws him in to what will become a lifelong, part time hobby/vocation: detective work. It also introduces him to Hildegard, the woman who will eventually become his wife. Having said that and knowing what goes down in the final story of this installment, the stories that book end the series make fitting beginning and ending tales.
When Sidney’s young daughter, Anna, discovers the body of an old man in the wood while out on a father/daughter excursion, Sidney is immediately suspicious when he notices the man’s basket brims with flowers, every one of them poisonous. The ensuing investigation leads to an unusually tight group of friends and a murderer who is possessive, deals with rejection in the worst way possible, and lays claim to the man’s memory even in death.
In the Amanda centric story, Sidney worries that Amanda’s discovery of a stealth Goya masterpiece is instead a fraud that will ruin her reputation and her finances. Meanwhile, when an audit discovers that someone is skimming off the offering collection at the cathedral, Sidney must assist in the ensuing internal investigation and guide it to a compassionate conclusion when the culprit is caught.
The remaining stories address 1970’s attitudes towards sexual assault allegations, investigations, and societal attitudes toward sexual assault survivors; the theft of an ancient and priceless text from Sidney’s alma mater that uncovers the impersonation of a church official in the commission of the crime, threatens the wholesale destruction of the priceless manuscript piece by piece, and ultimately leads to a legendary, elusive, international antiquities thief; and a family crisis when Sidney’s eldest nephew disappears. All of which leads into the final story of this installment in which a rather shocking, unexpected loss throws Sidney’s little family into turmoil as they are forced to adjust to an irrevocably altered life. Then an unexpected promotion to bishop offers a ray of light and a new way forward for Sidney, one that may entail giving up detective work entirely. Really. Who are we kidding? Trouble will always find Sidney; he will never resist the urge to uncover the truth and bring those in the wrong to justice; Sidney will never give up detective work, of this we can be certain.
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