One of the joys of commuting is that you get more time to read. Recently I've filled the time with some detective stories. Anthony Horowitz's "The House of Silk" (a new Sherlock Holmes novel) is quite good. Of course, the literary style isn't quite Conan Doyle but it is pretty faithful to the ethos and the spirit of the originals. And I've also been flipping through a little freebie from the points on my Waterstone's card which has proved to be rather good. James Runcie's "Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death". A clerical detective is a rare thing these days and great fun for those of us who enjoy the clerical world. Shades of the Anglican Father Brown are there but I am slightly aware of the fact that he is obviously modelled in part on the author's father the late Archbishop Robert Runcie (Military Cross with the Scots Guards, Cambridge setting etc). Nonetheless, if you enjoy Marple on a Sunday evening, this will be well to your taste.
Well, Runcie's book is going into my Kindle on next payday. (What did you think of the Carpenter Biog of Robert Runcie? Honest portrait or "give him enough rope" exploitation?) Is James Runcie a member of the Edinburgh 'Piskie scene?
ReplyDeleteNever actually read the Carpenter biog and i have no idea if JR is an active Piskie. Be good if he was.
ReplyDeleteWhen that last comment appeared in my google reader, I did genuinely think you were debating whether JR Ewing was a pisky.
ReplyDeleteThought never crossed my mind Kelvin. i've always assumed THAT JR was a Dubya loving Texas Methodist type.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely have to check those out John. Especially the clerical one, that would be great fun. I love Murdoch Mysteries, Sherlock Holmes or anything like that.
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