Good grief! I feel like saying “We interrupt your schedule with this breaking news about Cozy Mystery television viewing!” I feel like I have to hurry up and tell you about this, so you can set up your DVRs or rearrange your schedules in order to make sure you’re in front of your televisions this coming Sunday night!
It looks like we are in for a Cozy Mystery television movie treat! A new mystery series will be starting up soon >>> this time another entry in the PBS Masterpiece Mystery! series. Grantchester will begin airing starting this Sunday (January 18, 2015), with a total of six weekly episodes airing through the rest of January and February. Starring Masterpiece veterans James Norton as young vicar Sidney Chambers and Robson Green as Inspector Geordie Keating, Grantchester looks like it’s going to be good Cozy Mystery fun!
From the Cozy perspective, Grantchester looks very promising >>> it’s got a lot of the standard Cozy Mystery hallmarks – such as being set in an idyllic village with a surprising number of dark secrets, amateur sleuthing, and best of all >>> it’s British! It’s based on the Grantchester Mysteries written by James Runcie.
In the New York Times Sunday Book Review, James Runcie’s first mystery in his Grantchester Series (Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death) was said to be “the coziest of cozy murder mysteries … set in a quaint English village during the 1950s and featuring a young Anglican vicar who finds spiritual inspiration in criminal investigation.”
I’ve not yet had time to read it. Well, now I’ll at least be able to enjoy the TV adaptation!
So, as I mentioned above, go set your DVRs! Right now!
Karen says
I saw that series was coming up, and went to my library account, ordered the one you mentioned, it looks like the only one my library system has. Will have to branch out more. I like to read and see and compare. It looks like a fun series. We love all the British mysteries on PBS. Just finished with “Vera” & “George Gently”, looking forward to seeing their new seasons they are supposedly filming this year.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen, I just bought the Kindle copy of Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death. I am really looking forward to starting it tonight. It looks like there are 3 mysteries in James Runcie’s Sidney Chambers series so far:
Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death
Sidney Chambers and the Perils of Night
Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil
I hope you’re able to find all of them!
Val H says
I loved the Grantchester mystery series which was shown here in England a few months ago. Glad to hear most people “over the pond” enjoyed it too
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Val H, we just started watching the first episode, and I’m enjoying it. (My husband had to go on an errand, so we’ll finish it when he gets back. I can’t wait to see the ending, and then I’d love to start the next episode… (The British shows we get on PBS are far superior to the shows they make here. I still don’t understand why we – in the USA – can’t make shows like the British do!)
Suzanne says
Can’t wait for this series. Before I was even sure what the series was about I marked it down. If Robson Green (wire in the blood) is in it
I’m watching. I read one of the books last year and loved it. A light read and has some funny moments which made me laugh out loud. If anyone wants a good read pick up this series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Suzanne, I remember him also from seeing him in Reckless with Francesca Annis and Michael Kitchen. The three of them were terrific in it! Also, I’m glad you told us about how good the book is. I am definitely planning on reading it. Thanks!
Rob says
Danna-could you tell me when Hallmark will air the Peter King gourmet detective series with Dylan Neal. Loved the job he did as Jack on Cedar cove.
Thanks.
Rob
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Rob, as soon as I find out, I’ll be sure to post it. (It will probably be in one of my monthly TV mystery entries.)
Donna Mc says
Thanks, Danna, this sounds very Miss Marple/Midsomer Murders! The DVR is ready. The book cover you posted is lovely, it looks very intriguing. I wouldn’t mind having a nice big print of that to hang in my studio.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Donna Mc, I know, right? I am so looking forward to watching it. I’m glad you have got it ready to DVR it!
Karen L. says
I set my DVR. Sunday night is turning out to be a great night for TV:
Downton Abbey
Grantchester
Madame Secretary
The Good Wife
I sure am glad I have a DVR!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen L, I know! What did we ever do without DVRs and their ability to take several things at one time?
Stash Empress says
I’ve never heard of this series, but checked out my public library’s website & they have all 3 as ebooks. Just put the first one one hold!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stash, hope you enjoy it.
Mary Joy says
I’ve already programmed it on the DVR, Danna, but always give us a heads up, please. Better to hear it twice than miss it. Sunday is not only a great TV night, it’s on overload! Not only with the shows Karen L mentions above, but there are other shows that I would watch on a less interesting scheduling night. It seems like it’s either feast or famine with television lately.
So, Sunday is once again a great night to settle in with a nice pot of tea. Talk about cozy…….
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary Joy, I don’t get why networks compete with each other and program shows up against other networks’ strong shows. Thank goodness for DVRs! We watch everything off of them.
(We have a Keurig one-cup-at-a-time coffee maker, which makes my cups of tea not seem very Cozy…)
Paula says
Danna,
Thanks so much for suggesting this, I would have totally missed it, the series is not on my usual PBS station but on the other, go fiqure!
Looking forward to watching it, love love love Robson Green!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Paula, and I just read that ITV is going to be producing a second season of Grantchester. I hope it’s as good as it can be!
Rita says
Watching Grantchester now. Sorry to say I am not liking it. Can’t put my finger on it.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Rita, that’s too bad. We just DVRed the first episode, and I’m really looking forward to watching it. I finished reading the first mystery in James Runcie‘s Sidney Chambers and The Shadow of Death, and I really enjoyed it.
Julia says
I’m in the “I like it but I would like it better if…” camp. I like it, but I think the episodes need to be feature-length (which works out to an hour and a half on PBS). They are trying to balance the time distribution between Syndney’s love life, and his grappling with memories of the war, and (to a small extent) his developing friendship with Geordie, and, oh yes, who killed whom and why. The mystery part, to my mind, just feels a little rushed in the current time allotment.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Julia, as I just mentioned to Val H, we are just starting the first episode, and we are really enjoying it. I wonder if the episodes are so short because PBS has pretty much become Downton Abbey Central. The last time I checked their website, I kept looking for the Masterpiece Mystery! section, but kept finding Downton Abbey!
Anne says
Hello Julia, I haven’t seen the ITV version but I’ve read the 1st 2 books in the “Sidney Chambers” series and they are a collection of short episodes, a bit like the G.K. Chesterton stories. Sometimes t.v. versions take liberties or try to fit books to a standard formula.
The books are well worth reading – ironic and funny. I think the “cosy” setting is tongue-in-cheek.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Julia & Anne, having read only the first two stories/episodes in Runcie’s first Grantchester mystery book, and having only watched three of the episodes, I will say that they have changed quite a few things… However, I am enjoying both the book and the shows immensely.
Joppy says
Just to let you know, the BBC are currently trailing a series of Agatha Christie’s “Tommy and Tuppence” stories, with David Walliams (better known over here as a comedian) as Tommy. At present there are no dates mentioned. At least we are getting a new detective rather than the eternal repeats of Poirot, Morse, and Midsomer Murders.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Joppy, even though I was never crazy about Agatha Christie’s Tommy and Tuppence stories, I absolutely loved Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime: The Tommy & Tuppence Mysteries. It will be fun to see a new version. I hope it’s as good as that one is!