Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie

Sidney Chambers is the canon of a church near Cambridge following World War II and  he never intended to get into the detection business.  However, after one service he is asked by a female parishioner to look into a suicide, which she feels was really a murder.  She and the victim had had an affair.  Sidney discusses the case with his friend Inspector Geordie  Keating and finds out that no note was left.  This case is the beginning of what is to be a minor career in helping the police solve crimes.

However, later, the secretary of the victim shows Sidney a note that appears to be a suicide note.  Sidney also receives the victim's diary in which he would erase his daily notes.  The initials A. M. and P. M. Play a prominent role in the diary.

Sydney makes some calculated assumptions and puts forth his thesis to the inspector.  Together they concoct a plan to draw the murderer out, and are not surprised when another murder is attempted.

New Year's Eve and Sidney is in London to attend a party.  One of the guests is given an engagement ring, but before she can accept it, a minor mishap occurs in the room.  While the mishap is being attended to, the ring disappears.  It would appear that none of the guests has taken it.  Naturally, the priest is asked to quietly investigate, otherwise calling the police might do harm to the host, an MP.

Lent has rolled around and Sidney is asked by his friend, Inspector Keating, to quietly query a woman and her fiancé, who is a doctor, about the death of her mother and rather hasty marriage that is about to ensue.  Was it a medical mistake or a matter of murder? 

Later in the spring, while in London taking in a jazz concert, Sidney and Inspector Keating are thrust into another murder investigation when the daughter of the nightclub owner is strangled during the drum solo.  Is her death a vendetta?  It is when Sidney is on the train home, and a parishioner asks for a clue to a crossword that Sidney comes up with a solution to the crime.

Summer has arrived and Sidney is visiting Lord Teversham's home.  Teversham has an extensive art collection, and Sidney offers to have his friend Amanda Kendall come evaluate it.  She discovers that one of the restored pictures is actually a copy of the real thing.  Now they must find out what happened to the original.  Unfortunately Amanda begins her own investigation on her own leading her into trouble.

Once autumn arrives Sidney finds a new diversion, acting in a modern version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  Unfortunately during the play Julius is really done to death.  Since the actors were all wearing black, it was difficult to determine who the murderer actually is; plus the murder weapon has disappeared.

To be honest, this book was not one I would rate highly.