James Runcie

James Robert Runcie is a renowned British author, born in 1959 in Cambridge. He comes from a distinguished background, being the son of the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie. James was educated at some of the most prestigious schools in England, including Dragon School in Oxford, Marlborough College, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. In 1981, he earned a first-class degree in English from Cambridge University and further honed his skills at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Runcie has had a diverse and successful career in the arts. He has worked in radio drama for BBC Scotland and has produced arts, music, and history TV shows for the BBC. His expertise extends to theatre, where he has worked as a director. Runcie is also married to theatre director and radio drama producer, Marilyn Imrie.

In addition to his work in radio, television, and theatre, Runcie is an accomplished author. He is best known for his Grantchester Mysteries series, a popular collection of mystery and historical fiction novels. His writing has earned him a reputation as a skilled and engaging storyteller, with the ability to transport readers to different times and places.

Runcie is also a respected figure in the literary world, serving as the Artistic Director of the Bath Literature Festival. His contributions to the arts have been recognized with the honorary title of Visiting Professor at Bath Spa University. Through his many talents and accomplishments, Runcie has made a significant impact on the British arts scene.
The Grantchester Mysteries Books
# Title Year
1 Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death 2012
2 Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night 2013
3 Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil 2014
4 Sidney Chambers and The Forgiveness of Sins 2015
5 Sidney Chambers and The Dangers of Temptation 2016
6 Sidney Chambers and the Persistence of Love 2017
7 The Road to Grantchester 2019
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 The Colour of Heaven 2000
2 The Discovery of Chocolate 2001
3 Canvey Island 2006
4 East Fortune 2009
5 The Great Passion 2022
The BBC National Short Story Award Books
# Title Year
1 The BBC National Short Story Award 2010 (By: Helen Oyeyemi, David Constantine, Sarah Hall, Aminatta Forna, Jon McGregor) 2010
2 The BBC National Short Story Award 2011 (By: Alison MacLeod, M.J. Hyland, Jon McGregor, K.J. Orr, Sue MacGregor) 2011
3 The BBC International Short Story Award 2012 (By: Miroslav Penkov, Carrie Tiffany, Deborah Levy, M.J. Hyland, Clive Anderson, Lucy Caldwell, Henrietta Rose-Innes, Julian Gough, Chris Womersley, Krys Lee, Adam Ross) 2012
4 The BBC National Short Story Award 2013 (By: Lionel Shriver, Sarah Hall, Lavinia Greenlaw, Lucy Wood) 2013
5 The BBC National Short Story Award 2014 (By: Tessa Hadley, Lionel Shriver, Zadie Smith, Rose Tremain, Francesca Rhydderch, Alan Yentob) 2014
6 The BBC National Short Story Award 2015 (By: Jeremy Page) 2015
7 BBC National Short Story Award 2016 (By: Hilary Mantel, Claire-Louise Bennett, Lavinia Greenlaw, Tahmima Anam, Jenni Murray, K.J. Orr) 2016
8 The BBC National Short Story Award 2017 (By: Joanna Trollope, Helen Oyeyemi, Jenni Fagan, Benjamin Markovits, Will Eaves, Cynan Jones) 2017
9 The BBC National Short Story Award 2018 (By: Kerry Andrew, Sarah Hall, Ingrid Persaud, Nell Stevens, Kiare Ladner, Stig Abell) 2018
10 The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 (By: Lucy Caldwell, Jo Lloyd, Lynda Clark, Jacqueline Crooks, Nikki Bedi) 2019
11 The BBC National Short Story Award 2020 (By: Eley Williams, Sarah Hall, Caleb Nelson, Jan Carson, Jack Houston) 2020
12 The BBC National Short Story Award 2021 (With: Danny Rhodes, Richard Smyth, Lucy Caldwell, Rory Gleeson, Georgina Harding) 2021
13 The BBC National Short Story Award 2022 (By: Kerry Andrew, Elizabeth Day, Jenn Ashworth, Anna Bailey, Vanessa Onwuemezi, Saba Sams) 2022
14 The BBC National Short Story Award 2023 (By: Kamila Shamsie, Reeta Chakrabarti, Nick Mulgrew, Naomi Wood, Cherise Saywell, K Patrick) 2023
15 The BBC National Short Story Award 2024 (By: Lucy Caldwell, Ross Raisin, Will Boast, Manish Chauhan, Paddy O’Connell, Vee Walker) 2024
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 Tell Me Good Things: On Love, Death and Marriage 2022
James Runcie Anthologies
# Title Year
1 The BBC International Short Story Award 2012 2012
2 The BBC National Short Story Award 2021 2021
3 Short Sentence 2013
4 The BBC National Short Story Award 2018 2018
5 The BBC National Short Story Award 2019 2019
6 The BBC National Short Story Award 2020 2020
7 The BBC National Short Story Award 2022 2022