A Death in the Parish: The sequel to Murder Before Evensong (Canon Clement Mystery)
£7.60
THE SEQUEL TO THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER MURDER BEFORE EVENSONG
CANON DANIEL CLEMENT IS BACK…
‘Champton joins St Mary Mead and Midsomer in the great atlas of fictional English villages where the crimes are as dastardly as the residents delightful’ – DAMIAN BARR
It’s been a few months since murder tore apart the community of Champton apart. As Canon Daniel Clement tries to steady his flock, the parish is joined with Upper and Lower Badsaddle, bringing a new tide of unwanted change. But church politics soon become the least of Daniel’s problems. His mother – headstrong, fearless Audrey – is obviously up to something, something she is determined to keep from him. And she is not the only one. And then all hell breaks loose when murder returns to Champton in the form of a shocking ritualistic killing…
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Additional information
| Publisher | Weidenfeld & Nicolson (8 Jun. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 4507 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 415 pages |
| Page numbers source ISBN | 1474612679 |
by Welsh Corgi fan
I enjoyed this book, and many other anglophiles will as well. It’s a pretty niche book, in the sense that it requires an interest in parish and Anglican politics, but luckily I love books about both. The solution is a bit facile; I hope that the next book in the series, which I will certainly read, doesn’t rely on mental illness for its solution. Having said that, the main reason to read the books in this series is not the plot but rather the excursion into the very English world of parish church activities as seen through the activities of our hero, Canon Clement, and his mother. This book was more a novel of manners than anything else.
The reason for the four star review (instead of five) is this: I read and enjoyed the first in the series, and thus proceeded to read and enjoy the second. If I had encountered the second one first, I would be very annoyed with the author. On numerous occasions in this second in the series, he refers to and discusses the solution to the first one, naming both the victims and the perpetrator. It would have completely ruined the first in the series if I had read this one first.
I hope that the third in the series, the publication date of which has already been set, will not make this mistake. Novels in series need to stand on their own as well as play a part in a series, and it is a mistake to ruin the ones that came before for those who may not read them in order.
So read these books, but be sure to read them in order!
by Bobbie Howell
A trip back into rural village life in the 80’s were again tragedy strikes the close knit community causing discomfort and strife among friends
by Wally
Bought but not read yet so can’t comment. The previous one was a good read so I’m sure this will be
by Maxton Carter
brilliant book – great characters, enjoyable story and all written from a position of kindness. I challenge you to read this without Rev Cole’s’ voice in your head!!
by emsha
I read and enjoyed the first book, and felt it showed promise for developing a series although I couldn’t quite get a grip of Daniel. In a way this second offering is an odd book, with some very funny moments, a much larger helping of ‘religion’ (though I hate that word as it’s so reductive!) and some very serious musings.
Unfortunately Daniel as a physical presence still doesn’t quite come off the page for me at times, and I wonder if that’s because Richard Coles knows him so well he tends to assume the same of his reader. He’s somehow a very cerebral creation. I was more at ease with his mother, but maybe that’s because I’m also a woman of a certain age! At times I wanted to tell Daniel to lighten up a bit as he overthinks everything to a quite agonising extent – possibly another reflection of the author?
One thing I loved was hearing Rev Coles’ voice in every word. It comes over so strongly it was almost literally audible. I loved the detail of a Rector’s life, but I did find myself skipping the quotations so I could get on with the plot.
SPOILER ALERT! Despite what I’ve said, I was rooting for Daniel throughout and was so cross at the sting in the tail for him that if I hadn’t been reading on my Kindle I’d probably have thrown the book across the room! I just hope better luck awaits him next time …
by James Brydon
There has been a flurry of celebrities entering the murder mystery genre in recent years, with mixed degrees of success. Richard Osman certainly nailed it with his novels (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice and The Bullet That Missed) which have been runaway best sellers combining viable plots and charming characters, set against a ‘cosy’ background reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works.
The Reverend Richard Coles, has certainly had a portfolio career so far, encompassing roles as a member of a successful band in the 1980s, a long spell as an ordained vicar in the Church of England, and latterly as a reality television star, participating in MasterChef and Strictly Come Dancing among others. I suppose, therefore, that it was inevitable that he might try his hand at writing a novel, and he has also come close to nailing it.
I had enjoyed his first novel (last year’s Murder before Evensong) although I found it a bit of a slow burner, with the opening chapters setting the scene occasionally veering off towards the ponderous, but once the murder had occurred, it all fizzed along very merrily. This time around it all flows much more easily.
Since the events of the previous novel, Canon Daniel Clement has acquired an assistant vicar (not a curate, but a fully trained and ordained fellow clergyman), who has taken over responsibility for some of Daniel’s parish, which had recently expanded to take in nearby villages. The assistant is Chris Biddle, who is accompanied by his wife Sally and twin children Joshua and Lydia, who mare both aspiring Goths.
The Biddles are not exactly dysfunctional, but there are clearly tensions within the family unit. Joshua is rebelling against family life, and is cynical about his parents’ religious beliefs. Lydia is more accommodating, but has her own behavioural challenges. Meanwhile Daniel finds his own domestic arrangements subject to change as one of his pet dachshunds is about to deliver an unexpected litter.
Coles manages to combine a well-constructed plot and plausible characters which a keen insight into life in rural Britain in the late 1980s, with Margaret thatcher still in Downing Street, and discord abounding throughout the country. He also gives an amusing account of the changing social hierarchies in village life. The local squire still holds a prominent position in everyday life, but is not without challenge in the gradually evolving social and political ecosystem.
by bookworm
Loved the return to rural life with the Rector and his mother. I enjoyed this book from page one. I like the reappearance of characters from book one and the new ones as well.
I don’t think this book could be read without reading book one first. Looking forward ro the next installment.
by Susan case
This was the second book of Richards I’ve red and I can’t wait till he releases his next book