Champton is a small village where nothing much happens. The church is very much the heart of the community, with all the trials that that brings. Canon Daniel Clement is the Rector of the parish. In his mothers words he is a “golden child”, very clever and much loved by the majority of his parishioners.

I’m really stuck with reviewing this book. I really wanted to like it because I like Richard Coles, but it’s a case of preferring the author to the book.

I liked the story, predictable though it was, but it was very wordy! Not sure who the preferred audience is - Latin quotes, using three words when one will do and being a bit pompous, all should be saved for more highbrow tomes. If the expected readers are cosy, murder mystery sorts then the language needs to be toned down a bit. It all became a bit of a slog. The denouement was certainly a struggle!

For a first novel it was ok, and I think a series with Daniel in the main role would be a winner, just needs a language rethink.

Thank you NetGalley.

'Murder Before Evensong' is a very accomplished and enjoyable whodunnit that marks the start of new series of murder mysteries by much-loved clergyman and broadcaster, the Reverend Richard Coles. The mystery unfolds in the late 1980s in the village of Champton. When we first meet the Rector of Champton, Canon Daniel Clement, he has nothing more serious to worry about than the Flower Guild's stiff opposition to his plans to install a new lavatory in the church. This all changes when he discovers the body of his churchwarden, Anthony Bowness, stabbed in the neck with a pair of secateurs at the back of his church. Daniel finds himself working with the police to try and find Anthony's murderer before they can strike again.

I found this is a really well-written 'cosy crime' novel - which, of course, is not as cosy at it first appears, exploring themes including the decline of the English country house, the effect of the Second World War on rural communities, and attitudes towards homosexuality in the 1980s. Coles is obviously able to write with real authenticity about life in a rural parish, and the novel explores the importance of faith, prayer and ritual. Daniel is a likeable protagonist and the other characters are well-drawn, particularly his formidable mother Audrey and his TV actor brother Theo. There is some humour to be found along the way, but the book avoids becoming overly whimsical or twee. The pace is a bit leisurely at times, perhaps reflecting Daniel's thoughtful nature, but the story is well-plotted and delivers everything you would hope for in a murder mystery, including a satisfying resolution.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good detective story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review!

Murder Before Evensong by Richard Coles

Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton. He has been there for eight years, living at the Rectory alongside his widowed mother - opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey - and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda.
Whilst reading this book I could imagine the author sat reading it to me.
I of course do not personally know him , but from seeing him on tv , I feel it fits him brilliantly . I could imagine him playing Canon Daniel Clement in a tv series , anyone else would be a disappointment !
A cosy mystery , well told . I enjoyed it. A great first novel.

Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to read Murder before Evensong by the Rev Richard Coles. I was keen to read it because I’m such a fan of his non-fiction writing, and I was right to be keen because this accomplished fiction debut is just perfect, packed with fascinating characters, ingenious twists and turns and a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.
(Daniel’s mum is clearly the real star of the show - can’t think who Richard Coles might have used as inspiration for the character!)
In conclusion, I loved this book and can’t wait to read the next in the series.

I really wanted to like Richard Cole’s debut but Murder before Evensong failed to deliver, a bit like a Stephen Fry novel it is very wordy, and the book would probably be cut by a quarter if he just dumbed down some of the prose and because of this it was hard to relate to the characters within. I do feel Rev Daniel Clement could be a good series but he needs a few tweaks along the way.

Whilst not religious myself this looked like a fun quirky read with a clear religious element with the main character being a rector. Sadly this was quite a wordy read that I had trouble following at times, not helped by the fact it took me some time to place that the story was set in the late eighties which did for me alter some of the context. The characters overall were an interesting mix of village characters, my favourite being the rectors mother, and the dynamics of both church and village life were really good, I would have liked more of these interactions in honesty. The motive for the murders was complicated and I’m not sure I fully understood it but the ramifications were well written and the rector himself has a lot of potential.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot.

I enjoyed reading this novel, although it wasn't quite what I expected. It's a "cosy" style of murder mystery, but has darker undercurrents, which I felt added to the plot.

I enjoyed the writing style - again, a "wordier" style of prose than many other novels in this genre, but I appreciated it, and learnt a couple of new words too.

There are some excellent characters, many with hidden secrets, which makes for a few red herrings along the way. I particularly liked Daniel and his mother Audrey, Honoria and Alex.

The only fly in the ointment for me is that I did not fully understand the motivation of the murderer - I may have missed something and will probably re-read this to see if it sheds any further light!

All in all an enjoyable read, and I look forward to more by Richard Coles.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for a copy of “ Murder Before Evensong “ for an honest review.

I’ve been looking forward to the release of this book for sometime.I was anticipating something along the lines of a Richard Osman style of novel, with a mixture of mystery and humour Unfortunately , for me, this didn’t live up to my expectation. I don’t know if it was the style of writing that didn’t work for me , but I just couldn’t get interested in the story.
I’ve given it an above average rating as I’m sure I’ll be in the minority of reviewers for this book, but as I do like Rev .Richard Cole I’m hoping he has success with his first novel.

I was really looking forward to it and Richard Cole did not disappoint at all. A murder story set in a small village based round the vicar Daniel. I loved it. All the characters were great . Can not wait for book 2. This will be my book choice for my book club.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a solid 4 out of 5 stars, a lazy Sunday afternoon quick, cozy, crime read.

While the plot was slow to start, the humans were wonderfully warm and the dogs were utterly delightful! The prose was beautifully written, and I did learn a few new words here and there, which is always adds to a read. As a fellow English village dweller, I really enjoyed the skill with which he captured the political battlegrounds that form over seemingly inconsequential matters,

I appreciated the nod to Father Brown, while also steering away from priests chasing down suspects! I much preferred Daniel's, more Miss Marple-esque approach: understanding the psyche of the culprit from extensive lived experience. Was the crime fiendishly difficult to solve? No, the breadcrumbs made a pretty obvious sandwich but - on the whole, it was both delicious and comforting, as the best sandwiches are.

Perfect for longstanding cozy crime favourites, such as fans of Louise Penny and the recent Thursday Murder Club series. I look forward to following Canon Clement's onward adventures!

I have to be honest, I picked this up expecting Thursday Murder Club meets Vicar of Dibley, and I was ready to love it. Murder Before Evensong is the classic cosy crime you'd expect, but it's not the easiest read. This is partly down to personal preference in prose. Coles loves a compound sentence and a bit of complex syntax; I'm not such a fan. This sometimes makes the narrative (and its sprawling cast of characters) hard to follow.

The trick to a great cosy crime novel is balancing those two key ingredients: cosiness and a compelling mystery. But sometimes I felt that the bucolic setting and gentle British humour is strangely off-set against darker themes (war and forbidden love), the trauma of which is never fully unpicked. The mysteries themselves could also do with a bit more unpicking. Several secrets are sprung upon the reader as sudden revelations, so there's never really a chance to engage in any detective work of your own. I'd have liked a few more subtle clues (and red-herrings) along the way, but as it was, I didn't feel that the narrative always played fair.

Murder Before Evensong is a crime novel with a lovely cosy concept, I just wish the execution had been a little tighter.

If you like your crime cosy, full of sausage dogs, vicars, food and big houses, Richard’s Canon Clement Mystery series should be on your list. In his debut, we meet Daniel, the titular mystery solver, who has lived in Champton for close to a decade, and still doesn’t necessarily feel part of the furniture. His mum Audrey lives with him and she is a wickedly wonderful woman, well able to help her son out in his investigations. Fortunately, Daniel’s dachshunds Cosmo and Hilda also play an important role, at least when the first body is found in the church. All Daniel had wanted was to install a toilet in the holy place, not find a gruesomely murdered body. But a small town is packed to the religious rafters with secrets and it’s clear someone will go to great lengths to stop anyone from them being discovered. It’s Daniel’s job to bring his fractured community together… but can he?