Murder Before Evensong cover art

Murder Before Evensong

Canon Clement, Book 1

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Murder Before Evensong

By: Reverend Richard Coles
Narrated by: Reverend Richard Coles
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About this listen

 THE INSTANTLY ICONIC NO. 1 BESTSELLER

'I've been waiting for a novel with vicars, rude old ladies, murder and sausage dogs . . . et voila!' Dawn French
'Cosy crime with a cutting edge' Telegraph
'Whodunnit fans can give praise and rejoice' Ian Rankin
'Charming and funny' Observer
Even better than I knew it would be' India Knight
'Pitch perfect' Philip Pullman

Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton, where he lives alongside his widowed mother - opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey - and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda.

When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in the church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village.

And then Anthony Bowness - cousin to Bernard de Floures, patron of Champton - is found dead at the back of the church. As the police moves in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his community together . . . and catch a killer.

'Quintessentially English' Sunday Express
'An absolute joy' Adam Kay
'Wry, tongue-in cheek and whimsical' Daily Mail
'Glorious' Robert Webb
'Beautifully written, charming, funny, intelligent and mordant too' Sunday Times


** Richard Coles's Murder Before Evensong was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in paperback in the first week of March 2023©2022 Richard Coles (P)2022 Weidenfeld & Nicolson Amateur Sleuths Cosy Genre Fiction Mystery Small Town & Rural Fiction Detective Suspense

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All stars
Most relevant  
With the plot sophistication of Agatha Christie and witty, unromanticised observation, Richard Coles has captured febrile village politics over several generations. Bloody, but somehow still delightful, this book is a wonderful introduction to Cannon Clement. I eagerly await the next instalment.

Beautifully written.

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The fact that it is read by a real Reverend who is also the author adds something extra special to the book. I found this a great easy listen and kept me guessing till the end.

Fantastic thriller

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After a rather slow start I enjoyed the story very much, the highlight for me was the wonderful vocabulary Rev Cole’s has in describing events and happenings. A good read,

Overall thoughts on this book

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Brilliantly read by Rev Richard Coles and can really see this being adapted for TV. But as far as storyline it was lacking. Also too much time on the loos being installed than the actual Murder Mystery.

Loved narrator, story ok

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This book started well and I had high expectations. The characters were well drawn. However it seemed plodding slow to me. The murder didn't take place until the end of chapter 10. I like Richard Cole but wonder if another voice would have delivered it better.

Disappointing

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it was ok but nothing special. Too much theological detail and idyllic England I'm afraid

avetage

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This book is well written and maintained my interest to the end. It has an interesting set up and main characters, which would make for a good series of books. I also liked RC's narration and was impressed by the different voices and accents he gave to the characters. However, it was unsatisfying overall because although the story had potential and intriguing elements, the mystery/crime investigation element was too thin and the characters insufficiently developed. I prefer a longer book with a more expanded investigation and resolution. But if you like something shorter and more straightforward, this would suit you. It reminded me of the Alexander McCall Smith crime books, a gentle lightweight read.

A bit lightweight

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Couldn't get into the story properly because of the author's narration. Rev Richard is perfect at narrating his own memoirs but is very much not the right person to read his own fiction. It's impossible to distinguish his characters without an actor doing it, and the pace and tone are all wrong. Please fix this for the inevitable sequel.

Needs a professional narrator

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humour around village brilliant , plot weak, maybe would have been better read by actor who could have broght characters alive.

very predictable ending

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Have to say I was deeply disappointed with this book. Not sure if it was the nasal, monotone in which it was delivered or just the wordy format of the story. It reminded me of school essays where you inserted as many similes as possible.

Disappointing

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