A Death in the Parish (Canon Clement #2)

Title: A Death in the Parish (Canon Clement #2)

Author: Richard Coles

Published in: 2023

Date read: 9th November 2024

Score: 5/5

Genre: Fiction, Crime, Detective

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"A Death in the Parish" by Richard Coles, published in 2024, is the third novel in his Canon Clement series, continuing the adventures of the witty and observant vicar of a quiet, fictional village in Northamptonshire, England. The book is a classic cosy mystery that uses the familiar tropes of the genre with a modern, charming twist.

The story centres on Reverend Daniel Clement, a man whose life is a blend of spiritual duty and the mundane, often chaotic, realities of village life. His tranquil existence, shared with his two beloved dachshunds, Hilda and Spud, is shattered once again by a sudden and shocking death that rocks the small community.

The victim is a man found brutally murdered in the churchyard, a place that should be a sanctuary of peace. The discovery of the body sends shockwaves through the community, and it falls to Reverend Clement, with his unique position at the heart of the village and his keen understanding of human nature, to unofficially assist the police with the investigation.

The murder mystery is a tangled web of secrets, grudges, and hidden motives. The victim, it turns out, was a figure who had recently arrived in the parish and made both friends and enemies in a very short time. As Reverend Clement begins to gently probe the lives of his parishioners, he uncovers a host of secrets that had long been buried beneath the veneer of quiet village life. Suspects include a range of quirky and memorable characters, from the local lord of the manor to the gossip-loving organist.

Coles, drawing on his own experience as a real-life vicar, imbues the narrative with authentic detail about the rhythms of parish life, the quirks of the parishioners, and the subtle dynamics of a small, interconnected community. The novel is not just a murder mystery; it's also a witty and charming portrait of contemporary English village life, with its eccentricities, dramas, and underlying sense of community.

Reverend Clement, using his "vicar's license" for listening and his sharp mind, follows a trail of clues that leads him to a surprising and clever solution. The climax sees Clement confronting the murderer in a dramatic scene, bringing justice to the parish and a sense of calm back to his home and his dogs. "A Death in the Parish" is a delightful and sophisticated mystery that proves even the quietest villages can harbor the most deadly secrets.

Comments:
Fantastic book, I didn't think that he'd be able to top the previous book but he has. This moved in a much darker direction and Rev Richard Coles has really pulled it off. I was shocked by some things in there because I just didn't see these gruesome details coming out but Bravo!, very well executed.

Books that we've read by Richard Coles (3):
Murder Before Evensong (Canon Clement, #1) (2022), A Death in the Parish (Canon Clement #2) (2023), Murder at the Monastery (Canon Clement #3) (2024)