A Death in the Parish: The sequel to Murder Before Evensong (Canon Clement Mystery)

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Yet when a character muses at one point whether Champton is in danger of turning into St Mary Meade, it's a pertinent question. For all that A Death In The Parish is set in 1989, Champton and its inhabitants - including Daniel himself - seem to be in a time-warp. This book reads very much like something set in the 50s-early 60s - a B&W Ealing film even which, for me, is highly appealing.

So he ceased even to notice sport at about the same time his peers ceased to notice religion – the point at which it was no longer compulsory As if that wasn’t enough, the parish has been joined with Upper and Lower Badsaddle; so our hero finds himself uncomfortably in harness with an Evangelical colleague who “would insist on [Bible stories] being true in a way that Daniel did not, could not — and anyway he thought we owed the Bible more than the literal truth that those who thought themselves its defenders allowed”. First off, I grew up in a very involved C of E family in exactly the time period these books are set, and so the internecine conflicts that ravaged the church then - Anglican tradition vs Christian evangelism, the ‘problem’ of female priests - are familiar to me and felt quite cosy and comforting in a way that childhood memories do. However, for those readers not as well versed in scripture and church politics, I can well imagine the detail to which Coles goes into could be dull and alienating. How these conflicts eventually play out in the mystery is also a bit much: while I am absolutely no fan of evangelical Christianity, the way it’s presented here is somewhat beyond belief (trying not to give spoilers….!) From the 1880s, it became increasingly common for poor, but not destitute, persons to enter the workhouse purely for medical treatment in its infirmary. If such an individual died, their death would be recorded as being in the workhouse infirmary, although their family might well be living outside the workhouse. 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.Parents’ names are recorded and whether or not they are deceased at the time of this marriage. This can help you narrow down a search for their death entries. Two books in, and the Reverend Richard Coles' Champton is now firmly on my list of literary places where I enjoy spending time.

Finally (and with a mild spoiler warning) the frankly weird friendship between Daniel and the police detective made for strange enough reading, without the queer-baiting about-turn at the end. Although Goths may look scary, their subculture is marked by its emphasis on individualism, tolerance of sexual diversity, encouragement of creativity, a dislike of social conservatism, and a tendency towards cynicism. Couples were usually married in the bride’s parish. Marriage records typically include the bride and groom’s names, residence, date and location of the marriage, names of witnesses, condition (bachelor, spinster, widow, or widower), and the name of the officiant. Some records may also include the father’s name and occupation. Early records may contain less detail. Moreover, the book offers a unique perspective on the role of faith and spirituality in the face of adversity.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.