A Death in the Parish

The best of the new writers to have emerged from the “cosy crime” boom… with a pleasingly idiosyncratic, allusive style – Jake Kerridge * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH *It’s proper Miss Marple territory… for an intelligent study of human nature that transports you to a tranquil church where a choir is singing Brother James’s Air, it’s unbeatable. * COUNTRY LIFE *The sequel to Murder Before Evensong is every bit as intriguing at the Rev Coles’ debut… Nicely paced, this whodunnit will leave you on tenterhooks. * BELFAST TELEGRAPH *Great cosy crime. * THE I PAPER, Best Books for June *Gloriously astute on the details of village interactions… [this is] charming, cosy crime. – Alison Flood * OBSERVER *Full of intrigue, this is a thoroughly entertaining sequel. – Susan Watson * MY WEEKLY *A good holiday read, with much gentle humour peppered among the village characters. – Hannah Stephenson * INDEPENDENT *First-class entertainment but with more of an edge than most “cosy crime” books. – Jake Kerridge * DAILY MIRROR *Praise be!.. Fans still in withdrawal after Coles’s withdrawal from Radio 4’s Saturday Live can once again bask in his wit, wisdom and insight. – Rose Shepherd * SAGA MAGAZINE *A book to appreciate as well as enjoy. – Jeremy Black * THE CRITIC *Reverend Coles brings his unique touch of humour to the cosy crime genre… Full of wonderfully colourful and eccentric characters. – Sharon Reid * YOURS *Like all the best stories, this one is character-driven, and the characters are observed with an unflinching but mellow and humorous eye. – Caroline Chartres * CHURCH TIMES *

THE REVEREND RICHARD COLES is a writer, broadcaster and an Anglican priest. He co-presented Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4 for a number of years and appears, from time to time, on QI, Have I Got News For You and Would I Lie To You? He has won Christmas MasterChef, Celebrity Mastermind twice, and captained Leeds to victory in Christmas University Challenge in 2019. A contestant on Strictly Come Dancing (2017) and a third place finalist on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (2024) he exhibits huge bravery.

He writes regularly for the Sunday Times, and is the author of half a dozen books, including a bestselling autobiography, Fathomless Riches, and the bereavement bestseller The Madness of Grief, written after the death of his partner, David Coles. The first three books in the Canon Clement series have all been No.1 Sunday Times bestsellers.