Murder Before Evensong
by The Reverend Richard Coles (W&N, £16.99)
THE FIRST NOVEL by The Reverend Richard Coles— whose somewhat unusual CV includes being a radio presenter, a former popstar, a Strictly contestant and a country vicar—begins on a note of deep drama. Not the murder of the title, but the plan by Daniel Clement, rector of Champton St Mary, to install a toilet at the back of the church. The trouble, you see, is that there’s never been one before, so the new loo represents something that the parishioners especially fear: change.
Then again, they haven’t had much practice in dealing with it. As the novel makes clear, Champton prides itself on its continuity. The year may be 1988, yet this is still a place where the lord of the manor remains a figure of feudal authority and there’s a strong sense of social rank. For many locals too—certainly the ones we meet here—the Anglican church maintains a central role.
この記事は Reader's Digest UK の June 2022 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は Reader's Digest UK の June 2022 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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