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A review by beate251
Murder at the Monastery by Richard Coles
challenging
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is the third book in the Canon Clement Mystery series by the Reverend Richard Coles, formerly of The Communards. I was tickled pink when The Communards got a mention in the book - this taking place in the late 80s, after all.
Canon Daniel Clement has fled to his old monastery for some soul-searching after his crush Neil the policeman told him he was in love with Honoria. Then a monk is found dead but Daniel is the only one who thinks it isn't an accident.
Meanwhile, life goes on in Champton without him, with his irrepressible mother Audrey getting a new job, redecorating the fire-damaged rectory and living it large at Champton House, the home of Bernard, Lord de Floures and Honoria's father.
I have to say, for a murder mystery there is not much investigating going on, and way too much religious debate and jargon instead. I didn't like monasteries before, and now I really don't. People use words like thurifer, scapular and hebdomadary and say sentences like
"Everything you need is in my stall - it's just Compline with an antiphon for the Nunc dimittis because of Willibrord." Am I supposed to understand any of that? I think the Reverend Coles is good in describing atmospheric settings but I wanted a murder mystery I could follow, and it was almost an afterthought.
To be honest, I will probably read the next one, but only for Audrey and Daniel's intriguing friendship with Neil. The star of the show really are the quirky inhabitants of Champton!
Read this if you're very fond of theological discourse, the 80s, books in which nothing much happens, and dachshunds.
Canon Daniel Clement has fled to his old monastery for some soul-searching after his crush Neil the policeman told him he was in love with Honoria. Then a monk is found dead but Daniel is the only one who thinks it isn't an accident.
Meanwhile, life goes on in Champton without him, with his irrepressible mother Audrey getting a new job, redecorating the fire-damaged rectory and living it large at Champton House, the home of Bernard, Lord de Floures and Honoria's father.
I have to say, for a murder mystery there is not much investigating going on, and way too much religious debate and jargon instead. I didn't like monasteries before, and now I really don't. People use words like thurifer, scapular and hebdomadary and say sentences like
"Everything you need is in my stall - it's just Compline with an antiphon for the Nunc dimittis because of Willibrord." Am I supposed to understand any of that? I think the Reverend Coles is good in describing atmospheric settings but I wanted a murder mystery I could follow, and it was almost an afterthought.
To be honest, I will probably read the next one, but only for Audrey and Daniel's intriguing friendship with Neil. The star of the show really are the quirky inhabitants of Champton!
Read this if you're very fond of theological discourse, the 80s, books in which nothing much happens, and dachshunds.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War