MURDER BEFORE EVENSONG - Tue 7 Oct ch 5 9pm - TV PACE NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

A first-look trailer has been revealed for Murder Before Evensong (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/murder-before-evensong-matthew-lewis-first-look-newsupdate/), the new six-part murder mystery series based on the novel of the same name by Reverend Richard Coles.

He was in IACGMOOH - I liked him

Matthew Lewis's character Canon Daniel Clement.

Daniel is the Rector of English village Champton, who finds himself entangled in a murder case when a dead body turns up in the church.

Other cast members for the series are also seen in the trailer, including Amanda Redman as Daniel's mother Audrey, Amit Shah as DS Neil Vanloo, Adam James as Bernard De Floures and Tamzin Outhwaite as Stella Harper.

Other stars featuring in the show's cast include Meghan Treadway, Alexander Delamain, Marion Bailey, Amanda Hadingue, Francis Magee and Nina Toussaint-White.

As the police move in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together... and catch a killer."

Beyond Murder Before Evensong, Coles has written four more books in the Canon Clement series (https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Reverend-Richard-Coles/author/B0DR7F4RHW?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-2323684) – 2023's A Death in the Parish, 2024's Murder at the Monastery and Murder Under the Mistletoe, and 2025's A Death on Location.

Lewis is, of course, best known for playing Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter film series,

Murder Before Evensong
Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton, where he lives alongside his widowed mother – opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey – and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda.

When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in the church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village.

I haven’t read the books so will be all new to me

I haven’t read the books either, but it’s Channel 5, good cast, I’m in! I love a daft C5 drama.

Oh dear it’s ghastly so far. Redman is so wrong. Daniel is overly perplexed and the rest of the cast equally painful. Really disappointing.

Crikey the script is really awful. What were they thinking?
and a shame a drama set in spring has been filled in deep winter

Acting was so bad I couldn't hack more than half an hour.

I’m at work so won’t see till tomorrow but doesn’t sound good reviews so far 🙀🙀😢😢

E1 recap

https://reelmockery.com/murder-before-evensong-series-1-episode-1-recap/amp/

which I haven’t read yet as haven’t seen

I tried to read the book but found it so badly written I gave up. Thought I’d give the tv programme a go, incase it was an improvement on the book. It wasn’t!

There are so many amazing books out there which could be made into tv series, such a shame this one was chosen.

Bernard is too young, honoria is too old and seems to have had her name weirdly changed to Honor? There’s bits of random plot popping in all over the place unnecessarily. Even the rectory kitchen is ghastly. and don’t get me started on Amit Shah.
I rarely give up on a watch but this is really testing me.

I’m so glad I found this thread. I’ve been scratching my head to work out who plays Daniel’s mum. So recognisable, but I was struggling to put a name to her, but of course it’s Amanda Redman. I can see it now.

Did anyone else think that Richard Cole’s was doing the announcements at the fete?

Didn't enjoy the book, but prepared to give this a go, I do like country village murder dramas!

I have read the book, but I've forgotten most of the plot, so that might be just as well. I was hoping for at least one other person who watched it all through. Were the two women who lived together mother and daughter or sisters? Knowing that the one played the Queen Mother in The Crown made me think she was a mother ,but when she was talking to Daniel about the hospital letter for the other one I missed any reference to their relationship.Can anyone help?

I had not realised that Daniel is played by the actor who played Neville in all the Harry Potter films.

I was expecting Bernand to be more like Lord Ashfordley in Heartbeat. I feel that Bernard is too nice here compared to the books.

Just watching now. In 25mins. I think it’s ok.

You know I’m easily pleased 😂 and it’s a simple murder in a town - like all the other murder mystery shows

I haven’t read the book so have nothing to compare it

It’s seem ok for children watching

kinda a father brown

I got through it, didn’t work out the relationship between the women, sisters I wondered?

there was something off about the filming, the colours or the crispness, it needed a more 80s feel to it.

I’ll continue it, if I remember!

Thanks @Blondeshavemorefun

I've not read the books, so can't comment, but it's ok enough to watch. I think we are deliberately not meant to know whether the women are sisters or lovers or just friends.

As a choral singer, I'm mostly annoyed that we've not had any Evensong settings or choral anthems. Instead, instrumental, secular music. It's tiny thing, but it may sum up the whole production's relation to the original and context.

They are sisters and the fact that’s not clear is another problem with this!

Oh. Didnt think of lovers. I assume sisters/friends. Not mum and daughter

Thank you.

I think the other young male gay coupling means this production ticks the diversity box. I now think Kath and Dora are sisters.

Matthew Lewis doesn't quite have the charisma to be a lead in this kind of show. He doesn't seem very sharp or wise, just a perplexed young man. I thought Redman was good, definitely old enough to be his Mum. Outhwaite was good as well.

How did Lord Bernard de Floures (Adam James) become a lord where his dad aka grandad edgy obviously isn’t one