Till Death Us Do Part

by Penny Stephens

'A new star in the crime-writing firmament' Elly Griffths

The charming and delightfully cosy debut crime novel from Reverend Penny Stephens.

Weddings can be murder . . .

Reverend Clare Brakespear is used to a challenge. With a young family to wrangle, a parish to manage and a particularly excitable Golden Retriever by her side, life is never dull.

But when she attends a wedding where one of the guests is fatally stabbed with a cake knife, even Clare admits that she might have been given too much to handle this time.

As the police investigate the murder, they zero-in on one woman as their prime suspect, who they believe had the motive, means and opportunity to commit the crime. The trouble is, Clare is convinced that they have the wrong person. She might not understand forensic testing and finger-tip searches, but if there's one thing Clare does know, it's people and the complexities of their emotional lives. So she decides to take matters into her own hands.

However, investigating a murder is no mean feat and Clare soon finds herself embroiled in a complex web of family secrets and deceptions. Is she in way over her head or can she find the real killer before an innocent woman is sent down?

367 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 17, 2025

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I didn’t like: people’s names being dropped into the story with nothing to denote who they were: Fatima, Trixie and Tinky (what names!), Peter. I could go on. And it took awhile for us to be told that Tristan was actually a nephew.
What I did like: it having much better writing than Rev. Richard Cole’s’ books; there being a lot less of being told how the church services etc. work; a good advancement of the plot; the murderer not being revealed till nearly the end.
the gardener did it, because he didn’t Tristan getting too close again to his half-sister. Plus he realised that he would never be good enough for Harriet (?). The other person was pro pushed into the quarry by his girlfriend as she thought he was the murder

[Elizabeth Sirett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The scene is set for a beautiful wedding. Trees line the long drive to the Queen Anne Mansion. Reverend Clare Brakespear has been invited to the wedding by her husband's, boss David. Their daughter Anna is a bridesmaid for David’s daughter, Jess, who is marrying Ahmed.

It all sounds idyllic. However, it is no spoiler to say that we learn immediately that there is a dead body in the corner of the tree house, stabbed. Oh! Dear

As the guests begin to assemble, Clare finds herself talking with Celeste, the bride’s aunt, who is clearly family but says she hasn’t seen Jess for years, Family problems you see, but let’s not dwell on those, she says. It’s wonderful to be here, but I feel nervous about today. There’s someone who I think may have been invited and he reminds me of the worst time in my life….

Clare being a Vicar is a keen observer and as she mingles with the guests, she begins to notice that there are tensions between the family members. Leaving her daughter with wedding party and making for the stairs, she sees through an open door the bride’s-stricken face as she shouts, ‘I wish he was dead’.

As the day moves on a banner is seen trailing across the sky, pulled by a light aircraft, on one side ‘Congratulations’ and on the other side, not so friendly. David contacts the police to have the matter dealt with quickly. For DCI Jackie Carter it’s a day she hoped would come. A chance to see her old boyfriend for whom she still holds a torch. Of course, Clare is not so pleased.

Then the dead body is discovered, and DCI Jackie Carter is the investigating officer. She quickly sets her sights on a suspect. The trouble is, Clare is convinced that she has the wrong person. She might not understand forensic testing and finger-tip searches, but if there's one thing Clare does know, it's people and the complexities of their emotional lives. So, she decides to find the killer herself. But is she in way over her head?
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With terrific characterisation. The solution to this complex family mystery is skilfully revealed. Recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

[Agatha Marplewood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reverend Clare Brakespear is no stranger to chaos. Between managing a parish and raising a young family, her days are never dull. But when a wedding guest is fatally stabbed with a cake knife, Clare finds herself drawn into a murder investigation.

The police are convinced they have their culprit, but Clare, trusting her instincts about people, isn’t so sure. As she digs deeper into the tangled web of family secrets and deceptions, she must race to uncover the real killer before an innocent woman is wrongly accused.

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If you love your mysteries on the cozy side, with a dash of parish life and a sprinkle of wedding drama, this book is for you. The writing is rich in detail, and Clare is a warm, relatable protagonist whose people skills are her best detective tool.

The mystery itself is clever and easy to follow, with enough twists to keep you guessing but never lost. There’s a large cast of characters (as you’d expect at a wedding), which can get a bit confusing, but each brings something interesting to the story.

Overall, Till Death Us Do Part is a fun, engaging read that balances humour, heart, and a satisfying mystery. Fans of modern cozy crime will find a lot to enjoy here. Thumbs up from me!

With thanks to NetGalley for the early copy in return for an honest review.

[Jo | Booklover Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard not to enjoy a bit of amateur sleuthing, right? And in times of crisis, who is better positioned to uncover the secrets behind the tears of the grief stricken than the much trusted and respected vicar with her affectionate dog Mia in tow — while she is, of course, first and foremost delivering pastoral care and support. She’s an avid crime fiction reader, and modern wife and mum, so Clare Brakespear is good at multi-tasking. And, who better to write about such a character than a reverend.

In Till Death Us Do Part Penny Stephens has combined the old-world feel of a patient and methodical Agatha Christie investigation with this relatively modern premise.

Clare’s, at times, sarcasm-laden inner thoughts and moments of self-doubt and critique, that run parallel to her external display of earnest and resolute goodness, endear her to readers. As do her protective instincts and admiration for her children Anna and Tom and her husband David. Well-timed and perceptive observations and suppositions from junior sleuths Anna and Tom help dial up this narrative’s charm factor too. Continue reading: https://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/...

[Sarah B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reverend Clare Brakespear has been invited to a wedding by husband's, David, boss and their daughter Anna is a bridesmaid for the daughter, Jess, who is marrying Ahmed in Dorset. Before long, a guest is found murdered with a cake knife. The police zero in one particular guest, however, Clair believes they are wrong. She just can't help but to seek out the truth as she is vicar and as part of her work is to ask questions and listen.. What does come out are deceptions, secrets and lies that have lain dormant over the years? Who was involved? Why did it happen? What made they do it? It was well written with a few twists and turns and a handful of red herrings thrown in and leads to a surprising reveal!

[Emilia Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be put off the cliché title and give this a read! It's real page turner with characters that really come to life, all full of delicious secrets and potential motives that are unveiled. There are a lot of characters to get familiar with so buckle up at the beginning because it is well worth it! There's politics, affairs, debt, and more, all rolled into this cosy novel.

Rev Clare is the perfect protagonist, a believable and charming character, who has her own questions and doubts along with us the reader. I would love to read more of what she gets up to!

[Martine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weddings can go wrong but luckily Reverend Clare is on the case. This is a nice story with likeable characters and an adorable dog. It took me a bit of time to get into the story but I enjoyed it.
I received an advance review copy via NetGalley/Quercus Books and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Till Death Us Do Part is a delightful read ,a little slow to begin with and many characters to contend with but the setting is a Wedding and there is a murder which Reverend Clare is keen to solve as she believes the Police have got it wrong. A cosy crime story with a twist at the end .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A murder solving female vicar? Yes please! A great read. I love a cozy crime book and this hit the mark. I didn’t work it out until the very end. I look forward to more books.

I received a copy from Netgalley to read. All views are my own.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice cosy crime story, with a twist at the end - I couldn't tell who the murderer was until the reveal. It was well written and easy to follow, despite the many characters. I look forward to the next one!

#TillDeathUsDoPart #NetGalley

[Hannah Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought I’d love this book, but it was just so slow! I found myself reading it just to get through it, and it picked up in the final 15/20%. Quite repetitive, just not a big fan.

Thanks to the author, publisher & NetGalley for this ARC.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler alert! I enjoyed reading this who-done-it, but I think the author missed a more satisfying twist in revealing that the killer was actually the adopted family member. If that had been resolved, it would have been a 4star.

[Ben Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful crime novel. The mystery is compelling and kept me guessing throughout with some surprising twists. All the characters have a fantastic depth to them which makes the story feel very real. A fantastic debut novel and I’ll be looking out for the next one!

[Stacy Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and loved that we had a sleuthing vicar!! it was fast paced with many twists and turns keeping you hooked. The only reason I couldn't give it 4 stars was the weakness of the who done it twist. But I would read another book by the author.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

an intriguing cosy mystery