A Death on Location

Canon Clement #4

by Richard Coles

THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES

CANON DANIEL CLEMENT IS BACK...

In the spring of 1990, we return to Champton, where the characters we've come to love are all aflutter as a glamorous movie set takes over the village.

As the actors don their bonnets, gowns and crowns, a murder interrupts filming on set - and it's an ingenious murder . . .

Can Daniel solve the mystery with help from his sidekick Detective Sergeant Neil Vanloo - even when things are so sticky between them?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Murder Mystery, Queer, Audiobook, Historical Fiction

414 pages, Hardcover

Published June 5, 2025

About the author

The Reverend Richard Coles (born 26 March 1962) is a Church of England priest, broadcaster, writer and musician. Richard Coles was born in Northampton, England and educated at the independent Wellingborough School (where he was a choirboy)and at the South Warwickshire College of Further Education, Department of Drama and the Liberal Arts. He is known for having been the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band The Communards, which achieved three Top Ten hits. He later attended King's College London where he studied theology from 1990. Richard Coles co-presents Saturday Live on BBCR4. In January 2011 The Reverend Richard Coles was appointed as the parish priest of St Mary the Virgin, Finedon in the Diocese of Peterborough.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

Thought the first one was poor, but decided to try this because it was on cheap and I thought he might have hit his stride.

Honestly, I'm baffled. Richard Coles (who I love on the radio) appears to be writing a murder mystery series with a slow burn romance while not being remotely interested in either murder mysteries or romance. I'd say why bother, except they're doing a TV series so kerching.

The murder is beyond perfunctory. You can see how it might have been done but all the clues and deducing and stuff feels like it takes place offscreen while the author gets on with what he finds actually interesting: the life of a CofE rector in a classic TV English village, with battleaxe mum and comedy squire. It's 80s Grantchester, or unfunny Vicar of Dibley (she says tautologously). Meanwhile it appears in the middle two books the vicar fell for the policeman, but now he's basically over it, which...okay, but that's an entire plotline in there just to establish that a thing didn't happen?

Entirely unsatisfactory as a murder mystery but with far too much murder to make it a DE Stevenson or Mapp and Lucia style portrait of a village--which is clearly what he should be writing because all the pen portraits except for the rector and cop are clear-eyed in a deeply uncharitable way and thus very good fun.

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detecting takes place as a sort of afterthought; well-written and enjoyable all the same.

[Stephen Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cross between Agatha Christie and P.G.Wodhouse's Blading books. Set around a movie set in 1990 .Once again we step back in time to fish pie supper that have laughing out loud.
This book is much more lighter than his last book no gay sadness that shadowed his last book this set after the Christmas party.
Cosmo plays big part in the fun.Full of religious facts,food,and drugs .The return of The Generation Game with Bruce.All this and a murder mystery to solve.
Unlucky I gessed who it was very early on, but know idea why?
The first book is been made into Television series for Channel 5.We also learn bit more about Danel and Neil in this book giving more depth to Bloned haired blued eyed Neil
This was really good and perhaps best so far of Coles books.

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a voracious reader, it’s good to have variety; light and shade ; fiction of all types and after Booker nominees and historical fiction, crime fiction is always an escape- it’s the certainty of good overcoming evil and a conclusion where order is restored that makes me turn to detective fiction..

Reverend Richard Coles latest Canon Daniel Clement mystery is the perfect relaxing example of crime fiction that somehow calms as well as entertains with a good plot.

This time a murder at the Manor House where a period drama film is being shot and again Daniel, Detective Neil VanLoo and the inimitable Audrey are back. With a film star in their midst, all sorts of social challenges, faux pas and comedic moments prevail.

This is the fifth Canon Clement book and Reverend Richard is now mastering his art and the feel and voice of the characters get stronger and as a reader more recognisable.

A wonderful ( dare I say cosy ) crime read - read them in order for best impact

[Justine Shenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of fun and enjoyable read

[Connor Hansford · Rating 4 out of 5]

These novels are a real mixed bag I find in terms of plot. I didn't like the first one, the second was better, the third was my favourite, the novella was so sickeningly middle-class it made my teeth itch, and this was... OK. What keeps these from being just bog standard mystery novels unworthy of much comment, to me, is the sheer quality of the prose. It's a cut above the norm and the characterisation of each is clear and distinct. This one slipped into the realm of stereotype too much for me; it reminded me a lot of The Mirror Crack'd and also that Sherlock episode where Ian Chesterton's son who is also in Harry Potter dies only when he undoes his tight Grenadier Guards uniform. 'Nothing new under the sun'. Also, practically, if were going to choose a new name as an up and coming actress, would you really go for Gillian Smith??? Really?

What interested me most was the potential for fatality regarding Alex and Nathan's doctored drugs; I half expected them to be found dead by accident, but this plotline went totally underdeveloped; a shame because it was in a sense the only believable thing about it. The ending made no sense at all. Always I get the sense that these are Trollop-y 'social novels' with a corpse or two added to make it more saleable. The 'plot' such as it is remains almost an afterthought.

My biggest gripe with these novels, as a reader from a working class background and as a trainee Church of England priest, is their utter unreality. Manor houses and flower arranging and BCP and Agas? If this is the world priests inhabit, we're doing something very VERY wrong.

Four stars because I like them and they are unusually well written - especially for a 'celeb' author (sorry Richard) - and I will get the next one.

[MUHAMMAD ABDULLAH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Coles delivers another engaging installment in the Canon Clement series with A Death on Location. This book combines the charm of a cozy mystery with the layered intrigue of a murder investigation. When a film crew arrives in Champton, the quiet village life is disrupted, and soon a suspicious death throws Canon Daniel Clement into another tangled case.

What makes this book enjoyable is the blend of village atmosphere, witty observations, and thoughtful reflections. Coles captures the quirks of small-town life with humor, while also exploring deeper themes such as morality, relationships, and community. Canon Clement is a sympathetic and intelligent protagonist, and his interactions with both familiar faces and outsiders add warmth and realism to the story.

The mystery itself unfolds at a steady pace, with enough red herrings to keep readers guessing until the end. The prose is elegant yet approachable, making it easy to stay immersed. Fans of classic British crime fiction will find the tone familiar and comforting.

[Bookish Barbarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Death on Location by Reverend Richard Coles
A vibrant and witty return to Champton.!

If Murder at the Monastery was a peaceful retreat, A Death on Location is a bustling, joyful homecoming. The village is "all aflutter" as a Hollywood film crew arrives to shoot a period drama, bringing a delightful clash between movie stars and local parishioners.

The mystery kicks off when an extra is found murdered on set, but as always with Coles, the real magic lies in the character work. Seeing Daniel navigate the chaos of a film set while managing village life and his formidable mother, Audrey remains a highlight of the series.

It’s clever, nostalgic, and deeply satisfying. Coles perfectly balances the "glamour" of the film world with the cozy, grounded heart of the Champton community. Another wonderful outing for fans of gentle, character-
driven mysteries!

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
The best one by far, after a pretty dire previous book.
Not too much ecclesiastical talk this time, thank goodness, replaced by a lot of movie talk. Fortunately, how a film is made was more interesting to me than how a parish church and its services are run.
The Hollywood actress Gilly killed Margaret because, when they were in Am Dram together, she ran over Gilly’s dachshund, the love of her life. Daniel and Neil become friends again, with no romantic involvement now. The lord is trying to get Cosmo to be his dog. Miss March, the dress shop owner, turned out to be the mother of Brandon, the drug dealer

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The big house at Champton has been taken over by a Hollywood film crew with various locals getting involved as extras or advisers. When one of the locals is murdered it's up to Daniel to assist the police in figuring out who and why. Another great addition to this cosy crime series. Some interesting characters and secrets revealed.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a bit slow and must admit that I prefer the 'churchy' bits which are familiar to me. The film making descriptions didn't really click with me. As usual most of the descriptions of the central characters were the best bits and of course there were twists at the end .

[Tina Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great book from Richard Cole

[GBL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Coles’ new novel continues the series featuring Daniel Clement, the Rector of Champton, who has become an amateur sleuth as he investigates murders in his parish.

A film crew has taken over the local Manor House, with local residents as extras in the film. The death of Margaret Porteus, a local woman, seems initially a case of mistaken identity but as the investigation proceeds it becomes clear she was the target.

This is an easy, enjoyable read as Daniel and his policeman friend Neil investigate an interesting group of characters.

[Les Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without doubt this has been one of my favourite series. Highly recommend reading them.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less CofE lore, more story, all good.

[Tyler Phillip Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Death on Location” by @revrichardcoles.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved being back in Champton with my favourite priest solving a murder!

The murder taking place within the first chapter?! Getting right into it! Heartbreaking we lost another member from the parish 😢. But the overall story was fantastic. The characters keep getting better and better. I LOVED development for some of the recurring characters! Especially Miss March! I knew she had some interesting story coming. And I’m blown away! The new characters for this book were really fun as well, some more than others. But if you have enjoyed the other books in the series you’ll definitely like this one!

Dan and Neil’s friendship was a little tricky this time around… After the whole incident 😘. But it was great having them together again solving a murder.

Bernard’s new found love for Cosmo (Dan’s Dog) was a fun little side story that I really enjoyed seeing develop.

I feel like it took a little step back from the religious side of things but it made sense for the story. It didn’t deviate too far though.

Proud of myself for somewhat figuring out a clue 😂… I didn’t get to what it meant fully but I was absolutely shocked by that twist… The ending though! I really hope we get another book!

The TV show should be out some time this year and I’m super excited! Hopefully they do the book justice.

I do love Revs writing but damn! He writes long chapters! There were parts of the story that I feel like could of been the end of the chapter but it didn’t. I was also a little sad the actual hardcover didn’t have a cool image printed on it like the rest of the series 🥲.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025! I’m so glad it did not disappoint!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here for the Miss March revelation. I want to know a bit more there!

[Katie Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Possibly my favourite yet

[Lizzy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the last book in the series, Murder at the Monastery, but this one felt like a real return to form. I was so excited to spot it on the shelves and couldn’t even wait for the paperbacks to appear. Returning to the village of Champton now feels like slipping into a comfy jumper – familiar characters, warm settings and full of charm. The plot this time was genuinely interesting, especially all the behind-the-scenes stuff about film-making. As always, Daniel is clever, calm and always quietly observing—like a modern-day Poirot with a touch more warmth and wit. Plenty of twists and the ending caught me off guard in the best way. A really enjoyable read that I raced through.

[T · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an odd book to me. It all took place over, really, only two days.
And it felt like the murder was an afterthought that was sorted out rather quickly in thr last two chapters. There wasn't much investigation at all.
There were so many references I didn't understand and so many words I don't know.

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A DEATH ON LOCATION is a nice return to the world of Champton after the shorter Christmas novella, MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE. And this time, Hollywood is in town.

I liked the duality of interest in the movies and distaste from the village. It's glamourous and common and everyone is interested to some extent, with even those initially disliking it joining up once everyone else has. I feel like so many movie-centric books focus on those in the industry and less on the communities it affects when it comes to town and throws everything out of order.

This book takes place over a very short period of time - much of it (I'd say about 75%!) happening in one day and then a few minor bits of investigation on the second day with the denouement on the third. I did notice how much was packed into one day, but with so many narrators each seeing different things, I suppose it was pretty inevitable as there's ta lot to do on day 1 (statements etc before anyone forgets.)

The book also looks at the next step in Daniel and Neil's relationship and the turmoil after the kiss last book. It's awkward and two people unsure how to go back to friendship after everything. I really liked the scene between Neil and Theo about it, the halting but raw confession of two men who have been brought together by a third trying to get advice and not quite sure how to do it.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Death on Location. Canon Clement #5. Richard Coles. 2025 12.99 iBook 5/12/25. 4/5.
1990 in Champton and a film crew has taken over the grand house and grounds after having renovated much of it to film a period piece. The delight of this series of books for me, is the writer’s amazing use of the English language and descriptive ability. Makes reading a pure pleasure with a good laugh here and there or a need to stop to savor the language. A murder happens, there are the usual cast of characters as it is a large film set but the delight is the return of the characters. Friends, family or part of the congregation that Daniel manages or Bernard the master of the big house….even the dogs are perfect. Of course between them Daniel and Neil manage to come to terms with who did what and why…….in the course of those revelations, even finding a few other connections. It just ends too soon as it is, like all these books, a pleasure to read.

This is book #4 or 5, depending on which list you use. Murder Under the Mistletoe being the other!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!!

Possibly my favourite after the first one. ADORE Rev Coles’ writing style with witty similes and fun throw backs to the 80s/90s. The characters are so clear and I also appreciate the beautiful religious bits he throws in with a real faith and appreciation of his character being in the clergy (like himself) as well as living in the world of murder and mayhem and snobbery and hierarchy (including God) and the seedier pets of live written like he knows (and did research).

Theres nothing to not love and I adore that the two woofs (and any other dogs) Hilda and Cosmo - have actual roles in the book as well not just as scenery.

I am pleased to have bought a signed copy from Waterstones, seeing there new hardback in the window, and have really enjoyed it sitting on my balcony. I look forward to the next one. Hope hope! I hope Rev Coles doesn’t do a Richard Osman and break off from awesome books to side-quest to another series!!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh yikes, Richard Coles' 80s set series enters the 90s! And by this point a formula is starting to emerge and we don't expect the investigation of the murder to get going and proceed in a timely fashion (and that's even if the murder happens early, which on this occasion it does and in a rather interesting way) It gives him the opportunity to portray a very class conscious village society and write a lot about dachshunds, before the Reverend Daniel works it all out and provides the exposition.

I didn't find the 'on location' movie making especially interesting, aside from the way various characters get drawn into it - and again, its own kind of class system. Audrey's hilarious of course and the business of Bernard's relationship with Cosmo really quite deep (whether the author knows it or not, and he may). As always, lots of little period details he's checked out (probably via Twitter, the backslider) - one or two of which struck me as incorrect and a few more slightly too superfluously scattered rather than genuine nostalgia nuggets.

Fundamentally, these books are about clear eyed, wry compassion, rather like Miss Read and Barbara Pym.

[Joe Maggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book read entirely in Florida theme park queues. It was only after about two thirds in that I realised the action had thus far conducted itself over a single day, and indeed it extents only to two overall. Remarkable in the sense that this is a hard task to pull off, it limits where you can go, how much the characters can do and how far they can move, and so really boxes you in. The fact that I at first didn’t notice is a testament to how much engaging action has been put within these confines. Rev Coles is clearly seeking to experiment and be bold in each of these novels and I respect that greatly; so many would simply rehash the same formatting - which sometimes works, sometimes does not.

Is the ending perhaps a touch anti-climactic and lacks the right bite for what has happened? I think so, but nonetheless I think can be made sense of and enjoyment relished.

[Heather (londonhev)]

NB - I don't rate books as it does my head in, but that does not indicate my enjoyment of them.

confession: I don't read this series for the mystery element, which is fine. but it's the minutiae of the little community that I love. the village politics, the various relationship dynamics, the historical detail, and Revd Coles' eye for dialogue and social interaction. this didn't disappoint, and I was very pleased to be back with the Rector as he finds himself investigating yet another murder. we find out how he and Neil are getting on, follow Audrey as she navigates the social mores of hosting local gentry and a Hollywood star, and spend more time with Miss March who I increasingly wanted to hug. a cosy treat.

[Amy (Amy_justonemorechapter) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Richard Coles’ writing, although this is a series, you do not need to read the books before this one to enjoy or understand the story. Coles has a fantastic and seamless way of recapping previous information by dropping it casually into a line. I actually think this is my favourite in the series. It was quite fun reading about a film being shot at the big house and how the village were also involved. The crime happens fairly quickly, however the book was so engaging I was absorbed in the story, right until the end.

[Trish King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cosy read from Richard Coles - the population of his parish is dwindling fast! This time a film crew is in town and before we have gone a few pages, a village stalwart is dead. No-one is safe but some are venturing all over the place just the same, mostly the less trustworthy.
A good page-turner and a feel-good book like all his others. A 5 star read if you want something not too taxing (apart from the archaic language - easy to check on an e reader but annoying if you are reading on a 'proper' book.)

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and cozy like all the other instalments in this series, however I would have loved if more life was injected into the movie set location before the murder took place, as I think it would have helped the atmosphere of drama and celebrity feel more immersive, and different to the previous novels.

The conclusion and reveal felt a little fast and out the blue in this one too.

I always enjoy these books though, even if the religious context goes over my head. I feel like with the ending this series had the width for one more!

[Fancy]

dnf. stopping these now. this one was wittier and lighter, and the murder plot started much sooner! but the romance sub-plot seems to have stalled (or shifted to a different status without me seeing it happen! was there resistance to an mm romance after #3?). imo the series is all over the place. genre not murder, not romance, not crime-busting partners, not small-town insight, not class conflict, not religious commentary. just a bit of each and each book shifts emphasis and tone. i don't want the same every time but i like consistent characters and relationship development.