A Death on Location

Title: A Death on Location

Author: Richard Coles

Published in: 2025

Date read: Not yet read

Score: 0/5

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Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
Published in 2025, A Death on Location is the fifth installment in the bestselling Canon Clement cozy mystery series. Set in the early 1990s, it brings a heavy dose of Hollywood glamour—and a clever puzzle—to the quiet, fictional English village of Champton.

The Plot:
The peaceful atmosphere of Champton is completely upended when a massive Hollywood film crew descends upon Champton House. They are there to shoot an elaborate 1600s period drama, complete with extravagant gowns, farthingales, and crowns. Excitement ripples through the community as half the locals are hired as historical advisers or background extras.

The fun comes to a screeching halt during the filming of a chaotic crowd scene. Margaret Porteous, a pillar of the community and a dedicated churchwarden, is dressed as an extra when she suddenly complains of a sharp stitch in her side. Moments later, she collapses and dies—the "stitch" turns out to be an incredibly subtle and ingenious stab wound.

The Mystery:
Canon Daniel Clement is quickly drawn away from his pastoral duties and into the investigation alongside his regular investigative partner, Detective Sergeant Neil Vanloo. The case proves to be highly unusual as they try to separate the theatrical illusions of the film world from the realities of the village. The key questions mounting for the duo include:
• The Intended Target: Was Margaret the actual victim, or was she mistaken in the costumed chaos for the film’s notoriously difficult and eccentric leading lady, Gillian?
• The Pressure Cooker: The American studio backers are breathing down the director's neck to resume filming immediately, creating a frantic rush that threatens to compromise the crime scene.
• A Room Full of Strangers: For the first time, Champton is flooded with outsiders, any of whom—from demanding stars to crew members with hidden pasts—could be hiding a motive.

The Investigation:
Daniel must walk a tightrope, managing the explosive egos of the film set while supporting a grieving parish. Complicating matters is the fact that his own actor brother, Theo, is part of the production, and the relationship between Daniel and DS Vanloo has become incredibly tense and awkward following recent personal events.

As Daniel sifts through the footage already shot and interviews suspicious cast members, he must use his sharp knowledge of human nature to spot the killer before the cameras start rolling again and the culprit vanishes into the Hollywood sunset.

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Books that we've read by Richard Coles (3):
Murder Before Evensong (Canon Clement, #1) (2022), A Death in the Parish (Canon Clement #2) (2023), Murder at the Monastery (Canon Clement #3) (2024)