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St. Jude's Book Club
A club for readers who like to discuss books
Our Current Read
Meeting on Feb 3, 2026 @ 12pm
A Death in the Parish by Reverend Richard Coles
A Death in the Parish sees Canon Daniel Clement return to the seemingly tranquil village of Champton St Mary, where life is just beginning to settle after recent upheavals—until new parish politics and unsettling events disrupt the calm once again. As the village navigates a controversial church merger and the arrival of a more rigid new clergyman, long-standing tensions, class divides, and hidden secrets start to rise to the surface.
Richard Coles blends gentle humour, richly drawn village life, and a classic country-house-style mystery, setting the story firmly in late-1980s England, with its social and economic changes quietly shaping the background. Champton feels as vivid and idiosyncratic as any great Golden Age mystery setting, populated by eccentric locals, old families, and newcomers who all seem to have something to hide.
While the story takes its time unfolding—focusing as much on parish life, personal struggles, and the shifting role of the church as on detection—the result is a warm, atmospheric, and thoughtful cosy mystery. With its mix of wit, compassion, and intrigue, A Death in the Parish offers a gently absorbing return to a village where even the most peaceful places can hold dark secrets.
St. Jude's Book Club
What we have read and are planning to read next...
| Date | Title | Author | Rating | Comments |
| Jun 2026 | The Mozart Code | Rachel McMillan | ||
| May 2026 | Ellie and the Harpmaker | Hazel Prior | ||
| Apr 2026 | The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County | Claire Swinarski | ||
| Mar 2026 | The Cuban Heiress | Chanel Cleeton | ||
| Feb 2026 | A Death in the Parish | The Reverend Richard Coles | ||
| Jan 2026 | Jennifer's Vow | Kevin R Coleman | 3/5 | Our group took a chance on a new genre with this book, and unfortunately it wasn't a favourite for all. Some found the romance scenes a bit difficult to read, and there was some confusion around the themes and plot pacing. However, many readers liked the characters and thought that the book addressed timely issues in an interesting way. |
| Dec 2025 | The Messy Lives of Book People | Phaedra Patrick | 3/5 | This easy read for the end of the year was met with mixed feelings. Many thought it felt rushed, and wasn't edited as well as it could have been, but the overall story was fun. With some authors in our group, we had some great discussions on the process of writing a book. |
| Nov 2025 | Coronation Year | Jennifer Robson | 5/5 | We are lucky enough to have a few members who actually attended the coronation in person, so they were able to share their own stories with us. This book was well liked by the whole group. |
| Oct 2025 | Family Family | Laurie Frankel | 4/5 | This was an emotional read for many of the group. While this story ended positively for all the characters, we discussed how adoption can be very difficult for some families as well. |
| Sep 2025 | The Book of Lost Names | Kristin Harmel | 4.5/5 | We considered what bravery means, the importance of a name, and the ways people resist injustice in both big and small ways. While many of us felt that there were a few too many coincidences to make Eva's story 100% believable, it made each of us consider how our own small acts of resistance can combat the injustices we see today. |
| Aug 2025 | In The Upper Country | Kai Thomas | 5/5 | In the Upper Country gave us a lot to think about - not just through its characters and plot, but through the history and themes it brought to life. We explored ideas of freedom, belonging, and justice, and we considered how the stories within the novel connect to our own understanding of the past. While many of us will likely have to read it a second or third time to be able to follow all of the stories, we all learned so much about both the untold history of Canada and ourselves. |
| Jul 2025 | The Clementine Complex | Bob Mortimer | 2.5/5 | Members were very split in their feelings about this book. Some thought it was hilarious, with many laugh-out-loud moments. Others found it impossible to connect with the characters and didn't enjoy the frequent swearing in the dialog. We were all able to appreciate the detailed descriptions and silly moments with the squirrels. |
| Jun 2025 | The Jane Austen Society | Natalie Jenner | 5/5 | We were incredibly priviledged to be joined by author Natalie Jenner for this meeting. She shared the story of how this book came to be, and inspired us all. The group definitely wants to read the next book in the series. |
| May 2025 | The Reading List | Sara Nisha Adams | 5/5 | We were all really touched by this book. It brought up some incredible discussions about loneliness, grief, mental health struggles, and the importance of community. |
| Apr 2025 | The Rose Code | Kate Quinn | 5/5 | This book was loved by everyone, even those who were reading it for the second and third time! |
| Mar 2025 | Anxious People | Fredrik Backman | 3.5/5 | This was a re-read for some of the group, which gave us the opportunity to discuss what a second reading of a book can bring. The way that the narrator omitted descriptions of many of the characters until later in the book added to the mystery and caused some confusion. |
| Feb 2025 | The Lost Apothecary | Sarah Penner | 4.5/5 | Another big hit with our group! This book spawned a lot of discussion about difficult marriages, women's roles in society, and when/if murder is ever acceptable. |
| Jan 2025 | Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt | 4.5/5 | This was a great choice for our first book. Many people in the group said that this isn't something they would normally pick up, and they were pleasantly surprised at how much they enjoyed the book. |
Our ratings:
5 - Loved it! A new favourite!
4 - Really liked the book. Would recommend to others.
3 - It was a good book but not my favorite.
2 - It was just okay.
1 - I really didn't enjoy this book at all.
