Is Murder Before Evensong returning for season 2?

Reverend Richard Coles' novel Murder Before Evensong has been brought to life for 5 in a new series of the same name, starring Matthew Lewis.

The Harry Potter star plays Canon Daniel Clement, a rector who is forced to re-evaluate everything he thought he knew about the market town of Champton when a dead body turns up in his church.

"To watch the adaptation is immensely flattering, very gratifying and very exciting, because the team has done such a great job and because it's been through other people's imaginations now, which is always good," said Coles of the end product.

"Whenever you write a book, you say goodbye to it when it’s sent to the publisher, as after that the book lands with a reader and exists in their imagination. I've always loved how a book doesn’t just have one life, but lots of lives.

"To see creative people, at the top of their game, come together and craft something you didn’t foresee from your work is fascinating."

But are there plans to adapt the rest of his Canon Clement Mysteries series?

Read more:

• Murder Before Evensong ending explained: Who killed Anthony Bowness?
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Read on for everything we know so far about a potential Murder Before Evensong season 2.

Is Murder Before Evensong returning for season 2?

There’s currently no word on the show’s future, but with several more books in the series, a second season seems likely — especially if the ratings delivered.

Watch this space for updates.

When could a potential Murder Before Evensong season 2 be released?

We wouldn’t expect a new series to arrive until at least mid-to-late 2026.

Which cast members could return for a potential Murder Before Evensong season 2?

Alongside Matthew Lewis as Canon Daniel Clement, we’d also expect to see the following main players:

• Amanda Redman as Audrey Clement
• Amit Shah as DS Neil Vanloo

Plus, a host of new cast members will undoubtedly join the line-up for the next mystery alongside the odd returning character.

What could happen in a potential Murder Before Evensong season 2?

If the TV series continues to follow the books, here’s what could be in store (it is an adaptation, so you should expect some changes).

The second book in Coles’ series, A Death in the Parish, takes place a few months after Murder Before Evensong.

“As Daniel tries to steady his flock, the parish is joined with Upper and Lower Badsaddle, bringing a new tide of unwanted change,” reads the official synopsis. “But church politics soon become the least of Daniel's problems.

"His mother – headstrong, fearless Audrey – is obviously up to something, something she is determined to keep from him. And she is not the only one.”

Beyond that, the third novel, Murder at the Monastery, finds Daniel recovering from “a secret humiliation” by taking respite at the monastery where he was once a novice. But when he discovers a death there, any hope of peace is shattered.

There’s also the potential for a future Christmas special based on Murder Under the Mistletoe, in which Daniel and his mother are “joined by the residents and guests of the big house to drink, eat and be merry” on Christmas Day.

But when two people meet under the mistletoe and one of them falls down dead, it seems murder has returned to Champton…

Finally, A Death on Location sees “a glamorous Hollywood movie take over Champton House as its set location.” But production grinds to a halt when another murder occurs.

Murder Before Evensong is available to stream on 5.

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