Channel 5 mystery mystery based on beloved 'top 10' book series drops first look

The first trailer for the upcoming six-part crime drama, Murder Before Evensong, based on Reverend Richard Coles' novel of the same name, has been released. The sneak peek of the show, set to air on Channel 5 later this year, showcases Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis in his role as Canon Daniel Clement.

Daniel is the Rector of the quaint English village of Champton, who finds himself tangled up in a murder investigation when a body mysteriously turns up in the church.

The trailer also gives us a glimpse of the rest of the cast, with Amanda Redman playing Daniel's mother Audrey, Amit Shah as DS Neil Vanloo, Adam James as Bernard De Floures and Tamzin Outhwaite as Stella Harper.

Other notable names in the star-studded line-up include Meghan Treadway, Alexander Delamain, Marion Bailey, Amanda Hadingue, Francis Magee and Nina Toussaint-White, reports the Daily Record.

The official synopsis for the series reads: "Daniel shares Champton rectory with his widowed mother Audrey - and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda. When Daniel announces a plan to modernise the church, the parish is suddenly divided. And then a body is found dead at the back of the church.

"As the police move in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together... and catch a killer."

After Murder Before Evensong, Coles has written four more books in the Canon Clement series: A Death in the Parish (2023), Murder at the Monastery (2024), Murder Under the Mistletoe, and most recently, A Death on Location (2025).

Lewis is best known for his portrayal of Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter series. Recently, he has been seen in Channel 5's drama All Creatures Great and Small and Romesh Ranganathan's BBC sitcom Avoidance.

Cole's books have had a number of favourable reviews in recent years, as one reader said: "I enjoyed this far more than I am going to confess. Clergy, murders and sausage-dogs. Plus a battle to put a toilet in church. I think that I might have lived through parts of this book."

Another added: "Maisy the sausage says that the book kept me nice and still with an available lap and snacks. She thinks that this is top 10 material and we are going to start number 2 today."

A third chimed in: "Great holiday reading. As bed time reading, beware the "just one more chapter" trap - you'll enjoyably read into the early hours."