Murder Before Evensong by the Reverend Richard Coles

The Reverend Richard Coles's debut novel, Murder Before Evensong, is a cozy mystery set in the little fictional English village of Champton St Mary in 1988. The book follows Canon Daniel Clement, the rector of the village church, as he investigates a series of murders that have rocked the community.

I enjoyed Murder Before Evensong, but I found it to be a bit slow at times. The book is full of well-developed characters and a charming setting, but the plot takes its time to develop and I was about 30% in before the first fatality. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it gives the reader time to get to know the characters and the village, but it may not be to everyone's taste.

The book's strengths lie in its characters and its setting. Canon Daniel Clement is a likeable and relatable protagonist. He's a kind and compassionate man who is dedicated to his faith and his community. He's also a bit of a mystery himself, as he's still coming to terms with the death of his husband.

The village of Champton St Mary is also a well-realized setting. Coles brings the village to life with his descriptions of the countryside, the people, and the local customs. The village is a place where everyone knows everyone else, and where secrets are hard to keep. Add to that the fact hat the rector wants to install a toilet at the back of the church and chaos ensues among the congregation.

The book's plot is a bit slow at times, but it does eventually pick up. The mystery is well-crafted, and the reader will be kept guessing until the very end. The book also features a few twists and turns that will keep the reader engaged.

Overall, I enjoyed Murder Before Evensong. It's a well-written and enjoyable cozy mystery. I would recommend it to fans of the genre. 8/10 🙂

A Visit To Whitelee Wind Farm

The Neilston Men's Group recently visited Whitelee Wind Farm, the UK’s largest onshore wind farm. Located on Eaglesham Moor, its 215 turbines generate up to 539 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power over 350,000 homes.

Whitlee Wind Farm

Entry and parking is free and with 130 kilometres (over 80 miles) of trails to explore, it’s an ideal venue for walkers or cyclists. We were really impressed by the scale of the site. It's hard to imagine how many turbines there are until you see it for yourself.

We’d booked a guided bus tour so, after some mid-morning refreshments in the pleasant visitor centre café, we spent the rest of time before the tour in the interactive, on-site exhibition, where you can find out how green you really are, feel the force of the wind, be in control of a wind farm, and learn all about our race to net zero. We also learned about the environmental benefits of wind power, such as reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality.

The (electric) bus tour, which lasted about an hour, was enjoyable and Stuart, our driver, gave us an interesting and informative explanation of just about anything you can think of related to the wind farm, which covers an area of over 20 square kilometres. We learned how wind turbines work, the different kinds there are on site, and how they contribute to the UK's renewable energy supply.

The bus stopped for a short break at Turbine 42 where we had a walk around, patted the turbine and enjoyed the view over Lochgoin Reservoir. On the return trip Stuart told us about the next phase in the wind farm’s development plan, which will be a solar energy farm that will be built to provide power for Glasgow City Council’s transport vehicles to support their pursuit of having a low emission zone in the city centre.

The Neilston Men's Group is a group of local men who get together regularly to socialise and participate in activities. They are committed to making a positive contribution to the local community, and they believe that visiting Whitelee Wind Farm was a valuable way to learn about renewable energy and its potential to help tackle climate change.

Lochgoin Reservoir

The group would like to thank the Whitelee Wind Farm team for their hospitality and for providing them with such an informative tour. They would also like to encourage other people to visit the wind farm and learn more about this important source of renewable energy.

 

You can see these and other photos I've taken at Whitelee Wind Farm  here:

 

For more information, please take a look at the web site:

• https://www.whiteleewindfarm.co.uk/