Should you happen to be an Anglican and are contemplating a move to a quiet country parish, for heavens sake don't move here.
The inhabitants of this particular parish would have any new incumbant of a right thinking disposition, taking to the hills after the first week among them.
I found myself despairing but fascinated at the same time.
First off, there are the obscene phone calls the poor clergy wife has to endure (why?) A good dose of short shrift would have cured that problem early on. Why on earth didn't the poor girl tell her husband, not to mention BT who, have strategies for coping with this kind of nuisance.
Add to this, the ladies of the church flower group. Intolerent evil minded and downright bitchy, it's a wonder any floral displays they were responsible for didn't wilt at first touch.
Then we have an oversexed policeman. Anything on two legs and vaguely female is fair game to him. Having worked for the constabulary, I realise that testosterone does flow quite freely at times if not sharply checked but, this guy needs therapy. Obviously the women on his watch aren't handy enough with the upward knee thrust.
There's lots more but, I'll sum up. The book is overdesigned, plotted and the characters are not believable.