Murder Before Evensong has drawn to a close with a nail-biting finale, and the ending saw Daniel set a trap for the killer…

Of course, viewers saw that he put himself in serious danger in the pursuit of the truth. And, as he unveiled the identity of the Champton St Mary serial killer, it became a race against time to apprehend them before they escaped justice.

So who was the Champton St Mary killer, and why were Philip Kerling, Anthony Bowness, Ned Thwaite, and Stella Harper all murdered?

Here’s everything you need to know about the ending of Murder Before Evensong, including the identity of the deadly villager.

***Warning: spoilers from the ending of Murder Before Evensong ahead***

Murder Before Evensong ending explained

In the penultimate episode of Murder Before Evensong, the dead bodies piled up. Adding to Anthony Bowness and Ned Thwaite, who died in previous episodes, Daniel found skeletal remains in the secret room in the church’s crypt.

The body was that of double agent Philip Kerling. Just seconds later, Daniel’s mum Audrey found the lifeless body of Stella… But who killed them? And were they all the work of the same killer?

In the final instalment, viewers finally discovered the identity of the Champton St Mary murderer/s.

Having decided to keep his gruesome discovery under wraps from Detective Neil Vanloo, Daniel laid a trap for the killer and lured them to the bunker. His aim? To extract a confession. But he was seemingly “double-crossed” when the murderer pulled on his heart strings.

Of course, the ever-protective Audrey raised the alarm when she realised Daniel hadn’t been home all night, and Neil and Corinne rushed to the scene… As the crowds assembled for the Champton at War community celebration, the police raced against time to apprehend the killer and possibly save Daniel’s life.

At the end, Daniel was faced with an ethical dilemma, forcing him to examine his own nature – and faith.

Who were the “observers” and how were they linked to it all?

The “network of observers” used the inside of tennis balls to deliver their reports to secret drop points. In the early years of the war, the Home Defence Scheme had two concerns – Germans being parachuted in, and the threat of German spies. So the “observers” were created, made up of civilians who could move around without attracting attention.

Daniel realised that perhaps one of these observers had rumbled German spy Philip Kerling… In the closing moments of Murder Before Evensong episode 5, Daniel discovered a secret door within the newly-discovered bunker. Inside, he found the skeletal remains of a dead body.

The identification papers found on it suggested it was double agent Philip Kerling. And, on closer inspection, Daniel realised Philip Kerling’s photo was the same as German soldier Gerd Brunter.

Daniel realised that the bunker room was key to finding out the killer. Whoever was on a murdering spree had known about the secret room, and the radio room. While looking through Anthony Bowness’ manuscript, Daniel and Audrey read reference to an “observer” who delivered his messages on a horse.

Of course, Daniel realised the report referred to Bernard, who subsequently admitted he’d been an observer for the Special Duties Branch. He’d been recruited in 1943.

Murder Before Evensong ending explained: What happened to Philip Kerling?

In a statement to the police at the time, Bernard said he’d seen Philip Kerling the night of the plane crash. In fact, he swore to seeing Philip Kerling by the aircraft several hours before it took off.

Apparently this was unusual. In the present day, Bernard told Daniel: “Kerling was top brass. Planning. So, yes, he was normally tied to his desk.”

Hazy on the memories, Bernard said he almost definitely would have put that information in his daily report. By this point, Daniel was beginning to realise how he could link Philip Kerling to the murders. All the dead bodies were the murderer’s way of keeping the bunker and the body of Philip Kerling a secret.

Daniel decided to “flush” the murderer out by “giving them good reason to move the body”. Essentially he set a trap. During Evensong, the Rector of Champton announced that the Church’s “refurbishment plans had been agreed, which include the new toilet”. Of course, the new toilet would mean disturbing the font, and subsequently the secret bunker…

Philip Kerling’s murderer was, as Daniel suspected, listening to the sermon…

Who killed Philip Kerling?

Daniel waited in the secret bunker, and seemed unsurprised when Kath Sharman arrived. It was then – via flashback – we finally learnt what happened to Philip Kerling. Long story short, Dora killed Philip Kerling. And Kath attempted to cover for her sister.

Back in 1944, devoted sisters Dora and Kath attended a dance. Singer Dora provided the entertainment, while Kath got chatting to French soldier Hervé Gauchet from the Free French army. You know, the one who created the fabulous mural during the war. Talking in the present day, Kath described him as the “most handsome man I’d ever met”. They fell in love, and planned their future together.

Hervé had escaped France after Dunkirk, and joined the SOE, helping the resistance. The SOE was the Special Operations Executive, a secret British Second World War organisation created in July 1940.

Kath was a member of the Special Duties Signals Unit, as was Dora. The only other person who knew of their involvement was Hervé. Eventually, news came in from France that the Germans had rounded up whole networks of SOE and resistance members. They’d all been shot after being betrayed. So who was the traitor?

When Hervé went to France to expose the “traitor”, his plane blew up in the the sky. He died instantly, not knowing that Kath was pregnant with his child. Of course, viewers knew that Kath subsequently had a son who she put him up for adoption. She’d previously revealed to Harry Cobb that she was his secret mum.

Murder Before Evensong ending: Why did Dora kill Philip Kerling?

Of course, Philip Kerling had been seen near the plane before it took off. So it didn’t take a genius to realise that he was the traitor. He had tampered with the vehicle, causing it to explode in the air.

Kath told Daniel: “Kerling sabotaged the plane to protect himself. He was a traitor, and a murderer. And I was going to prove it.”

She waited until she knew he was working late, and broke into the house where he’d been billeted. Only he came back in time to find her rifling through his things. He pulled a gun on her, only to be distracted when the phone rang. As the pair began fighting for their lives, Dora arrived having followed her sister to the house.

Dora grabbed hold of a desk lamp and hit Philip over the head in a bid to save her sister Kath. Knowing that the secret bunker was about to be “decommissioned”, the pair moved Philip Kerling’s body there. “The place would be abandoned, and no one would ever know,” Kath revealed.

Of course, Kath then circulated the theory that Philip Kerling had fled. She added his name to the flight log for a mission that flew out the night he died. When his death was investigated, police found his radio, and realised he’d been a spy.

Who was the killer in Champton St Mary?

The deaths of Anthony Bowness, Ned Thwaite, and Stella Harper were all attempts to cover up the original sin of Philip Kerling’s death. Kath murdered them all to protect her sister, making her quite the unlikely serial killer in a knitted cardi.

Decades later, Kath Sharman’s memory of Philip Kerling’s death felt like a hazy dream. Until Anthony Bowness showed up digging up the past. His proposed book on Champton at War threatened to derail the life Kath and Dora had built for themselves.

Kath told Daniel: “Anthony started digging around, asking questions about the Scallywags. He was convinced their was a bunker, in or near the church. I knew he was getting close. And if he found it, he’d find the body and I’d be sent to prison.”

Of course, Kath had been trained in “arm to arm combat all those years ago”. So killing Anthony wasn’t difficult. She stabbed him in the neck with the garden secateurs hanging up in the church.

Next, Kath killed Ned Thwaite to stop him from “doing a piece on Kerling”. Ned had found the flight log that Kath had tampered with. She arranged to meet him, where she slit his throat and pushed him in the lake.

Lastly, Kath murdered Stella Harper. Of course, Stella did not die of a heart attack. The tox report showed that Stella was poisoned by oleander in her tea. Kath killed Stella because she was planning to go to the police station to report Edgy, who had threatened her the night Ned was killed. However, this would have contradicted Kath’s alibi.

What happened to Dora and Kath at the end?

When Kath seemed to threaten Daniel’s life, he played his trump card. That he’d left detailed notes which linked the murders to Kath. Daniel had guessed that Kath was the killer after realising her love of France – and hence her likely relationship with Hervé – was linked to Kerling’s death.

When Daniel told Kath he had to turn her in, Kath responded: “Dora saved my life. After Hervé, I couldn’t see the point in anything. When she was first diagnosed with cancer, I knew it was my turn to balance the books. I knew it Anthony was successful, the end of Dora’s life would be ruined by my arrest and trial. Just when she needed me the most, I’d be behind bars. I couldn’t let that happen.”

She promised to make a full confession and “do everything Daniel wanted” on one condition – that she could see her sister first and “say goodbye”. When Daniel accompanied her home, the truth billowed out as they drank tea. But Daniel realised – as most viewers probably did – that the tea was poisoned.

In the Murder Before Evensong ending, sisters Kath and Dora attempted suicide via poisoned tea. However, they spared Daniel by making his tea separately. Having begged Daniel to stay beside then, the conflicted clergyman prayed over their dying bodies.

Did they actually die? Or did the police get to them in time? It’s up to us to decide their fate, as the Murder Before Evensong ending left it unclear.

What else happened in the Murder Before Evensong ending?

• As well as sending Daniel the nasty letters, we discovered that Stella Harper was also the villager who had complained about the Canon to the Bishop.
• Police released Nathan after Alex de Flores provided him with an alibi. Alex subsequently told his father Bernard about his sexuality, who seemed to accept it in his own emotionally-constipated way. Meanwhile, Nathan left town – leaving Alex heartbroken.
• Daniel did NOT lose his job after being arrested for attending a protest. The bishop let Daniel off the hook. He told him: “I’ve decided not to pursue this matter any further. You clearly wish to make a difference.” But there was a catch… He ‘suggested’ that Daniel get himself on the committee for several important causes to “keep himself busy”. It wasn’t a suggestion, it was an order.
• As for Detective Neil Vanloo, he barely featured in the Murder Before Evensong ending. Frankly, he was no help whatsoever in unmasking the murderer, and should frankly be quite embarrassed about how bad he was at his job!

Is there a series 2 of Murder Before Evensong?

Neither Channel 5 nor Acorn have confirmed whether they’ll be a series 2 of Murder Before Evensong yet. But we’re pretty sure they’ll be an announcement soon.

After all, the six-part series is based on the books by Reverend Richard Coles. Murder Before Evensong was adapted from the first novel in the bestselling Canon Clement series.

There are currently three novels in the series. Murder Before Evensong is followed by A Death in the Parish, and Murder at the Monastery. There’s also Murder Under the Mistletoe: A Canon Clement Christmas Novella.

The Telegraph called the book Murder Before Evensong a “cosy crime with a cutting edge”, while The Observer described it as “charming and funny”. The Sunday Express said it was “quintessentially English”.

Read more: Sally Phillips leads new cosy crime drama The Hairdresser Mysteries on BBC – ‘nostalgic nod’ to the 70s

Murder Before Evensong series 1 is currently available to watch on Acorn TV. The final episode airs on Channel 5 at 9pm on November 11, 2025.