'Brilliant' BBC crime drama is 'great' alternative to Midsomer Murders and returns this month
Charming detective series Sister Boniface Mysteries is making its return to BBC One later this month.
The Father Brown spin-off centres on the title character, who made her debut in the initial series of the period drama, featuring Mark Williams.
The programme unfolds in 1960s rural Warwickshire, where Sister Boniface, a wine-producing nun holding a PHD in forensic science, assists police with their criminal investigations.
The crime series, which premiered in 2022, proves ideal for enthusiasts seeking to bridge the interval between instalments of programmes such as Grantchester and Midsomer Murders.
Featuring an intriguing cast of eccentric and endearing personalities, a collection of baffling mysteries and a scenic setting, the comedy-drama offers viewers welcomed nostalgic escapism.
What is Sister Boniface Mysteries about?
The programme takes place in rural Warwickshire during the 1960s, an era when DNA remains undiscovered and the concept of trace evidence is still emerging.
The synopsis adds: "Fortunately, the Great Slaughter Constabulary has a secret weapon in its fight against crime. Hidden deep in the countryside is St Vincent's Convent, a small community of wine-making nuns where ensconced in a laboratory is Sister Boniface [played by Lorna Watson].
"An IQ of 156 and a PHD in forensic science, plus an addiction to popular detective fiction and a fully equipped crime laboratory, make Boniface an invaluable aid to Police investigations. Mud, blood, stains, hairs and fibres. If there is evidence to be found, Boniface will find it. Poisons, trace evidence, blood stains, etymology. She's more up to speed on the latest forensic techniques than the Police.
"In her role as official Police Scientific Advisor, Boniface works alongside the dashing Detective Inspector Sam Gillespie and Felix Livingstone, a high-flying Bermudian Detective Sergeant. Felix was supposed to be on secondment to the Metropolitan Police, but an administrative error landed him in Great Slaughter.
"A cast of eccentric local characters combined with his boss's reliance on a nun leaves him reeling. Although, as Sam points out, that 'Nun' ensures they have the highest clean-up rate in the county."
What have fans said about the programme?
Fans have heaped praise on the series across social media platforms, with countless viewers drawing comparisons to beloved cosy crime dramas including Midsomer Murders and The Brokenwood Mysteries.
One enthusiastic fan gushed on social media, as they took to Twitter: "I can not tell you how much I love Sister Boniface Mysteries , it's one of the most brilliant TV shows I've ever watched."
Someone else added: "I love watching Sister Boniface Mysteries. What a great TV show. " A third viewer wrote: "Watching Sister Boniface Mysteries, good fun. A spinoff of Father Brown, but with more quirkiness and whimsy."
How to watch Sister Boniface Mysteries
The second series of Sister Boniface Mysteries is set to debut on BBC One at 2 pm on Friday, August 22, with new episodes anticipated to be broadcast weekly. The entire box set will also be accessible on iPlayer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
12 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Body found after 12-year-old went missing in River Swale
A body has been found after a 12-year-old boy went missing while swimming in the River Swale. The body was recovered from the river in Richmond at 10.45pm on Saturday, North Yorkshire Police said. The search was launched after reports the boy had entered the river at around 5pm. A police statement said: 'The body is yet to be identified but the boy's family have been informed and are receiving support from specially trained officers.' The statement said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
Sky News
37 minutes ago
- Sky News
Body pulled from river in search for missing boy, 12
A body has been pulled from a river in the search for a missing 12-year-old boy. The body was found in the River Swale in Richmond late Saturday, North Yorkshire Police said. Police launched a search for the boy after receiving reports at 5pm on Saturday that a boy had entered the river and not been seen since. Specialist search teams as well as fire and rescue officers were deployed to help with the search, with crews "recovering a child's body from the water" at 10.45pm. "The body is yet to be identified, but the boy's family have been informed and are receiving support from specially-trained officers," police said in a statement. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Heartbreak as body of boy found after frantic search for 12-year-old who went missing in river at beauty spot
The body of a boy has been found in the search for a 12-year-old who went missing while swimming in the river at a beauty spot. The child disappeared in the River Swale, North Yorkshire, yesterday evening, prompting a frantic police search to locate him. Emergency services were alerted to the youngster's disappearance just after 5pm and rushed to the scene shortly after. The boy had entered the river and suddenly vanished, according to initial reports. Specialist teams, including North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and Mountain Rescue, scoured the banks of the river looking for traces of the child. Meanwhile, members of the public were seen at the beauty spot yesterday as the extensive search began. A body was tragically discovered just before 11pm last night - with formal identification yet to take place. It was recovered from the water and the boy's family were informed. They are now being supported by specially trained officers. An air ambulance arrived at the scene before leaving a short while later, according to witnesses. Teams are understood to have focused their search around Richmond Falls - a series of waterfalls along the River Swale. Identification of the body is yet to take place, North Yorkshire Police said. The child's death is not being treated as suspicious. A police spokesperson said: 'Following further searches of the river, sadly search teams recovered a child's body from the water at 10.45pm today. 'The body is yet to be identified but the boy's family have been informed and are receiving support from specially-trained officers. 'Emergency services currently remain at the scene.
