Sister Boniface Mysteries
by Jude Tinall
I think there is a fine art to creating cosy mystery television. It’s so easy to make the mystery predictable or even outright boring. But at the same time, you don’t want to make it so thrilling that it’s no longer cosy. In my mind, Sister Boniface Mysteries gets the balance just right.
In Great Slaughter (the name of this English village) in the early 1960s, Sister Boniface, a Catholic nun, works as a scientific advisor to the local police. She’s sincere, loves puns and has an endlessly curious mind which takes root in her laboratory at the convent.
She works with two police officers: Detective Inspector Sam Gillespie and Detective Sergeant Felix Livingstone who is on secondment from the Bermuda police. Sam is a bit of a maverick while Felix is a stickler for the rules. None of the hard-hitting, hard-boiled detective business here. We have cheerful chaps sincerely engaged in finding the guilty party through the most respectful of means.
I was in raptures when I learnt the name of the village. That self-aware nod to the ridiculously high body count really tickled me. Yes, there are rather a lot of murders for a village, but aren’t there always in this kind of show? When you indulge in a cosy mystery, you choose to suspend your disbelief for the duration and accept the improbable number of deaths, the sheer volume of perpetrators, and the sturdy, steady presence of the investigators.
While this is technically a spin-off of Father Brown, as the character of Sister Boniface was featured in one of the Father Brown episodes, it very much stands on its own.
The premise of each episode is always interesting. We have a local festival, a serial killer using the lonely hearts column, an avant-garde art exhibition, an intrigue of state secrets with a cabinet minister, a pop supergroup, a garden allotment, a national cooking competition and so many more!
There are two seasons so far, and the internet tells me that season 3 is underway. I’ve loved every episode so far. There are hints at a romantic subplot but this is very minor. I’m going to hide the fate of that subplot behind a spoiler, just in case, like me, you need to know how things end up.
All throughout season one, there is a very sweet tension between Sam and the reporter at the local newspaper, Ruth Penny. In season two, episode two, they finally kiss, but Ruth is offered her dream job at The Times in London and Sam encourages her to take it. So no HEA there.
If you need comfortable, casual viewing that’s interesting enough to keep you entertained while knitting a jersey with no end (at least, mine seems to be unending. So many parts!) then this is absolutely the series for you. I watch a few episodes every night and I look forward to them ever so much.
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In the US, Sister Boniface Mysteries can be streamed on Britbox, or purchased by season or individually on Amazon, YouTube, AppleTV, and Roku.
This sounds right up my alley! I call it “laundry folding TV.” Thanks for the recommendation.
I have been watching the Vera series, but I’m finding them too intense for relaxing evening watching. This sounds like a better option, so my thanks as well. Though I’m disappointed there’s a serial killer story line. I’ve realized that one reason I enjoy classic mysteries is the absence of serial killers.
I second the squee! Lorna Watson is a delight! Sister Boniface is at the top of my list of fictional detectives I would like to have tea with.
I adore these! I’m not quite certain how I stumbled on Sister Boniface, but I’m glad I did. I can hardly wait for Season 3.
Oh, and the good sister makes a guest appearance in S11 of Father Brown (the latest season). We’re currently binging that series and are only up to S5, so are trying to restrain ourselves from leaping forward to watch her episode.
Oh, this sounds brilliant. I’ll have to go look it up!
Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter are real places in Oxfordshire. They’re very pretty villages. I visited years ago (nobody died).
I love this show. I tried Father Brown, but the ending seemed to always just be him guilting people with religion into confessing. “What would GOD want you to do?”
“I visited years ago (nobody died).”
OH, my gosh, I nearly choked on my water.
Season 1 is just 9.98 on Amazon today! Thanks so much for your recommendation and review. We had to put our 12-year-old dog to sleep yesterday after a rapid decline overnight, and my office has told me to take off the next couple of days. I was wondering what to do with myself and this seems perfect.
@JenC: Sending you hugs.
@LisaM I hear you on Vera. I just call the darker mysteries noir and they’re for the most part not for me. For sure not cozy.
I am so happy to hear that this show is good!! I watched Season 1 of Father Brown which was good but didn’t light me on fire. Sister Boniface was in an episode and I thought she was great.
I do think Acorn is a tad better for cozy mysteries. Like Agatha Raisin, Ms. Fisher’s Modern Mysteries, Foyle’s War. There are others I haven’t gotten to yet. Basically I want a little bit of romance which is often hard to come by.
But I will definitely check out this show next time I subscribe to Britbox.
@Lynn: I binge watched a bunch of shows on Acorn not long ago. I had never seen the Phrynne Fisher series, so started with that and went on from there. I really liked the Lucy Lawless series – My Life is Murder. I watched the first episode of a show with Dawn French, which I thought would be fun – because DAWN FRENCH – but it ended up being depressing instead.
If you don’t mind subtitles, MHZ offers a riff on Agatha Christie mysteries, Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games, Agatha Christie’s Criminal Games the 70s, and Agatha Christie’s Family Murder Games. MHZ is subscription you can get standalone or through Prime.
Cozy adjacent is how I’d describe Death in Paradise (via Britbox and PBS channels. It’s set on a tropical island with the lead detective being seconded from London. The personalities and eccentric DIs make this series. As do the island setting and crazy murders,
MHZ has an eccentric inspector Captain Marceau. She can take a bit of getting used to; if you like her this is a quirky French series.
Dawsalee
I am shocked that I became addicted to this show and it’s characters so quickly! I am now a huge fan and have told my friends who are mystery buffs about Sister Boniface. Now they are also hooked. I adore Father Brown; however, this show stands totally by itself. It is fabulous!
I’m a fan of the show as well!
Is it on Amazon Prime? Sounds like a fun series, and I think my brother would like it as well.
I love Sister Boniface Mysteries!!! Subscribed to BritBox years ago and got to watch season 1from the beginning. Please keep the episodes coming
I love Sister Boniface! I hope it continues and I will continue to watch it and Father Brown!
My husband and I absolutely LOVE this show!!