Sister Boniface Mysteries is a 12-part crime series set in 1960s’ rural England. It follows the adventures of moped-riding Sister Boniface of St Vincent’s Convent, played by Lorna Watson, who was first seen in the role in the hit BBC1 sleuthing series Father Brown alongside Mark Williams as the crime-solving priest. The show has been created by Father Brown writer Jude Tindall.
Here's everything you need to know about new crime series Sister Boniface Mysteries...
Sister Boniface Mysteries release date
Sister Boniface Mysteries had its premiere in the US on BritBox on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. Its UK air date is on Friday March 11 at 9pm on UKTV’s Drama channel. There are 12 episodes in the series which runs weekly, each is 45 minutes long. Meanwhile, Father Brown seasons 1 to 9 are available on BritBox in the US and on BBCiPlayer in the UK.
Is there a trailer for Sister Boniface Mysteries?
Yes a trailer for Sister Boniface Mysteries has been released and it looks like a load of fun. Take a look below...
Sister Boniface Mysteries — what the crime series is about
The crimes in Sister Boniface Mysteries take place in the aptly named town of Great Slaughter, where the police rely heavily on help from their secret weapon, Sister Boniface (Lorna Watson). It's the 1960s so a time when police forensics is rudimentary, but wily Sister Boniface’s is at the forefront of this new field. With her PHD in chemistry, amazing IQ of 156, plus her knack for finding clues hidden in plain sight, she's a top sleuthing nun who knows the devil is in the details which makes her perfect for her role as official Police Scientific Advisor.
Sister Boniface works alongside the maverick Detective Inspector Sam Gillespie (Max Brown) and Detective Sergeant Felix Livingstone (Jerry Iwu). Felix was supposed to be on secondment to the Met Police but an administrative error lands him in Great Slaughter. A cast of eccentric local characters combined with the local police's reliance on a nun leaves him reeling. But Detective Inspector Sam knows his superstar nun ensures the force has the highest clean-up rate in the county.
Sister Boniface Mysteries cast — who's starring
Lorna Watson plays sleuthing nun Sister Boniface who first showed up in season 1 of Father Brown on BBC1 in an episode called Bride of Christ. Lorna has also starred in Watson and Oliver and Shakespeare and Hathaway.
Series creator Jude Tindall says: “Since Lorna Watson as Sister Boniface bounced so joyfully into Season 1 of Father Brown, I always had a plan to bring her back. Now that plan has come to fruition, I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Max Brown plays Detective Inspector Sam Gillespie. Max previously played Richard Ellis in the 2019 Downton Abbey movie and starred as King Robert in The Royals (2015-2018) and Dr Evan Marks in the TV series Beauty and the Beast (2012-2016).
Jerry Iwu, who played Oba in Netflix comedy Sex Education, is Detective Sergeant Felix Livingstone. Miranda Raison (MI-5) plays Ruth Penny, a hard-nosed investigative journalist and editor of the Albion Bugle and Ami Metcalf (Upstairs Downstairs) will play the role of Peggy Button, the young, unshakeable police constable.
The cast also includes Belinda Lang, Sarah Crowden, David Sterne, Virginia Fiol and Ivan Kaye.
Interview: Lorna Watson on playing Sister Boniface
What attracted you to this show?
Lorna Watson says: "I haven’t played a comedic role before, so that was a massive attraction. Also, I haven’t read many scripts like this where I’ve laughed out loud. There are lots of detective series, but not many are as quirky as this!"
How would you describe Sam?
Lorna says: "He’s a bumbling bachelor. He’s got very strong ethics and he’s a war hero, but he relies heavily on Sister Boniface’s scientific expertise to close cases. She is the brain and Sam is the brawn!"
What’s his relationship with Sister Boniface like?
Lorna says: "They’re like brother and sister. He doesn’t fully understand everything that she exposes him to, but they like to have a drink together at the end of the day and just unwind."
Interview: Jerry Iwu on playing uptight copper DS Felix Livingston
Why did this drama appeal to you?
Jerry Iwu says: "It’s charming and endearing. I like shows like this that create a sense of community, because I come from a community like that in Ireland."
What’s your take on Felix?
Jerry says: "Felix has a heart of gold. He comes from a prestigious family in Bermuda, and there are a lot of great expectations for him. He looks at the Metropolitan Police in London as being at the forefront of modern policing, and wants to be around that. The problem is, he is in the Cotswolds!"
How does he get on with Sister Boniface and Sam?
Jerry says: "There is a kinship between Felix and Sister Boniface, as he has a very keen interest in science. Sam’s like the wayward older brother who likes a drink and a party, whereas Felix is the studious one always doing the right thing."
Interview: Max Brown on his maverick police officer DI Sam Gillespie
What attracted you to this show?
Max Brown says: "I haven’t played a comedic role before, so that was a massive attraction. Also, I haven’t read many scripts like this where I’ve laughed out loud. There are lots of detective series, but not many are as quirky as this!"
How would you describe Sam?
Max says: "He’s a bumbling bachelor. He’s got very strong ethics and he’s a war hero, but he relies heavily on Sister Boniface’s scientific expertise to close cases. She is the brain and Sam is the brawn!"
What’s his relationship with Sister Boniface like?
Max says: "They’re like brother and sister. He doesn’t fully understand everything that she exposes him to, but they like to have a drink together at the end of the day and just unwind."
Sister Boniface Mysteries episode guide
We will update with Sister Boniface Mysteries episodes right here....
Episode 1 Unnatural Causes
At the Great Slaughter Mangold Wurzel Festival, the body of a young woman is discovered stuffed in the Aunt Sally. The unusual cause of death is asphyxiation by sawdust in the lucky dip. Sounds like a case for Sister Boniface!
Sister Boniface in 'Father Brown'
Sister Boniface was first seen by UK audiences in episode 6 of Season 1 of Father Brown on BBC1 in 2013. In that mystery Bride of Christ the sleuthing vicar investigates when two nuns are murdered. At the convent, he's helped by a young nun Sister Boniface, who's a very keen bookworm, particularly detective fiction. Other stars in this Father Brown episode include Hugo Speer, Selina Cadell, Roberta Taylor, Sorcha Cusack, Penny Downie and Paddy Wallace.
