The current craze for “cosy” crime fiction is illustrated by the massive success of writers such as Richard Osman and the Revd Richard Coles. The latter writes about a Church of England vicar whose enthusiasm for amateur detection is informed by a strong moral core. On TV, Father Brown enjoys worldwide popularity, with 13 series commissioned and sold across the globe, and a successful spin-off, Sister Boniface.
Early episodes of Father Brown were loosely based on GK Chesterton’s short stories, but the TV series is set in the 1950s, long after those stories were written. Chesterton based his detective on a priest, Mgr John O’Connor, whose humanity and wisdom made a huge impression on him. Writing about Father Brown helped Chesterton to explore his personal faith and Mgr O’Connor eventually received him into the Church.
