Charles Wycliffe
Encyclopedia
Detective Superintendent
Charles Wycliffe is a fictional detective
, created by author
W. J. Burley
. He is featured in twenty-two novels. (Burley died when the twenty-third was still unfinished
).
D/Supt Wycliffe is the head of the CID
(plain-clothes detective branch of the Police) in Devon and Cornwall
, in the United Kingdom
. As such, he takes charge of all investigations of serious crime (especially murder). Although Wycliffe is not a native Cornishman (his family were market garden
ers in Shropshire
) and he is often advised that the outlook and attitudes of people in some of Cornwall's more remote communities is not what he may be used to, he tries hard to sympathise with the victims and sometimes even the perpetrators of crime, and their families.
Wycliffe is happily married to Helen, a former typist. They have two children, and live in a large old house which overlooks the River Tamar
estuary. Nevertheless, the strains of Wycliffe's job, which often means he has to spend long periods away from home investigating cases in the most distant parts of Cornwall, sometimes take their toll on his family life. He has a fondness for literature and antique books. Wycliffe is described as being a slight man, only just over the regulation minimum height for Police Constables. He keeps fit through long walks along beaches and coastal paths.
, Detective Inspector Gill is featured. By comparison with Wycliffe's approach, he unsympathetically bullies suspects and witnesses. In later cases, Wycliffe relies more on the unpretentious Detective Sergeant (later Detective Inspector) Doug Kersey, and Detective Sergeant (also, later Detective Inspector) Lucy Lane, who manages to look like a fashion model even in the most cramped and squalid settings. Wycliffe tolerates rather than welcomes visits from his immediate superior, the bonhomous Deputy Chief Constable
Bellings. The Chief Pathologist, Dr. Franks, usually appears, but he and Wycliffe appear to have little in common.
filmed several of the novels as Wycliffe
, over five seasons for a total of thirty-six episodes. In the series, Wycliffe was portrayed by actor Jack Shepherd.
There were certain differences between the TV character and the original. For example, in the books, Wycliffe's children have grown up and are living away from home; in the TV series, both are still teenagers. The TV Wycliffe was an accomplished jazz pianist (as Jack Shepherd is in real life).
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
Charles Wycliffe is a fictional detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
, created by author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
W. J. Burley
W. J. Burley
William John Burley was a British crime writer, best known for his books featuring the detective Charles Wycliffe, who became the basis of the popular Wycliffe television series throughout the mid 1990s....
. He is featured in twenty-two novels. (Burley died when the twenty-third was still unfinished
Unfinished work
An unfinished work is creative work that has not been finished. Its creator may have chosen never to finish it or may have been prevented from doing so by circumstances outside of their control such as death. Such pieces are often the subject of speculation as to what the finished piece would have...
).
D/Supt Wycliffe is the head of the CID
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
(plain-clothes detective branch of the Police) in Devon and Cornwall
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Police, formerly Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....
, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. As such, he takes charge of all investigations of serious crime (especially murder). Although Wycliffe is not a native Cornishman (his family were market garden
Market garden
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
ers in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
) and he is often advised that the outlook and attitudes of people in some of Cornwall's more remote communities is not what he may be used to, he tries hard to sympathise with the victims and sometimes even the perpetrators of crime, and their families.
Wycliffe is happily married to Helen, a former typist. They have two children, and live in a large old house which overlooks the River Tamar
River Tamar
The Tamar is a river in South West England, that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall . It is one of several British rivers whose ancient name is assumed to be derived from a prehistoric river word apparently meaning "dark flowing" and which it shares with the River Thames.The...
estuary. Nevertheless, the strains of Wycliffe's job, which often means he has to spend long periods away from home investigating cases in the most distant parts of Cornwall, sometimes take their toll on his family life. He has a fondness for literature and antique books. Wycliffe is described as being a slight man, only just over the regulation minimum height for Police Constables. He keeps fit through long walks along beaches and coastal paths.
Other characters
Several of Wycliffe's subordinates and colleagues are recurring characters. In many of the early cases, especially those in or near PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Detective Inspector Gill is featured. By comparison with Wycliffe's approach, he unsympathetically bullies suspects and witnesses. In later cases, Wycliffe relies more on the unpretentious Detective Sergeant (later Detective Inspector) Doug Kersey, and Detective Sergeant (also, later Detective Inspector) Lucy Lane, who manages to look like a fashion model even in the most cramped and squalid settings. Wycliffe tolerates rather than welcomes visits from his immediate superior, the bonhomous Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy chief constable is the second highest rank in all territorial police forces in the United Kingdom , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear...
Bellings. The Chief Pathologist, Dr. Franks, usually appears, but he and Wycliffe appear to have little in common.
Television version
In 1994, ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
filmed several of the novels as Wycliffe
Wycliffe (TV series)
Wycliffe is a British TV series, based on W. J. Burley's novels about Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe . It was produced by HTV and broadcast on the ITV Network, following a pilot episode on 7 August 1993, between 24 July 1994 and 5 July 1998. The series was filmed in Cornwall, with a...
, over five seasons for a total of thirty-six episodes. In the series, Wycliffe was portrayed by actor Jack Shepherd.
There were certain differences between the TV character and the original. For example, in the books, Wycliffe's children have grown up and are living away from home; in the TV series, both are still teenagers. The TV Wycliffe was an accomplished jazz pianist (as Jack Shepherd is in real life).
List of Wycliffe novels
- Wycliffe and the Three-Toed PussyWycliffe and the Three-Toed PussyWycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley, the first in his acclaimed Wycliffe series.-Synopsis:...
(1968) - Wycliffe and How To Kill a CatWycliffe and How to Kill a CatWycliffe and How To Kill A Cat is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley featuring detective Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:A young, auburn haired and naked woman turns up strangled in a seedy hotel room down by the docks, her face savagely beaten after death...
(1970) - Wycliffe and the Guilt Edged AlibiWycliffe and the Guilt Edged AlibiWycliffe and the Guilt Edged Alibi is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley featuring his series detective, Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:...
(1971) - Wycliffe and Death in a Salubrious PlaceWycliffe and Death in a Salubrious PlaceWycliffe and Death in a Salubrious Place is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:In a remote corner of the Isles of Scilly, the murdered body of a young woman has been found, her skull and facial bones smashed...
(1973) - Wycliffe and Death in Stanley StreetWycliffe and Death in Stanley StreetWycliffe and Death in Stanley Street is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:In a sleazy cul-de-sac just off the main road of a sprawling West Country port, a prostitute has been found naked and strangled in her bed...
(1975) - Wycliffe and the Pea-Green BoatWycliffe and the Pea-Green BoatWycliffe and the Pea-Green Boat is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley, featuring his recurring protagonist Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:...
(1975) - Wycliffe and the SchoolgirlsWycliffe and the SchoolgirlsWycliffe and the Schoolgirls is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:Two very different women, a nightclub singer and a nurse, have been strangled in their own homes, under the same efficient modus operandi, within the space of one week...
(1976) - Wycliffe and the ScapegoatWycliffe and the ScapegoatWycliffe and the Scapegoat is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:Every Halloween in Cornwall, the life size effigy of a man rolls down the cliffs and into the sea inside a flaming wheel; the morbid commemoration of an age old Pagan ritual whereby the dummy would in fact be a...
(1978) - Wycliffe in Paul's CourtWycliffe in Paul's CourtWycliffe in Paul's Court is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:The small community of Paul's Court is shattered by the violent deaths of Willy Goppel, a German doll house maker found hanging from a beam in his home, and Yvette Cole, a fifteen year old with a wild reputation,...
(1980) - Wycliffe's Wild Goose ChaseWycliffe's Wild Goose ChaseWycliffe's Wild Goose Chase is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:While taking a leisurely Sunday stroll along the West Country estuary, Wycliffe stumbles across a service revolver with one recently fired chamber...
(1982) - Wycliffe and the BealesWycliffe and the BealesWycliffe and the Beales is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley featuring his series detective, Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:...
(1983) - Wycliffe and the Four JacksWycliffe and the Four JacksWycliffe and the Four Jacks is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:The reclusive writer David Cleeve has been receiving mysterious warnings in the form of a single playing card; the Jack of Diamonds...
(1985) - Wycliffe and the Quiet VirginWycliffe and the Quiet VirginWycliffe and the Quiet Virgin is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley featuring his series detective, Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:...
(1986) - Wycliffe and the Winsor BlueWycliffe and the Winsor BlueWycliffe and the Winsor Blue is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley. -Synopsis:Following the death of artist Edwin Garland from a heart attack, his family and friends gather for the funeral, and are duly shocked by the apparently motiveless shooting of the dead man's son...
(1987) - Wycliffe and the Tangled WebWycliffe and the Tangled WebWycliffe and the Tangled Web is a crime novel by Cornwish writer W. J. Burley. -Synopsis:Shortly after informing her boyfriend and sister of her pregnancy, a young woman from a quiet Cornish village goes missing, opening up the possibility that she may have been raped or murdered...
(1988) - Wycliffe and the Cycle of DeathWycliffe and the Cycle of DeathWycliffe and the Cycle of Death is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley featuring his series detective, Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:...
(1990) - Wycliffe and the Dead FlautistWycliffe and the Dead FlautistWycliffe and the Dead Flautist is a crime novel by the Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:When the body of amateur flautist Tony Mills is found shot dead by his own gun on the secluded estate of Lord and Lady Bottrell, everyone simply assumes suicide...
(1991) - Wycliffe and the Last RitesWycliffe and the Last RitesWycliffe and the Last Rites is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley featuring his series detective Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:...
(1992) - Wycliffe and the Dunes MysteryWycliffe and the Dunes MysteryWycliffe and the Dunes Mystery is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley. -Synopsis:Fifteen years ago, Cochran Wilder supposedly vanished during a walking holiday in Cornwall, and has now just been released from a psychiatric hospital, where he was incarcerated after successfully pleading...
(1994) - Wycliffe and the House of FearWycliffe and the House of FearWycliffe and the House of Fear is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley featuring detective Charles Wycliffe.-Synopsis:For five hundred years the Kemps, a fiercely Catholic family, have held onto their ancestral home of Kellycoryk...
(1995) - Wycliffe and the RedheadWycliffe and the RedheadWycliffe and the Redhead is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley.-Synopsis:Simon Meagor, a lonely bookseller and divorcee, ends up falling for pretty redhead Morwenna, whose father killed himself as a result of Simon's testimony in a murder trial several years ago...
(1997) - Wycliffe and the Guild of NineWycliffe and the Guild of NineWycliffe and the Guild of Nine is a crime novel by Cornish writer W. J. Burley. -Synopsis:On the moor west of St. Ives, an artists colony has been running on the site of a disused mine, run by the married astrologers Archer and Lina. Their latest member is the shadowy and beautiful Francine, who...
(2000) - Wycliffe and the Last Lap (2003) unfinished