How Settle author Julia Chapman's Dales Detective book series was picked up for TV

The mystery series follows former Met detective Samson O'Brien as he returns to his hometown of Bruncliffe – a picturesque Yorkshire Dales setting based on Settle itself – to create a detective agency.

Once there he joins forces with Delilah Metcalfe, owner of the Dales Dating Agency, to solve a series of crimes, ably supported by the eccentric cast of characters who live in Bruncliffe and Delilah’s Weimaraner, Tolpuddle.

Now, the series is being developed for television in the UK (a small screen adaption has already been on in France) by Manchester-based Saffron Cherry Productions, which is run by Caroline Roberts-Cherry and Sally Lindsay, the actress known for her roles in shows such as Coronation Street and Still Open All Hours.

The show is still in the pre-production phase so there are no details of casting or locations to share just yet, but the author is thrilled it is being developed.

Julia says: “It's been a slow burner. It started quite slowly in the UK. France, on the other hand, just went insane straightaway - for some reason, Les Détectives du Yorkshire just really appealed. And there's a brand identity with Yorkshire, which is just fantastic. I think some of it comes from the start stage of the Tour de France in 2014. The branding for Yorkshire was very strong then.