Constable Books by Nicholas Rhea

For those that fell in love with the UK TV series "Heartbeat", what you might not know is that they are based on the "Constable" books written by Nicholas Rhea.

The Constable Files

The Constable books are probably Nicholas Rhea's best known work, since they form the rootstock from which the much-loved TV series, Heartbeat, sprang. Author Nicholas Rhea drew on his own experiences as a local bobby for a small Yorkshire village in the 1960s to chronicle the career of Constable Nick, from his first arrival in Aidensfield in Constable on the Hill (first published in 1979), through his years on his rural beat, to his retirement in Constable over the Hill (2011). Even after his retirement, Nick wasn't allowed to take it easy: he helped to create a small private police force of monk-constables serving Maddleskirk Abbey and its adjoining college. There were more stories to be told, as well, about Nick's earlier life, explored in Constable on Trial.

As Nicholas himself says:

"The concept of the Constable books arose because I wanted to write a book which showed that the police undertook much work which was not associated with crime or detective investigations. As I had served as a village constable in a delightful part of the North York Moors, it seemed logical to use that experience as a background to the stories, and to add a touch of humour which is always present in police work."

See also: Constable books in order