Father Brown (TV Series) The Devil's Dust (2013) User Reviews

Gossip and fear drive a young girl to run away.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 17 November 2015]

The worst is feared for 14 year old Ruth, who's come down with the 'Atomic bomb sickness,' and disappears, leaving blood stained pyjamas behind her.

An incredibly different episode, it isn't one of my favourites, but there are still some interesting elements to it. Fear of Soviet attack at the time was huge, and attitudes towards radiation were different. Small mindedness was definitely greater back then, people were scared. Naturally Father Brown sets off to find her and uncover the truth, assisted by Susie.

It's well acted as always, I particularly loved Pip Torrens 'Geoffrey' what a truly talented and underrated chap he is, he seems to have been on our screens for so long, a consistent and very capable actor, he's always quality.

Best bit has to be Father Brown finally having a go at Mrs McCarthy, she finally got what she deserved! She's spiteful here, but Cusack is on fine form.

An interesting glimpse into what life was like. 7/10

The Devil's Dust

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 8/10 · 28 August 2021]

Will the detective ever be right? Probably not. Will Father Brown ever be wrong? Probably not. This dynamic is brilliant, the episode was really interesting and I like to see that the show has so many fresh and original ideas, it doesn't always have to be a murder!

The Devil's Dust

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 28 February 2021]

This is another example of how spiteful Mrs McCarthy could be in the first season of Father Brown.

She accuses 14 year old Ruth Bennett in effect of being a leper who needs to be cast out of Kembleford.

Ruth has a skin condition and her father works for the Atomic Commission. The villagers believe that her condition has been caused by radiation.

Soon Ruth has gone missing and the doctor treating her comes under suspicion when some letters from Ruth are found.

There is a lot here that mirrors the paranoia of the Atomic age. It is a far from simple case for Father Brown.

His search for Ruth brings him into contact with Douglas Taylor a black family friend who does a lot of jobs for the Bennet family. He too has a skin condition and was someone once close to Ruth's mother.

An episode where Father Brown refuses to stand for Mrs McCarthy's nonsense.

A strange episode

[coltras35 · 6/10 · 5 May 2023]

Fourteen year old Ruth Bennett is alleged to have contracted radiation sickness after visiting the atomic power station where her father Geoffrey works and the villagers call a meeting,demanding she leave the area before she contaminates them. Next day she has vanished. Father Brown discovers a love letter from Ruth to Michael Evans,the family doctor,who has just resigned from treating her and a diary in Ruth's bedroom suggests an affair between them,which Michael denies. Valentine suspects he killed her to prevent her disclosing the relationship. Father Brown believes the doctor and reckons that Douglas,a friend of the family,knows more than he is admitting and that he can locate Ruth alive - and well.

A strange episode that has no murder, just a girl with an ailment who has disappeared- all kinds for her disappearance is proposed. I must say I found this episode quite perplexing and only till the end the truth comes out. It's well acted by all.

Father Brown finding its feet

[safenoe · 6/10 · 17 July 2023]

It's been interesting catching up on the first season of Father Brown, and here it's finding its feet. This episode, The Devil's Dust, debuted in 2013, so 10 years ago in fact. I think really upon reflection the strength of Father Brown is the ensemble casting, so the absence of Lady Felicia in this episode really shows.

Anyway, there's a touch of nuclear paranoia in Kembleford, and for good reason which is applicable to modern day situations with Chernobyl and the like. Anyway, The Devil's Dust also deals with interracial romances that is definitely relevant to modern day situations and may make the slightly sensitive ones go nuclear I guess.

Douglas does not get his wish

[kdreher2 · 5/10 · 12 May 2020]

**SPOILER ALERT** This is a good solid episode of Father Brown Mysteries for a nimiety of reasons. It treats interraciality in a small London town with respect. This is quite a feat for the show, especially that it is set in the 1950s when folks across the pond were embroiled in the practice of segregation. I found it quite brave of the producers to have Ruth, a bi-racial girl light enough to pass for white, to walk arm-in-arm with her Black father through the town's streets. Imagine that happening in 1950s America. Douglas would not have lived to die his death of cancer. Kudos to Father Brown for putting Mrs. McCarthy in her place!