I’m in receipt of an e-mail from a Spanish scholar seeking my advice with regard to Maurice Baring’s suitability as the focus of his doctoral studies. Here’s my response:

Personally, I am very excited at the prospect of your writing your doctoral thesis on Maurice Baring, though it’s a pity that it will presumably be written in Spanish. Perhaps you could later translate it for publication in the English-speaking world.
It is true that Baring is not well-known but he was considered a major novelist in the period between the two world wars and, objectively speaking, is one of the truly major novelists of the twentieth century. He’s in need of a modern champion!
I would suggest that you establish the case for Baring’s importance by commencing your research with sourcing the praise for his work by major figures in England and France. Chesterton and Waugh were great admirers, as was Francois Mauriac. Having established Baring’s credentials, so to speak, you could then move on to a discussion of the brilliance of his novels. For what it’s worth, I also consider Baring one of the finest poets of the last century. If you haven’t read his poetry, you should. 
If you decide to choose Baring, I’d be happy to help, insofar as my time permits, as you begin your work.
Having made the case for Baring, it is true that a comparative study of Newman and Chesterton would also be a worthy focus for your research.