Cover image for Innocence of Father Brown, The

The Innocence of Father Brown

Author G.K. Chesterton
Categories Mystery / Detective, Fiction, Audiobook, Short Story Collection
Language English
Published 1911
Notes

Twelve mysteries featuring Father Brown, the short, stumpy Catholic priest with "uncanny insight into human evil."

Approx. 78,686 words.

Excerpt

The eyes of the tradesman stood out of his head like a snail's; he really seemed for an instant likely to fling himself upon the stranger. At last he stammered angrily: "I don't know what you 'ave to do with it, but if you're one of their friends, you can tell 'em from me that I'll knock their silly 'eads off, parsons or no parsons, if they upset my apples again."

"Indeed?" asked the detective, with great sympathy. "Did they upset your apples?"

"One of 'em did," said the heated shopman; "rolled 'em all over the street. I'd 'ave caught the fool but for havin' to pick 'em up."

"Which way did these parsons go?" asked Valentin.

"Up that second road on the left-hand side, and then across the square," said the other promptly.

"Thanks," replied Valentin, and vanished like a fairy. On the other side of the second square he found a policeman, and said: "This is urgent, constable; have you seen two clergymen in shovel hats?"

The policeman began to chuckle heavily. "I 'a

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Average Rating:

2007.09.29
M Maarouf

A completely different line of detection. It is even different from things written today. Ideas and plots are bizarre, but convincing at many instances. Many stories are really original, and the writer has a clear distinguished talent.

2007.09.28
Lukipela

An extremely interesting and captivating set of detective stories, differing from the usual. Father Brown is a very plain, yet interesting figure, and the stories themselves are exquisite, perhaps with the exception of The Invisble Man. Well worth the read, and recommended to anyone and everyone with even the faintest taste for mysteries.

2007.09.20
R Stephan

Extraordinary stories, excellent writing. Highly recommended.

2007.06.21
Bronwen

I first read the Father Brown stories when I was 12, and had just finished reading my dad's copy of 'The Complete Sherlock Holmes' to death. He bravely gave me 'The Complete Stories of Father Brown', and I was hooked. Father Brown is one of my favorite detectives, not because he is witty like Lord Peter or brilliant as Sherlock Holmes, but because he is familiar and ordinary, and yet wonderful. The first story in the collection, 'The Blue Cross' is where we first meet Flambeau, the greatest burglar the world has ever known. He will turn up in more stories later on, but this is my favorite. Chesterton shows his own sensibilities and concerns with the way his pre-WWI society was going (spiritualism, excessive interest in the occult and eastern religions) in 'The Wrong Shape' which is a brilliant crime, and possibly one of the best-crafted mysteries of the Father Brown stories. Anyone feeling intimidated by Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes or other classic detectives, or even just someone who is looking for something extraordinary to read, will enjoy Father Brown. His appeal is that he is so exceedingly ordinary and average in appearance and almost every other way, but he still finds himself in unusual and challenging situations, and uses his 'uncanny insight into human evil' to rescue innocents and solve mysteries.