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Father Brown
Father Brown: Selected Stories
Father Brown, one of the most quirkily genial and lovable characters to emerge from English detective fiction, first made his appearance in The Innocence of Father Brown in 1911. That first collection of stories established G.K. Chesterton's kindly cleric in the front rank of eccentric sleuths.
This collection contains 18 of the favourite Father Brown stories. They represent the quiet wit and compassion which is so different from his moody and caustic predecessor, Sherlock Holmes. Father Brown solves his mysteries by a mixture of intuition and sympathetic worldliness in a totally believable manner.
The Innocence of Father Brown
The Blue Cross
The Secret Garden
The Queer Feet
The Invisible Man
The Honour of Israel Gow
The Hammer of God
The Sign of the Broken Sword
The Wisdom of Father Brown
The Paradise Thieves
The Mistake of the Machine
The Perishing of the Pendragons
The Strange Crime of John Boulnois
The Incredulity of Father Brown
The Oracle of the Dog
The Dagger With Wings
The Secret of Father Brown
The Mirror of the Magistrate
The Scandal of Father Brown
The Blast of the Book
The Green Man
The Point of a Pin
The Insoluble Problem
This collection contains 18 of the favourite Father Brown stories. They represent the quiet wit and compassion which is so different from his moody and caustic predecessor, Sherlock Holmes. Father Brown solves his mysteries by a mixture of intuition and sympathetic worldliness in a totally believable manner.
The Innocence of Father Brown
The Blue Cross
The Secret Garden
The Queer Feet
The Invisible Man
The Honour of Israel Gow
The Hammer of God
The Sign of the Broken Sword
The Wisdom of Father Brown
The Paradise Thieves
The Mistake of the Machine
The Perishing of the Pendragons
The Strange Crime of John Boulnois
The Incredulity of Father Brown
The Oracle of the Dog
The Dagger With Wings
The Secret of Father Brown
The Mirror of the Magistrate
The Scandal of Father Brown
The Blast of the Book
The Green Man
The Point of a Pin
The Insoluble Problem
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1903
19 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
G.K. Chesterton
4,645 books5,760 followersGilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.
He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.
Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.
He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.
Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 7, 2017
Every time I come back to these brilliant stories I enjoy the style and language, the author’s voice. A great fun to follow Father Brown’s train of thoughts, and admire his profound insights. Plots are very ingenious, and this clumsy priest appears an unlikely person for the work of a detective. But, with his observation and knowledge of people, he unexpectedly comes to simple solutions.
November 19, 2020
I first heard his name from reading somewhere, as another famous detective genre author along side with my reading assignment of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (something between the real thing VS. intermediate edition) by the eminent and popular queen of murder then, Agatha Christie, in a term (or two ?) as a required external reading in an English foundation course in my college years in the late 1960's in Bangkok. Eventually, I had no motive in finding some of his paperbacks on sale in some good bookshops due to, probably, my keenest reading thirst on the genre was limited to the extent of sufficiency - enough was enough - for mystery/detective.
Till last April, I came across a Thai article in Matichon Weekly (Volume 40, No. 2070, pp. 88-9) in which the columnist has revealed his readers on the book Dr Puey Ungphakorn, the late Governor, Bank of Thailand and Rector, Thammasat University, had with him under police arrest in the October 6 incident, another notorious 1976 crisis; it being a Father Brown paperback written by G. K. Chesterton after the officers had a look and browsed inside. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thammas...)
As soon as I started reading the opening paragraph of his The Blue Cross, I suddenly realized that his narrative could definitely be of something enticingly enjoyable worth keeping reading on and on as well as applying in one's writing style. Since he has usually written in long, complex sentences, I would cite only the first five sentences for the following exemplary extract:
BETWEEN the silver ribbon of morning and the green glittering ribbon of sea, the boat touched Harwich and let loose a swarm of folk like flies, among whom the man we must follow was by no means conspicuous -- nor wish to be. There was nothing notable about him, except a slight contrast between the holiday gaiety of his clothes and the official gravity of his face. His clothes included a slight, pale grey jacket, a white waistcoat, and a silver straw hat with a grey-blue ribbon. His lean face was dark by contrast, and ended in a curt black beard that looked Spanish and suggested an Elizabethan ruff. He was smoking a cigarette with the seriousness of an idler. . . .(p. 3)
Despite his lengthy narratives, the reader could not, I think, help rereading any episode he/she prefers due to some figurative words or idioms, once in a while, selected to contextually brighten his sentences, for instance:
Dusk was deepening, and it was not easy even for the London policemen to guess in what exact direction they were treading. (p. 16)
When silence had fallen he said with marked respect: 'Mr. Bohun, yours is the only theory yet propounded which holds water every way and is essentially unassailable. . . .' (p. 126)
The Reverend Wilfred, who had been waiting for him, pale and impatient, as if this little delay were the last straw for his nerves, . . . (p. 129)
Now I'm bound to say that the secretary is something of a busybody. (p. 251)
etc.
To continue . . .
Till last April, I came across a Thai article in Matichon Weekly (Volume 40, No. 2070, pp. 88-9) in which the columnist has revealed his readers on the book Dr Puey Ungphakorn, the late Governor, Bank of Thailand and Rector, Thammasat University, had with him under police arrest in the October 6 incident, another notorious 1976 crisis; it being a Father Brown paperback written by G. K. Chesterton after the officers had a look and browsed inside. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thammas...)
As soon as I started reading the opening paragraph of his The Blue Cross, I suddenly realized that his narrative could definitely be of something enticingly enjoyable worth keeping reading on and on as well as applying in one's writing style. Since he has usually written in long, complex sentences, I would cite only the first five sentences for the following exemplary extract:
BETWEEN the silver ribbon of morning and the green glittering ribbon of sea, the boat touched Harwich and let loose a swarm of folk like flies, among whom the man we must follow was by no means conspicuous -- nor wish to be. There was nothing notable about him, except a slight contrast between the holiday gaiety of his clothes and the official gravity of his face. His clothes included a slight, pale grey jacket, a white waistcoat, and a silver straw hat with a grey-blue ribbon. His lean face was dark by contrast, and ended in a curt black beard that looked Spanish and suggested an Elizabethan ruff. He was smoking a cigarette with the seriousness of an idler. . . .(p. 3)
Despite his lengthy narratives, the reader could not, I think, help rereading any episode he/she prefers due to some figurative words or idioms, once in a while, selected to contextually brighten his sentences, for instance:
Dusk was deepening, and it was not easy even for the London policemen to guess in what exact direction they were treading. (p. 16)
When silence had fallen he said with marked respect: 'Mr. Bohun, yours is the only theory yet propounded which holds water every way and is essentially unassailable. . . .' (p. 126)
The Reverend Wilfred, who had been waiting for him, pale and impatient, as if this little delay were the last straw for his nerves, . . . (p. 129)
Now I'm bound to say that the secretary is something of a busybody. (p. 251)
etc.
To continue . . .
February 2, 2024
3.5-3.8 I like some of the stories more than others.
And since the exact collection I listened to is not on here imma write down which stories were included if only for my own sanity.
The Blue Cross- 4 stars, took a bit to get into but I love the tv show Father Brown episode of this story and the ending was fun.
The Honour of Israel Gow- 3.5 I’ve half forgotten what happened in this one already but I liked the people working together and that one of my fav characters in the show and books I learned a new thing about. I won’t say who cuz spoilers but the character kinda switches sides from crime to inspector and it was cool.
The Absence of Mr Glass- 3.5 like them all my fav part was the end when they put everything together cuz it was kinda chaotic at first
The Resurrection of Father Brown- 4 Not a story I was previously familiar with but it was fun and I liked that it was a little different than the others. Plus being Catholic myself it’s fun when they talk about faith a little more in the story! Oh and the Sherlock Holmes references were greatly appreciated of course.
And since the exact collection I listened to is not on here imma write down which stories were included if only for my own sanity.
The Blue Cross- 4 stars, took a bit to get into but I love the tv show Father Brown episode of this story and the ending was fun.
The Honour of Israel Gow- 3.5 I’ve half forgotten what happened in this one already but I liked the people working together and that one of my fav characters in the show and books I learned a new thing about. I won’t say who cuz spoilers but the character kinda switches sides from crime to inspector and it was cool.
The Absence of Mr Glass- 3.5 like them all my fav part was the end when they put everything together cuz it was kinda chaotic at first
The Resurrection of Father Brown- 4 Not a story I was previously familiar with but it was fun and I liked that it was a little different than the others. Plus being Catholic myself it’s fun when they talk about faith a little more in the story! Oh and the Sherlock Holmes references were greatly appreciated of course.
October 23, 2017
I picked this up in a second-hand bookshop shortly after finishing Neil Gaiman's The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction, in which he mentions Father Brown a few times. I had never read any Chesterton before and I was curious to see what the Father Brown mysteries are like and what similarities they have with the contemporary Sherlock Holmes stories.
Comparisons between the two characters are hard though because, in this collection at least, the reader doesn't get to find out that much about Father Brown himself. We know he is a Catholic priest from somewhere in Essex, we know he is short and has a penchant for hats, and he is an amiable man who cares even about the criminals, but that's about it. He is a side-character who solves mysteries by hanging around near the scene of the crime and pointing out things that the authorities might have missed; more like Miss Marple than Sherlock Holmes. In some of the stories, Father Brown plays Watson to his friend Flambeau, a French jewel thief turned detective, and these were probably my favourite stories in this book.
It's always hard to rate short story collections, but this one was pretty middle of the road. There weren't any that I strongly disliked, but neither were there any I really loved, so I think 3 stars is very fair.
Comparisons between the two characters are hard though because, in this collection at least, the reader doesn't get to find out that much about Father Brown himself. We know he is a Catholic priest from somewhere in Essex, we know he is short and has a penchant for hats, and he is an amiable man who cares even about the criminals, but that's about it. He is a side-character who solves mysteries by hanging around near the scene of the crime and pointing out things that the authorities might have missed; more like Miss Marple than Sherlock Holmes. In some of the stories, Father Brown plays Watson to his friend Flambeau, a French jewel thief turned detective, and these were probably my favourite stories in this book.
It's always hard to rate short story collections, but this one was pretty middle of the road. There weren't any that I strongly disliked, but neither were there any I really loved, so I think 3 stars is very fair.
May 11, 2019
I was a bit slow coming around to Father Brown, both in reading the famous stories and in appreciating them, but by the end of this Oxford World's Classic edition of selected Father Brown stories (18 of them), which I bought for a dollar at my favorite little library, I was soundly converted. Not to Roman Catholicism, which Chesterton probably would have liked, but to the peculiar charm of these stories. So unlike the other works of Chesterton with which I am familiar, and yet so exactly like them at the same time. Ah - another Chestertonian paradox.
Father Brown is a short blinking mostly unremarkable priest who is remarkably gifted at solving mysteries. Chesterton manages to deal with wide-ranging themes in his stories, including reason, literature, the nature of animals, philosophy, theology, human evil and sin, politics, science, superstition, and more. At times his voice breaks through the surface of the narrative to comment and pontificate on this or that matter, which I quite enjoy, but at other times one is struck by the ingenious plots, unforgettable characters, and masterful descriptions of landscapes and buildings and people.
It's a great read.
Father Brown is a short blinking mostly unremarkable priest who is remarkably gifted at solving mysteries. Chesterton manages to deal with wide-ranging themes in his stories, including reason, literature, the nature of animals, philosophy, theology, human evil and sin, politics, science, superstition, and more. At times his voice breaks through the surface of the narrative to comment and pontificate on this or that matter, which I quite enjoy, but at other times one is struck by the ingenious plots, unforgettable characters, and masterful descriptions of landscapes and buildings and people.
It's a great read.
January 16, 2024
There are many stories these days in the crime and detective genre, that finding something new is rare. But luck was by my side when The Selected Stories of Father Brown fell into my Reading List. More descriptive and poetic than the stories I am used to, these stories had a vibe to them. They had equal amounts of humour and seriousness. But it is the character Flambeau that pulled my focus. The criminal turned private detective often asked Father Brown to assist him in his various adventures, which would eventually be solved by Father Brown. I am hoping to more of Father Brown stories soon...
August 15, 2014
All the improbable use of inductive reasoning, with none of the caustic personality of Sherlock Holmes. Father Brown's humility and insight into the human soul add a unique flavor to mystery stories. Also, Chesterton can be pretty unabashedly Pro-Roman-Catholic.
January 28, 2023
'Father Brown' är ju odödlig även som TV-deckare, men den har i mitt tycke inte mycket gemensamt med den ironiska absurdism som Chestertons skapelse började som. Historierna måste ha börjat som en blandning av parodi på Sherlocks Holmes logiska materialism och en önskan om att lägga till en själslig dimension. För prästens intelligens är inte vetenskapliga detaljer, utan det är hans intuition och medkänsla och en stor vänkrets. Och Father Brown har både tystnadsplikt och ödmjukhet, vilket gör att han kan låta brottslingar gå fria.
Chesterton skrev väldigt mycket, i alla möjliga genrer, och med varierande kvalitet, så vad jag förstår innehåller denna samling 'de mest minnesvärda' historierna, ur samlingar tillkomna 1911, 1914, 1926, 1927, 1925. Och historierna i säg innebär helt klart en stilistisk utveckling från 1910-talets modernistiska absurdism fram till 1930-talets mer sansat kluriga deckarformat.
Chesterton brer alltid på med paradoxer, kluriga sådana, så gillar man det får man sitt lystmäte. Tyvärr leder genren främst till filosofiska resonemang, och brister därför en hel del i gestaltning och har föga av dagens action. Det är geniknölarna vi som läsare måste gnugga. Dessutom rör historierna ofta folks benägenhet till vidskepelse - och Father Browns ständiga hävdande att han INTE är vidskeplig, att andliga människor absolut inte med nödvändighet är vidskepliga. Tydligen en viktig synvinkel att föra fram på hans tid. Så i andliga frågor är Father Brown betydligt mer 'materialistisk'. Allt som tycks börja som spökhistorier, får sin naturliga förklaring.
Chesterton skrev väldigt mycket, i alla möjliga genrer, och med varierande kvalitet, så vad jag förstår innehåller denna samling 'de mest minnesvärda' historierna, ur samlingar tillkomna 1911, 1914, 1926, 1927, 1925. Och historierna i säg innebär helt klart en stilistisk utveckling från 1910-talets modernistiska absurdism fram till 1930-talets mer sansat kluriga deckarformat.
Chesterton brer alltid på med paradoxer, kluriga sådana, så gillar man det får man sitt lystmäte. Tyvärr leder genren främst till filosofiska resonemang, och brister därför en hel del i gestaltning och har föga av dagens action. Det är geniknölarna vi som läsare måste gnugga. Dessutom rör historierna ofta folks benägenhet till vidskepelse - och Father Browns ständiga hävdande att han INTE är vidskeplig, att andliga människor absolut inte med nödvändighet är vidskepliga. Tydligen en viktig synvinkel att föra fram på hans tid. Så i andliga frågor är Father Brown betydligt mer 'materialistisk'. Allt som tycks börja som spökhistorier, får sin naturliga förklaring.
September 19, 2019
I finally got around to reading the only Father Brown book I have on my shelf. It’s a selection of stories from each of the collections.
Father Brown is easy to underestimate. In the first story of the collection, a police detective sees him as rather stupid and bumbling, which is the impression he gives most people at first meeting. But behind that air of simplicity and placidity, Father Brown, as those who are close to him know, is intelligent and observant. He knows the worst men can do and still believes they can be saved. He’s humble and never puts others down. He’s just nicer than a lot of detectives.
The stories are all enjoyable. I like how we all see the clues, but only Father Brown manages to put it together. There’s a nice variety too, they don’t all follow the same outlines.
Father Brown is easy to underestimate. In the first story of the collection, a police detective sees him as rather stupid and bumbling, which is the impression he gives most people at first meeting. But behind that air of simplicity and placidity, Father Brown, as those who are close to him know, is intelligent and observant. He knows the worst men can do and still believes they can be saved. He’s humble and never puts others down. He’s just nicer than a lot of detectives.
The stories are all enjoyable. I like how we all see the clues, but only Father Brown manages to put it together. There’s a nice variety too, they don’t all follow the same outlines.
September 23, 2019
I have enjoyed the "Father Brown" series shown on public television, and have turned to the inspiration for the series - the works of G. K. Chesterton. This anthology provides a deeper look into the mind of Fr. Brown. His analysis and logic astound me, and I learn more as I read each story. He "comes in from left field" as calmly as if his solution is one that occurs to us all, hence his clam and modesty. It is his brilliance in stating the "obvious" that makes for great reading.
October 24, 2018
I am a big fan of detective fiction, especially Father Brown, Sherlock Holmes, Lord Peter Wimsey, Hercule Poirot, C. Auguste Dupin, and Adam Dalgliesh (in that order). And my favourite is certainly Fr. Brown, who solves crimes and mysteries largely by knowing what the human soul is capable of - good and bad. This is my second time through this compilation. So fun.
August 26, 2019
Interesting. I get why others have compared Father Brown to Sherlock Holmes, but with penetrating insight into the human condition instead of the "high-functioning sociopath"'s powers of deduction. Best read contemplatively and not rushed through (like I have a tendency of doing). I'm sure there was alot of subtext and wit from Chesterton I missed this time round; I look forward to re-reading and/or reading other Father Brown stories and works by Chesterton.
August 14, 2018
Extraordinarily well written. There are less hints than in Sherlock Holmes, but with somewhat more believable reasons. As amazing as these are, I actually did enjoy Holmes more, since the reader is given more of a chance at figuring it out.
July 28, 2019
Fun stories beautifully written. I'll come back to some of them when I need a fun read for a day.
February 27, 2020
I enjoyed it but felt the stories were too short and didn't give the reader much chance to work things out themselves
April 26, 2009
I've been interested in G.K. Chesterton for some time, but haven't gotten ahold of any of his books until now. Chesterton was a Catholic & played a great part in the conversion to Christianity of C.S. Lewis.
I looked and looked for the "complete" Father Brown, all 49 stories and thought that's what I bought on ebay, but it came being only "selected" stories. Oh well. It was great!
Father Brown is a Catholic priest and quite a good detective. He says, "Who better to understand the criminal mind than one to whom all is confessed?"
I really like well done short stories and this fit the bill. What I also liked was the faith & good-sense philosophy of Chesterton that shines through. Each story has a little nugget of truth thrown in. This was a great book to pass the time.
Here's a short one from "The Insoluble Problem."
"Surely...it is not generous to make even God's patience with us a point against Him."
And a long one from "The Grace of the Dog"
"The dog could amost have told you the story, if he could talk....All I complain of is that because he couldn't talk, you made up his story for him, and made him talk with the tongues of men and angels. It's part of something I've noticed more and more in the modern world, appearin gin all sorts of newspaper rumours an dconversational catchwords; something that's arbitrary without being authoritative. People readily swallow the untested claims of this, or that, or the other. It's drowning all your old rationalism and scepticism, it's coming in like the sea; an dthe name of it is superstition. ...It's the first effect of not believeing in God that you lose your common sense and can't see things as they are. Anything that anybody talks about, and says there's a good deal in it, extends itself indefinitely like a vista in a nightmare. And a dog is an omen, and a cat is a mystery, and a pig is a mascot and a beetle is a acarab.....and all because you are frightened of four words: 'He was made Man.'"
"Yes, I always like a dog, so long as he isn't spelt backwards."
I looked and looked for the "complete" Father Brown, all 49 stories and thought that's what I bought on ebay, but it came being only "selected" stories. Oh well. It was great!
Father Brown is a Catholic priest and quite a good detective. He says, "Who better to understand the criminal mind than one to whom all is confessed?"
I really like well done short stories and this fit the bill. What I also liked was the faith & good-sense philosophy of Chesterton that shines through. Each story has a little nugget of truth thrown in. This was a great book to pass the time.
Here's a short one from "The Insoluble Problem."
"Surely...it is not generous to make even God's patience with us a point against Him."
And a long one from "The Grace of the Dog"
"The dog could amost have told you the story, if he could talk....All I complain of is that because he couldn't talk, you made up his story for him, and made him talk with the tongues of men and angels. It's part of something I've noticed more and more in the modern world, appearin gin all sorts of newspaper rumours an dconversational catchwords; something that's arbitrary without being authoritative. People readily swallow the untested claims of this, or that, or the other. It's drowning all your old rationalism and scepticism, it's coming in like the sea; an dthe name of it is superstition. ...It's the first effect of not believeing in God that you lose your common sense and can't see things as they are. Anything that anybody talks about, and says there's a good deal in it, extends itself indefinitely like a vista in a nightmare. And a dog is an omen, and a cat is a mystery, and a pig is a mascot and a beetle is a acarab.....and all because you are frightened of four words: 'He was made Man.'"
"Yes, I always like a dog, so long as he isn't spelt backwards."
pick-up-again-sometime
September 16, 2010The most incredible thing about miracles is that they happen. A few clouds in heaven do come together into the staring shape of one human eye. A tree does stand up in the landscape of a doubtful journey in the exact and elaborate shape of a note of interrogation. I have seen both these things myself within the last few days. Nelson does die in the instant of victory; and a man named Williams does quite accidentally murder a man named Williamson; it sounds like a sort of infanticide. In short, there is in life an element of elfin coincidence which people reckoning on the prosaic may perpetually miss. As it has been well expressed in the paradox of Poe, wisdom should reckon on the unforeseen., pg. 5
February 16, 2011
GK Chesterton was an absolutely brilliant writer, and he proves this again in his Father Brown-stories. His characters are warm and friendly, and you practically feel Father Brown's steady hand guiding you through even the most gruesome tales. Chesterton is being warm and sensible while at the same time telling absolutely fascinating stories.
The best parts generally come toward the conclusion of the stories, where the detective has a lengthier monologue about the deeper societal or spiritual issue at hand. I'd share some quotes, but I don't want to spoil it for you. Really though, those are the real gemstones in the book.
Definitely a very recommended read!
The best parts generally come toward the conclusion of the stories, where the detective has a lengthier monologue about the deeper societal or spiritual issue at hand. I'd share some quotes, but I don't want to spoil it for you. Really though, those are the real gemstones in the book.
Definitely a very recommended read!
January 11, 2014
I enjoyed each story but as a reader with little history with the mystery genre because of a relatively low interest the stories eventually grew less interesting without a overarching plot to draw them together. Had I read them over a longer period, one or two at a time, them then my interst might not have waned. That said, I really enjoyed the way Chesterton built individual scenes that were so distinct then drew characters within them and only brought a brilliant but imperfect and humble Father Brown in right at the end to draw not just the case to a close but to also leave the reader with food for thought.
February 4, 2016
Oh, Father Brown -- you unassuming and wise detective-priest.
Best book blurb ever:
Best book blurb ever:
"Mr. Amis has chosen well...The result is an attractive, entertaining, and instructive book, packed with little reminders of what a poet Chesterton could be so long as he stuck to prose...And what a pioneering Goon...And above all what a devoted, witty and skillful expositor of reason, reason as a religious principle, reason as a power that will go down to the roots of the world." -- Robert Nye in the Guardian
March 8, 2014
Boring at first. Very, very similar to Sherlock Holmes, but in a much more innocent and Miss Marple style. Father Brown is much more forgiving and good natured about the human race, and very logical and thorough before descending culpability on any one. I have come to the realization though, that although I loved this genre in my teens, I think I am not a great mystery lover any more. :(Very curious to try Chesterton's theology reads, however.
July 29, 2010
I liked it very much in the beginning (first 3 stories), but after some time everything is more or less.. predictable, and i don't find the patience to read on anymore.. maybe after some time passes:)
October 8, 2010
Father Brown is a deceptively small and unassuming Catholic priest and ace detective whose long experience of the confessional gives him x-ray vision into the hearts of men. Part detective novel, part social critique, part theological treatise. Take some time and enjoy the stories one by one.
May 20, 2016
I just love Chesterton so much. The whimsy and attention to detail are so fun to follow along with. I find myself reading many of these mysteries with a goofy grin on my face as I imagine the little priest solving each riddle in his quirky way.
December 7, 2024
Detective Stories with a deeper layer. Beautiful psychological drawing and light spiritual touch. It's probably me, but I still don't get this Chesterton-mania. I guess I have to tackle more of his work.
August 29, 2007
The most humble detective that ever wore a priest's robes.
June 3, 2009
Very good.
September 30, 2009
The detective stories are pretty good and entertaining, although not quite matching Conan Doyle's. Unsurprisingly, they also have a slight Catholic flavour :)
October 1, 2011
Liked it. It was a different experience in detectives. Father Brown seemed more human and in touch with human instincts and rather than judging, understood as a priest would.
January 26, 2014
The stories were entertaining enough but most of all I love Chesterton's writing style, his language is beautiful and the descriptions superb.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews