The Innocence of Father Brown

By: G. K. Chesterton

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

Detective fans of all races and creeds, of all tastes and fancies will delight in the exploits of this wise and whimsical padre. Father Brown’s powers of detection allow him to sit beside the immortal Holmes, but he is also "in all senses a most pleasantly fascinating human being", according to American crime novelist Rufus King. You will be enchanted by the scandalously innocent man of the cloth, with his handy umbrella, who exhibits such uncanny insight into ingeniously tricky human problems.

This collection of 12 mysteries solved by Father Brown includes: "The Blue Cross", "The Secret Garden", "The Queer Feet", "The Flying Stars", "The Invisible Man", "The Honour of Israel Gow", "The Wrong Shape", "The Sins of Prince Saradine", "The Hammer of God", "The Eye of Apollo", "The Sign of the Broken Sword", and "The Three Tools of Death".

©1933 G. K. Chesterton (P)1992 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“G. K. Chesterton’s tales [are] of the unassuming Catholic priest who claims that his work at the confessional (where he has to do ‘next to nothing but hear men’s real sins’) puts him in an excellent position to solve the bizarre crimes that come his way in pre–First World War England…. The unassuming cleric, whose humble conviction that his God will eventually triumph over the souls of even the most evil of criminals, is the quiet but insistent heartbeat of these unusual exercises in detective fiction.” ( Sunday Times, London)

Elder Zosima and Sherlock Holmes meet in Fr Brown

Sherlock Holmes' powers of observation and the wisdom and understanding of human nature exhibited by Dostoyevsky's Elder Zosima are combined in Chesterton's Father Brown. And what a satisfying union it is.

The narrator was initially nearly insufferable, though, as many reviews here attest. Switching to good speakers instead of playing on the phone solved the problem.

And don't let the sensitive Puritans in reviews here dissuade you. If you're an adult with an ounce of charity you'll have little trouble with the non-modern language. It's ironic, really, that while Chesterton was an ardent and effective enemy of the ideologies that gave rise to the nightmares of the twentieth century he is condemned today by small minds molded by those same ideologies.

Definitely “of it’s time”

The stories are well-constructed and the mysteries mostly very satisfying, but there are many, many parts that are shockingly, disgustingly racist. Chesterton saw people of other races as subhuman and inherently evil. If you are a fan of the Father Brown tv series (as I am), then it may be worth a listen for the interest in hearing the original, but thank heaven the tv series is far removed from Chesterton’s ideology.

“A very knowable innocence” review by John. I agree.

I completely agree with all of the contents of the review of «John» of 4 years ago. These stories are quite excellent. And though you may benefit from knowledge of European and British history and of the unfairness of the society of the time these stories are written, they are not irrelevant period pieces. They still stand out as surprisingly modern and quite radical moral stories of tolerance and respect for other people, regrettably still very much relevant. Yes, they sometimes choose words or reflect British imperial viewpoints from the time, but only to a degree. They give food for thought also today, unless you choose to be only angered by mans history. The narration is perfect for both the stories and their period.

Thrillingly Satisfying, Every Story Masterfull

THERE IS NO RACISM IN THIS BOOK, contrary to another reviewer’s review. Vivid, fascinating characters fill these timeless mysteries. Chesterton’s masterly welding of phycology and philosophic method of revealing truth will delight even readers unacquainted with mysteries. Father Brown Christ-like humility is delightful, endearing, and instructive. These tales are a true testament that saints are more interesting than sinners.

A Very Knowledgeable Innocence

Listen to this one just for the language, the way Chesterton can evolve an observation about an everyday object into an observation about society or even civilization. Like all the Father Brown stories, these are written by a mind not uncommon at the time; a mind that operated on several different planes at once: the aesthetic, the religious, the cultural, the historic. Those differing angles of perspective then merged into prose that illuminated whatever it took under consideration as brilliantly as any poet.

A passing familiarity with the history of the time is helpful, French politics in general and the Dreyfus affair in particular. Some of these stories have later literary reverberations, “The Queer Feet”, being the story Lady Marchmain reads aloud in Brideshead Revisited. It is also my favorite in this collection; a poignant picture of how God’s mercy can reach us, in spite of everything we do to avoid Him.

By now I’ve come to realize that Frederick Davidson (aka David Case) is a deal breaker for many. We either love him or hate him. I love him; his suave, knowing delivery is the perfect vehicle for Chesterton’s witty, urbane and, ultimately, profound playfulness.