The Innocence of Father Brown & The Wisdom of Father Brown

By: G. K. Chesterton

Narrated by: Thomas Cardwell

Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's Summary

The original amateur detective, Father Brown’s unique approach to mystery has made him an iconic and much-loved figure.

This bundle contains two of G. K. Chesterton’s most famous works, The Innocence of Father Brown and The Wisdom of Father Brown. Packed with intriguing and baffling mysteries, join this unassuming Catholic priest as he uses his intuitive insights into human nature to crack these mysteries no matter how unsolvable.

With a delightful writing style that captures the spirit of the early 1900s, G. K. Chesterton’s work has stood the test of time and continues to surprise people to this day. With a wide selection of some of Father Brown’s most famous cases, and some you might have never seen before, this bundle is a must-listen for anyone who is a fan of mystery.

Buy now to discover how Father Brown cracks these seemingly unsolvable cases!

Public Domain (P)2019 Flâneur Media

Classic short story collection(s), unabridged

I've heard of Father Brown, and am familiar with several of the television series adapted from or inspired by Chesterton's mystery-solving priest, but I didn't realize that he doesn't appear in any novels; instead, he is featured in several collections of short stories written and published from 1910 to 1936. He is quieter and more cerebral than his video representations tend to be, and is often surprisingly compassionate toward the murderer; the stories sometimes end with his hearing the killer's confession. This is especially seen in Flambeau, the brilliant criminal who goes from being his foe to his convert to, finally, his friend.

Those who bemoan the many abridged versions offered on Audible will be pleased to know that this double collection is unabridged. This means that some of the stories (presumably those omitted from abridged versions) contain attitudes toward Indians and blacks that will be jarring to the modern reader. None of these are expressed by Father Brown himself, although in one he does catch himself up on his own prejudices; I found this realistic (and probably quite open-minded) for the time period in which Chesterton lived and wrote.

I found the narrator quite good, though not brilliant; I didn't care for his female voices, but his Father Brown vocalizations were well-suited to a mild-mannered priest who is constantly underestimated by those with whom he comes in contact. All in all, I enjoyed my introduction to the "original" Father Brown, and I'm glad to have been given this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.

disappointed by racism and ethnocentrism in storie

This was a "first read" for me. I'd never read the Chesterton Father Brown tales, nor watched the BBC television series. The narrator was excellent in conveying the various accents required. I was pleasantly surprised by flashes of truly brilliant writing in some of the stories--wonderful depictions of landscape or interesting portraits. But as I listened further I was deeply disappointed by the ethnocentrism and racist negative stereotyping in some stories. The most glaring example is "The God of Gongs" in The Wisdom of Father Brown collection. It's truly appalling. When I looked online, I saw that others were similarly offended. So while the stories merit listening and study, they lack the "innocence" so underscored in the title of Chesterton's first Father Brown collection. If you're black or Asian, you may be in for some pain.

A good interpretation of classic stories...

I first met Father Brown when I was about 12; at that time I used to devour Christie, Conan Doyle and Poe, and I immediately counted Chesterton's priest-detective into my list of the top 5 favourite sleuths. But so many years had passed since then that when I got the chance to grab the audiobook version of the stories, I didn't hesitate. And I'm glad I asked for the book because I found out I still like most of the tales:)

That said, it's not a kind of book younger readers (meaning those under 40:)) will probably like. The stories are written in that old-fashioned way in which it's the narration that's most important, not the pace of the tale or the development of characters. Some of the stories feel a bit outdated, some are more like philosophical essays rather than crime fiction, in some the views presented by the characters may offend modern readers (they touch for example on racial matters). But overall it's a set of crime stories that every lover of mysteries should try to read at least once, as they belong to the classics of the genre...

Narration by Mr Cardwell is quite good, though I admit I sped it up a bit - but more because of the length of the book rather than anything else... I generally like the way he voices different characters, though I don't particularly like the voice of Father Brown himself. it sounds a bit too young or too childish... But it may also be the fault of the BBC "Father Brown" series - when I hear "Father Brown" I hear the voice of actor Mark Williams in my head...:)

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Classic detective from a simpler time.

The Innocence of father Brown & The Wisdom of Father Brown. .
Two classic books in one pack. 2 collections of short stories featuring the lovable Father Brown. I read these 40 years ago and am delighted to be able to listen to an excellent audiobook of them.
Yes they are of a simpler style than modern detective stories, But they are an immensely enjoyable experience.
Superbly narrated.
I received a free copy of this audio book at my own request and voluntarily leave this honest review.

Not what I expected

I really enjoyed the Father Brown TV show and so was quite looking forward to this audiobook. The nondescript, middle-aged man was not what I was expecting. He comes off as rather foolish and stupid before ingeniously solving the riddle. These are more like short stories (whereas I was expecting a full-length) and they felt unresolved to me. Either FB would let the murder get away with it or we simply wouldn’t see the fallout. The narrator seemed like a perfect match for the character, though a little drowsy for my taste. Speeding up the Reading did the trick nicely!

Unbearable narration

I got no further than 2 minutes in so I can't comment on the story but the narration is painful.