-
The Innocence of Father Brown & The Wisdom of Father Brown
- Narrated by: Thomas Cardwell
- Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Classics
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Pride and Prejudice
- By: Jane Austen
- Narrated by: Beth Kesler
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love is in the air when five sisters discover that a wealthy and eligible bachelor is suddenly within reach. But it is his friend, the haughty Mr. Darcy, who becomes smitten. Unfortunately for him, the object of his affection is not so easily swayed. One of the most popular characters in English literature, Elizabeth Bennet is intelligent, witty, well-spoken and ahead of her time. If the terrible rumors about Mr. Darcy are true, he doesn't stand a chance. Yet not all gossip is to be believed when marriage, money, and reputations are on the line.
By: Jane Austen
-
The Complete Father Brown Collection
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Stephen Scalon
- Length: 41 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shabby and lumbering, with a face like a Norfolk dumpling, Father Brown makes for an improbable super-sleuth. But his innocence is the secret of his success: refusing the scientific method of detection, he adopts instead an approach of simple sympathy, interpreting each crime as a work of art, and each criminal as a man no worse than himself… Here you will find the complete Father Brown stories in the chronological order of their original publication. The Innocence of Father Brown Starts at Chapter 1, The Wisdom of Father Brown Starts at Chapter 13.
-
-
Again a great title ruined by Audible laziness
- By Charles Power on 03-26-20
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
- By: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Lee Howard
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the greatest satires in American literature, Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" begins when Hank Morgan, a skilled mechanic in a nineteenth-century New England arms factory, is struck on the head during a quarrel and awakens to find himself among the knights and magicians of King Arthur's Camelot. The 'Yankee' vows brashly to "boss the whole country inside of three weeks" and embarks on an ambitious plan to modernize Camelot with 19th c. industrial inventions like electricity and gunfire. It isn't long before all hell breaks loose!
-
-
- By Erioco on 08-14-19
By: Mark Twain
-
The Wisdom of Father Brown
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
G. K. Chesterton’s Father Brown is perhaps the most lovable amateur detective ever created. This short, shabby priest with his cherubic, round face attracts situations that baffle everyone - except Father Brown and his rather naïve wisdom. The twelve enthralling stories in this book take Father Brown from London to Cornwall, from Italy to France, as he gets involved with bandits, treason, murder, curses, and an American crime-detection machine.
-
-
Good Mysteries, Great Stories
- By John on 12-05-12
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
Oliver Twist
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Matt Kelly
- Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of Oliver Twist - orphaned, and set upon by evil and adversity from his first breath - shocked readers when it was published. After running away from the workhouse and pompous beadle Mr Bumble, Oliver finds himself lured into a den of thieves peopled by vivid and memorable characters - the Artful Dodger, vicious burglar Bill Sikes, his dog Bull's Eye, and prostitute Nancy, all watched over by cunning master-thief Fagin.
-
-
great narrator, amazing story
- By prii on 10-05-19
By: Charles Dickens
-
The Iliad
- By: Homer
- Narrated by: Charles Purkey
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Iliad is one of the two great epics of Homer, and is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time, but to say the Iliad is a war story does not begin to describe the emotional sweep of its action and characters: Achilles, Helen, Hector, and other heroes of Greek myth and history in the tenth and final year of the Greek siege of Troy.
-
-
Mistranslated
- By Seth Jacobson on 09-12-19
By: Homer
-
Pride and Prejudice
- By: Jane Austen
- Narrated by: Beth Kesler
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love is in the air when five sisters discover that a wealthy and eligible bachelor is suddenly within reach. But it is his friend, the haughty Mr. Darcy, who becomes smitten. Unfortunately for him, the object of his affection is not so easily swayed. One of the most popular characters in English literature, Elizabeth Bennet is intelligent, witty, well-spoken and ahead of her time. If the terrible rumors about Mr. Darcy are true, he doesn't stand a chance. Yet not all gossip is to be believed when marriage, money, and reputations are on the line.
By: Jane Austen
-
The Complete Father Brown Collection
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Stephen Scalon
- Length: 41 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shabby and lumbering, with a face like a Norfolk dumpling, Father Brown makes for an improbable super-sleuth. But his innocence is the secret of his success: refusing the scientific method of detection, he adopts instead an approach of simple sympathy, interpreting each crime as a work of art, and each criminal as a man no worse than himself… Here you will find the complete Father Brown stories in the chronological order of their original publication. The Innocence of Father Brown Starts at Chapter 1, The Wisdom of Father Brown Starts at Chapter 13.
-
-
Again a great title ruined by Audible laziness
- By Charles Power on 03-26-20
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
- By: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Lee Howard
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the greatest satires in American literature, Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" begins when Hank Morgan, a skilled mechanic in a nineteenth-century New England arms factory, is struck on the head during a quarrel and awakens to find himself among the knights and magicians of King Arthur's Camelot. The 'Yankee' vows brashly to "boss the whole country inside of three weeks" and embarks on an ambitious plan to modernize Camelot with 19th c. industrial inventions like electricity and gunfire. It isn't long before all hell breaks loose!
-
-
- By Erioco on 08-14-19
By: Mark Twain
-
The Wisdom of Father Brown
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
G. K. Chesterton’s Father Brown is perhaps the most lovable amateur detective ever created. This short, shabby priest with his cherubic, round face attracts situations that baffle everyone - except Father Brown and his rather naïve wisdom. The twelve enthralling stories in this book take Father Brown from London to Cornwall, from Italy to France, as he gets involved with bandits, treason, murder, curses, and an American crime-detection machine.
-
-
Good Mysteries, Great Stories
- By John on 12-05-12
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
Oliver Twist
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Matt Kelly
- Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of Oliver Twist - orphaned, and set upon by evil and adversity from his first breath - shocked readers when it was published. After running away from the workhouse and pompous beadle Mr Bumble, Oliver finds himself lured into a den of thieves peopled by vivid and memorable characters - the Artful Dodger, vicious burglar Bill Sikes, his dog Bull's Eye, and prostitute Nancy, all watched over by cunning master-thief Fagin.
-
-
great narrator, amazing story
- By prii on 10-05-19
By: Charles Dickens
-
The Iliad
- By: Homer
- Narrated by: Charles Purkey
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Iliad is one of the two great epics of Homer, and is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time, but to say the Iliad is a war story does not begin to describe the emotional sweep of its action and characters: Achilles, Helen, Hector, and other heroes of Greek myth and history in the tenth and final year of the Greek siege of Troy.
-
-
Mistranslated
- By Seth Jacobson on 09-12-19
By: Homer
-
The Secret of Father Brown
- By: G.K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Matthews
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Flying fish, a man with two beards and the Worst Crime in the World these are just some of the problems for Father Brown to solve. In his inimitable way, this gentle, eccentric, extraordinary cleric-cum-detective sets about unravelling the threads of a colourful skein of mysteries. In the course of his investigations Father Brown travels, in thought if not deed, all over the world and through all walks of life.
-
-
Interesting
- By Linda on 06-28-12
By: G.K. Chesterton
-
The Man Who Knew Too Much
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Harold Wiederman
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chesterton's talent as a mystery writer is displayed in this collection of detective stories, The Man Who Knew Too Much. In each story, the star detective, Horne Fisher, deals with another strange mystery: the vanishing of a priceless coin, the framing of an Irish "prince" freedom fighter, an eccentric rich man dies during an obsessive fishing trip, another vanishing during an ice skate, a statue crushing his own uncle, and a few more.
-
-
The Prince who Knows Paradox Too Well
- By Darwin8u on 05-25-13
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
The Innocence of Father Brown, Volume 2
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here are the six final stories from The Innocence of Father Brown relating the crime-solving adventures of a rather unconventional detective. Having accumulated wisdom and empathy from years of listening to the dark confessions of his parishioners, in a flash Father Brown is able to solve mysteries that confound all others.
-
-
No Sherlock Holmes, but not bad
- By Brain on 01-05-19
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Narrated by: Stephen Scalon
- Length: 12 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"The Return of Sherlock Holmes" is a collection of 13 Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1903-1904, by Arthur Conan Doyle. This was the first Holmes collection since 1893, when Holmes had "died" in "The Final Problem". Having published "The Hound of the Baskervilles" in 1901-1902 (although setting it before Holmes' death) Doyle came under intense pressure to revive his famous character. The first story is set in 1894 and has Holmes returning in London and explaining the period from 1891-94, a period called "The Great Hiatus" by Sherlockian enthusiasts.
-
-
So good!
- By Julie Y on 07-16-19
-
The Wisdom of Father Brown
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: John Graham
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Father Brown, G. K. Chesterton's lovable little Norfolk priest, has an uncanny knack of unraveling mysteries that leave lesser mortals floundering. His sympathetic understanding of human nature never deserts him, even when he himself is touched by a breath of scandal, thanks to the hasty conclusions of a crusading newspaperman. In this collection, Father Brown uses his distinctive style of deduction to solve the seemingly insoluble.
-
-
Actually, just eight of the twelve stories
- By Ted on 04-08-14
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
The Incredulity of Father Brown
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Stephen Scalon
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In "The Incredulity of Father Brown," G.K. Chesterton treats us to another set of bizarre crimes that only his "stumpy" Roman Catholic prelate has the wisdom and mindset to solve. As usual, Chesterton loves playing with early twentieth-century class distinctions, "common-sense" assumptions, and the often anti-Catholic biases of his characters. He loves showing, through his characters, how those who hold themselves superior to the "fantasies" of Brown's Catholic faith themselves devolve into superstitious blithering when faced with the tiniest of mysteries.
-
-
The Essentiality of Father Brown
- By John on 03-12-20
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
The Man Who Was Thursday
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story begins when two poets meet. Gabriel Syme is a poet of law. Lucian Gregory is a poetic anarchist. As the poets protest their respective philosophies, they strike a challenge. In the ruckus that ensues, the Central European Council of Anarchists elects Syme to the post of Thursday, one of their seven chief council positions. Undercover. On the run, Syme meets with Sunday, the head of the council, a man so outrageously mysterious that his antics confound both the law-abiding and the anarchist.
-
-
Indescribably good
- By Erez on 06-11-10
By: G. K. Chesterton
-
Danger in the Air
- Mydworth Mysteries - A Cosy Historical Mystery Series 6
- By: Matthew Costello, Neil Richards
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Parker
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the authors of the best-selling series "Cherringham". The famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart has come to England on a mission to raise money for her planned continent-spanning air rally - with all-female pilots. Lady Lavinia naturally supports the amazing Amelia, inviting her to stay at Mydworth Manor. But when Amelia's life is threatened - Harry and Kat must figure out who is behind this deadly game before it turns fatal...
-
-
Mydworth meets Amelia Earhart
- By TechFem50 on 02-10-21
By: Matthew Costello, and others
-
Deadly Cargo
- Mydworth Mysteries - A Cosy Historical Mystery Series 5
- By: Matthew Costello, Neil Richards
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Parker
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mydworth's Excelsior Radio Company is world-famous for its expensive radio-phonographs. But suddenly the Excelsior delivery lorries start being hijacked, and the very future of the company is in doubt. Is this just about stolen radios - or is there something more secret and dangerous going on? When Harry and Kat are brought in to help, they decide to go undercover to solve the crimes and soon discover there are many more secrets to this mystery than meets the eye.
-
-
Good clean fun
- By Emily Lauderdale on 12-07-20
By: Matthew Costello, and others
-
The Man Who Was Thursday: Centennial Edition
- By: G. K. Chesterton, Chesterton Books
- Narrated by: Nigel Peever
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This audiobook is wonderfully narrated by British actor Nigel Peever, who brings the story to life. Published by Chesterton Books.
-
-
marvelous
- By Sam Torode on 10-02-18
By: G. K. Chesterton, and others
-
A Shot in the Dark
- Mydworth Mysteries - A Cosy Historical Mystery Series 1
- By: Matthew Costello, Neil Richards
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Parker
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sussex, England, 1929. Mydworth is a sleepy English market town just 50 miles from London. But things are about to liven up there, when young and handsome Sir Harry Mortimer returns home from his diplomatic posting in Cairo, with his beautiful and unconventional American wife, Kat. No sooner have the two arrived, when a jewel robbery occurs at Harry's aunt's home - Mydworth Manor. The police are baffled and overwhelmed with the case. But Harry and Kat have an edge in the hunt for the dangerous culprit.
-
-
A good start.
- By justthisonce on 02-09-20
By: Matthew Costello, and others
-
The Everlasting Man
- By: G. K. Chesterton
- Narrated by: Philippe Duquenoy
- Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Considered by many to be one of G.K. Chesterton’s greatest works, The Everlasting Man, along with many of Chesterton’s other works, were heavily influenced by his own spiritual journey into Christianity. Published in 1925, The Everlasting Man is said to be a rebuttal of H.G. Wells’ The Outline of History, in which Chesterton delves into the history of religion and the spiritual exploration of western society while defending any objections to Christianity.
By: G. K. Chesterton
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!
What listeners say about The Innocence of Father Brown & The Wisdom of Father Brown
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- bookgirl
- 02-07-20
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.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kevin O'Brien
- 02-22-21
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lidia Chymkowska
- 02-03-20
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rayc
- 01-30-20
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- MegDGonzalez
- 01-11-20
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!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- rosie
- 01-13-20
Unbearable narration
I got no further than 2 minutes in so I can't comment on the story but the narration is painful.