A Father Brown Mystery: The Paradise of Thieves

by G.K. Chesterton

A Father Brown Mystery taken from The Wisdom of Father Brown. This version is great way to introduce someone to G. K. Chesterton's great amateur detective.

Genres: Mystery, British Literature, Short Stories, Crime, Classics

24 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2012

About the author

Gilbert 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.

Reviews

[Chanover55 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things are not what they seem for the Harrogate family and entourage when they travel to Italy. Father Brown just happens on them after time in Rome but can he figure out what is really happening? I didn't see the end coming.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can Father Brown solve the mystery of Muscari the poet, Ezza the courier, Montano the King of Thieves and Harrogate, the banker, and his family.
An enjoyable short mystery

[Nderitu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, funny and intriguing.
I'm reading this again as I write this down.

[Red Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting little story with some excellent observations, though the Italians seem a little OTT.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very witty. I like G.K.Chesterton's writing, and want to read more.

[Mike Lisanke · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, having an escaping Fraudster leap to his death off a cliff makes for an interesting ending to a detective mystery. I wonder how many survived prosecution for financial crimes in G.K.'s day? 😁

[Bob Wolniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever tale about Tuscan poets, bandits, a mountain pass, and a marriage proposal, mostly in that order.