When Chesterton created the character of Father Brown, he brought a new dimension to mystery stories--the distinction between crime and sin. As the priest- detective applies his powers of observation to solve a case, he picks up clues about other offenses, such as those against the Sabbath or one's parents. Father Brown's main concern is not the laws of the State but the Commandments of God.
As Dorothy Sayers once wrote, G.K. Chesterton was "the first man of our time to introduce the great name of God into a detective story . . . to enlarge the boundaries of the detective story by making it deal with death and real wickedness and real, that is to say, divine judgment."
This edition includes footnotes not available in other versions, which help to clarify the literary and historical allusions made by Father Brown. It is based on the texts of Chesterton's original editions, for assurance of authenticity, and is set in easily readable type.
"John Peterson is the world's greatest expert on Chesterton's famous priest- detective. His presentation of these particular Father Brown stories only adds to their craftiness and profundity."
— Dale Ahlquist, President, American Chesterton Society
John Peterson, a longtime Chestertonian, has written seven books and numerous articles for popular and scholarly journals.
G. K. Chesterton was one of the most beloved and prolific authors of the twentieth century. He wrote dozens of popular books on a variety of topics and thousands of essays. His works include Orthodoxy, The Everlasting Man, The Man Who Was Thursday, and the Father Brown mystery stories.