Father Brown And The Ten Commandments is not a collection of new, or recently discovered adventures of the infamous Father Brown, but rather a re-presentation of eleven of his mysteries. Yes, you did read that correctly.
As the title suggests, the stories are linked by the Ten Commandments and readers will discover, or discover anew for those familiar with Father Brown, the exploration of sin as opposed to crime.
As John Peterson explains in his introduction: “The key to Chesterton’s radical approach is that the criminal is not necessarily the worst sinner in the story, nor is his crime its guiltiest offence.”
And for the detective priest his difference comes in his prejudice to God’s law rather than the legal system constructed by people.
I have long been a fan of Father Brown stories, though not the contemporary television series which didn’t quite live up to expectation, and this collection does not disappoint.
Peterson’s collection and its organisation leave the reader not only enjoying entertaining stories but spur them on to greater reflection on the Commandments, sin, and the ordinary way in which we consider crime as being the weightiest sin.
I thoroughly recommend this book to devotees of G.K. Chesterton but particularly to those who have not yet been introduced to Father Brown.
I can assure you that it is well worth it. You will not be disappointed.
Originally posted 2017-07-04 15:00:04.