< Chapter 39: Father Brown – 1 >
The Father Brown series has a pretty unique structure among mystery novels.
While most mystery novels are like brain games and puzzles made up of ‘tricks’ and ‘twists,’ the Father Brown series dives into the psychology of criminals with a ‘profiling’ format. This comes from the quirky setup of the main character, Father Brown.
“Mr. Homer, have you ever been involved with the clergy?”
“No.”
“Oh, right. Sorry for the odd question. I really connected with the priest’s feelings in this Father Brown novel. He seems like such a devout clergyman.”
As you might guess from the title, the Father Brown series stars a priest as its protagonist.
Thus, the investigation process was a bit different from your typical detective novels.
Father Brown, who listens to sinners’ ‘confessions’ all the time, is quite the expert on the psychology and methods of criminals. He figures out what mental shifts they go through to commit sins and then regret them, and he sees the scars on their hearts.
Using this ‘understanding,’ he follows the criminal’s ‘psychology’ to deduce the truth. So, in this case, the ‘logic’ that detective novels usually stress isn’t always that important!
It looked like Cardinal Garnier thought Father Brown’s actions were quite justified.
“Of course, there are parts I, as a cardinal, can’t just blurt out without caution—but if our ‘Protestant’ friends read this story, they would definitely enjoy it. They’re as tolerant and generous as this Father Brown.”
“Protestants… you mean?”
“Yeah! They’re a knightly order under the direct control of the Holy See, working hard to spread the gospel while breaking free from old doctrines.”
“Wait, that exists?”
“It was just established. And it’s all thanks to Venerable Homer!”
“Really?”
The cardinal then gave me a detailed explanation of how the ‘Protestant’ group came to be.
I was a bit dazed. I never expected our earlier meeting would spark a religious reformation from within.
Cardinal Garnier kept going, as if it was no big deal.
“The Savior said we should reach out to sinners, not saints. Those who are lost and wandering really need the gospel. But if our doctrinal and prejudiced views can’t even reach their souls, how can we heal them? A doctor who doesn’t listen to their patient can’t treat illness. So, we had to create the Protestant group.”
“Ah….”
It was slightly shocking to hear a cardinal admit that he was ‘ensnared by doctrine and prejudice.’
Ultimately, it was an acknowledgment that doctrine isn’t perfect. Maybe since God exists in this world, there’s more tolerance for specific doctrines and methodologies.
“This ‘Father Brown’ also seems to be the kind of priest with such a tolerant nature. He doesn’t mesh with old-timers like me, who see everything in black and white…”
“Aren’t you young enough, Cardinal Garnier?”
“Haha, true! Among cardinals, I’m the youngest. I’ve been called the youngest cardinal, in fact. But—”
For a moment, Cardinal Garnier’s smile was different from his usual warm one. It seemed lukewarm and also…
The smile of someone utterly exhausted.
“Regardless of age, sometimes what you do makes you feel old, doesn’t it?”
“…I guess that makes sense.”
“Let me introduce you to the friends of the Protestant group. They’ll be way more helpful than someone like me.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
And so, I found myself meeting the Protestant group—a knightly order that felt oddly familiar.
* * *
“Hello! It’s an honor to meet you, Venerable Homer!”
“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too!”
“I’ve read all your books with great admiration! So, can I get your autograph on this book?”
“Yes, of course!”
The clergy from the Protestant group were a bit different than I had imagined. I expected a formal and somber atmosphere, but they were way more cheerful and light-hearted.
Still, they had their manners down, making it clear why the cardinal described them as ‘tolerant.’
“Thank you!”
“Right! By the way, I’ve heard a lot about you from Cardinal Garnier. He said you’re particularly kind and generous members of the church.”
“Did Cardinal Garnier really say that about us?”
“Yep! He praised you a lot!”
“I see. We affectionately call Cardinal Garnier the noble and nosy cardinal.”
“…Huh?”
“If he evaluates us, it’s only fair we share how we assess him.”
…A rather peculiar bunch. Seeing the other priests nodding along, they seemed to share a similar vibe. I started to wonder what criteria they used to pick members for this ‘Protestant’ group.
“I see… The reason I wanted to meet the clergy was that I’m writing a novel with a priest as the protagonist, and I’d love your advice.”
“It’s a lifetime honor to assist Venerable Homer in his writing!”
“Oh, it’s not that big of a deal…”
“I’m serious! For us, your novels are as sacred as the Bible.”
“Pardon?”
“The Savior’s words make us holy, and Homer’s words intoxicate us. That’s something youth clergy have been saying lately. It means many of us have been inspired by your books!”
“Oh, wow…”
“So, I sincerely want to help you with your writing, Venerable Homer.”
“Okay, thanks…”
This dude was seriously praising me in the most earnest tone! I’ve seen people fangirl and squeal, but to see a clergyman act like this was refreshing!
This wasn’t just tolerance; it was something more.
“This is the manuscript. Father Brown… is a great name! Can I pray to the Lord before reading it?”
“What? Uh, sure!”
“O Lord of wisdom—”
This guy seemed a bit too deep in some odd way with religion, huh…? I wasn’t sure what to think.
“Thanks! Now, let’s get to the manuscript.”
“Yes…”
* * *
And just like that, the ‘Father Brown’ series hit the shelves with a little help from Cardinal Garnier and the Protestant Order.
News that ‘Homer’ had penned a detective novel spread like wildfire across the empire.
Even though it was a short story collection instead of a serialized magazine, the Father Brown series sold out like hotcakes.
Pulp fiction fans, familiar with traditional detective tales, didn’t hesitate to snatch up Father Brown.
Why? Because of a unique quirk about mystery novel fans.
The more they read mystery novels, the thirstier they get for new and interesting ones!
Sure, that’s true for most genres, but mystery lovers really latch onto this trait. Detective novels pack in those strong ‘genre elements’ while demanding extreme originality with each piece.
Simply put, if you read something that reuses the same old tricks, it’s a snooze fest.
“A detective novel by Homer! The guy who wrote ‘Jekyll and Hyde’? I can’t wait to see how amazing it’ll be!”
“I like Herodotus’s novels better than Homer’s… but I’m still all about that detective novel life.”
The responses to the Father Brown series were glowing. Critics and existing mystery book fans raved about it!
“The Father Brown series is filled with a sincere pursuit of truth and humility! After all, no matter how thick a curtain of darkness hides the truth, it will always come to light, won’t it?”
“A detective doesn’t have to be a puzzle-solving robot. A sincere interest in people is what truly sheds light on the right truth.”
But—
People inevitably compare similar genre novels, just like they do with ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and ‘Arsène Lupin.’
“Hmm, it’s new but… kinda feels bland, doesn’t it? It’s missing that punch that really stimulates the brain.”
“Dude, maybe stop reading so much crime fiction! I’ve never read a book that pierces the soul so sharply. Don’t tell me you’re saying it lacks stimulation? You’re just reading too lightly to appreciate the delicate psychology!”
“What? You’ve read too many romance novels and it’s zapped your masculinity!”
“Hah! How could someone who doesn’t recognize the nobility of the soul understand the fun of this book?”
“You jerk?!”
“Am I wrong?!”
“Duel!”
“Duel!”
The snag was that these works appeared to be from ‘different authors’ on the surface instead of the ‘same author,’ which made it easy for ‘fandom wars’ to spark.
It was also a pride thing among fans who deeply cared about the ‘mystery novel’ genre.
“Homer is the god of literature! The way Father Brown delves into criminal psychology shows how deeply he cares about the human soul! You don’t understand how fun this is?”
“Herodotus is the god of mystery novels! Cold reason and logic are the true values of mystery novels! In the mystery novel realm, Herodotus is in a league of his own!”
“When you think about it, didn’t Homer kick off the mystery novel genre with ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’?”
“But it was Herodotus who perfected it! The Father Brown series is just a spin-off of ‘Sherlock Holmes’!”
“I can’t even talk to you!”
“Same here!”
“Well then, let’s see who understands this genre better with a duel—or maybe a competition!”
“Bring it on!”
“The contest will be the ‘Sherlock Holmes X Arsène Lupin Fanfiction Competition!’”
“What?”
And then…
With the perfect timing of the [Sherlock Holmes X Arsène Lupin Fanfiction Competition] event happening, the mystery novel enthusiasts felt compelled to participate to prove their ‘dedication.’
* * *
“Did you predict all of this, my lord?”
“Sort of…? I talked with the publisher to nudge the atmosphere a bit, but it really took off better than expected.”
In other words, every reader is ultimately a potential writer.
What ‘Herodotus’ did was just give a gentle push to those ‘potential writers.’
And that was all.
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