This is a book of short stories, each a crime investigation by a high-society Englishman. It reminded me a lot of Sherlock Holmes' stories, although Chesterton's main character is very different from Doyle's.

I've been reading a couple G.K. Chesterton books lately, and I really want to like him, because he's so highly praised among the educated elites I read. I just am finding him hard to get into; he's too British. C.S. Lewis had a writing style that didn't make him feel unapproachably British; his British colloquialisms and phrases were quaint, but didn't feel foreign or indecipherable. Somehow, however, when I read G.K. Chesterton I feel like he's talking above me (which he probably is; he was obviously much smarter than I am) and using a language I barely understand (Chesterton's British English feels much more foreign than Lewis', somehow).

Anyways, about this book in particular, G.K. sets up very intricate plots and very innovative situations, so that part is great. I had trouble understanding the main character, and I think it's because he's "so British", to my mind anyways, in his values and opinions. There's one story that's dependent on intricate details of British politics, and that one had me completely lost. I didn't even really understand what was going on. Just as when I read Chesterton's "The Napoleon of Notting Hill", I felt like it was a brilliant inside joke that I couldn't fully appreciate because I wasn't "inside".

I'm another person who "read" this book by listening to BJ Harrison's Classic Tales podcast. Without Harrison I probably would never have gotten through it, based on my experience with the Man Who WasThursday, which I stopped after a chapter or two. Chesterton is a pretty decent writer, but like many political/ideological writers (Orwell being an exception) he is way too didactic. His moral perspective (in this case Catholicism and hyper nationalism) often turns the storyline juvenile, over-wrought and maudlin. After a couple of the stories, figuring out the mystery isn't all that difficult - Chesterton tends to re-use the same plot twists each time. The last in the series is almost unbearably awful and embarrassing. Fortunately, Harrison carried me through it to the end. So, as in the HP series, if you really are interested, get the audio book from Harrison.

PS normally xenophobia in these classic tales doesn't bother me at all - different times, different perspectives. But precisely because in this book it was so obviously an expression of Chesterton's ideology, I found it very jarring and off-putting. I know Chesterton was anti-fascist and not a bad man, but I don't find him the least bit admirable.

G. K. Chesterton is a wonderful writer. I’ve read and enjoyed his Father Brown mysteries. These short mysteries are OK; I prefer the Father Brown stories.

This book turned out to be a hidden gem! Never in a million years did I imagine that reading about gruesome murders would have such a cozy feeling. The book comprises eight not-so-short stories and each story is more bewildering than the last.

Even though the political situations went completely over my head, the mystery behind the murders was so fun to read, probably because it felt so gentlemanly, with the characters so likable and real.

It was an amazing first experience with G.K Chesterton.

This collection of short stories turned out a bit more ponderous than what I've come to expect from Chesterton's writing. His intensely clever and elegant prose is ever-present, but the subject matter lacks the timeless feel of some of his other works.

Initially I'd thought the anthology was something in the spirit of Sherlock Holmes, but that was just my misconception. Instead it is more a socio-political and somewhat philosophical commentary on England during a highly specific pre-war period. Unfortunately, this reader's grasp of such things is severely limited--an my ability to comprehensively appreciate these pieces was thusly impacted.

It did hold a few good quotes, though. And I can say I found the most enjoyment in the second and second-to-last stories in this collection.

Short review. I read half of this and gave up. It is not that it is bad, in many ways this is very good. But I am not a fan generally of short stories. I prefer the longer characterization that comes from a novel. But even more importantly, I am just tired of reading cynical stories. And this is a book of cynical stories. The main character just 'knows too much'. He is well connected and a part of the power structure. So he sees how the rich, famous and powerful get away with things they shouldn't. And he tries to uncover the truth. But even in the uncovering there is rarely 'justice'. Instead there is just disclosure.

My full review of what I read is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/man-knew-much-gk-chesterton/

I loved "The Man who was Thursday," and was hoping for something similar. Instead, it was like a toned-down Sherlock Holmes with a seriously obtuse Watson and more racism/anti-Semitism than you can shake a stick at. I understand it's a product of it's time, but starting about half-way through, you can't get through three pages without a racial slur or stereotype.

Really worth reading if you like mysteries. Our detective, another aristocrat, seems to be a side character in most of the stories. It's a really interesting way of presenting the narrative.

Not his best, but still witty and common-sensical Chesterton. If you are looking for mysteries, Father Brown is better, but I don't know anyone who reads even those for the sake of their being mysteries. One reads Chesterton to be instructed in what it means to have plain-old Christian common sense, and, remarkably, to be entertained thoroughly at the same time. Chesterton teaches you like Sunday School, but you feel like you were just at recess. His descriptions of characters and place are vivid as ever here, and I will have some of them floating in the back of my mind for years to come. The best thing of all is that there are so many more Chesterton's to go!