The Chief Mourner of Marne
The Chief Mourner of Marne is a detective story written by G.K. Chesterton in which the protagonist, Father Brown, investigates the murder of a wealthy man who was found dead in his study. The suspects include the victim's family members and business associates, but Father Brown uses his keen observation skills to uncover the truth behind the crime.
By G.K. Chesterton · First published 1920 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Gothic Fiction · 9,969 words
First lines
A BLAZE of lightning blanched the grey woods tracing all the wrinkled foliage down to the last curled leaf, as if every detail were drawn in silverpoint or graven in silver. The same strange trick of lightning by which it seems to record millions of minute things in an instant of time, picked out everything, from the elegant litter of the picnic spread under the spreading tree to the pale lengths of winding road, at the end of which a white car was waiting. In the distance a melancholy mansion with four towers like a castle, which in the grey evening had been but a dim and distant huddle of walls like a crumbling cloud, seemed to spring into the foreground, and stood up with all its embattled, roofs and blank and staring windows. And in this, at least, the light had something in it of revelation. For to some of those grouped under the tree that castle was, indeed, a thing faded and almost forgotten, which was to prove its power to spring up again in the foreground of their lives.
What this Textopian page supports
The Chief Mourner of Marne is listed on Textopian as a novel by G.K. Chesterton, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: G.K. Chesterton
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama
- Length: 9,969 words
- Structure: 1 section, 170 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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Genres
- Mystery — The narrative revolves around a mysterious past event involving a duel and a hidden identity, which is gradually uncovered.
- Detective Fiction — The story features Father Brown, a detective figure, who investigates and reveals the truth behind the events.
- Gothic Fiction — The setting includes a gloomy castle and themes of madness and isolation, typical of Gothic literature.
- Psychological Fiction — The plot delves into the psychological impact of guilt and remorse on the characters, particularly the protagonist.
Tags
grief · mourning · loss · identity · family · war · sacrifice · memory · redemption · faith · humanity · suffering