THE TREES OF PRIDE

G.K. Chesterton, known for his Father Brown mysteries, is the author of this novella about exotic cursed trees in Cornwall. A country squire vanishes into the woods, and locals suspect his beloved imported trees devoured him. Jack de Golia narrates this unusual mystery, which touches on African and Cornish myths. Chesterton's premise is that rigid rationalism is self-defeating and the common folk have an intuitive wisdom that is too often discounted by the English elite. Giving voice to the many different Cornish characters is difficult even for as reliable a narrator as de Golia. This is not one of Chesterton's most memorable mysteries, but it does have some of the clever dialogue and plot twists that are so characteristic of his work. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2021]