The Owl of Minerva

Lady Felicia's chauffeur Sid sees a man disposing of a body but the police claim that the dead man, Archie Waterson, drowned himself and warn Sid to say nothing. Archie was working as an art restorer for eccentric Lord Masters but when Father Brown and Lady Felicia visit it is apparent that the supposed restoration is a front for an MI5 operation, headed by Daniel Whittaker, whom Lady Felicia knew in the war. Whittaker tries to blackmail Felicia into finding out what Father Brown knows about the dead man since the priest has found a message from Archie which will lead to the identity of his killer and their motive.

Father Brown and Lady Felicia are visiting a museum owned by her Egyptologist friend Sir Raleigh Beresford, who has just married the much younger Caterina. Caterina insists on opening a sarcophagus, an action which allegedly carries a curse and some time later she is found dying in a locked room. Sir Ralph's son Leo was having an affair with Caterina, making him a prime suspect, but then Raleigh's adoring secretary Valerie admits to the murder. Father Brown does not believe her and discredits her account before unmasking the real killer.

When the circus comes to the village newly wealthy clown Reggie Smythe reminds waitress Laura Hope, engaged to young Nicholas, that she once promised to marry either him or circus hypnotist Arthur Welkin, whichever made his fortune first. Laura is quick to point out that she was only joking, but then Reggie is found stabbed to death after being threatened by Arthur Welkin--though Welkin has an alibi. Laura amazes everybody by agreeing to marry the hypnotist, so Father Brown announces that he will conduct the ceremony - and so uncover the truth.

Father Brown and Lady Felicia visit the local barracks for the unveiling of the Dunkirk war memorial for which they have helped raise funds. The hero of Dunkirk was Colonel St Clare, who allegedly killed several Nazis with his broken sword but at dinner drunken Major Rawlings accuses St Clare of cowardice and is later found slain with the sword. St Clare is the obvious suspect but Father Brown, believing him to be innocent, discovers another person who remembers what happened at Dunkirk and has waited thirteen years before taking action.

As the village cricket team prepares for its annual match against rivals Hambleston Indian doctor Chandraty steps in as its captain to the annoyance of bigoted club secretary Peter Wallander, who also suspects that loutish Vince Lennon, the team's star bowler and adopted son of academic Jane Milton is having an affair with his young wife . Lennon is murdered and turns out to have been blackmailing several of the villagers whilst an ancient law states that the team's defeat could lead to the new squire of Hambleston, parvenu Max Scullion, acquiring the cricket ground for sale to property developers. For Father Brown and Lady Felicia there is a double task - to solve the murder and save the cricket pitch.

Whilst Father Brown is visiting the Upcott seminary for trainee priests young student Thomas Potts confesses to him that the recent drowning of his friend Douglas Hitchens was no accident before he plunges to his death from the bell tower. Father Brown suspects foul play but is blocked by the sinister Father Lewis and so, with the connivance of the elderly rector Father Palfreyman, sends Sid in undercover to pose as a trainee. He soon learns of the Secret Fraternity, an elite group of students, and believes that they are covering something up - but which of them is a murderer?

When the travellers come to the village the overbearing Jeremiah Moxley objects and accuses them of robbing the church. Whilst Jeremiah's daughter, successful novelist Hannah - of whom he is wholly over-protective - is at a reading Jeremiah is killed in the style of a murder in Hannah's latest book. The prime suspect is young gypsy Alfons but Father Brown is convinced of his innocence and in proving it exposes a family secret that Jeremiah was desperate should not be made public.

Marooned in the country Father Brown, Lady Felicia and Mrs McCarthy come across the Hotel Cuba where the exotic Madame Chania is organizing a weekend of hedonism for three wealthy playboys. Two prostitutes are expected but one is found dead and soon the guests are being murdered. Madame Chania would seem to be responsible but Father Brown uncovers a case of hidden identity and exposes a murderer who kills purely for the pleasure of it.

Father Brown attends an open day at the vineyard Colonel Forbes-Leith runs with French viticulturist Gregoire Bisset but the wine is contaminated by a dead dog in the vat. Suspicion falls on sinister handy-man Henry Gibbs, who is blackmailing the colonel, whom he knew in the war, and when Gibbs is shot dead the colonel is arrested. Father Brown visits him in prison and discovers that he is not who he seems to be and that he is covering for the person he believes to be the real murderer.

The local art gallery has the priceless painting 'The Judgement of Man' on loan from the Vatican and curator Binkie Cadwallader is flattered to be interviewed by the glamorous reporter Rebecca Himmelbaum. Father Brown is convinced that Flambeau is out to steal it and is proved right when Lady Felicia's gallant new American friend Chip Corner turns out to be the thief in disguise. But there is another miscreant out to steal the painting and Rebecca has her own agenda, to punish Binkie for a wartime betrayal.As a result Father Brown and Flambeau enter into a bizarre alliance and Flambeau proves to be more principled than the priest thought.

Father Brown visits student Jacob Francis at the family home as Lady Felicia is worried about him. Jacob's father died a year earlier, a presumed suicide, but Jacob is sure that he was murdered and has built a time machine in which he claims he can travel back to prove the case. His other relatives are cynical though his vision of the near future seems to be accurate. But when Jacob also dies Father Brown suspects that his theory was correct and tries out the time machine for himself.

In a village stricken with polio barmaid Sylvia Swann is stabbed to death at the Standing Stones and her friend Ginnie Godden, the last person to see her alive, is arrested. Father Brown finds evidence to link local herbalist Malcolm to the murder site but Malcolm believes that Sylvia was ritually sacrificed to heal the polio victims and asks Father Brown to help him stop any further deaths.

Whilst Father Brown and Mrs McCarthy are in the bank there is an armed hold-up but the robbers flee after the vault is opened to reveal the corpse of Billy Flanders, shady son-in-law of bank manager Samuel Harrogate. A note in the dead man's pocket incriminates Harrogate and Sullivan arrests him. Father Brown however realizes that the two bank clerks stand to gain by the manager's removal and later recognizes one of the robbers who tells the priest who planned the robbery. Father Brown comes to wonder why it was so important that he witnessed the failed heist before coming to discover the murderer's identity.

A mysterious visitor to the confession box informs Father Brown that choleric Bishop Talbot will be murdered so Father Brown joins Talbot at a shooting party where a shot is indeed fired though the victim is the seemingly innocent Albert Davies. The bishop had argued with actor Peter Redhill over his divorce and there is certainly intrigue among Redhill and his fellow players whilst the bishop seems to inexplicably own a large collection of banned plays. In his investigation the father finds that the play's the thing and also uncovers a bizarre pact.

Father Brown is stunned to learn Inspector Sullivan is wanted for murder.