Critic, author, and debunker extraordinaire, G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) delighted in probing the ambiguities of Christian theology. A number of his most successful attempts at combining first-rate fiction with acute social observation appear in this original selection from his best detective stories featuring the priest-sleuth Father Brown.A Chestertonian version of Sherlock Holmes, this little cleric from Essex — with "a face as round and dull as a Norfolk dumpling" and "eyes as empty as the North Sea" — appears in six suspenseful, well-plotted tales: "The Blue Cross, " "The Sins of Prince Saradine, " "The Sign of the Broken Sword, " "The Man in the Passage, " "The Perishing of the Pendragons, " and "The Salad of Colonel Cray."An essential item in any mystery collection, these delightful works offer a particular treat for lovers of vintage detective stories and will engage any reader.