Violet Fernsley is due to hang for killing her violent husband Ivan but Father Brown believes in her innocence. The Fernsley family close ranks but the priest is puzzled by the fact that Polish farm-hand Piotr Symanski disappeared around the time of the murder and also seems to have been slain. Ivan's brothers' squabbling over possession of his farm seems to incriminate one or both whilst Sullivan is suspicious of the fact that prison warder Charlie Denham is Violet's lover. Father Brown naturally deduces that the real murderer is the least likely suspect.

Professor Ambrose is abducted after sending his friend Father Brown an ancient prayer book which supposedly can locate the long disappeared Lannington rosary, said to hold healing powers. Aided by Lady Felicia's chauffeur Sid the priest uses the book to find clues which will lead him to the rosary. There is a deadline as a ransom note arrives, informing the father that the rosary must be delivered to save his friend's life whilst the quest is complicated by the arrival of supposedly reformed criminal Flambeau, who claims he is working as a mercenary for the Papacy to find the relic. And then there is a third party, the actual kidnapper, whom Father Brown must expose.

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 must help Flambeau in stealing the Pope's gift to the Queen.

After young baker Alexander Moore dies in an accident, his corpse is stolen from the graveyard and discovered on the premises of undertaker Peter Blackstone, father of Alexander's secret girlfriend Catherine, who is in a feud with his mother Ruth, though he denies taking it. Father Brown realizes that Alexander had faked his own death but that something went wrong. In establishing how and why he uncovers a family secret dating back many years.

A mysterious stranger, a missing donkey, an outbreak of laryngitis in the church choir and a kidnapped baby threaten to spoil Christmas festivities.

Father Brown struggles to protect those closest to him as old adversary Katherine Corven is unexpectedly released from prison, thirsty for revenge.

Three murders occur at a finishing school and Father Brown sends in Bunty to investigate.

A mysterious saboteur tries to stop Kembleford winning the Three Counties choir competition.

The visit of Princess Margaret to Kembleford is jeopardised when a school janitor is found murdered. Can Father Brown save the royal visit from being cancelled?