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.