The Incredulity of Father Brown

In the third of his series of Father Brown short stories G.K Chesterton is almost reticent in putting his clerical detective at the forefront of the narrative.
In the majority of the tales the diminutive priest makes a somewhat unremarkable entrance as almost an afterthought; a seemingly inconsequential individual whom the colourful personalities that populate the stories might easily overlook. But the beauty of Chesterton's creation is that Father Brown in his anonymity is precisely placed to observe and penetrate both the souls and minds of men.