Plot

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.—don @ minifie-1

Father Brown is stunned when someone giving confession says that his superior, Bishop Talbot, will be shot the next day at 11 a.m. The person runs from the confessional and out of the church before they can be identified. Father Brown does meet Mrs. McCarthy who informs him that the Bishop has canceled a visit the next day as he is attending a shooting party day hosted by theatrical producer Bentley Duke. Sure enough, someone is shot but it's not the Bishop. Suspicions are raised when Father Brown learns that the Bishop has been acting as an informal advisor to the Lord Chancellor on which plays should be banned. However, it's the current play however that leads Father Brown to the killer.—garykmcd