Another unnecessarily complex plot where the set-up outweighs the story itself. Too many incidental characters introduced with insufficient time to work out who is who, and the usual string of surprises and extreme coincidences. No spoilers, but a hugely cliched realisation from Father Brown involving times. While it is true that not many people owned watches or mobile devices with satellite clocks in them, I somehow doubt that a high proportion of murder cases hinged on a breakthrough involving a casual comment about the time.
The setting is evocative, the regular characters warm and well-loved, but the show is running out of ideas and the limited budget allows only so much variety. The very idea that a fashion show that attracts an audience smaller than the team organising it is preposterous. They would get better results touring the private homes of the audience, giving personalised presentations.
Trying to introduce the caharacters, give them history, include a killing, then have the police and priest investigating separately, AND include a romantic meander for Bunty and an opportunity for Mrs McCarthy to show off her shorthand skills in the space of forty-five minutes is an effort too far.
With the dubious ethics of bystanders removing evidence from a crime scene, combined with the bumbling police inspector leaping to conclusions, it is a miracle any criminals are ever caught in Kembleford.