The Actor and the Alibi by G. K. Chesterton. Short summary

5 seconds

During a rehearsal, the master of the troupe is killed. The actors have an alibi — they were all on stage. Father Brown proves that the man was killed by his artist wife, whom he did not divorce.

1 minute

One of the actors in the troupe invites Father Brown to comfort the cranky actress. He calms the girl down.

Rehearsal begins, with all the actors involved. The entrepreneur, Mr Mandeville, retires to his study and locks the door. Suddenly, a rumble is heard from there.

The door is opened and the master of the troupe is found murdered. The actors all have an alibi — they were on stage.

Father Brown asks to bring the troupe owner’s wife, an actress. But it turns out that she ran away with a famous actor.

Father Brown proves that Mr. Mandeville was killed by his wife.

She is an egomaniac who always dreamed of fame with a famous man. The woman was not satisfied with her marriage to the unsuccessful provincial master of the troupe.

Her husband would not give her a divorce. Then the wife, during a rehearsal, through the stage door unnoticed snuck into his office and killed the man.