In St. Mary Mead, the famous actress Marina Gregg and her husband, film director Jason Rudd, purchase a country house. A reception they host turns into a tragedy when one of the guests, Heather Badcock, suddenly dies. When it becomes clear that the death was caused by poisoning, the situation grows even more complicated. Miss Marple takes charge of the case, relying on her innate insight and powers of observation.

Agatha Christie masterfully keeps the reader in a state of suspense and uncertainty until the very end. In the novel, Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Lady of Shalott” carries symbolic significance.