There is a lovely weekend house in the English countryside--and a fancy London doctor and his rather stupid-seeming and submissive wife, and some of his relatives, including the lady of the manor (a rather flighty elfin lady who often speaks the truth without realizing it). One of the invitees is Hercule Poirot, one of the manor's neighbors. As he comes to the house, there is a man lying at the edge of a pool with his wife standing over him, holding a gun. The great detective is momentarily annoyed, thinking it an ill-timed and shallow show or a "murder party" arranged for his benefit. It turns out that the ill-fated doctor has actually been shot and killed. Was it his wife, slavishly devoted to him? His mistress, a famous and beautiful artist, who loves him deeply and with whom he was seriously involved, and who tends to protect his wife, emotionally and otherwise? His former fiancee (an uninvited guest living in a cottage next door to Monsieur Poirot), who is an actress breezing back into the doctor's life, trying to resurrect their long ago love affair--or not? A very interesting and intriguing
mystery with a strong emphasis on character and personality, yet containing enough surprises and twists to please the most demanding mystery buff.
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