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* ChekhovsGun: Miss Marple observes that Major Palgrave has a glass eye. Her big EurekaMoment comes when she remembers that glass eye and realizes that Palgrave was looking in a different direction than she thought, because the eye she saw was his glass eye.
* ChemicallyInducedInsanity: Tim Kendal is feeding his wife drugs in order to undermine her mental state so he can make her death by suicide plausible.
* ChemicallyInducedInsanity: Tim Kendal is feeding his wife drugs in order to undermine her mental state so he can make her death by suicide plausible.
to:
* ChekhovsGun: Miss Marple observes that Major Palgrave has a glass eye. Her big EurekaMoment comes when she remembers that glass eye and realizes that Palgrave [[spoiler:Palgrave was looking in a different direction than she thought, thought,]] because the eye she saw was his glass eye.
* ChemicallyInducedInsanity: [[spoiler: Tim Kendal is feeding his wife drugs in order to undermine her mental state so he can make her death by suicide plausible.]]
* ChemicallyInducedInsanity: [[spoiler: Tim Kendal is feeding his wife drugs in order to undermine her mental state so he can make her death by suicide plausible.]]
* CoversAlwaysLie: Admittedly a minor point, but one version of the book's cover depicts an ocean liner. Miss Marple arrived at St. Honore by air.
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* {{Gaslighting}}: Tim is revealed to have [[spoiler:poisoned his wife's cosmetics to make her hallucinate and appear insane to others and herself. This is so that it'll look more convincing when he kills her and [[NeverSuicide makes it look like a suicide.]]]]
to:
* {{Gaslighting}}: Tim [[spoiler:Tim]] is revealed to have [[spoiler:poisoned his wife's cosmetics to make her hallucinate and appear insane to others and herself. This is so that it'll look more convincing when he kills her and [[NeverSuicide makes it look like a suicide.]]]]
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* HeKnowsTooMuch: Major Palgrave was killed because he knew that [[spoiler:Tim Kendall was a wife-killer]]. Victoria was also killed because she became suspicious about the heart medication.
to:
* HeKnowsTooMuch: Major Palgrave was killed because he knew that [[spoiler:Tim Kendall was a wife-killer]].wife-killer. Victoria was also killed because she became suspicious about the heart medication. ]]
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Mr. Rafiel initially comes across as an impossibly rude old rich bastard, but turns out to be a surprisingly kind man under all his bluster. He and Miss Marple become fast friends over the course of the story.
to:
* ItHasBeenAnHonor: An interesting example in that nobody is facing death (at least not immediately) but Mr. Rafiel makes such a comment to Miss Marple when she departs.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Mr. Rafiel initially comes across as an impossibly rude old rich bastard, but turns out to be a surprisingly kind man under all his bluster. He openly admits that he's a hard man to have as an employer, and so he pays Jackson and Miss Walters far above the usual rate to put up with him. He and Miss Marple become fast friends over the course of the story.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Mr. Rafiel initially comes across as an impossibly rude old rich bastard, but turns out to be a surprisingly kind man under all his bluster. He openly admits that he's a hard man to have as an employer, and so he pays Jackson and Miss Walters far above the usual rate to put up with him. He and Miss Marple become fast friends over the course of the story.
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* NightSwimEqualsDeath: One of the victims, [[spoiler:Lucky Dyson]], falls foul of the killer while swimming at night.
to:
* NightSwimEqualsDeath: One of the victims, [[spoiler:Lucky Dyson]], falls foul of the killer while swimming heading out for a swim at night.
* ScrewPolitenessImASenior: Practically discussed by Mr. Rafiel, noting that his physical decline has left him extremely cranky.
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* TilMurderDoUsPart: Tim Kendal is a Bluebeard who has killed two wives before and nearly succeeds in killing poor Molly.
to:
* TilMurderDoUsPart: Tim [[spoiler:Tim Kendal is a Bluebeard who has killed two wives before and nearly succeeds in killing poor Molly.]]
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Both books are part of the Marple series and, even if they're largely standalone, reading them out of order can be expected to spoil. To justify this trope we need something outside of the work itself to deliver the spoiler - e.g. back cover blurb or possibly a trailer for an adaptation.
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* LateArrivalSpoiler: Anyone who reads ''Nemesis'' before reading this book will know that [[spoiler:Jason Rafiel and his efficient secretary Esther Walters]] are both innocent of the murders in this story.
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* LateArrivalSpoiler: Anyone who reads ''Nemesis'' before reading this book will know that Jason Rafiel and his efficient secretary Esther Walters are both innocent of the murders in this story.
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* LateArrivalSpoiler: Anyone who reads ''Nemesis'' before reading this book will know that Jason [[spoiler:Jason Rafiel and his efficient secretary Esther Walters Walters]] are both innocent of the murders in this story.
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* LateArrivalSpoiler: Anyone who reads ''Nemesis'' before reading this book will know that Jason Rafiel nor his efficient secretary Esther Walters are innocent of the murders in this story.
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* LateArrivalSpoiler: Anyone who reads ''Nemesis'' before reading this book will know that Jason Rafiel nor and his efficient secretary Esther Walters are both innocent of the murders in this story.
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After an illness, [[Miss Jane Marple Literature/MissMarple]] has been sent by her nephew to take a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Honore. Approached by the talkative Major Palgrave on the beach, she half-listens to him telling her several stories, until he begins one about a man who got away with several murders. He offers to show her a picture of a murderer, but after searching his wallet for the photo, he suddenly changes the subject, apparently because of the approach of several people. The next day, the Major is found dead, and Miss Marple, suspecting murder, initiates a search for the photo, and starts interviewing numerous people in the vicinity: Tim and Molly Kendall who own the hotel, Canon Prescott and his sister, the rich invalid Mr Rafiel and his employees Jackson and Esther, Edward and Evelyn Hillington, Greg and Lucky Dyson, and Señora de Caspearo. Unfortunately, Major Palgrave is only the first victim claimed by the murderer before Miss Marple manages to crack the case…
to:
After an illness, [[Miss [[Literature/MissMarple Miss Jane Marple Literature/MissMarple]] Marple]] has been sent by her nephew to take a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Honore. Approached by the talkative Major Palgrave on the beach, she half-listens to him telling her several stories, until he begins one about a man who got away with several murders. He offers to show her a picture of a murderer, but after searching his wallet for the photo, he suddenly changes the subject, apparently because of the approach of several people. The next day, the Major is found dead, and Miss Marple, suspecting murder, initiates a search for the photo, and starts interviewing numerous people in the vicinity: Tim and Molly Kendall who own the hotel, Canon Prescott and his sister, the rich invalid Mr Rafiel and his employees Jackson and Esther, Edward and Evelyn Hillington, Greg and Lucky Dyson, and Señora de Caspearo. Unfortunately, Major Palgrave is only the first victim claimed by the murderer before Miss Marple manages to crack the case…
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** [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is the killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again. Being recognized forces them to move up their timetable and eliminate potential SpannerInTheWorks Palgrave.
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** [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] Kendal]] is the killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again. Being recognized forces them to move up their timetable and eliminate potential SpannerInTheWorks Palgrave.
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* {{Gaslighting}}: Tim is revealed to have [[spoiler:poisoned his wife's cosmetics to make her hallucinate and appear insane to others and herself. This is so that it'll look more convincing when he kills her and [[NeverSuicide makes it look like a suicide.]]]]
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* TilMurderDoUsPart: Tim Kendal is a Bluebeard who has killed two wives before and nearly succeeds in killing poor Molly.
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* ChemicallyInducedInsanity: Tim Kendal is feeding his wife drugs in order to undermine her mental state so he can make her death by suicide plausible.
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After an illness, Literature/MissMarple has been sent by her nephew to take a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Honore. Approached by the talkative Major Palgrave on the beach, she half-listens to him telling her several stories, until he begins one about a man who got away with several murders. He offers to show her a picture of a murderer, but after searching his wallet for the photo, he suddenly changes the subject, apparently because of the approach of several people. The next day, the Major is found dead, and Miss Marple, suspecting murder, initiates a search for the photo, and starts interviewing numerous people in the vicinity: Tim and Molly Kendall who own the hotel, Canon Prescott and his sister, the rich invalid Mr Rafiel and his employees Jackson and Esther, Edward and Evelyn Hillington, Greg and Lucky Dyson, and Señora de Caspearo. Unfortunately, Major Palgrave is only the first victim claimed by the murderer before Miss Marple manages to crack the case…
to:
After an illness, Literature/MissMarple [[Miss Jane Marple Literature/MissMarple]] has been sent by her nephew to take a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Honore. Approached by the talkative Major Palgrave on the beach, she half-listens to him telling her several stories, until he begins one about a man who got away with several murders. He offers to show her a picture of a murderer, but after searching his wallet for the photo, he suddenly changes the subject, apparently because of the approach of several people. The next day, the Major is found dead, and Miss Marple, suspecting murder, initiates a search for the photo, and starts interviewing numerous people in the vicinity: Tim and Molly Kendall who own the hotel, Canon Prescott and his sister, the rich invalid Mr Rafiel and his employees Jackson and Esther, Edward and Evelyn Hillington, Greg and Lucky Dyson, and Señora de Caspearo. Unfortunately, Major Palgrave is only the first victim claimed by the murderer before Miss Marple manages to crack the case…
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The last Miss Marple novel Christie wrote, ''[[Literature/NemesisAgathaChristie Nemesis]]'', is a semi-sequel to this book.
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* ChekhovsGun: Miss Marple observes that Major Palgrave has a glass eye. Her big EurekaMoment comes when she remembers that glass eye and realizes that Palgrave was looking in a different direction than she thought, because the eye she saw was his glass eye.
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* CurseCutShort: Mr. Rafiel, complaining about his doctors, says "In fact, the bug--blighters are astonished that I've lasted so long." (He just managed to stop himself from saying "bugger".)
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* LateArrivalSpoiler: Anyone who reads ''Nemesis'' before reading this book will know that Jason Rafiel nor his efficient secretary Esther Walters are innocent of the murders in this story.
* LegFocus: The narration makes sure to mention the "long, beautiful legs" of Senora de Caspearo, as she puts suntan lotion on them at the beach.
* LegFocus: The narration makes sure to mention the "long, beautiful legs" of Senora de Caspearo, as she puts suntan lotion on them at the beach.
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* SexySecretary: Subverted with Esther Walters. Apparently she is good looking, or at least she ''could'' be good-looking; her boss Jason Rafiel makes a wry comment about how she wants to go to the beach to [[BuxomBeautyStandard show off her figure]]. But as Miss Marple notes, Esther doesn't put in enough effort, so the effect is spoiled.
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* YourDaysAreNumbered: Jason Rafiel, as it turns out, is terminally ill. He joins Miss Marple in solving the mystery because he wants to do something with the time he has left.
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* VacationEpisode: Miss Marple goes off on a Caribbean vacation and solves a murder in an exotic setting.
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Image added
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[[quoteright:220:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7c0807a5_54c5_4993_9083_d2a30dfc7bce.jpeg]]
%%[[caption-width-right:220:some caption text]]
%%[[caption-width-right:220:some caption text]]
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The story has been adapted for the screen several times: an 1983 American TV movie starring Helen Hayes, a 1989 BBC TV adaptation starring Joan Hickson, and a [[{{Series/Marple}} 2014 ITV adaptation starring Julia McKenzie]].
to:
The story has been adapted for the screen several times: an 1983 American TV movie starring Helen Hayes, a 1989 BBC TV adaptation starring Joan Hickson, Creator/JoanHickson, and a [[{{Series/Marple}} 2014 ITV adaptation starring Julia McKenzie]].
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* TheBore: Major Palgrave is constantly reliving and embellishing his glory days, repeating the same stories, to the point where the fact that no one really listened to him is a plot point. Miss Marple frets that it's possible she's on completely the wrong track as he might have changed topics while she wasn't paying attention, such that the murderer he saw the night of his death might in fact have been a completely different murderer he'd only heard about; rather than the man who killed his wife he described, the photo might have been of a ''woman''.
to:
* TheBore: Major Palgrave is constantly reliving and embellishing his glory days, repeating the same stories, to the point where the fact that no one really listened to him is a plot point. Miss Marple frets that it's possible she's on completely the wrong track as he might have changed topics while she wasn't paying attention, such that the murderer he saw the night of his death might in fact have been a completely different murderer he'd only heard about; rather than the man who killed his wife he described, the photo might have been of a ''woman''. [[spoiler:Ultimately Miss Marple's original instinct proves correct -- the Major was looking at Tim Kendall through his good eye.]]
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* RedHerring: When Major Palgrave interrupts his story about the murderer, having discovered there are people nearby, Miss Marple sees several people approaching. What she only later realizes is that [[spoiler:Major Palgrave could not see these people on his right because of his glass eye - he was focussing on the Kendalls on his left.]]
to:
* RedHerring: When Major Palgrave interrupts his story about the murderer, having discovered there are people nearby, Miss Marple sees several people approaching. What she only later realizes is that [[spoiler:Major Palgrave could not see these people on his right because of his glass eye - -- he was focussing focusing on the Kendalls on his left.]]
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* TheBore: Major Palgrave is constantly reliving and embellishing his glory days, repeating the same stories, to the point where the fact that no one really listened to him is a plot point. Miss Marple frets that it's possible she's completely on the track as he might have changed topics while she wasn't paying attention, such that the murderer he saw might have in fact been a completely different murder he'd only heard about.
to:
* TheBore: Major Palgrave is constantly reliving and embellishing his glory days, repeating the same stories, to the point where the fact that no one really listened to him is a plot point. Miss Marple frets that it's possible she's on completely on the wrong track as he might have changed topics while she wasn't paying attention, such that the murderer he saw the night of his death might have in fact have been a completely different murder murderer he'd only heard about.about; rather than the man who killed his wife he described, the photo might have been of a ''woman''.
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** [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is the killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again.
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** [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is the killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again. Being recognized forces them to move up their timetable and eliminate potential SpannerInTheWorks Palgrave.
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* AbsenceOfEvidence: Victoria discovers Major Palgrave's death as well as the bottle of heart medication Serenite by his bed - but she does not recall the bottle being there at any time before. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she signs her own death warrant when she voices her suspicions to Tim Kendall]].
to:
* AbsenceOfEvidence: Victoria discovers Major Palgrave's death as well as the bottle of heart medication Serenite by his bed - -- but she does not recall the bottle being there at any time before. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she signs her own death warrant when she voices her suspicions to Tim Kendall]].
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* TheBluebeard: [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is the wife-killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again.
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Greg Dyson]]; the beneficiary of a fortune, he is actually innocent of his previous wife's demise, which was really caused by [[spoiler:his future wife, Lucky]].
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Greg Dyson]]; the beneficiary of a fortune, he is actually innocent of his previous wife's demise, which was really caused by [[spoiler:his future wife, Lucky]].
to:
* TheBluebeard: TheBluebeard:
** [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is thewife-killer killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again.
** Subverted with [[spoiler:GregDyson]]; Dyson; the beneficiary of a fortune, he is actually innocent of his previous wife's demise, which was really actually caused by [[spoiler:his his future wife, Lucky]]. Lucky, who went on to marry him for his newfound money]].
* TheBore: Major Palgrave is constantly reliving and embellishing his glory days, repeating the same stories, to the point where the fact that no one really listened to him is a plot point. Miss Marple frets that it's possible she's completely on the track as he might have changed topics while she wasn't paying attention, such that the murderer he saw might have in fact been a completely different murder he'd only heard about.
** [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is the
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Greg
* TheBore: Major Palgrave is constantly reliving and embellishing his glory days, repeating the same stories, to the point where the fact that no one really listened to him is a plot point. Miss Marple frets that it's possible she's completely on the track as he might have changed topics while she wasn't paying attention, such that the murderer he saw might have in fact been a completely different murder he'd only heard about.
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* IronicName: Lucky Dyson is unluckily [[spoiler:mistaken for Molly]] in the dark and killed.
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* IronicName: Lucky Dyson is unluckily [[spoiler:mistaken for Molly]] Molly in the dark and killed.killed]].
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* MurderByMistake: A rare example of Christie playing this trope straight. [[spoiler:Tim]] kills Lucky by mistake, mistaking her for [[spoiler:Molly]].
* NeverOneMurder: The murderer kills [[spoiler:three]] people over the course of the story, and makes a [[spoiler:fourth]] attempt.
* NeverOneMurder: The murderer kills [[spoiler:three]] people over the course of the story, and makes a [[spoiler:fourth]] attempt.
to:
* MurderByMistake: A rare example of Christie playing this trope straight. [[spoiler:Tim]] kills Lucky by mistake, mistaking her [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] mistakes [[spoiler:Lucky Dyson]] for [[spoiler:Molly]].[[spoiler:his wife Molly, owing to their similar hair colour]], seeing them from behind in the dark.
* NeverOneMurder: Themurderer murderer, having already killed once at some point in the past, kills [[spoiler:three]] people over the course of the story, and makes a [[spoiler:fourth]] attempt.attempt. [[spoiler:One of his victims ends up being a murderer in her own right.]]
* NeverOneMurder: The
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* TheVamp: Lucky Dyson. [[spoiler:She seduced Edward Hillington and killed Greg's first wife Gail so she could marry him.]]
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* TheVamp: Lucky Dyson. [[spoiler:She Dyson is a shameless flirt and a bit of a GoldDigger. [[spoiler:In fact she seduced Edward Hillington and killed Greg's made him an unknowing accomplice when she poisoned Greg Dyson's first wife Gail Gail, so she that Lucky could marry him.him for the money he'd inherit.]]
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The story has been adapted for the screen several times: an 1983 American TV movie starring Helen Hayes, a 1989 BBC TV adaptation starring Joan Hickson, and a 2014 ITV adaptation starring Julia McKenzie.
to:
The story has been adapted for the screen several times: an 1983 American TV movie starring Helen Hayes, a 1989 BBC TV adaptation starring Joan Hickson, and a [[{{Series/Marple}} 2014 ITV adaptation starring Julia McKenzie.
McKenzie]].
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'''A Caribbean Mystery''' is a work of detective fiction by Creator/AgathaChristie, published in 1964.
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* TheMunchausen: Major Palgrave is an old soldier who tells endless stories about his past that no-one cares about and a few people doubt. The key story, in which he (or someone else) met a murderer is an important plot point [[spoiler:and is true]].
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'''A Caribbean Mystery''' is a work of detective fiction by Creator/AgathaChristie, published in 1964.
After an illness, Literature/MissMarple has been sent by her nephew to take a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Honore. Approached by the talkative Major Palgrave on the beach, she half-listens to him telling her several stories, until he begins one about a man who got away with several murders. He offers to show her a picture of a murderer, but after searching his wallet for the photo, he suddenly changes the subject, apparently because of the approach of several people. The next day, the Major is found dead, and Miss Marple, suspecting murder, initiates a search for the photo, and starts interviewing numerous people in the vicinity: Tim and Molly Kendall who own the hotel, Canon Prescott and his sister, the rich invalid Mr Rafiel and his employees Jackson and Esther, Edward and Evelyn Hillington, Greg and Lucky Dyson, and Señora de Caspearo. Unfortunately, Major Palgrave is only the first victim claimed by the murderer before Miss Marple manages to crack the case…
The story has been adapted for the screen several times: an 1983 American TV movie starring Helen Hayes, a 1989 BBC TV adaptation starring Joan Hickson, and a 2014 ITV adaptation starring Julia McKenzie.
----
!! ''A Caribbean Mystery'' contains examples of the following tropes:
*AbsenceOfEvidence: Victoria discovers Major Palgrave's death as well as the bottle of heart medication Serenite by his bed - but she does not recall the bottle being there at any time before. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she signs her own death warrant when she voices her suspicions to Tim Kendall]].
*{{Blackmail}}: A guest caught by a hotel employee doing something he shouldn't leaves a bigger tip, but the only person to interpret it as a blackmailing gesture is [[spoiler:the murderer, who isn't a local]].
*TheBluebeard: [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is the wife-killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again.
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Greg Dyson]]; the beneficiary of a fortune, he is actually innocent of his previous wife's demise, which was really caused by [[spoiler:his future wife, Lucky]].
*BusmansHoliday: Jane's nephew ordered and paid for her holiday on the island of St. Honore after a bout of ill-health. While relaxing on the beach, she soon finds herself tied up in a murder investigation.
*CelibateHero: Miss Marple has never been married, but here she mentions a young man she dated in her youth as an illustrative example, meaning that she did have some romantic history, but apparently none of it developed into anything serious.
*CoolOldGuy: Mr. Rafiel turns out to be a JerkWithAHeartOfGold and assists Miss Marple in the case.
*EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Canon Prescott is referred to by the narratives as simply "the Canon". His actual name is Jeremy.
*HappyMarriageCharade: Edward and Evelyn Hillington are in a mutually loveless marriage, but pretend to the outside world and to their children that everything is fine. [[spoiler:Subverted as they end up falling in love for real.]]
*HeKnowsTooMuch: Major Palgrave was killed because he knew that [[spoiler:Tim Kendall was a wife-killer]]. Victoria was also killed because she became suspicious about the heart medication.
*IronicName: Lucky Dyson is unluckily [[spoiler:mistaken for Molly]] in the dark and killed.
*JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Mr. Rafiel initially comes across as an impossibly rude old rich bastard, but turns out to be a surprisingly kind man under all his bluster. He and Miss Marple become fast friends over the course of the story.
*MurderByMistake: A rare example of Christie playing this trope straight. [[spoiler:Tim]] kills Lucky by mistake, mistaking her for [[spoiler:Molly]].
*NeverOneMurder: The murderer kills [[spoiler:three]] people over the course of the story, and makes a [[spoiler:fourth]] attempt.
*NightSwimEqualsDeath: One of the victims, [[spoiler:Lucky Dyson]], falls foul of the killer while swimming at night.
*RedHerring: When Major Palgrave interrupts his story about the murderer, having discovered there are people nearby, Miss Marple sees several people approaching. What she only later realizes is that [[spoiler:Major Palgrave could not see these people on his right because of his glass eye - he was focussing on the Kendalls on his left.]]
*TheVamp: Lucky Dyson. [[spoiler:She seduced Edward Hillington and killed Greg's first wife Gail so she could marry him.]]
----
After an illness, Literature/MissMarple has been sent by her nephew to take a holiday on the Caribbean island of St Honore. Approached by the talkative Major Palgrave on the beach, she half-listens to him telling her several stories, until he begins one about a man who got away with several murders. He offers to show her a picture of a murderer, but after searching his wallet for the photo, he suddenly changes the subject, apparently because of the approach of several people. The next day, the Major is found dead, and Miss Marple, suspecting murder, initiates a search for the photo, and starts interviewing numerous people in the vicinity: Tim and Molly Kendall who own the hotel, Canon Prescott and his sister, the rich invalid Mr Rafiel and his employees Jackson and Esther, Edward and Evelyn Hillington, Greg and Lucky Dyson, and Señora de Caspearo. Unfortunately, Major Palgrave is only the first victim claimed by the murderer before Miss Marple manages to crack the case…
The story has been adapted for the screen several times: an 1983 American TV movie starring Helen Hayes, a 1989 BBC TV adaptation starring Joan Hickson, and a 2014 ITV adaptation starring Julia McKenzie.
----
!! ''A Caribbean Mystery'' contains examples of the following tropes:
*AbsenceOfEvidence: Victoria discovers Major Palgrave's death as well as the bottle of heart medication Serenite by his bed - but she does not recall the bottle being there at any time before. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, she signs her own death warrant when she voices her suspicions to Tim Kendall]].
*{{Blackmail}}: A guest caught by a hotel employee doing something he shouldn't leaves a bigger tip, but the only person to interpret it as a blackmailing gesture is [[spoiler:the murderer, who isn't a local]].
*TheBluebeard: [[spoiler:Tim Kendall]] is the wife-killer identified by Major Palgrave, and was planning to strike again.
** Subverted with [[spoiler:Greg Dyson]]; the beneficiary of a fortune, he is actually innocent of his previous wife's demise, which was really caused by [[spoiler:his future wife, Lucky]].
*BusmansHoliday: Jane's nephew ordered and paid for her holiday on the island of St. Honore after a bout of ill-health. While relaxing on the beach, she soon finds herself tied up in a murder investigation.
*CelibateHero: Miss Marple has never been married, but here she mentions a young man she dated in her youth as an illustrative example, meaning that she did have some romantic history, but apparently none of it developed into anything serious.
*CoolOldGuy: Mr. Rafiel turns out to be a JerkWithAHeartOfGold and assists Miss Marple in the case.
*EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Canon Prescott is referred to by the narratives as simply "the Canon". His actual name is Jeremy.
*HappyMarriageCharade: Edward and Evelyn Hillington are in a mutually loveless marriage, but pretend to the outside world and to their children that everything is fine. [[spoiler:Subverted as they end up falling in love for real.]]
*HeKnowsTooMuch: Major Palgrave was killed because he knew that [[spoiler:Tim Kendall was a wife-killer]]. Victoria was also killed because she became suspicious about the heart medication.
*IronicName: Lucky Dyson is unluckily [[spoiler:mistaken for Molly]] in the dark and killed.
*JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Mr. Rafiel initially comes across as an impossibly rude old rich bastard, but turns out to be a surprisingly kind man under all his bluster. He and Miss Marple become fast friends over the course of the story.
*MurderByMistake: A rare example of Christie playing this trope straight. [[spoiler:Tim]] kills Lucky by mistake, mistaking her for [[spoiler:Molly]].
*NeverOneMurder: The murderer kills [[spoiler:three]] people over the course of the story, and makes a [[spoiler:fourth]] attempt.
*NightSwimEqualsDeath: One of the victims, [[spoiler:Lucky Dyson]], falls foul of the killer while swimming at night.
*RedHerring: When Major Palgrave interrupts his story about the murderer, having discovered there are people nearby, Miss Marple sees several people approaching. What she only later realizes is that [[spoiler:Major Palgrave could not see these people on his right because of his glass eye - he was focussing on the Kendalls on his left.]]
*TheVamp: Lucky Dyson. [[spoiler:She seduced Edward Hillington and killed Greg's first wife Gail so she could marry him.]]
----
