Characters

? Marcus Kent: Jerry Burton's London doctor who advises him to take ahouse in the country to recover his health.

? Jerry Burton: Pilot who was injured in a plane crash. After a long stintin hospitals, he seeks a quiet place for the last stage of healing. Henarrates the story.

? Joanna Burton: Sister of Jerry, five years younger, who accompaniesher brother to Lymstock from their usual home in London.

? Miss Emily Barton: Youngest daughter of a large and prim family of sis-ters, now in her sixties. She owns a house named Little Furze, whichshe rents to the Burtons. Like many in Lymstock, she has received apoison pen letter, but she is unwilling to admit it.

? Florence Elford: Former maid to the Barton family, now married, whoinvites Emily Barton to stay with her while she rents Little Furze tothe Burtons.

? Partridge: Maid at Little Furze, who agrees to stay for the Burtons. Shetrained Agnes.

? Beatrice Baker: Maid at Little Furze, who leaves service after she re-ceives an anonymous letter.

? Mrs Baker: Mother of Beatrice who seeks the aid of Jerry when Beat-rice's young man receives a letter accusing Beatrice of seeing anotherman, which is not true.

? Dr Owen Griffith: Local doctor in Lymstock, who falls in love withJoanna Burton.

? Aimée Griffith: Sister of Owen, who lives with him in Lymstock, is act-ive in the town and in years past fell in love with Symmington.

? Inspector Graves: an expert on poison pen letters from Scotland Yard.

? Superintendent Nash: CID County Superintendent.

? Elsie Holland: Beautiful young nursery governess for the two youngSymmington brothers. Jerry Burton, initially attracted, is turned offby the quality of her voice, but Mr Symmington sees only her beauty.

? Mr Dick Symmington: Solicitor in Lymstock, second husband to Mona,father of two young sons, and stepfather of Megan Hunter.

? Mrs Mona Symmington: Mother of Megan. She is the first murder vic-tim, though her murder was made to appear a suicide, fooling the po-lice for a long while.

? Megan Hunter: Woman of 20, one year home from boarding school,coltish, usually shy, but comfortable with Jerry and Joanna Burton.

She blossoms under their attention. She bravely undertakes a riskyploy at the direction of Miss Marple, exposing the murderer.

? Agnes Woddell: House parlourmaid at Symmington home, who is thesecond murder victim.

? Rose: the Symmingtons' cook; talks too much and is given to dramatics.

? Miss Ginch: Symmington's clerk who quits her post after receiving apoison pen letter, Jerry Burton observes that she seems to be enjoy-ing getting the poison pen letter.

? Reverend Caleb Dane Calthrop: Local vicar, academic in his style, givento Latin quotes, understood by no one else around him.

? Mrs Maud Dane Calthrop: She is the wife of the vicar who tries to keepan eye on the people. She is friends with Miss Jane Marple, and callsher when the situation in town worsens, between murders andpoison pen letters.

? Miss Marple: A woman who knows much about evil in people, andfriend to Maud Dane Calthorp. She stays in Lymstock to observepeople, and listens to Jerry's observations. She quickly assesses thesituation and devises a plan to reveal the murderer.

? Mr Pye: Resident of Lymstock who enjoys the scandal raised by thepoison pen letters. He collects antiques, and is described by hisneighbours as effeminate.

? Colonel Appleton: Resident of Combeacre, a village about 7 miles fromLymstock. He is intrigued by Joanna Burton and admires the beauti-ful Elsie Holland.

? Mrs Cleat: Woman who lives in Lymstock, described as the local witch.

She is the first person assumed by townspeople as the writer of thepoison pen letters, but she turns out to have no involvement with theletters at all.