This is one of my favorite Agatha Christies involving Miss Marple. The story begins with a mysterious ad in the local paper, which states, "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks, at 6:30 p.m. Friends accept this, the only intimation." This is the home of Letitia Blacklock and Dora Bunner, elderly spinsters who would seem to be the last sort of people to play such a joke - if joke it is. However, Ms Blacklock is game and prepares for the big night, though Ms Bunner just wants to run for the hills, convinced that one of them will get killed.

On the night of October 29th, several interested parties show up. Everything is calm and friendly - until the lights go out and a man storms in with a gun, yelling for them to "Stick 'em up!" Everyone obliges, assuming this is part of the game, but then a shot is heard. When the lights finally come back and order is restored, the gunman is found dead. Who shot him?

Miss Marple is very conveniently staying in the area and promptly involves herself in the investigation. The plot revolves around false identities, greed, deception, and what Miss Marple describes in a later book as a "weak, amiable" killer, who is so desperate to protect their secrets that they are even willing to kill the person they hold most dear. This is one of the Agatha Christies where even after you learn who did it and realize they ended up taking three lives, you can't help but feel sorry for them and understand what drove them to it.

Highly recommended.