A□lavish□week□nd party s□es Mis□ Marple accomp□ny Lady Virg□nia Revel to her fa□ily h□m□ of Ch□mney□ - a house □hich was once p□ized fo□ its□dip□omati□ ga□herings □n□il a rare diamond w□s□stol□n fr□m the□□re□ises ove□ twenty□□ears□ago. The tenacious ca□eer pol□tic□an, Ge□rge Lo□ax, ha□ persuaded □irginia□#□9;s □ather,□Lord Cater□□m, to host an eve□i□□ for an impo□tant□A□□tria□ Count, □udwig Von St□inach. Virginia, the □□u□hter□of □iss□Marple&□39;s□late cou□in, □ust decide by the□end of the we□kend whet□e□ to a□□ep□ a ma□ri□ge p□oposal from□G□or□e Lo□ax□or to foll□w □er he□rt□□nd t□e□courts□ip of □nother m□re a□ventur□us□suitor, An□hon□ Cade. □ism□yed □□□t□e □dd array□□f guests, including□socialist spi□s□e□ Miss B□enkinsopp, Cate□ham□#39;□ fo□midabl□ eldest d□u□hter B□ndl□ and the□quietly inscrut□b□e mai□□ervant Treadwell, L□max cas□i□ates □is a□□able assi□tant Bi□l E□er□leigh, □ho also h□s a soft □pot for Virg□nia. It be□omes appar□□t that□Count Ludwig □as□ta□e□ a person□l i□teres□ □n □himneys.□