Althoughtheevidenceappearstobeoverwhelminginthestrangulationmurderofablackmailer,MissMarple'ssole'notguilty'votehangsthejury11-1.Shebecomesconvincedthattherealmurdererisamemberofalocaltheatricaltroupe,soshejoinstheminordertogatherinformation.Thecluesleadbackmanyyearstoasingledisastrouslyunsuccessful1951performanceofadreadfulplaywrittenbythegroup'shammydirector,H.DriffoldCosgood.Althoughatthattime,severalofthecurrentcastmemberswereonlychildren,moremurdersfollowbeforeMissMarpleultimatelyexposesthekiller. 英国影片片长90分，根據Mrs.McGinty'sDead改編，原著是波羅故事。因影片将主角变为马普尔小姐和剧情的更改引起原小說作者克里斯蒂强烈不满，影片本身也遭遇票房和评论惨败。主演MargaretRutherford还出演過另外3部以马普尔小姐为主角的电影，其中1部亦是根据波洛故事改编(「葬礼之后」)，另1部是原创剧本。80年代在多部电视剧中扮演塔彭丝的FrancescaAnnis也在本片中扮演一个小角色。
