Agatha Christie’s Murder in the Making: Stories and Secrets from Her Archive - includes an unseen Miss Marple Story. John Curran

jewels of Herzoslovakia stolen from assassinated King and Queen during house party at Chimneys – hidden there.

      And twenty-five pages later she is amending her cast of characters:

      Lord C

      George

      Bill

      Tredwell

      Battle

      Inspector

      Isaacstein

      Bundle

      Virginia

      Antony

      Lemaitre

      Boris

      The entire action of the play moves between the Library and the Council Chamber of Chimneys. The opening scene, which does not have an exact equivalent in the novel, introduces us to Lord Caterham, Bundle and George Lomax, the immensely discreet civil servant, arranging a top-level meeting that is to masquerade as a weekend shooting party. Chapter 16 of the novel has a brief reference to visitors being shown over the house and it is with such a brief scene that the play opens, as outlined below:

      Act I Scene I – The Council Chamber

      Lord C[aterham] in shabby clothes – Tredwell showing party over. ‘This is the ….’ A guest comes back for his hat tips Lord C. Bundle comes – ‘First bit [of honest money] ever earned by the Brents.’ She and Lord C – he complains of political party Lomax has dragged him into. Bundle says why does he do it? George arrives and B goes. Explanation etc. about Cade – the Memoirs – Streptiltich … the Press – the strain of public life etc. Mention of diamond – King Victor – stolen by the Queen, 3rd rate actress – more like a comic opera – she killed in revolution