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Author's Foreword: There are certain clichés belonging to certain types of fiction. The 'bold bad baronet' for melodrama, the 'body in the library' for the detective story. For several years I treasured up the possibility of a suitable 'Variation on a well-known Theme'. I laid down for myself certain conditions. The library in question must be a highly orthodox and conventional library. The body, on the other hand, must be wildly improbable and highly sensational body. Such were the terms of the problem, but for some years they remained as such, represented only by a few lines of writing in an exercise book. Then, staying one summer for a few days at a fashionable hotel by the seaside I observed a family party of a younger generation. Fortunately they left the next day, so that my imagination could get to work unhampered by any kind of knowledge. When people ask 'Do you put real people in your books?' the answer is that, for me, it is quite impossible to write about anyone I know, or have ever spoken to, or indeed have even heard about! For some reason, it kills them for me stone dead. But I can take a 'lay figure' and endow it with qualities and imaginings of my own.
So an elderly crippled man became the pivot of the story. Colonel and Mrs Bantry, those old cronies of my Miss Marple, had just the right kind of library. In the manner of a cookery recipe add the following ingredients: a tennis pro, a young dancer, an artist, a girl guide, a dance hostess, etc., and serve up à la Miss Marple!
Main characters: Mrs. Bantry
Colonel Bantry
Colonel Melchett
Inspector Slack
Mrs. Marple
Basil Blake
Ruby Keene
Josephine Turner
Conway Jefferson
Adelaide Jefferson
Mark Gaskell
Pamela Reeves
Superintendent Harper
Mrs. Bantry is interrupted in her dreams by her maid. The latter tells the old lady, that there is a body in the library. Completely shocked Mrs. Bantry wakes up her husband, Colonel Bantry. He goes downstairs and finds a body of a girl. He calls the police, but in the meantime his wife takes an independent action and gets in touch with her best friend, Mrs. Marple.
Colonel Bantry suspects Basil Blake, a famous film star, who didn't like the Bantrys at all.
Colonel Melchett, the Chief Constable of the county, and Inspector Slack arrive soon and begin with their investigations. They find out that the young blonde girl was strangled and they take the body away with them. In the course of the investigations it comes out that another blonde is missing. One of the girls is Pamela Reeves who is sixteen and missing for one day: The other one is Ruby Keene, aged eighteen and a professional dancer at the Majestic Hotel in Danemouth. Danemouth is a large and fashionable holiday resort on the coast. Ruby Keene's closest relative, Josephine Turner, called Josie, comes to the police station to identify the dead body and confirms that this is Ruby. Still Melchett and Slack have no slightest idea who killed the girl. In order to solve the clue both policemen decide to go to Danemouth.
At the same time Mrs. Bantry and Miss Marple stay at the Majestic Hotel because Miss Marple wants to start her investigations. Here the ladies get to know some new people. One of those people is a crippled man, called Conway Jefferson. He was very keen of Ruby Keene. Jefferson's daughter-in-law, Adelaide Jefferson, and his son-in-law, Mark Gaskell, both lost their spouses in an accident. They have been living with Conway since the accident of his children, although they are not his relatives, still they feel responsible for him.
Melchett and Slack get support from Superintendent Harper from the local police.
Ruby was supposed to come to work instead of Josie who twisted her ankle. Josie was a girl guide whose task was to keep the hotel guests in a good mood and to dance with them. That particular evening Ruby was going to perform together with Raymond Starr; the dance and tennis trainer. When Ruby didn't show up Josie had to dance even though her ankle was injured. Since Ruby couldn't be found anywhere, Conway Jefferson alarmed the police. Ruby used to spend a lot of time with the old man who liked her very much. This was an advantage for Mr. Gaskell and Mrs. Jefferson as each one of them could pursue their own interest without having the feeling of neglecting Conway Jefferson.
Miss Marple starts her own investigations asking the people a lot of questions. The next day it comes out that the second girl Pamela Reeves died in a burning car. The body cannot be identified at all. The only object left behind is the girl's shoe. Miss Marple ferrets out that Pamela wanted to have a date with Basil Blake. She also works out that Conway Jefferson wanted to adopt Ruby Keene and bequeath her everything. Last but not least Jane Marple finds out that Ruby Keene was in love with Basil Blake.
That is why everybody suspects Blake. The police arrest him but they still cannot find Blake's motives for that crime. Miss Marple is convinced of Blake's innocence and invents a smart plan. The next evening Conway Jefferson announces to his son- and daughter-in-law that he would bequeath all his money to finance a hostel for young girls working as professional dancers in London. When Mr. Gaskell hears the news he leaves in his car to London.
At night somebody attempts to kill Conway Jefferson, but Superintendent Harper can intervene, because Miss Marple gave him a hint that this could happen.
Josie (Josephine Turner) tried to murder Mr. Jefferson because she had a love affair with Mr. Gaskell. When she realized that Ruby would get all the money as the adoptive daughter of the old man, she knew that Gaskell and she would not get a penny. Josie wanted to eliminate Ruby but didn't know how. She knew though that Ruby was in love with Basil Blake and this way she could direct all the accusations to Basil. For her plan she needed another blonde girl. The innocent Pamela Reeves was he choice. Josie told the poor girl that Basil Blake wanted to meet her. After that she strangled the girl and with Gaskell's help she moved the body to Blake's house. Basil Blake came back home late at night and discovered the body in his house. He didn't quite know what to do so he transported the girl's body to the Bantry's and placed it in their library. Ruby was also strangled and finally burned in the car. Before putting the car on fire she changed the clothes of both girls. When identifying the body at the police station she lied. It was Pamela Reeves and not Ruby Keene.
Josephine Turner did everything in the hope of sharing Gaskell's money as part of the heritage.
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