Detective Hercule Poirot takes a holiday at an exclusive hotel on a tiny island to retreat from the stresses of his profession. The tranquil atmosphere is disrupted by the appearance of the charming Arlena Stuart who brings an indefinable erotic tension to the premise. When she is found strangled in a secluded cove, there are few, especially among the women, who feel either surprise or regret. With bewildering clues, Poirot is certain the solution...

Professor John Sutherland, UCL Emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London and Visiting Professor of Literature at the California Institute of Technology, presents a survey of the greatest works of British literature.