Hallowe'en Party (BBC Radio) Agatha Christie Adaptation

Hercule Poirot ...... John Moffatt Ariadne Oliver ...... Stephanie Cole Judith Butler ...... Alexandra Bastedo Miranda Butler ...... Sian Jenkins Rowena Drake ...... June Barry Michael Garfield ...... Gareth Armstrong Spence ...... James Taylor Elspeth ...... Auriol Smith Miss Whittaker ...... Amanda Murray Miss Emlyn ...... Petra Davies Mrs Leaman ...... Paula Jacobs Mrs Goodbody ...... Lala Lloyd Mrs Minden ...... Katherine Parr Fullerton ...... Colin Pinney Mrs Reynolds ...... Rachel Atkins Leopold Reynolds ...... Sam Crane Joyce Reynolds ...... Sophia Nemeth Ann Reynolds ...... Vivienne Rochester Nicholas ...... Nicholas Boulton Desmond ...... Peter Kenny Director: Enyd Williams First broadcast on Radio in 1993.

"Hallowe'en Party" by Agatha Christie is a gripping detective novel featuring the illustrious Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and the mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver. During a Halloween celebration organized at Rowena Drake's home in the town of Woodleigh Common, a young girl named Joyce Reynolds shockingly claims she witnessed a murder. Although initially dismissed as fanciful, the situation takes a dire turn when Joyce is found drowned in an apple-bobbing bucket. Distraught, mystery novelist Ariadne Oliver calls upon Poirot to investigate. As Poirot delves into the case with the help of retired Superintendent Spence, they uncover not only the details of Joyce's murder but also a series of past deaths and disappearances in the area. The investigation leads to the discovery of a hidden body and a complex web of relationships and deceptions revolving around love affairs, inheritance schemes, and murderous intents. Rowena Drake, implicated in a clandestine relationship with the gardener Michael Garfield, had significant motives linked to a forged will and a hidden fortune, which led to several murders to erase any links to their fraudulent activities. The story unfolds with Poirot meticulously piecing together the clues to expose a chilling narrative of manipulation and death, which includes the tragedy of Joyce and her young brother Leopold, revealing the depths of human malice hidden beneath the veneer of a peaceful community celebration.

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