Lady Atherton is ruler of all she surveys- and she intends to keep it that way. In the village of Blatherstone (supposedly itself a corruption of Atherton), her word is law, and the people flee at the tap-tapping of her sensible low heels along the cobble-stoned street. And so it is, too, at Atherton Manor.

It is she who drew up the guest list for this fatal house-party.
Of course, Lady Atherton would never consider the possibility of being murdered.
It would not occur to her that anyone would have the nerve.