comment on setting

The novel is set primarily in the Styles guesthouse, which is in Styles St. Mary. While it never specifically states the time period when the novel takes place, it seems to be in the 19th or 20th centuries. The main characters are involved in the events leading up to and the aftermath of the death of two of the guests.

The setting of this novel works well with the plot. At first, the reader is not aware that the character that seems one of the most innocent characters, Norton, is X and the person responsible for causing all the murders. However, as events unfold, the murders are a constant part of the plot, the lives of the characters and even the outcome of the novel.