Robin Upward

In the novel Mrs McGinty's Dead, Robin Upward is a theatre director and the son of Laura Upward. He works in a repertory theatre in Cullenquay, with Cecil Leech and Michael West. While he went to Cullenquay with Ariadne Oliver his mother was strangled with a silk scarf.

Spoilers ahead
Later it turns out that Robin actually is Evelyn Hope, the son (not daughter) of the notorious criminal Eva Kane. Most people believed Eva Kane had a daughter, and not a son, because of an article written by Pamela Horsfall. However, the name Evelyn can be both a male and female name—possibly as a plot device, the name Robin has the same characteristic. He killed Mrs McGinty who had recognized him as the son of a criminal. However, Mrs McGinty thought Mrs Upward was the real mother of Robin and had no idea that Robin would murder her later. His mother later understood and had to be killed as well. Before going to Cullenquay with Mrs Oliver, once or twice Robin went back to the house and he claimed his mother was still alive. After her death, he tried to place compromising evidence against Deirdre Henderson and Maureen Summerhayes.

Portrayals
He was portrayed by Paul Rhys in the ITV TV adaptation which formed part of the series Agatha Christie's Poirot.