Diana Ashley

In the Miss Marple short story The Idol House of Astarte, Diana Ashley is a socialite and a guest at the house party organised by Sir Richard Haydon at his house in Dartmoor.

Diana's picture appeared very often in the Society newspapers and she was considered "one of the notorious beauties of the Season". Both Sir Richard and his cousin Elliot Haydon were rivals for her love, but Diana was capricious in her favours and knew how to string people along. During the house party, she would spend time exclusively with one, and then to another, and even give some attention to Dr Symonds, another guest at the party. Not surprisingly, her behaviour would be the catalyst for a mysterious murder.

Dr Pender described Diana in lyrical terms. She was dark and tall, with beautiful skin "of an even tint of pale cream". "Her half closed dark eyes set slantways in her head gave her a curiously piquant oriental appearance." In addition, her voice was "deep-toned and bell-like."