In the novel Towards Zero, Alice Bentham is a maid at Gull's Point in the employ of Lady Tressilian.
In the middle part of the novel, she takes a cup to tea to Jane Barrett, Lady Tressilian's personal maid but found her in a deep sleep with "a funny breathing". Alice is worried because she can't rouse Barrett who is supposed to take Lady Tressilian's tea to her. The cook Mrs Spicer tells Alice to take in her ladyship's tea instead. Alice does so and discovers that Lady Tressilian dead in her bed with her head beaten in.
Alice is described as "gooseberry-eyed". Superintendent Battle describes her as "the popeyed one".
Portrayals[]
Agatha Christie's Marple[]
In the 2007 ITV adaptation of the story. Alice is portrayed by Jo Woodcock.