In the novel Lord Edgware Dies, Geraldine Marsh is Lord Edgware's daughter from his first marriage. She was three months old when her mother left her husband. She is staying at home, having recently finished a term of school at a convent in Paris.
Geraldine is tall and slender, with dark hair and eyes, and a white face. She was afraid of her father, and told Poirot that she hated her father, and was glad he was dead, as it meant freedom and independence for her.
She is very fond of her cousin, Captain Ronald Marsh. Prior to the events of the novel, Captain Marsh had lived in Lord Edgware's house, and Geraldine was fond of the way he was always joking and thinking of mad things to do. Captain Marsh occasionally calls her "Dina".
Geraldine writes to Poirot requesting that he call on her. When he does so, she asks why he had come to see her father on the day before the murder, and if her father had sent for him. Poirot does not reply immediately, which Hastings believes is to goad Geraldine into further speech, because she is "of the impatient type".
Geraldine had thought that her father had called Poirot in because he felt himself threatened by some danger. She is relieved to find out that her father had not called Poirot in, and Poirot had sought an interview with him on behalf of his client, Lady Edgware.
According to Miss Carroll, Geraldine had not had a happy life at home. Her father had terrorized her. He would forget about her a for a long time, and then suddenly remember. Miss Carroll had sometimes thought that his treatment of Geraldine was his way of getting revenge on her mother, his first wife.
On the night of the murder, Geraldine dined with the Carthew Wests. They took her to the opera at Covent Garden, and saw her home afterwards. She had returned home at a quarter to twelve, and so had an alibi for the time of the murder.
It is later revealed that Geraldine had met her cousin, Captain Marsh, at the opera. They had taken a taxi to Regent Gate, asked the driver to wait, and had then asked him to take them back to Covent Garden.
Captain Marsh later explains that he was in need of money, and had told Geraldine about it when they met at the opera. She had suggested that he take her pearls, which had belonged to her mother. They took a taxi to Regent Gate, and she went into the house to get the pearls.
After Captain Marsh is arrested, Geraldine comes to see Poirot, saying that she does not know how to go on any longer. She asks Poirot is he truly believes that Captain Marsh is not guilty of the murder, and pleads with him to tell her who he suspects. She tells Poirot that she is fond of Captain Marsh, and that she wants Poirot to save him for her.
Portrayals[]
In the 1934 film adaptation, she was played by Sophie Stewart.
In the 1985 film Thirteen at Dinner, she was played by Amanda Pays.
In the 1992 BBC Radio 4 adaptation, she was played by Joanna Myers.
In the 2000 ITV adaptation, she was played by Hannah Yelland.