In the novel Hallowe'en Party, Mrs Goodbody is a local cleaning woman. She is asked to dress up as a witch at the Halloween party at Apple Trees, an act which was apparently well-received. She had a hooked nose and chin and a soft cooing voice which fitted the role. According to the list compiled by Superintendent Spence, she was also present at the preparation for the party during the afternoon, when Joyce Reynolds had told everyone present that she had seen a murder.
When Poirot calls on her and listens to her ramble. Among two things she says which resonate are first that there are people that "the devil has touched with his hand", people who don't hesitate to kill if they can profit by it. Second, she opines that Olga Seminoff did not go far. She says "Ding dong bell, pussy's in the well...." Whether she really suspects that she is in the well in the quarry garden, or whether she is just speculating without basis is a matter of surmise.
Portrayals[]
In the film adaptation of Hallowe'en Party in Series 12 of ITV's Agatha Christie's Poirot, Mrs Goodbody has a much larger role. She does turn up at the party dressed as a witch. But this is not by arrangement. She was not invited but came anyway and Rowena Drake had to usher her away. Later, Poirot calls on her because many villagers seem to think she is most knowledgeable about local gossip. As Elspeth McKay and Superintendent Spence are not cast in this adaptation, Mrs Goodbody takes on the role of being the resource person on old murders. Here she is the one who tells Poirot about Lesley Ferrier, Janet White and Mrs Llewellyn-Smythe.
There is no "ding dong bell" motif in the adaptation as there is no well.
Mrs Goodbody is portrayed by Paola Dionisotti who played the part of Miss Hinchcliffe in the BBC 1985 adaptation of A Murder is Announced.