Mrs. Redfern's Face

Question

In Evil Under the Sun, when Mrs. Redfern first appears, she is described thusly: "She had a fair, serious face, pretty in a negative way, and small, dainty hands and feet."

What exactly what is meant here by "pretty in a negative way"? Is it the seriousness of her face that is negative, or does negative mean something else here, like negative space or something similar?

Answer 1

The part of the description of Mrs. Redfern with “pretty in a negative way” is likely a possible foreshadowing, that something is not quite right with this character. The rest of her depiction is nothing out of the ordinary. Also that phrase is located in the middle of the details. That could mean that though the outside seems innocuous enough, underneath (the center) is off.

Answer 2

This use of contradiction implies that her beauty is something that conveys a darkness or meanness of some sort. This couild also be inferred by the title, "Evil Under the Sun" which carries a strong denotation of darkness or quite simply: Evil.