The house party feels uncomfortable, as Lady Tressilian had predicted. Staying in hotels nearby are Kay’s friend, Ted Latimer, and Mr Treves, an elderly former solicitor and long time friend of the Tressilians. A long time family friend, Thomas Royde, home after a long stretch working overseas and still faithfully waiting on the sidelines for Audrey, is also a guest. Lady Tressilian grudgingly agrees to this set of incompatible guests. Tennis star Nevile Strange, former ward of Lady Tressilian's deceased husband, incurs her displeasure when he proposes to bring both his new wife, Kay, and his former wife, Audrey, to visit at the same time – a change from past years. Lady Tressilian is now confined to her bed, but still invites guests to her seaside home at Gull's Point during the summer. A later review called it superb as to the plot, noting also how well the novel depicted the gentlemanly behaviour expected at the main tennis tournament in 1944. The novel was well received at publication, noted for the well-developed characters. The book is the last to feature Superintendent Battle. Her old friend Treves dies, then she is murdered as well Superintendent Battle and his nephew are called in.

He insists on bringing both his former wife and his present wife, though Lady Tressilian finds this awkward. Lady Tressilian invites her ward for his annual visit at Gull's Point. The first US edition of the novel retailed at $2.00 and the UK edition at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6). Towards Zero is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in June 1944, and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in July of the same year.

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