From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie

Start date: July 1, 2023

Finish date: August 7, 2023

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: This Christie classic is next in our Scenes of Classic Crime Challenge.
[close] This Christie classic is next in our Scenes of Classic Crime Challenge.

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Group Challenges

* Nov 25: Black Coffee (1950) By Agatha Christie
By Susan · 7 posts · 13 views

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* Nov 25: Black Coffee (1950) - SPOILER Thread
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last updated Oct 20, 2025 11:04PM

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What Members Thought

Jan 31, 2018 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“And Then There Were None,” has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, making it, according to the Christie estate, the best selling crime novel of all time. A poll in 2015 (set up to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Christie’s birth), voted it the most popular of all her books, it has had more adaptations than any of her other novels, and, however many times I read this novel – and it has been a few – I can really understand the appeal. Published in 1939, Christie described it as, “so d “And Then There Were None,” has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, making it, according to the Christie estate, the best selling crime novel of all time. A poll in 2015 (set up to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Christie’s birth), voted it the most popular of all her books, it has had more adaptations than any of her other novels, and, however many times I read this novel – and it has been a few – I can really understand the appeal. Published in 1939, Christie described it as, “so difficult to do that the idea had fascinated me,” and it is both simple, and fiendishly difficult, to solve.

We begin with a disparate group of people heading for Soldier Island in Devon. There is Justice Walgrave, a retired judge, Vera Claythorn, a young games mistress, the daring, and dashing, Captain Philip Lombard, Miss Emily Brent, an upright, religious spinster, the elderly General MacArthur, successful Harley Street doctor, Armitage, a previous police detective, William Blore and the reckless party lover, Anthony Marston. Once on the island, the ill assorted group are greeted by Thomas and Ethel Rogers, who are acting as butler and cook.

It soon transpires that all of the inhabitants of Soldier Island have been lured there for different reasons – a job, the promise of a free holiday, the chance to talk over old times. Their host, though, appears to be missing and there is no way off the island. When a mysterious voice accuses them all of past crimes, the guests begin to be picked off, one by one. It seems that a madman is on the island and, if anyone is to make it off alive, they need to find out who their accuser is…

Other people have taken this idea, but Christie did it best. This novel works because it is brilliantly conceived, with real atmosphere and a very creepy plot. If you want to try Agatha Christie, but are not sure you want to read Poirot, Miss Marple, or any of her other series, then this is an ideal starting place. A stand alone novel, which really stands out and which has stood up to the test of time.

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Jan 06, 2018 Kavita rated it it was amazing

Shelves: golden-age-mystery, uk, mystery

Ten little Soldier boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Soldier boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Soldier boys traveling in Devon;
One said he’d stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Soldier boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Soldier boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Soldier boys going ...more

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Aug 02, 2019 Bev rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, vintage-mystery, virtual-mount-tbr-2019, british-mystery, mcpl-book, audionovel, agatha-christie, bought-2019

And Then There Were None (1939) is one of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries and the plot is well-known among mystery fans. It regularly makes "Best Of" lists--from Best Crime & Mystery Novels to Best Books of the 20th Century to PBS's Great American Read. One would think that everyone would know the story by now. But I regularly find people in my life who don't--who have never read it. Or seen one of the adaptations. Or listened to it on audio. And every time I convince one of them to give ...more

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Sep 10, 2014 Bev rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, mystery, vintage-mystery, audionovel

Ten Little Indians (aka And Then There Were None, and originally published in 1939 under a more politically insensitive title) is one of my all-time favorite Agatha Christie novels. It is the ultimate locked room mystery (a "locked" island to be exact) or, in the broader term, impossible crime. The story is a familiar one to most mystery lovers: ten people of various backgrounds are invited for a holiday on Indian Island and at the end of the holiday everyone on the island is dead. Each has been Ten Little Indians (aka And Then There Were None, and originally published in 1939 under a more politically insensitive title) is one of my all-time favorite Agatha Christie novels. It is the ultimate locked room mystery (a "locked" island to be exact) or, in the broader term, impossible crime. The story is a familiar one to most mystery lovers: ten people of various backgrounds are invited for a holiday on Indian Island and at the end of the holiday everyone on the island is dead. Each has been lured there using a different bit of bait...but all for the same purpose--murder. Someone, using the name U. N. Owen, wants to kill them, apparently to provide justice for murders they have committed but which are untouchable by law. The first guest was poisoned after dinner. The second just didn't wake up in the morning. When the general was clubbed to death, they realized that the murderer was one of them. As their number grew smaller with each killing, their terror mounted. Was there no way out? Somehow, soon this vicious killer would have to be caught--before he had the pleasure of announcing: "and then there were none."

Even though I've read it many times, I still get nearly the same pleasure from it each time I reread it. Of course, the pleasure would be complete if I could conveniently forget the solution--but the story is told so well that I don't mind knowing ahead of time what will happen. I have had an ongoing practice of telling my friends whenever I find out that they plan to read this one for the first time, "If you can honestly tell me that you figured out who did it before the end of the story, I will buy you dinner--wherever you want to go." Thirty years and counting....I have not had to pay up yet.

I have read this so often and have seen so many reviews of it, that I don't really have much to say about the story itself. Instead, just a brief response to the audionovel version that I listened to this time. Norman Barrs, unknown to me prior to this audionovel, does an excellent job with a very smooth narration. He provides very distinct voices and intonation for each of the characters--making it easy to follow who is speaking. The almost four hours required to listen to the story flew by and I was completely immersed in the story once again. Christie has garnered five stars on all previous readings and I once again award both novel itself--and the reading--★★★★★

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks. ...more

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Nov 11, 2017 Bev rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, mystery, vintage-mystery, bought-2017

please see reviews on other editions

3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 11, 2017 Bev rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, mystery, vintage-mystery, agatha-christie, bought-2017

Please see my review of another edition.

1 like · Like · see review

Feb 04, 2018 Paperbackreader rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: all-collections, read-but-unowned, british, classic, mystery, mysteries-set-in-isolated-places

I read the play "And Then There Were None" ages ago and loved it. I was very reluctant to read the novel as I knew the similarities and differences between the play and the novel version of the story. However, there comes a point when you simply succumb and read the unread works of your favorite author. That time has come for me. The play and the novel have the same flavor and yet they are different. It's a very, very clever book. Hats off to Christie. How she managed to create such convoluted y ...more

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