From the Bookshelf of Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)…

And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie

Start date: May 1, 2024

Finish date: May 31, 2024

Why we're reading this: May 2024 Revisit the Shelf

August 2016 New School Group Read
[close] May 2024 Revisit the Shelf

August 2016 New School Group Read

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Nov 12, 2018 Candi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-crime, classics-shelf

I read this book ages ago; I believe it was my very first Agatha Christie book. I recall searching through the shelves of the local library in the mystery section trying to find something I hadn’t already read. This was during a phase when all I wanted to read were mysteries and nothing else – I suppose I was attempting to create some sort of balance with the high school required reading curriculum. I have to admit that I don’t think I had ever heard of Agatha Christie until that moment. (My par I read this book ages ago; I believe it was my very first Agatha Christie book. I recall searching through the shelves of the local library in the mystery section trying to find something I hadn’t already read. This was during a phase when all I wanted to read were mysteries and nothing else – I suppose I was attempting to create some sort of balance with the high school required reading curriculum. I have to admit that I don’t think I had ever heard of Agatha Christie until that moment. (My parents and grandparents were non-readers, so I was generally on my own to discover new books and authors – unless it was assigned reading.) Imagine my delight when I noted a whole slew of her mysteries all lined up neatly on the shelf – more to look forward to if I liked my first! To make a long story short, I loved the book and to this day recalled the clever twist at the end.

When one of my book groups chose to read this last month, I didn’t think I would manage to squeeze it in. Then I discovered the BBC audio production. I don’t generally listen to audio books; my mind tends to wander far too easily. However, since I’d read it before I thought this would be a fun option. And it was! But it was far too short! All of a sudden it ended and I thought there was something more to be heard! I know there was something missing… my memory of it all those years ago told me so. I wasn’t even sure whodunit when the audio ended. So I promptly returned to the library and signed out the actual book, which includes both an epilogue as well as a copy of a ‘manuscript’ found in a sealed bottle out at sea. Whew! All my questions were answered and it all came together quite brilliantly once again. What I came to realize was that my ‘audio book’ was more like a recording of a dramatization – missing all the little details I’d have read in the actual book, but with the addition of all the sound effects and plenty of engaging dialogue - ice tinkling in glasses, music fading, doors slamming, different voices for the various characters… but lacking the narration in between that helped make the story solid.

An entertaining and very slick little mystery, And Then There Were None should appeal to most lovers of this genre. I recommend reading the actual book or the true audio book rather than the BBC dramatization, unless you are already familiar with the story. Otherwise, this version would make for great fun! 3.5 stars rounded up ...more

131 likes · Like · see review

Feb 20, 2015 Ellie 9218 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

The story of 10 strangers, each of them lured under false pretenses to a secluded island, by the mysterious Mr. Owen. When the guests arrive, their host is gone, but has left a recorded message accusing all of them of murder.

One by one, they are all killed, as written in the nursery rhyme Ten Little Indians. The tension builds when the guests begin to realize that none of them will leave the island alive, and a constant fear of "who will be the next victim?"

I loved everything about this book - ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Jul 09, 2018 Clayton Brannon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

No one can outdo the master of the murder mystery writers.

4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 20, 2015 Alisa added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2022, audio, classics, mystery, 2015

2022: i think this is the third time I’ve read this book, and thankfully I had forgotten everything but the original titles, ha. It sets the standard for locked room mysteries!

2015: Me wants more horror and suspense.

2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 01, 2016 Nate Morse rated it liked it

Shelves: literature, detective, literature-british

If you liked the movie Clue, then you probably will like this book. 10 people trapped on an island by a mysterious person who knows about their darkest secrets. One by one they are murdered according to a nursery rhyme.

This book is known for not being the most politically correct with its title being changed twice, and within the first couple pages a character gets pretty anti-semetic. However, the original title really had nothing to do with the plot other then the name of the island they are o ...more

Like · see review