And Then There Were None - April 2018 BotM

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

Discussion thread for And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, one of our books of the month for April 2018.

Synopsis
First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey. Before the weekend is out, there will be none. And only the dead are above suspicion.

[Valeria]

I started this one today. A bit earlier than April but I was undecided of my next read anyway 😁

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

Nothing wrong with starting early :) my copy is supposed to arrive in the mail Monday so I’ll be starting it then.

[Chris]

I started this one a long time ago, so I’m pretty excited to finally pick it back up and finish it.

[Aqsa]

I'll start this one in a day or two :)

[Hana]

Yoo, I just finished re-reading this the other day! I love Christie!!
This is definitely one of her most known, and most loved books.
Though the ending is a little mehhh (imho), it's still really good!
Does anybody else think of House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price? xD I mean I know this book came before (I think), but STILL!

[Holly]

So this is a book I have already read, but I am interested to see if anyone was able to figure out who the murderer was before the big reveal. I definitely didn't get it right. This is also the only Agatha Christie book I have ever read, though I do have two others already on my TBR list - Murder on the Orient Express and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. For some reason in my head I get Agatha Christie mixed up with Daphne du Maurier, even though they pretty much have nothing in common in terms of writing style (from what I can tell by this one book anyways).

[Valeria]

Holly wrote: "So this is a book I have already read, but I am interested to see if anyone was able to figure out who the murderer was before the big reveal. I definitely didn't get it right. This is also the onl..."

Without giving spoilers, I was in between 2 suspects until almost the end, but I was sure of what trick the killer used to hide. I just couldn't figure out how he managed to pass inspection :)

[Verukha]

Up to page 73, loving it so far!

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

Just finished chapter 3 (page 62 in my book)
Really intriguing so far and charming in a way.
(view spoiler)[Not sure who to trust at this point but I'm really curious what the motives of "Owen" end up being. If there is a common thread or just a general punishment of transgressions. I am currently most suspicious of Mrs. Brent, Mr. Marston, and Justice Wargrave (hide spoiler)]

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

I really don’t like Mrs Brent (I’m in the middle of chapter 7)

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

Just finished chapter 12
I have an idea who I think it is but not 100% sure
(view spoiler)[i think its the doctor at this point, second guess would be the judge (hide spoiler)]

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

Just finished it and it kept me guessing until the very end. I liked the slow ever present tension in this.

[Aqsa]

Is it too late to start this? It might take me a week to get to it!

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

Not to late at all :)

[Aqsa]

I'll be here next week then-hopefully I would've ended the book by then :)

[Aqsa]

I started it! Hope it's great!

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

Aqsa wrote: "I started it! Hope it's great!"

I hope you like it, I really enjoyed it!

[Coll]

I'm just really in the beginning too

[Nikki ~ The Nocturnal Bookworm]

I'll be curious if you two guess who the killer is before the end.

[Aqsa]

I honestly hated the beginning and I thought I might have to DNF it before even starting it! The writing took a little getting used to too but it all got over once the awesome accusations were made! I'm sure into it now! I'm only 4 chapters in yet!
(view spoiler)[I think that they'll die as per the poem! (hide spoiler)]

[Aqsa]

I finished it 2 days ago I guess!
I'll just add a portion from my review :)

(view spoiler)[So, yes, I figured out the relation of the deaths with the poem the moment I read it but obviously I couldn’t guess the murderer-the judge! I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the end-seemed a bit unrealistic, didn’t it?-but I enjoyed reading it! I found a couple of flaws with the story but I liked it nonetheless! Here is what I thought during my BR:
Why didn’t they bury the bodies? I couldn't get my head around the fact the no one buried anyone-even the one's who died early!
Odd, don't you think-don't say they were waiting for someone to rescue them and figure out the mystery before having them buried!
I mean obviously they are dead bodies of strangers but still, Come On!
I can't believe Mr. Rogers-he didn't seem like someone who lost his wife!

Haha, I just realised, if they had buried the dead, the judge wouldn't have been able to kill the rest!
4 would've lived!

It was maddening though, even I got a headache-no wonder they were all going crazy!
And how perfect was the judge's throw on Blore!
That was stupid of the judge-he could've missed!

I knew they'd start confiding in one or two, sooner or later and suspect the rest-they are sure scared now!

Yes, staying together is a good strategy but so is staying alone!
If you stay together, you'd also be staying with the murderer (who killed the first 2 people with everyone present!)
and staying alone is good unless the murderer gets his/her way to you!

I'd suggest staying together anyway-you can at least keep an eye on everyone!

I wouldn't confide tbh-I'd maybe confide with all or none at all!
I'd be blunt too!

I didn't expect it to be like that either!
If the judge had to kill the criminals then why kill himself in the end? I mean he should've felt better and justified!

It won’t be a 5 star due to these reasons, but still an enjoyable read :) (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

Aqsa wrote: "I finished it 2 days ago I guess!
I'll just add a portion from my review :)

So, yes, I figured out the relation of the deaths with the poem the moment I read it but obviously I couldn’t guess the ..."

I am late on this. I just finished yesterday. I agree with you completely on the beginning. I kept thinking to myself that there was no way I was going to be able to keep all of these characters straight being presented this way. But I'm glad I stuck it out. My curiosity got the better of me. I honestly couldn't put this book down once I got past the initial character introductions.
(view spoiler)[ I think you make an interesting point about burying the dead. That would have been genius for finding out who the murderer was, but it would have made all of the survivors look guilty to the police I would imagine.

Also, I've been thinking too about why the judge killed himself. My impression is that he did not want to deal with the aftermath of it all. He wanted to die having left this perfect crime. I say this because he referred to himself as an artist in his confession. And wouldn't going to prison take away from the art of it all? (hide spoiler)]

[Aqsa]

Thanks Erin :)
(view spoiler)[Yeah, someone told me: The judge was terminally ill and wanted a quick death instead of a long, painful one. I guess I must've missed that detail out while reading!
The last death sure was odd-how could he be sure that all with die as per the poem though? And why did she hung herself when she first tried saving herself by killing the detective?
I'm getting more and more questions in my head every time I think about this book!

Yeah, burying the dead, I guess they couldn't really-esp bcz they thought or rather hoped that they'd get rescued, so they let the bodies be, so that they could be examined later-probably to find the killer! (hide spoiler)]

[Erin]

Aqsa wrote: "Thanks Erin :)
Yeah, someone told me: The judge was terminally ill and wanted a quick death instead of a long, painful one. I guess I must've missed that detail out while reading!
The last death s..."

I thought that was weird too. (view spoiler)[I kind of took Vera to be off her rocker at bit though. Living with killing that boy was too much for her. Didn't she think that Hugo was the murderer? Wasn't she still in love with him and thought that this was what he set out the chair for her to hang herself? She makes me think of how far toward paranoia guilt can take the mind you know. (hide spoiler)] I'm pretty tired today, so I hope that made sense.

[Aqsa]

Hehe Yeah I read your text twice actually ;)
(view spoiler)[She sure had her mind screwed, and killing him only made sense I guess-she had to be so damn terrified and she had to think he might've been the killer and try and kill him (Well, not try-actually kill him!!).. and she was in love with who????????? I'm sorry I don't rem that :/ Yes, paranoia I understood but killing herself after killing him to save herself is a little too much and too easy for the Judge! The ending never satisfied me, but the part in between was fun-well, not fun, but good to read somehow and that's why I gave this one good stars. I think it could've been improved in so many ways! (hide spoiler)]

P.S. Hope you got your rest :)