Book Review: And Then There Were None

 

Agatha Christie is rightly known as the "Queen of Crime". Her crime novels are among the best thrillers in English literature. It is practically impossible to correctly guess the killer in her murder mysteries, but when he or she is revealed, we all bang our heads and think, why didn't I think of that?!

Her stories are beautifully straightforward yet complex.

"And Then There Were None", released in 1939 under the now-offensive title "Ten Little Indians", has been unanimously voted as Christie's best novel out of her 80+ bestselling crime books. 

It is an extraordinarily captivating and scintillating read that will hook you from the very first page. Once you pick it up, it's practically impossible to put it down. Beware though! The entire story is incredibly creepy and disturbing, so I'd advise you not to read it at night if you get scared easily. 

The story is about ten seemingly different people- a level-headed schoolmistress, a ruthless judge, a hearty ex-army officer, a self-righteous old woman, a carefree young man, a practical doctor, an intelligent detective, a housekeeping couple and a cunning crook- who are given vague invitations to spend the summer in a secluded mansion in an empty island. When they reach there, however, a storm strikes and they are stranded. Soon, a strange and creepy gramophone recording accuses each of them of a heinous crime that hits too close to home... and they end up dying one by one. All the while, a framed macabre poem sits in their rooms, reminding them of their approaching doom. It is impossible for anyone to enter or leave the mansion, so it is obvious that the killer is one of them.

It also has a chilling epilogue, and the ending is absolutely unpredictable. It gave me goosebumps when I first read it. The characters are very complex and well-written. The story engages you till the very end and has tremendous word-building. It is also very easy to read.

I would definitely recommend this story to fans of psychological thrillers and murder mysteries.

Thank you for reading! Till next time, dear reader.

~Jui