As the weather becomes colder, the seasonal drinks appear in coffee shops, and the leaves begin to grow orange and fall, you can feel the atmosphere change. October has come around again, and spooky season has officially begun. You can start watching those scary movies, visiting pumpkin patches, and enjoying the season in your favorite ways. For all of the readers out there, though, this season is a great time to enjoy a good thriller or-my personal favorite-mystery.
If you like mystery novels, then I'm sure you've heard of Agatha Christie. Her mysteries are captivating and exciting, sure to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Her genius writing has led many to hail her as the Queen of Mystery. If you're looking for a good book that is full of secrets, twists, and, of course, mystery, then look no further than this amazing author. I highly recommend you read And Then There Were None to start off your spooky season this year.
I think that And Then There Were None is Agatha Christie's best work. If you want to introduce yourself to Christie's writing, this book is sure to hook you. As the mystery unfolds, the book examines the concepts of human nature, justice, right and wrong, and guilt and innocence in an entertaining, captivating manner. The plot keeps you completely engaged throughout your entire reading experience. You never feel bored, as if you are reading in an academic manner, looking for deeper meaning or messages within the text, but the added depth serves to enhance the intensity, mood, and power of the story itself. Once you have finished the book, the depth and messages woven beautifully into the story, especially the examination of these concepts, will stick with you.
The book is about a group of people who are invited to stay for a weekend in a lavish manor on a private island. The group consists of total strangers cut from very different cloths. Ten people receive invitations from a mysterious Mr. Owen to stay on his newly acquired home on Soldier Island. They each are invited for different reasons. Vera Claythorne is a young woman who works for an all-girls school, and she is under the impression that she is going to Soldier Island to fulfill a role as a secretary. Miss Emily Brent is an old, very religious, very righteous woman who is invited to stay at the house by who she believes is a woman she had been acquainted with long ago. Philip Lombard is an immoral former soldier invited to attend parties on the island and instructed to look out for trouble. Dr. Edward Armstrong is a successful doctor who believes he is invited to spend the weekend on the island looking after Mrs. Owen, who is supposedly sick. William Henry Blore is a former police inspector who believes he is hired to investigate all of the other guests and to prevent any of them from stealing the Owens' belongings. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are an old couple who serve as a maid and butler, and they believe that they are hired by Mr. Owen to tend to the house and the guests over the weekend. General John Gordan Macarthur was a General during World War I who believes he is invited to spend the weekend with other former military officers. Anthony Marston is a young, rich playboy who believes he is invited to spend the weekend partying with other celebrities and members of high society. Justice Wargrave is an old, respected judge who receives a letter from an old friend inviting him to stay with her on the island for the weekend.
Once they all arrive, most by train, and Anthony Marston (by way of an expensive sports car he speeds down the road) to the small English town, they are all taken to the small, private island by a small boat. (That is, all except for Dr. Armstrong, who arrives later, and the Rogers, who arrived earlier to set up the house.) As they all settle into the house, they each realize that the person who invited them was notably absent. Mr. Owen is nowhere to be found, and the two housekeepers, the Rogers, had also never met the man. The group eats dinner together, and they all notice a group of soldier figurines in the middle of the table. Vera points out that it must be a reference to a nursery rhyme that is hung up in her room. They each realize that each of them has the same poem hung in each of their rooms.
They then move into the drawing room, where they enjoy drinks and conversation. All of a sudden, a voice booms through the room and accuses every guest of a murder, citing specific dates for each of the murders. Everyone is stunned, and Mrs. Rogers drops the tray of drinks, screams, and faints. After Dr. Armstrong tends to Mrs. Rogers and sends her to bed, the group organizes into a makeshift court of law, with Wargrave taking a leadership role. Everyone explains how they were invited and who invited them in an attempt to pool all of their knowledge of the situation and figure out what is happening. The voice they heard was recorded on a record that Mr. Rogers was instructed to play by Mr. Owen. As they each share their stories, they realize that it is likely that Mr. Owen doesn't exist at all and that something very sinister is going on. Each of them also claims his/her innocence in the crimes he/she is accused of. As they all share their alibis and excuses, though, each person becomes more suspicious of all the others. They can't leave the island because the only way to leave is via the boat that brought them there, which wouldn't return until the morning. Anthony Marston then takes a drink, chokes, and dies. The death can't be explained, as Dr. Armstrong deems it a poisoning, but they all drank the same whiskey, and no one saw anyone tamper with Marston's glass. His death mirrors the first line of the nursery rhyme hung in their rooms. When they go back into the dining room, they see that one of the soldier figurines is gone.
When morning comes and no boat arrives, the group realizes that they are in real danger. No one can explain the death of Anthony Marston or the disappearance of the soldier figurine. They search the entire house and the entire island for the murderer, but it is revealed that the ten of them are alone on Soldier Island. Everyone becomes a suspect as they hold various meetings to discuss whereabouts, motives, etc. One by one, the members of the group are killed off as they scramble to solve the mystery and escape the island they are trapped on.
It is truly a thrilling tale! You will be anxiously awaiting the end of the story to finally solve the mystery, but you will also want to slowly appreciate the genius of Christie's writing. You'll be amazed by the dark beauty of the complex characters, remote setting, eerie atmosphere, and plethora of secrets that make up this novel. The ending does not disappoint, either! It truly is the perfect book for you to start off your spooky season with.
Happy reading!
YES i love this book and it's definitely her best!!