"And Then There Were None"-Agatha Christie

Book Title: And There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie

Version: Paperback

ISBN: 9780062073471

Publisher: Harper

Published: January 18th, 2011

First Published: 1939

SUMMARY: 

"Ten little soldier boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there where Nine.

Nine little soldier boys sat up very late;

One overslept himself and then there were Eight.

Eight little soldier boys travelling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there where 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 bumble bee stung one and then there were Five.

Five little soldier boys going in for law;
One got into Chancery and then there were Four.

Four little soldier boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three.

Three little soldier boys walking in the Zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were Two.

Two little soldier boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was One

One little soldier boy left all alone;
He went and hanged himself

And then there were None."

Ten strangers are all invited to Solider Island by a mysterious person named U.N. Owen. When the guests arrive and find that their host is not yet there they begin to question what the weekend is about. And when they are all accused of getting away with murder of some kind or another their suspicion grows and they begin to fear the motive behind their invitations. 

As the guests begin to die one by one the weekend becomes not just one of survival but also one of detection. The guests are dying in the manner of the rhyme that has been posted in their rooms and so the survivors try to figure out which of them is the killer. Nerves are shot and accusations are thrown, everyone pointing their finger at everyone else. 

REVIEW: This was my second Agatha Christie mystery and I loved it. I read it in a few hours and I loved every minute of it. Ms. Christie's way with mystery is a magical and beautiful thing. I find that she never does what I expect and I am always surprised by the turns she takes and I love that. 

Her writing is simplistic but in the best way possible. She doesn't put on airs or try to make things fancy when they didn't need to be. She just writes the story and I think that it helps enhance the mystery. And with Agatha Christie it really is a great mystery. 

The story is again simple but the way she puts it together is where her genius shines. I really don't want to say too much because I don't want to give anything away but trust me when I say the book is one sharp twist after another. And when it comes to mystery what more can you ask for than something that literally keeps you on the edge of your seat? 

ANOTHER MYSTERY:

"A Drink Before the War"