Adore this book. Am a Christie fan so have to admit I was so pleased to be given the chance to review this book. I adored it and really felt that it’s time more people read her work - time for the new generation to appreciate great mysteries.

I love agatha Christie and this is no exception. She keeps you guessing all the way through. Christie really brings all the characters to life whilst keeping the narrative succinct

'And Then There Were None' by Agatha Christie is a classic for a reason. Ten strangers, each harbouring a dark secret, are lured to a secluded island under false pretences. One by one, they begin to meet grisly ends, mirroring the lines of a nursery rhyme.
Christie masterfully builds suspense, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. The characters, though archetypal, are intriguing and their backstories provide a chilling glimpse into their past misdeeds. The island setting adds to the claustrophobic atmosphere, heightening the sense of isolation and impending doom.
While the plot may seem predictable to some modern readers, the book's masterful storytelling make it a gripping read that will leave you wanting more.

And Then There Were None has always had an interesting reputation; originally titled "Ten Little N******", it required a vehement re-baptism which does leave something of a spoiler.  It got the small-screen treatment over Christmas time this year and has been voted the nation's favourite Christie, so clearly the novel's merits have allowed it to overcome its uneasy origins.  Even all these decades later, Christie remains the Queen of crime fiction, with her elegantly crafted mysteries portraying a world of crime far tidier than their modern equivalents.  There is something strangely reassuring about a Christie even in a novel such as And Then There Were None, which advertises from the very beginning that there will be no survivors.

Christie acknowledges in her brief preface that this had been a tough novel to write and that for this reason any and all positive feedback was appreciated.  With such a huge body of work, Christie has tested almost every possible convolution of the murder mystery - there is the novel where the narrator is the killer, the one where everybody is the killer (if you don't know which ones those are, you cannot be a true fan but I'm still not going to risk naming them) and now here is a story where each of the characters are picked off one by one and nobody is to be saved.  This is effectively a vintage slasher novel - a few years ago there was the so-so television series along the same lines, Harper's Island - I am always interested to see how various narrative formulae can be used and re-used down the decades.


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The novel begins with Vera Claythorne travelling to Soldier Island (N***** Island in the original), contemplating the mystery around who has bought the house and estate and looking forward to what ought to be a pleasant sojourn.  As a games mistress in a third-rate girls' boarding school which does not pay holiday wages, she has to take what she can get - in this case, a post as secretary to Mrs Una Owen, who is convening a house party with her husband.  Seven other guests also make their way there, each revealing a little about their personal history as they do so and awaiting them are Mr and Mrs Rogers who are the newly-arrived servants.  The players are set but the puppet masters are delayed - and then delayed again.  And then as the guests begin to unwind over dinner, a strange record begins to play, a voice from nowhere brings forth an accusation against each and every person present on the island.

None of these crimes are directly punishable by law - Emily Brent cast her maid out of the house when she discovered her to be pregnant and the young girl took her own life, Judge Wargrave sentenced an apparently innocent man to death, Inspector Blore was bribed to give false testimony which sent an innocent man to prison and from there to his death undsoweiter.  Subtlety in characterisation was never something that Christie seemed to aspire towards - her chessmen are caricatures with few more nuances than the figurines on the mantelpiece whose disappearances mark the doom of each player.

Christie always brings an element of detachment to the violence itself - she takes no pleasure in the gruesome and indeed each death feels more like the tearing up of a paper doll than the true end of a human life.  Yet beside all this, the reader watches bewildered as the survivors take tea, aware that one of their number is the murderer.  We are encouraged by Christie to eye her creations dubiously - their very exhibition of British values rendered suspect not only by their secret culpability but also by the incongruity of the situation.  They may have strayed temporarily outside of this set of rules but they do not really know how to survive without them.

The degrees to which Christie plays with her characters' guilt is intriguing.  Anthony Marston is barely even aware of his crime, having run over two children via his irresponsible driving - more concerned with his own inconvenience with his suspended licence than the tragedy of two foreshortened lives.  He will commit the same crime again without batting an eyelid - he must be stopped.  We are intended to be appalled by Emily Brent's lack of feeling, her utter lack of responsibility for her maid's suicide but yet I was shocked more by Christie's revulsion for the elderly spinster - as if merely being old and unmarried made her disgusting enough.  Even stranger was the case of Philip Lombard - guilty of killing a group of African tribesmen, Vera excuses him to Emily by saying that they were 'only natives' and then that Emily responds that they are 'all our brothers, black or not' seems to be merely a sign of her peculiar nature.  Yet there is a tragedy to General Macarthur who arranged for the death of his young wife's lover and then was never able to free himself from the shame of it.

Having read a fair amount of Christie, I can see that this is amongst her finest efforts.  We are treated to the whisperings of the terrified victims as they await their turn - Christie does not bother with 'X said' or 'Y responded' which gives their conversations a very claustrophobic feel.  The distrust between each of the players is palpable and as the pressure mounts, hysteria rises and their minds wander, each forced to confront their own darker self and their guilt.  There are strong themes of light and dark, which would indeed have been even more apparent had the novel held on to its original title (abhorrent though it clearly was).  From the idyllic summer day on the beautiful island, we watch this group of sinners travel down deeper and deeper into Hell, up until the point when there are none.

Thank you Netgtalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperCollins and Agatha Christie for the eArc of And Then There Where None.

I am rather ashamed to say as an adult, I have never read any of Agatha Christie's work but I have seen the re-works, productions and films of this book over the years. Even though I knew the outcome, this is a brilliant murder mystery and has subtle foreshadowing within the narrative. It's no wonder a lot of modern murder mysteries have a similar baseline. The characters feel a little wooden in places but believable enough considering the era the book was written in. The pacing of the book is medium which gathers momentum near the end.
A great book by an outstanding author and im vowing to read more of her books in the future.

4.5 stars for story graph rounded to 4 on other reviewing sites.

An absolute classic, I loved the new concept of how this book was delivered. I had seen an adaptation of this book a few years ago but I could not remember the full details so I enjoyed the suspense! 5/5

A brilliant mystery-thriller book by the legend Agatha Christie! A fantastic read that I found hard to put down.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Classic book, a lot of people will have read this story and know what happens but it's a classic that is being recreated in modern mystery media constantly. I liked the interactive QR at the end, if you hadn't read the story before you could guess who the murderer was. One of the best mysteries by Agatha Christie

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

we all know the storyline to and then there were none... but this is a revamp and a better version that is closer to how the author would have wanted it portrayed

10 people on an island
and an old rhythm displayed in their rooms

after each murder the remaining people begin to suspect each other
until....

there is no one left.....

just got to wait for the last chapter to be sent to me so that i can see if i agree with them.... how this will work with paperbacks and other books remain to be seen but for now i have enjoyed visiting agatha christies world again

Unfortunately I was a bit late in beginning this book and tried getting the last chapter (which wasn't included in this download) by randomly selecting an option for who I thought was the culprit (as asked to do so by the publisher in order to receive the last chapter). But the publisher never sent the last chapter despite the promise it would be delivered if I followed instructions therefore I'm reluctant to keep reading it without/until I get another copy of this so I can finish it properly. I'll update this review in future to reflect my views on this book which is good from the beginning. While the concept of having the last chapter separate from the rest of the book works well in a physical format, I think it was a mistake to do this with the netgalley version. Sorry.

Talk about a killer weekend getaway—literally! Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is a twisty, mind-bending classic that had me suspecting *everyone*. Ten strangers, a creepy island, and a mysterious nursery rhyme? Sign me up!

From the moment the guests arrive at Soldier Island, the tension is palpable. Christie masterfully lays out each clue (and red herring!) with the precision of a chess game, daring you to figure out the culprit. Spoiler alert: you won’t. The psychological drama and eerie atmosphere kept me hooked, and the “who’s next?” anticipation made it impossible to put down.

Why not five stars? The ending, while brilliant, felt slightly abrupt—like the curtain dropped just as the applause started. But that’s Christie for you: she delivers shocks and then exits stage left, leaving you in awe of her genius.

If you love a good whodunit with a side of paranoia, this one’s a must-read. Just don’t plan any island trips after!

*Delayed review due to personal circumstances*

A classic book, back with a new format - a sealed ending! Online access to those reading in ebook form.
A little dated, but as to be expected. Christie's tale of 10 has stood the test of time, the plot still as gripping and tense as I remember.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Perfection of course! This remains undefeated as my favorite Agatha Christie novel. This one is a must-read. I love it just as much as the time I read it first years ago

Perfection….The suspense kept me hooked from the first chapter. The tension built steadily, leading to a jaw-dropping conclusion. I’d expect nothing less from the author.

A real whodunnit in style!
I haven’t read an Agatha Christie book before. I’m very glad, I did.
You are kept guessing throughout and a great concept of leaving the last chapter separate.

Give it a go!
I will certainly be on the look out for more.


#netgalley #AgathaChristie #whodunnit #negalleyAndThenThereWereNone

I can't believe I haven't ever read an Agatha Christie before this but I'm sure it won't be the last. What a fantastic book.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc

Although a thriller fan I haven’t read any Agatha Christie books but I’m glad I got the chance to read and review this! Awesome storyline and multi faceted characters.

A group of strangers are loured to the remote Soldier Island by an invitation from the mysterious Mr. Owen.

Each person has a checkered past and unbeknownst to them it’s going to get deadly.

Can you decide who did it?

I can’t believe that this is my very first time reading an Agatha Christy novel!
Why have I waited so long?!

Even as I read this I would adjust who I thought did it and then made extensive notes. I certainly didn’t see that twist coming.

I’d like to thank HarperFiction and NetGalley for inviting me to read an advanced copy of The Ultimate Mystery Edition of And Then There We’re None.
I finished this back in October but only now getting to review it.

I really loved how the last chapter is kept separate from the rest of the story.
This new edition is so good I also bought the newly released Hardback.

"And Then There Were None" is an exceptional literary work. It is a classic that I would highly recommend to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.