Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is a masterclass in mystery, suspense, and people seriously regretting their vacation plans. It’s a chilling tale of ten strangers invited to a remote island, only to find out that they’re being killed off one by one—basically, it’s the original “whodunnit” with a side of paranoia. And trust me, once the bodies start dropping, you won’t want to put this book down.
Let’s dive into this twisty plot where secrets are revealed, trust is shattered, and everyone wonders who’s next. Spoiler: It’s not a beach getaway they’ll remember fondly.
The Setup: Ten Strangers, One Mysterious Invitation
The novel opens with ten people from different walks of life, all invited to Soldier Island, an isolated rock off the coast of Devon, England. Each person receives a letter from a mysterious host, U.N. Owen (which, as you might guess, sounds a lot like “Unknown”). It’s a curious mix of characters, from a judge to a doctor, a governess to a retired general, and even a former police officer. What could possibly connect these ten seemingly random people? They’re about to find out.
The guests arrive on the island to find a luxurious mansion, but no sign of their host. Things start to feel a bit off when, after dinner, a gramophone suddenly blares out a recording that accuses each of them of murder. Yep, every single guest has a dark past and a skeleton in the closet—and now, someone knows all about it. The tension starts to mount faster than you can say, “Maybe we should leave.”
The Nursery Rhyme of Doom
In the dining room, the guests find a framed copy of the nursery rhyme “Ten Little Soldiers” (also known in earlier versions by a more controversial title). The poem describes how each of the “soldiers” meets a grisly fate, counting down from ten to none. Spoiler alert: this poem isn’t just for decoration—it’s a prophetic blueprint for what’s about to happen to them.
Oh, and there are ten little soldier figurines on the dining room table. Just in case the creepy vibe wasn’t obvious enough.
The Deaths Begin: Who’s the Real Killer?
The killing spree starts almost immediately. Anthony Marston, a wealthy playboy accused of killing two children in a reckless driving accident, dies after sipping a drink poisoned with cyanide. And just like that, one figurine is mysteriously missing from the table. The guests begin to realize the horrifying truth: someone is killing them according to the pattern in the poem, and none of them can leave the island.
What follows is a terrifying game of survival. One by one, the guests are picked off, each death corresponding to a verse from the nursery rhyme. The tension builds as the survivors turn on each other, wondering if the killer is hiding among them. And with no escape, the sense of doom is palpable.
Some of the notable deaths include:
- Mrs. Rogers, the timid housekeeper, who never wakes up after being accused of letting a former employer die.
- General Macarthur, who is struck over the head after his guilt over sending a man to his death in the war comes to light.
- Emily Brent, an old-fashioned spinster, who is injected with poison after being condemned for indirectly causing a young girl’s suicide.
Each murder is gruesomely inventive, with the killer following the nursery rhyme to a terrifyingly literal degree. It’s part psychological thriller, part slasher film—long before either of those genres even existed.
The Survivors: Paranoia on Overdrive
As the body count rises, paranoia runs rampant. With each death, the remaining guests become more desperate, accusing one another of being the killer. It’s clear that no one can be trusted, and every shadow feels like a potential threat. The isolation of the island only amplifies the claustrophobia. There’s no way out, no contact with the outside world, and no hope of rescue.
Judge Wargrave, the seemingly cool-headed former judge, takes charge of the investigation, but even he isn’t above suspicion. Could he be orchestrating the murders? After all, he’s spent his life sentencing people to death. And what about Dr. Armstrong, the doctor whose patients have mysteriously died under his care? Or Vera Claythorne, the governess who let a child drown?
By the end, only three remain: Vera, the judge, and the doctor. But before you can even settle into this “final three” showdown, the deaths keep coming. Judge Wargrave is found shot, and Vera, after a long and harrowing psychological breakdown, becomes convinced she’s the last person standing. But not so fast…
The Final Twist: The Killer Unveiled
Here’s where Agatha Christie delivers one of her trademark twists that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew. Vera, wracked with guilt over the death of a child in her care, hangs herself, fulfilling the final verse of the poem. And then… there were none.
But wait—how could the killer be dead, and yet, everyone still ends up dead? In a posthumous confession (because of course), it’s revealed that Judge Wargrave was the mastermind behind the entire plan. He faked his death earlier to throw everyone off the scent, carefully orchestrating the murders based on his own twisted sense of justice. Wargrave, dying of a terminal illness, wanted to go out with one final, grand act—delivering justice to those who escaped it in court.
And just like that, the mystery is solved, but it leaves readers with the unsettling realization that even after all the paranoia and accusations, the killer had the perfect plan all along.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is And Then There Were None considered one of Agatha Christie’s best works?
And Then There Were None is a masterpiece of suspense and psychological tension. Christie masterfully builds an atmosphere of dread and paranoia while delivering one of her most intricate plots. The fact that none of the characters are truly innocent adds to the moral complexity of the story.
Is there a movie adaptation of And Then There Were None?
Yes! Several film and television adaptations exist, with the most recent being a BBC miniseries that aired in 2015. It sticks closely to the dark tone of the novel and captures the psychological suspense beautifully.
Why is the title of the novel sometimes different?
The novel’s original title was controversial and has since been changed to And Then There Were None, which is the final line of the nursery rhyme used in the plot. This title has become the most widely accepted and used in recent editions.