Book of the Week

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Recommended by William Shackleton

And Then There Were None is another in a long line of murder mysteries by author Agatha Christie. Ten people receive letters from a U. N. Owen inviting them to stay a few days on Soldier Island, a small island several miles off the Devon coast. Throughout their stay, one by one the guest on the island start dying. It is soon realised that the murderer is one of the guests.

This novel by Agatha Christie could be described as her most technical accomplishment, with the solution to the murders requiring an additional chapter in order for the reader to understand how the crime was carried out. It is very much a psychological piece, with pretty much all of the suspense coming from the fact that day by day the guests start to suspect each other, becoming more and more paranoid, and not from the realisation of new evidence.

The book is set in 1930s Britain on effectively a large rock with a large house. There is no way to contact or get to the mainland, which adds to the suspense and mystery of the book. The seclusion of the island enhances the feeling of solitude and 'every man for himself' that the remaining characters are feeling by the end of the book. This feeling makes the characters consider and/or do things they would never normally do under any other conditions.

I would recommend this book to anybody over the age of 10, as it has themes such as what people will do for love, religion or their own curiosity, which younger children may find disturbing. I also think that the explanation would be too confusing for younger children. It is a good read, and although not particularly challenging, provides an enjoyable experience for young or old. As it is more of a psychological book, it is harder to figure out, and the reader's opinion changes many times on who the murderer is over the course of the book.