And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie

Evan’s ESS = 7 out of 10

Erin’s ESS = out of 10

Content = PG (Adult Content, Violence, Creepy Gramophone Recordings, Sinister Nursery Rhymes)

“Here’s one more of us who’s been proved innocent - too late!”

Why: A month ago, Shutter Island stood alone as our least desirable island destination.  Scratch that.  Indian Island (or Soldier Island or... something else Island depending on which edition you've read) is now our number 1 least desirable island destination.  If you ever receive an invitation in the mail offering an extended weekend getaway, DON’T RSVP.

And Then There Were None begins as 10 random individuals receive invitations to stay as house guests in an elaborate mansion.  Upon arrival the group is surprised to hear that their host is not present.  After the first guest is confronted by his untimely death, the group realizes things may not be as they seem.  In fact, things are quite unpleasant.  When the second guest dies, every person must fight against paranoia and the other house guests for their own survival.  

In our opinion, And Then There Were None was good, but not great.  The idea for the novel was compelling and the diverse cast brought plenty to the table, but the suspense was a little lacking.  Maybe the title gave too much away???  For whatever reason we didn’t find ourselves dying to know who done it.  Now, Agatha Christie set the bar extremely high with Murder on the Orient Express and we’re forced to judge her accordingly.  We give high points for the ridiculously creepy “10 little Indian boy’s” song and accompanying figurines.  But in the end we were hoping for a few more goosebumps.        

Despite our unenthusiastic ramblings, And Then There Were None is still a must read and worthy of your time.  Our own desire to read more Christie novels remains strong.  Any suggestions what novel we should tackle next?