And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie Mysteries Collection (Paperback))

This is my third Agatha Christie book. 'And Then There Were None' is considered to be the masterpiece and the most successful novel by Agatha Christie. I did had some expectations set on this book after reading two of her books earlier. And i have to say that this was an amazing experience. Such a great plot, to keep the reader hooked and keep guessing the culprit. It was a easy and interesting read, the writing so smooth and precise , the plot keeping the reader engaged, with no un-necessary stuffs.The story begins with eight strangers being invited to an isolated island called the Soldier Island under different pretext. None of them have ever met their host and when these reach the Soldier Island, their hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Owen, are not present to receive them. Instead they are greeted by the butler and his wife. The huge mansion, is well furnished and is stocked with all the things required for these guests. All these people, at some point in their life, were guilty of such act that resulted in the death of some person. These were such actions - cases of deliberate murder - and all quite untouchable by the law.This person knows about the dark secrets of these guests. And there is this old nursery thyme framed and mounted on the walls of all the bedrooms. And all the murders are committed in the same order following this rhyme. First killing is considered as an suicide. But as the killings proceeds, it becomes clear that there is a person with a well planned agenda to commit there murders. But who is he/she? And what is the motive? These ten people are now stuck in this isolated island. There is no chance to escape from here. The characters keep guessing, as the suspicion moves from one person to another. As the suspicion becomes strong on a particular person, that person is murdered. So again the guessing game begin with the persons left alive. After the end of novel, it's difficult to find who is the person behind all there murders and why would someone want to kill these guests for the crime that are now forgotten and could not even be proved guilty for committing these crimes.This is one enthralling mystery that will keep you hooked. You will find answers to all your questions only after reading the manuscript document at the end of the story."When the sea goes down, there will come from the mainland boats and men. And they will find ten dead bodies and an unsolved problem on Soldier Island."

What can i say i love mystery novels and this one is surely one i enjoyed so the story :-The premise, I am sure you know, is this: ten people end up cut off from the world on a tiny island. One of them is a murderer and people keep dying as in the nursery rhyme. Every person on the island has a secret and is guilty of a murder. It's the kind of murder where law is helpless. Nothing can be proven. This is why they found themselves on that island, at the mercy of a prototype 'Jigsaw' madman who decided justice must be done.The premise requires the structure of the novel to be very organised and clean cut. I felt that it was only right for me to approach the reading of it in an equally disciplined way. I took five sheets of papers and divide each in half, thus ending up with ten cards, one for each character.I grew to like two of the characters - the sentiment, I think, I shared with Christie as she liked them so, she killed them last.This was my second Christie, and the first proper one. The first one I read was a bit of a mishap spy novel, so Christie's brilliance wasn't as apparent as it was in 'And Then There Were none .Verdict :-And Then There Were None is a grim but riveting mystery. One of the darkest aspects of the novel is the fact there's no "good guy" here -- all of the characters appear equally guilty in more ways than one. This is an exciting book -- however grisly -- that is to be enjoyed for its page-turning plot and Christie's masterful construction around the spooky nursery rhyme.FYI i brough 2 more books in bundle i find them best my mystery late night shopping lol

The edition was brilliant as expected.Book review :I think I had placed my expectations too high on this book before I'd started it. Hence the four-star rating.Compelling narration, very tense and scary in the second half of the book. I did not like the significantly italicized sentences all over the book. Ms Christie exhibits that thread which seems to unravel several corners of the book when it starts getting pulled, but then ends up unravelling a totally unexpected row of stitches!I loved that one-sitting read which the book begged for! That's the most important part of this genre, as far as I know.

Arrived in proper conditions.Size of the book is very handy. Page quality is superb and also the font is big enough to read it clearly.Coming to the story is just amazing and engaging.Once you start reading you surely cannot wait to complete it. I think of all the Agatha novels this one is on of the list.PS- For starters this one is best to pick.

The book is a must read . It is totally worth buying but my delivery experience was very bad .He was in a rush and kept saying ," Jaldi Karo , Mujhe late ho raha hai ". We were taking time because we were not able to find the change he had asked for , We weren't having a card so we asked the delivery person whether he is having change or not . Infact he straight away replied with a bold "No". Secondly , what ever was the real price was not claimed by him , he claimed to take more than that . Thirdly , he was behaving in an arrogant manner , while leaving he said , " 5 min ke kaam ko kitna time laga rahe he " , and walked away in an arrogant manner . I would like Amazon and authorities to look into this , as this was my worst delivery experience . I am frequent amazon customer and the deliver till today was good . But today's experience was not accepted from amazon.

I don't normally review Kindle book purchases (and there have been a lot!), as ones enjoyment or otherwise of a book is so subjective, such a personal experience. However in this case I will touch on it.Being very familiar with the many film versions - the original 1945 version being my favourite - reading the original story has been a long time coming, but it didn't disappoint. Although the ending in the book took me by surprise (it is very different from the film ending), I was familiar with the story generally.It is as well written as any Christie novel and as engaging, perhaps more engaging than most as towards the end, sat alone in my darkened apartment, I actually experienced more than one shiver of fear, something I have never experienced in a book since reading The Shining many years ago.An excellent read even if the story may be a tad familiar.Just as a postscript I have to add that on reading through other reviews, several mention this being a Poirot story. So many in fact I wondered if I'd reviewed the wrong title!I hadn't. This is not a Poirot story and there is no mention of him in it whatsoever, in fact there is no mention of any Christie leading "character", the story is a one off. I think the confusion may have come about because the producers of the Poirot TV series may have wound the story into an episode. Ill advisedly in my opinion as the story stands well entirely on its own merit.

This review refers to the Real e-publishing edition of "And Then There Were None". This edition teems with errors as regards formatting and spelling. Random line breaks abound. It's a shame that an entertaining read should be so badly mutilated. The story is a fantastic but fascinating nightmare. The plot requires much suspension of disbelief. But it is a tale which draws in the reader, in much the same way as the player of monopoly is drawn into the transactions of what is only a game. The plot becomes mere background to a puzzle which is only solved in the postscript. The end is far darker than the films which followed, for all are guilty and condemned in the original, leaving only the astonishment of the explanation of the puzzle as a bleak end for Justice gone rogue.As engaging, escapist entertainment, this deserves four stars, but not this Real e-publishing edition.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie."Ten people dead on an island and not a living soul on it. It doesn't make sense. We don't know who did it, or why, or how."Regarded as Christie's masterpiece, the most difficult of her books to write and more than 100 million copies sold worldwide to cement the reputation of Christie as the Queen of Crime. Sarah Phelp's recent adaptation of the book was atmospheric and gripping with a stellar cast lead by Charles Dance, Aidan Turner and Sam Neill.The book needed an epilogue to explain who the culprit was and why he had chosen his particular victims for this fantastical crime, "something stupendous-out of the common. Something theatrical, impossible." Sir Thomas Legge, the Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard and Inspector Maine try to piece it together after the discovery of the bodies and can't quite get it right."Some fanatic with a bee in his bonnet about justice. He was out to get people who were beyond the reach of the law. He picked ten people-whether they were really guilty or not doesn't matter." The manner of their deaths resembled the children's nursery rhyme hung in each of the bedrooms. (Frank Green 1869)Christie decided to include a simple device of a message in a bottle. More formally it was referred to as a manuscript document sent to Scotland Yard by the master of the Emma Jane fishing trawler. This amounted to a confession by the murderer before killing himself. It was enclosed in a bottle, sealed and cast into the sea. It neatly sums up what the police were unable to do and reveals the instability and dangerous nature of the murderer: "I have a definite sadistic delight in seeing or causing death." He wanted it to be on a grand scale and it was!The story is set in August 1939 and centres around an island off the coast of Devon called Soldier Island. The island was engulfed in mystery and was isolated, prone to storms so it proved the perfect venue to carry out mass murder. When there is a south-easterly wind you can’t land on the island. Sometimes it can be cut off for a week or more. An American millionaire, Elmer Robson, had bought the island and he had built a luxurious and modern house where his guests stayed. There were more recent rumours that Gabrielle Turl, the Hollywood film star had bought it. This couldn't be verified. We do know that a Mr and Mrs U.N.Owen had bought the island recently and they had employed a Mr Isaac Morris to invite a number of people to the island. He was able to concoct a suitable bait for each of his victims to entice them to spend a week on the island before killing them, one at a time.The characters are introduced as they are travelling from various destinations to Soldier Island. Justice Wargrave has just retired from the bench after a long and successful career. It seemed that he had been invited by an old friend, Constance Culmington to catch up on the old days and commune with nature. He hadn't seen her for seven or eight years. He thinks that even Constance could have bought the island. He was known as the hanging judge. He had a great power with the juries: “it was said he could make their minds up for them any day of the week.”Vera Claythorne was looking forward to being offered a summer job on the island. She had been teaching games in a third-rate school and had had a strenuous term. Working as Mrs Owen’s secretary sounded enticing. Philip Lombard was a ruthless mercenary. He had been offered a hundred guineas to keep a look-out. He was broke so he accepted the assignment. We are told continually that he moved like a panther and likened to a beast of prey. He is the only guest to carry a revolver which makes him one of the chief suspects once the killing spree begins.Emily Brent is a religious fanatic. She had received a letter from an old acquaintance from Bellhaven Guest House inviting her for a free holiday on the island. Her income had been reduced so a free holiday was always welcoming. She reads from her Bible about the day of judgment: “the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.” General Macarthur seemed to have received an invitation from his cronies. He had mixed feelings when he landed, delight as he climbed the stairs followed by unease. Dr Armstrong was sent a cheque asking him to keep an eye on Owen’s wife without alarming her. Owen’s wife didn’t appear!Mr Blore was using a pseudonym, Davis and had invented a story that he was from South Africa. Lombard spots the deceit immediately. Blore was an ex-detective. Mr and Mrs Rodgers were the butler and his wife, the cook. Dr. Armstrong was in need of a long holiday. He found Soldier Island magical, a world of fantasy. “You lost touch with the world-an island was a world of its own. A world, perhaps, from which you might never return.” Christie throws in plenty of clues to keep us on our guard. Something is very odd. Even the characters feel it. They eyed each erring on the side of caution. Then there was Anthony Marston who came for the drink and the prospect of women. Rich and spoilt. The first to be poisoned.After dinner together, the guests relaxed and started to open up a little with more freedom and intimacy. Marston noticed ten little china figures sitting on the table, looking quite harmless but odd. And then it happened… There was a voice without warning, inhuman, penetrating accusing the guests of crimes committed- causing the deaths of other fellow men, with dates included. They are addressed as prisoners at the bar. There was a petrified silence followed by anger and shock. Then there’s a touch of Lord of the Flies with evidence that a madman (or woman) is out to kill each and every one of them. Suspicion, paranoia, trapped on the island with a madman intent on killing.By the time three survivors remained Lombard suggested heliographing with a mirror, sending out an SOS in the hope of a rescue from the mainland. Some of them kept diaries and notes so it was possible for the police to piece together vital clues.The man, Isaac Morris who had provisioned the island and made all the necessary arrangements died. Was he also killed? “He explained to the people down there (Sticklehaven) that there was some experiment on-some bet about living on a “desert island” for a week-and that no notice was to be taken of any appeal for help from out there.”It’s a clever book and you’ll probably have to read it through right to the end before you discover the murderer. You won’t be disappointed.Publisher: Harper Collins Publisher. ISBN: 978-0-00-713683-4REVIEW it by Carol Naylor.

I'm fine reading old books with old-style language, but even so the style was... I've seen it described as "sterile" elsewhere and that's a good word for it. There was no "style" from the author, except of course this very lack of a style.Sections would be likeLombard said, approvingly:"Something approving"Emily Brent looked reproachful and said:"Something reproachful"It was just mechanical.Writing style aside, the story was ok and sort of drew me in. But as the reader, there was little to go on forming your own opinion or guess who the murderer might be. At the end of a section, Person X was revealed to have a gun and "snarled". You think to yourself, ok, that's a hint". Then at the end of the next section Person X was given a solid alibi and Person Y now said something suspicious.So in one sense you were always "kept guessing", but it didn't feel like an informed guess, or any kind of building up of each characters history or motives or opportunity. At 90% through I'm beginning to fear there would be some ridiculous deus-ex-machina explanation or "it was all a dream!" (I've seen another review that said they started to suspect a supernatural explanation coming and I have to say I thought that too!)If this is one of Christie's highest rated books then I don't see myself reading any more of her.

You might find this hard to believe, but this is the very first book by Agatha Christie that I have ever read. You will probably be less surprised to learn that the reason I chose this particular Christie book largely because of the delicious Aidan Turner's appearance in the TV adaptation. There's not a lot I can say about the queen of crime fiction that hasn't already been said. Suffice to say, I absolutely loved this book, and even though I knew what was going to happen, I was still completed sucked into to the tension felt by the characters. I will definitely be stocking up on more of her books to read in the very near future