According to most sources, Christie is the best-selling novelist of all-time, but prior to reading “And Then There Were None,” I’d never read any of her books. Over a year ago, I read somewhere that “And Then There Were None” was her best-selling book, which is why I added it to my “life list.” To say that “And Then There Were None” is a best-seller is somewhat of any understatement. To date, it’s sold more than 100 million copies, which makes it the best-selling mystery novel of all time and one of the best-selling books of all time.
Originally published in November 1939, “And Then There Were None” is about 10 unconvicted murderers who find themselves invited to a house on an isolated island for various reasons. All 10 have been involved in various murders, but none of them were legally guilty enough to be sent to prison for their crimes. One by one, they begin to reap what they’ve sown as the remaining island guests try to figure out what’s going on. Each guest death follows along with the verses of a poem, “Ten Little Soldiers,” which provides the backbone for the novel’s plot.
For a mystery novel that’s over 70 years old, I thought “And Then There Were None” was extremely entertaining. The foreboding was deliciously done, and the plot was framed in such a way that the book was very hard to put down. More than a few times, I was tempted to skip to the end to see how things turned out, but somehow I managed now to cheat. It was not without some effort though.
“And Then There Were None” was also a quick read. The edition that I read was a used copy that I bought for 50 cents from the Monroe County Library’s used book room. Published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks, this 2001 edition was 275 pages long, and I read it in less than a day of on and off reading.
This book was been adapted to film a number of times, and I’m left wanting to watch at least one of these film adaptations. The first film adaptation of the book came out in 1945 and was followed by another adaptation in 1965. The first color adaptation came out in 1974 and will probably be the one that I watch. Directed by Peter Collinson, the cast included Richard Attenborough and Orson Welles.
In the end, I really enjoyed reading Christie’s “And Then There Were None” and enjoyed scratching another item off my “life list.” How many of you out there have read “And Then There Were None”? What did you think about it? Have you read any of Christie’s other books? Which is your favorite? Why? Let us know in the comments section below.
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