And Then There were None

I would like to make my perspective on this topic immediately clear: I am a scaredy cat. Saw? I did not see Saw. Paranormal activity? I did not go near. I can hardly read Edgar Allen Poe without getting the willies.

So, when I put And Then There Were None was on my list, I was somewhat cautious. The only thing I knew about this book was that it was a murder mystery. The only thing I knew about Agathia Christie was that she holds the title as the "Queen of Mystery". After reading just the Author’s Note, however, I was hooked to the concept:

"I had written this book because it was so difficult to do that the idea had fascinated me"

The book starts off developing the stories of ten people. Don't get too attached, though. Those ten people are about to die. Nope, I did not just ruin the book. The foreshadowing, epigraph and general ominousness make it clear what is about to take place. The suspense is in the journey.

No one is innocent of committing a crime, but somewhere along the line I began to side with the helpless guests. The terror of being in closed quarters with a murderer is frightening, and it is heart wrenching to read.

  

This is considered the beginning of the "who done it" genre by many. The phrase "and then there were..." would have originated/been popularized by this book. I consider this a great classic for anyone's repertoire. Anyone watch Family Guy's "And Then There Were Fewer"? BLAMO. Perfect pop culture reference.

The book questions what you think about justice. Who is right? Who is wrong? What do either of those things mean? It questions what you would do (sit in a locked room, with a gun, crying, thanks for asking). It makes you think beyond the last page.

It is a quick read. The suspense moves the plot along without a pause. It’s so intelligently approached and so full of twists and turns that I would read this again in a heartbeat. Once I finished, I almost went back to the beginning immediately.