And Then There Were None
This is it. The big one. Everyone who has heard of Christie has heard of this book. And Then There Were None has a magic feeling that no mystery author, including Christie herself, has been able to re-create. It is a masterful weaving of ten perspectives, thriving off tension to make this short book a one-session read. With the tone established by a labyrinthine manor, the plot is revealed by a twisted children's poem written on the wall of the dining room, accompanied by ten wooden effigies that represent the ten guests on the secluded island. So the crime is laid out in the most ominous form imaginable. But what is the motive? That, too, is revealed via a blood-freezing method. A crackling gramophone accuses everyone present of a particular sin, pronouncing a grisly judgment. In everyone’s scramble to protect their honor and cover their sin, they leave themselves vulnerable. One dies, and a wooden effigy is broken. And then there were nine. Panic collapses into flimsy order, with a system of trios being established to ensure safety. But human nature is to distrust anyone in such a dire situation, and so they all wish to sleep in separate rooms. In the morning, one of them never awakens. And then there were eight. A search is undertaken to see if there is a perpetrator outside of the ten, but that search simply leaves them vulnerable. And then there were seven. Without any further spoilers, the title comes true. And Then There Were None. This story embodies the entire mystery genre, as ultimately, human nature is the greatest enigma of all, one that will never be solved by mortal minds. That is why the lack of a true solution is the only fitting conclusion. That is why a perfect mystery must remain a mystery. That is why, during the epilogue, a pair of detectives tries to make sense of the novel's events, but they merely give voice to the reader's thoughts: We will never know. The Chase Verdict is succinct, as no words apart from those employed in that epilogue can grasp its ethereal quality: This novel is a must for your personal library, well worth reading many times.