And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie

Also known as Ten Little Indians

Like most Agatha Christie books, this one has a good ending and I won't spoil it for you by telling.  The plot is this (I haven't read this in a while, so bear with me): ten people who don't know each other except by reputation are invited for a weekend retreat at a secluded island mansion by a mysterious host who never shows up.  (Hmm...could this be suspicious?)  Over the next few days they all die one by one in mysterious ways with no way to escape and no way of predicting what will happen next.  A little like The Blair Witch Project, if you think about it-or maybe not.  Anyway, read it to find out who the killer is and why they did it..

The original title "Ten Little Indians" comes form a rhyme posted in each bedroom in this house, which goes like this:

(I omitted 7, 6, 5, 3, and 2 for reasons of space, but you get the idea)

Ten little Indian boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Indian boys stayed up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Indian boys travelling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Four little Indian boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

One little Indian boy left all alone;
He went and hanged himself and then there were none.

As you can see, the current title "And Then There Were None" also comes from the poem.  And note in verse 4 that "red herring" is also a mystery term meaning a false clue or line of reasoning, usually used to purposefully mislead the hero.

Don't read this too late at night if you get easily scared by creepy things, because this entire book is incredibly ominous.

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