Reviews - And Then There Were None

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25.9k reviews for:

And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie

4.24 AVERAGE

arnelapekic's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

jmcosman's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

heathernlehman's review against another edition

5.0

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

_issue's review against another edition

4.25

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

caitlin_duxbury's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Might be my favourite Christie so far a very fun read

Chap 1

I like how it cuts between introducing each charchter briefly I could imagine it like cutting between scenes in a movie like for the first few are on the train so the camera would pan through the train reaching one from the other then cut to the other location and for the car scene with the doctor cutting to the speeding car to the over character is clever just gives a nice sense of connectedness even though the vibe so far is a bunch of strangers being invited to a mysterious island by a stranger (which I feel has been referenced a lot in movie and tv)

The reveal of the mr blore charachter is very ingesting the fact he has a list of everyone and is deciding who to pretend to be

that’s too obvious to be the killer so he’s probably a private investigator?

Chap 2

Intresting Mr Blore changed his name to MR Davis

“He might have noticed that a curious constraint came over the other members of the party. It was as though the mention of their host and hostess had a curiously paralysing effect upon the guests.”

“There was as yet no fraternising among the party. It was as though each member of it was puzzled by the other members.”

Well both the captain L and Fred narracott seem to know a Mr morris?

Little harder to keep track of all the characters is Fred just the boatman? Not on Blore’s list and not introduced

There only 8 introduced in chapter one (including Blore) with reference being made to Me and Mrs rogers

Where’s Poirot? Is he Blore?

Yeah right I don’t think mr owens exists if he is delayed

Okay mrs rogers Is the maid who looks frightened all the time?

and mr rogers is the butler

But even they are new and don’t seem to have met the owens either

Ooh that poem about soldiers is very chilling

And that’s were “and then there were none” title comes from very interesting

Both Vera and the general have backstories were not getting fully yet just snippets

“There was magical about an island — the mere word suggested fantasy. You lost touch with the world — an island was a world of its own. A world, perhaps, from which you might never return.”

Hmm so the judge and the doctor already know each other - also the doctor let’s us known the judge is seen as a hanging judge (harsh) so there’s a good case for someone wanting some sort revenge

I remember the judge is the only one who got a different inviter - who is Constance culmington? Did she get married to me Owen and become Mrs Owen?

Well rivers tells him that lady isn’t expected as a guest

Hmm what is Mr Blore’s job seems like an assassin or something?

At least most of them realise there’s something strange afoot, something that doesn’t make sense about the whole thing

Chap 3

The captain is suspicious of Blore/Davis and his expertise of South Africa

The centre piece is tiny soilders figurines ten to be exact and everyone has the nursery rhyme in their room

Ooh I was literally gonna predict if the way the soilders died in the nursery rhyme was linked to them knowing someone who died

But that is a really good twist that they are all responsible for death and it’s all out in the open so quickly and seems like they’re being put on trial someone is trying to get justice who feels perhaps justice was robbed how interesting I’m glad I picked this one up

Marstons one is on my birthday lol I’m already assuming if he killed two people it was because of his speeding and her cause a collision

We already know that’s some of these are likely not to be the persons fault directly like Vera from the snippets from her meme our it just seems like she couldn’t save someone from drowning? That’s not the same thing is killing someone or murder?

But how does this person even know all this? the papers?

The oldest being the general’s which was 1917 which I really doubt you can blame him for anything the At happens in war that’s just the nature of war

Hmm swan song what is the importance of that?

Hmm should have kept the letter engaging them that’s fishy maybe the owens are just pretending to be the rogers?

Clever to pool all their information together at least they seem like a competent group

I feel any sort of teamwork and trust will be broken when the first murder happens as they all will be suspicious especially with the info threat everyone theree is already technically a murderer, who can you trust?

Ooh I’m really enjoying this so far

What’s the captain hiding about his letter and his means of being invited?

aha I was right in my prediction of Blore being a detective

Haha that is brilliant U.N Owen = unknown I love shit like that and a pretty original one very fun, and they figured that out so quick I would predict the judge will be the first to die he’s too clever

I’d bet money that the person who pretended to be mr own is among them and right now I think it’s the judge because he would have all the details of these incidents and perhaps these were times he didn’t sway the jury so has taken matters into his own hands

“Oh, yes. I’ve no doubt in my own mind that we have been invited here by a madman — probably a dangerous homicidal lunatic.”

Chap 4

“Whoever it was who enticed us here, that person knows or has taken the trouble to find out a good deal about us all.”

very true

Hmm of course they’re all going to lie about being murders and how familiar they are with the victims like of course the judge will lie about knowing seton before the case

It’s all coming out more than I thought it would and I was right about marston being due to speeding how awful he and the captain don’t seem remorseful in the slightest

It’s intresting cause we are actually getting their POV’s (except rogers) like in a normal story the doctor would lie about not knowing the victim till Poirot would point out some detail that’s reveals to the reader that the doctor was drunk and operated instead we just find out straight away from the doctors thoughts

Ooh first murder

Chap 5

I was expecting it to be him or be in such a pathetic way, was it intentional to kill marston first or just whoever drank that alcohol?

Okay new prediction marston is pretending/faking his death and is actually the “mr Owen” and I’m basing this off his expensive car and posh attitude cause whoever the person is would of had to of had resources and money, to buy/rent the house

Hmm the whiskey and side were fine so they conclude he must of put it in his own drink? But they also don’t think he seemed like the suicidal sort I kind of disagree he did seem like someone who disliked consequences but also I expect some twist revealing a more elaborate plot that’s shows he didn’t kill himself or might not be dead at all

They all had their archetypes: the doctor, the judge, the detective, the general, the captain, the old maid, the governess, the rich man child, the butler, and the housekeeper

That’s a cool description of the house (original) finding fear in the absence of a comforting cliche

“ If this had been an old house, with creaking wood, and dark shadows, and heavily panelled walls, there might have been an eerie feeling. But this house was the essence of modernity. There were no dark corners--no possible sliding panels-it was flooded with electric light everything was new and bright and shining. There was nothing hidden in this house, nothing concealed. It had no atmosphere about it.

Somehow, that was the most frightening thing of all...”

“They exchanged good-nights on the upper landing. Each of them went into his or her own room, and each of them auto-matically, almost without conscious thought, locked the door...”

“Downstairs in the dining-room, Rogers stood puzzled.

He was staring at the china figures in the centre of the table.

He muttered to himself.

That's a rum go! I could have sworn there were ten of them.'

haha I love shit like this so creepy and fun like a ghost story almost

Fred the boatman could still be a main suspect?

Okay surely one of them has got to be an unreliable narrator

Oh shit did she kill that kid on purpose so her biyrreidn could get the inheritance how awful and then her boyfriend didn’t want anything to do with her -good!

Wait the rhyme the first solider chocked what about the next? Ooh “one overslept himself” as this chapter is going through all they’re trying to sleep and dreaming but seriously how can oversleeping kill you? Unless it’s poison again? That they will all be poison they will be made to lol like other deaths

Number eight can’t work but tbf the Roth it isn’t implied he died just left the troop?

Number seven the chopping one could be a sword involved instead of sticks

Number six can still be a bee sting/ or allergic reaction (I predict this one will be Brent)

Number five is going to court - another one where death isn’t apparent

Number four - trouble at sea = drowning? (Could end up being karma for Vera)

Number three is an animal attack could be a human attack?

Number two could be being burned alive or something similar to do with fire and heat?

Number one seems obvious = a suicide, a hanging

it’s unfortunate about the original title and blatant racism sure does sour it

Chap 6

Ah here we go number nine following the pattern of the rhyme as Mrs Rogers dies by oversleeping

Damm Rogers still working as butler in a situation as strange as this after just finding out his wife died

Miss Brent’s a real bitch and religious

The misogyny is really not fun

Without the sexism it isn’t terrible logic that if two people are involved in a murder then one naturally kills off the other in case they decide to rat them out when the pressure gets to them

Ooh I figured out the Devon one - didn’t it say the general had mobbed to Devon but was getting paranoid, and now he seems to be a little barmy as Blore put it maybe he drinks too much started hallucinating about Devon and things and walks off the terrace or something?

Chap 7

Vera said: “they were only natives…”

Emily Brent said sharply

“Black or white, they are our brothers”

ok ok surprising based from miss Brent who’d of thought
Never mind she caused a young girl to Jill herself yikes

My prediction proved correct?

“I mean--it explains Soldier Island. There are crimes that cannot be brought home to their perpetrators. Instance the Rogers'. Another instance, old Wargrave, who committed his murder strictly within the law."

Chap 8

Yeah that’s most likely about someone slipping something in marston drink maybe through the open window when they were all distracted I still think it was one of the party and not an outsider

Okay the captain has got a revolver - Chekhov’s gun lol

That’s interesting about their signally probably not being taken seriously by the villages who have been told they are just having fun on the island

it was Blore who suggested this which makes him suspicious cause it is exactly something the person trapping them there would say to keep them trapped?

Well the general is definitely next talking about being relieved about this being the end tbh I don’t think he should feel guilty like just kiind of karma for sleeping with your friends wife behind his back

What if rogers is a twin that explains why they passed him in the garden and then he was in the room moments later without them even hearing him!

Well they’ve search the whole island so it must be one of the eight of them

Still no Poirot I’m like halfway through - maybe there is no Poirot but I don’t want to read the book cause if spoilers

Chap 9

Ooh Blore accusing the doctor of making a mistake when treating Mrs rogers? my prediction is that he did but not on purpose I deffo think someone went through their things and maybe tampered with their stuff like marston might of had something he usually slips in his own drink (like extra alcohol?) that someone switched out and then the doctors medicine stuff

Hmm the doctor was quick to be the one to offer to get the general he shouldn’t of done that cause I already know the general will be dead leaving the doctor open to more suspicion

Ooh the general was killed with a blow to the back of the head? Could have been any one of them? maybe Vera as she came in late? or Emily as she dropped her knitting, maybe rogers who had time to be skulking round?

“In the sense you mean, no. I came to that conclusion early this morning. I could have told you that your search would be fruitless. Nevertheless I am strongly of the opinion that

"Mr Owen" (to give him the name he himself has adopted) is on the island. Very much so. Given the scheme in question which is neither more nor less than the execution of justice upon certain individuals for offences which the law cannot touch, there is only one way in which that scheme could be accomplished. Mr Owen could only come to the island in one way.

'It is perfectly clear. Mr Owen is one of us…”

ooh what a great atmosphere for a mystery I enjoy most how methodical this group is though it’s very impressive they have kept there nerve very well and are trying to gather evidence figure things out

“My dear young lady, this is no time for refusing to look facts in the face. We are all in grave danger. One of us is

U. N. Owen. And we do not know which of us. Of the ten people who came to this island three are definitely cleared. Anthony Marston, Mrs Rogers, and General Macarthur have gone beyond suspicion. There are seven of us left. Of those seven, one is, if I may so express myself, a bogus little soldier boy.”

He paused and looked round.”

I agree with that I just want to figure out who it is i
t could be the judge? he might be enjoying this wanting them to be scared and feeling like suspicion won’t fall on him because of how he’s “helping” maybe he knows he’s dying and wants to get justice he feels has evaded him
I feel now it’s obvious I can’t trust any of the details in the POV’s from earlier

“I too, am a well-known person! But, my dear sir, that proves less than nothing! Doctors have gone mad before now. Judges have gone mad. So, he added, looking at Blore, have policemen!'”

“*Do I understand you to assert that women are not subject to homicidal mania?

Lombard said irritably:

Of course not. But all the same, it hardly seems possible He stopped. Mr Justice Wargrave still in the same thin sour voice addressed Armstrong.

I take it, Dr Armstrong, that a woman would have been physically capable of striking the blow that killed poor Macarthur?

The doctor said calmly:

Perfectly capable given a suitable instrument, such as a rubber truncheon or cosh."

haha love the equality like women can be murderes too
And yeah given the type of murder it’s entirely possible

“The idea that I should be accused of taking a fellow creature's life not to speak of the lives of three fellow creatures-is of course, quite absurd to any one who knows anything of my character. But I quite appreciate the fact that we are all strangers to one another and that, in those circumstances, nobody can be exonerated without the fullest proof. There is, as I have said, a devil amongst us.'”

actually quite reasonable

“Then we are agreed. There can be no elimination on the ground of character or position alone.'”

it’s so nice to read a book with competent characters

“My point is that there can be no exceptions allowed on the score of character, position, or probability. What we must now examine is the possibility of eliminating one or more persons on the facts. To put it simply, is there among us one or more persons who could not possibly have administered either cyanide to Anthony Marston, or an overdose of sleeping draught to Mrs Rogers, and who had no oppor tunity of striking the blow that killed General Macarthur?'”

I feel like the judge might be next on the list too clever/ too much of a threat

“Upstairs in her room, Mrs Rogers is lying in bed. The sedative that the doctor has given her begins to take effect.

She is vaguely sleepy and acquiescent. Supposing that at that moment there is a tap on the door and someone enters bringing her, shall we say, a tablet, or a draught, with the message that "The doctor says you're to take this". Do you imagine for one minute that she would not have swallowed it obediently without thinking twice about it?”

it’s impressive how Christie incorprates his job and skill set so well very much feels like downs who comes across murder cases for a living it’s a great aspect

So far going through all their movements I think miss Brent is the most suspicious and then Blore - it could be more than one that would make it easier if it was two people working together

“We come now to the death of General Macarthur. That took place this morning. I will ask anyone who considers that he or she has an alibi to state it in so many words. I myself will state at once that I have no valid alibi. I spent the morning sitting on the terrace and meditating on the singular position in which we all find ourselves.

I sat on that chair on the terrace for the whole morning until the gong went, but there were, I should imagine, several periods during the morning when I was quite unobserved and during which it would have been possible for me to walk down to the sea, kill the General, and return to my chair. There is only my word for the fact that I never left the terrace. In the circumstances that is not enough. There must be proof?”

good he’s honest about his own invalid alibi

“*We have inquired into the circumstances of these three deaths to the best of our ability. Whilst probability in some cases is against certain people being implicated, yet we cannot say definitely that any one person can be considered as cleared of all complicity. I reiterate my positive belief that of the seven persons assembled in this room one is a dangerous and probably insane criminal. There is no evidence before us as to who that person is. All we can do at the present juncture is to consider what measures we can take for communicating with the mainland for help, and in the event of help being delayed (as is only too possible given the state of the weather) what measures we must adopt to ensure our safety. I would ask you all to consider this carefully and to give me any suggestions that may occur to you. In the meantime I warn everybody to be upon his or her guard. So far the murderer has had an easy task, since his victims have been unsuspicious. From now on, it is our task to suspect each and every one amongst us. Forewarned is forearmed. Take no risks and be alert to danger. That is all.'”

they should all spend the day in the same room and lock their doors at night no more wondering around and sitting on the terrace for hours

Chap 10

“Hard to say exactly. But to begin with, he's an old man and he's been presiding over courts of law for years. That is to say, he's played God Almighty for a good many months every year. That must go to a man's head eventually. He gets to see himself as all powerful, as holding the power of life and death- and it's possible that his brain might snap and he might want to go one step farther and be Executioner and Judge Extraordinary."

ah this was my reasoning I feel smug that me and Christie were on the same wavelength when it comes to good motives
But it’s also annoying cause means it’s unlikely to happen now

“He didn't do it then. He had an opportunity later.'

'When?'

When he went down to call the General to lunch.' Philip whistled again very softly. He said:

'So you think he did it then? Pretty cool thing to do.' Vera said impatiently:

What risk was there? He's the only person here with medical knowledge. He can swear the body's been dead at least an hour and who's to contradict him?'”

this does make a lot of sense

*As regards actual evidence, such as is necessary in court, admit that I have none. But it appears to me, reviewing the whole business, that one particular person is sufficiently clearly indicated. Yes, I think so.”

ooh spill the beans I wanna know though I feel whoever he says will be wrong or like I said he’ll be murdered next

“She sat for some time without moving. Her eyes grew vague and filmy. The pencil straggled drunkenly in her fingers. In shaking loose capitals she wrote:

THE MURDERER'S NAME IS BEATRICE TAYLOR....

Her eyes closed.

Suddenly, with a start, she awoke. She looked down at the notebook. With an angry exclamation she scored through the vague unevenly scrawled characters of the last sentence.

She said in a low voice:

'Did I write that? Did I? I must be going mad..”

I don’t think it’s her she one of the ones we’re it feels more obvious though I do think it is a female killer because of the methods I feel Vera is more suspicious than her I feel like Vera is putting on more of an act
Ah Beatrice Taylor was her victim doesn’t make any sense
But that’s two that have gone mad?

The captain accusation of who he murdered is the most vague which would be easier for him to pretend about vs the possibility of a real person that the judge, doctor or policeman could know the details of

Chap 11

Well another one down I wonder if we will get down to just one left? That would be kind of sad

“She began laughing wildly again. Dr Armstrong strode forward. He raised his hand and struck her a flat blow on the cheek.

She gasped, hiccupped and swallowed. She stood motionless a minute, then she said:

Thank you... I'm all right now.'”

Haha this shouldn’t of made me laugh but it did

Vera is right about the rhyme

“You're missing the point, Mr Lombard. If the woman was innocent she'd be too dead scared to go wandering about by herself. She'd only do that if she knew that she had nothing to fear. That's to say if she herself is the criminal..”

“I may be wrong, of course, but I can't feel that you've got enough imagination for this job. All I can say is, if you're the criminal, you're a damned fine actor and I take my hat off to you.”

well we as the reader already know Blore tried to act and was bad at it and it seems way to risky if he was mr own to already be revealed as someone he’s not

*Oh well- I'm not a betting man. And anyway if you were dead I wouldn't get paid."

Look here, Mr Lombard, what do you mean?' Philip Lombard showed his teeth. He said:

I mean, my dear Blore, that in my opinion you haven't got a chance!'

'What?"

Your lack of imagination is going to make you absolutely a sitting target. A criminal of the imagination of U. N. Owen can make rings round you any time he or she wants to.

Blore's face went crimson. He demanded angrily:

And what about you?

Philip Lombard's face went hard and dangerous.

He said.

I've a pretty good imagination of my own. Ive been in tight places before now and got out of them! I think I won't say more than that but I think I'll get out of this one.”

Hmm I’d say the caption is goading Blore trying to get him to act stupid maybe try and take on the murderer to prove a point

“'It's crazy -everything's crazy. I'm going crazy. Wool disappearing red silk curtains it doesn't make sense. I can't get the hang of it…”

ooh interesting what else is missing? Whats the point? What is the person putting together, ooh are they making a trap?

“The damned fool, he believed every word I said to him.

It was easy... I must be careful, though, very careful.'”

I feel there was only the caption and Blore’s conversation this could be referring to

Chap 12

I mean fair enough to not want the doctor to give her anything in these circumstances

Ooh I thought it would be Vera who would die by the bee god I have no idea out of whose left who is the most suspicious

We know Vera drew attention to that but why would she other than to make them all weary of bees surely the murderer felt annoyed at her pointing out what was next or is that exactly the point to scare and make them feel helpless that even if they do know the how they can’t escape

Makes sense it was a syringe and not a bee sting but who? Who would of had chance and known she was out of it

And why hasn’t the doctor checked his belongings sooner obviously it’s not there but who would know he had one

Oh of course the revolver is missing it’s blore who has been most preoccupied with it

Ok at this point is suspect the judge as he has been the most helpful but not really though, the doctor and the captain both had something stolen and Blore helped them find the syringe (I don’t see why the murderer wild do that)

"Only this. I propose that the doctor's supply of drugs, my own sulphonal tablets, your revolver and anything else of the nature of drugs or firearms should be collected together and placed in a safe place. That after this is done, we should each of us submit to a search both of our persons and of our effects.'”

pretty clever

I feel like one of the people they think is dead isn’t actually? but surly it’s hard to fake your death with a doctor around?

5 left - at this point I’ve guessed everyone so don’t think I should get any credit when it’s revealed lol god Christie is good I’m having a lot of fun

Chap 13

“One of us..one of us….one of us… “

“Five people- -five frightened people. Five people who watched each other, who now hardly troubled to hide their state of nervous tension.”

“I must keep my head... I must keep my head... If only I keep my head... It's all perfectly clear- all worked out. But nobody must suspect. It may do the trick. It must! Which one? That's the question--which one? I think--yes, I rather think--yes--him.'”

the only internal monologue that seems suspicious and could be the killer, now if I predict who the other monologue’s are maybe that will give me a good guess
I think the one about “tight places before” is the captain so that rules him out
The one suspicious of Armstrong bing a real doctor is either the Blore or Vera then (since the judge knows him as a credible doctor)
I think the afraid of death one is the judge
And I think the rambling one is supposed to be considered Vera and her “hysterics” byt I think it better suits the nervous state of the doctor
So that leaves Vera - but not based on much just infusion from the writing styles of each monologue but I could be wrong quite easily

We never found out who the judge suspected and it doesn’t reveal him thinking about anyone in his monologue

Vera offered to make tea which is suspicious tge killer must be getting antsy with them all in group = person trying to break away find an opportunity to set up another murder

Oh no now that lights have gone out I’m curious if these were all planned or if they were murders of opportunity

Ooh actually I forgot about my rhyme is I go back to my predictions

Hmm it’s not what I predicted for Vera yet that’s the one after with her growing but she is getting a bath

The one for five is the law one? Which I predicted for the judge

Yeah i can’t get nothing for who will die from the rest of the rhyme doesn’t seem to be linked to the murders they are accused of

Right it can’t be any of them then unless there all blind and death

Right it can only be the captain he went down to get an “untampered drink” for Vera or the doctor who picked it up from downstairs? Gods ale I just don’t know I really don’t think it’s any of them at this point, what about the boatman?

I feel like it’s Blore but he would have had no time?

There must be an accomplice, a twin?

Well now we know that the wool and sting was for and I was right about the judge being next in the rhyme

I wish I knew who came into the room first and last cause the seaweed could of been planted on purpose (who knows how and when) and I’m the commotion killed the judge while the others where busy scrambling to the screaming

Chap 14

I really don’t know but I should make a final prediction

The captain, the doctor, the detective or the girl

I think the doctor is too obvious
Because he left the room I feel the captain is too obvious and I believe his inner monologue but actually in his monologue he says they won’t get me which is strange? could just mean instead of saying he or she but what if the judge suspected the captain and they planned to take his revolver on purpose? Gave the key to Blore showing he trusted Blore?
I’m ruling out Vera cause how could she possibly of killed the judge they were all with her

So yeah my final prediction is either the captain, the boatman or one of them pretended to be dead the whole time

I can’t make anymore predictions now

"A damned clever doublecross! That stuff was planted in Miss Claythorne's room and it worked just as it was intended to. Everyone dashes up there thinking she's being murdered.

And so in the confusion someone caught the old boy off his guard.'

that’s what I said

Ooh the revolver is in the captains draw

See Vera memories of her crime seem to vivid to be an unreliable narrator

First time Blore has been referred to as ex-inspector I mean he is in a position to of investigated all the cases and felt justice wasn’t served what motive does the captain have? if he’s lost his job he has nothing to loose and he took ages to tell his story and it was very generic

“He meant to see who it was! The footsteps had definitely passed his door going to the stairs. Where was the man going?”

“Once again, he had nearly made a fool of himself! This was a trap, perhaps, to lure him out of the house!

But what the other man didn't realise was that he had made a mistake, had delivered himself neatly into Blore's hands.

For, of the three tenanted rooms upstairs, one must now be empty. All that had to be done was to ascertain which!

Blore went swiftly back along the corridor.

He paused first at Dr Armstrong's door and tapped.

There was no answer.

He waited a minute, then went on to Philip Lombard's room.”

very clever

I don’t think it’s the doctor I think they will find him drowned and be the next victim perhaps Vera went to his room to ask for a “sedative”

“There's one other little fact. A pane in the dining-room window has been smashed _and there are only three little soldier boys on the table.'”

Right it’s definitely definitely not one of them

Chap 15

-hmm what about the gromphone (could it of be set up to answer for Vera when Blore and the captain where at her door?

Whose landor why was the inspector reminded of him is it the boatman?

The captain is still suspicious

“"A red herring- that's the vital clue. Armstrong's not dead... He took away the china soldier to make you think he was. You may say what you like Armstrong's on the island still. His disappearance is just a red herring across the track..?”

if that’s true that is very clever by Vera I’d be impressed

We’ve got hugged by a bear left, then the sun and then hung

There must be some sort of secret passage or hiding place on the island I would bet money on it

“"But don't you see, he's mad? It's all mad! The whole thing of going by the rhyme is mad! Dressing up the judge, killing Rogers when he was chopping sticks drugging Mrs Rogers so that she overslept herself arranging for a bumble bee when Miss Brent died! It's like some horrible child playing a game. It's all got to fit in.' Blore said:

'Yes, you're right.' He thought a minute. 'At any rate there's no zoo on the island. He'll have a bit of trouble getting over that.?

Vera cried:

Don't you see? We're the Zoo... Last night, we were hardly human any more. We're the Zoo..”

if it is one of them they did a fine job of not revealing their madness cause yeah they are off their rocker they sunt normal murder they are toying with them

“Listen, my girl. You heard Blore's story. You've got to admit that if it's true, I can't possibly have had anything to do with Armstrong's disappearance. His story clears me.

But it doesn't clear him. We've only his word for it that he heard footsteps and saw a man going downstairs and out at the front door. The whole thing may be a lie. He may have got rid of Armstrong a couple of hours before that.”

good point
But form Blore’s pov we know he heard stuff before he decided to leave his room

Yeah it was neither of them who killed Blore it’s not possible they were with each other so couldn’t of pushed the statue

Yep the doctor is dead as well

Chap 16

Either the boatman or the captain and he has a twin

“Don't you feel all the time that there's someone. Someone watching and waiting?"

Lombard said slowly:

'That's just nerves.'

Vera said eagerly:

Then you have felt it?”

“They found Blore. He was spreadeagled on the stone terrace on the east side, his head crushed and mangled by a great block of white marble.”

“Vera said in a low shuddering voice:

It's mine- and that's the clock from my mantelpiece...

I remember now. It was-shaped like a bear.'”

Wait I’m confused was it the captain was that a confession when he said about the conjuring trick

“Fear--what a strange thing fear was.

Well, it was over now. She had conquered - had triumphed over the most deadly peril. By her own quick-wittedness and adroitness she had turned the tables on her would-be

destroyer.”

“The whole thing might be a dream...'

How tired she was -terribly tired. Her limbs ached, her eyelids were dropping. Not to be afraid any more... To sleep.

Sleep... sleep... sleep.

To sleep safely since she was alone on the island. One little soldier boy left all alone.”

There’s got to be a final twist it can’t just be that vera killed the captain and that’s it, her thinking she’s safe is premature she’s next I bet

I bet she’s gonna be found hanging on that hook

“Ordinarily one wouldn't care to sleep where there's a dead body in practically every bedroom!”

“She paused by the dining-room door. There were still three little china figures in the middle of the table.

Vera laughed.

She said:

You're behind the times, my dears.'

She picked up two of them and tossed them out through the window. She heard them crash on the stone of the terrace.

The third little figure she picked up and held in her hand.

She said:

'You can come with me. We've won, my dear! We've won!'”

“What was that-_hanging from the hook in the ceiling? A rope with a noose all ready? And a chair to stand upon-a chair that could be kicked away..

That was what Hugo wanted..

And of course that was the last line of the rhyme.”

“You can go to the rock, Cyril.

..?

That was what murder was as easy as that!

But afterwards you went on remembering...

She climbed up on the chair, her eyes staring in front of her like a sleepwalker's... She adiusted the noose round her neck.

Hugo was there to see she did what she had to do. She kicked away the chair...”

I mean she did deserve it like

Epilogue

“Sir Thomas Legge, Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard, said irritably:

But the whole thing's incredible

Inspector Maine said respectfully:

I know, sir.'

The AC went on:

Ten people dead on an island and not a living soul on it. It doesn't make sense!'

Inspector Maine said stolidly:

Nevertheless, it happened, sir.”

“No, sir. Wargrave and Lombard were shot, the first through the head, the second through the heart. Miss Brent and Marston died of cyanide poisoning. Mrs Rogers died of an overdose of chloral. Rogers' head was split open. Blore's head was crushed in. Armstrong died of drowning. Macarthur's skull was fractured by a blow on the back of the head and Vera Claythorne was hanged.'”

I wasn’t a fan of this chapter it was a bit too repetitive

“Man called Morris. Isaac Morris.' And what does he say about it all?

He can't say anything, sir, he's dead.'”

“And he was behind this island business?'

*Yes, sir, he put through the sale though he made it clear that he was buying Soldier Island for a third party, unnamed.'”

“It was Morris who made all the arrangements down at Sticklehaven. Represented himself as acting for "Mr Owen" And it was he who explained to the people down there 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.'”

these parts were useful though finally getting some answers

“Well, it's not quite like that, sir. We do know why, more or less. 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”

“And that's quite all right--up to a point. There's a chair in her bedroom and on the seat of it there are marks of seaweed same as on her shoes. Looks as though she stood on the chair, adjusted the rope round her neck and kicked away the chair.

But that chair wasn't found kicked over. It was, like all the other chairs, neatly put back against the wall. That was done after Vera Claythorne's death by someone else.”

“And therefore, sir, there must have been someone else on the island. Someone who tidied up when the whole business was over. But where was he all the time- and where did he go to? The Sticklehaven people are absolutely certain that no one could have left the island before the rescue boat got there. But in that case-He stopped.

The Assistant Commissioner said:

In that case

He sighed. He shook his head. He leaned forward.

"But in that case,' he said, who killed them?”

The confession

A MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT SENT TO SCOTLAND YARD BY THE MASTER OF THE

'EMMA JANE' FISHING TRAWLER

This was such an unexpected way to do the reveal
And it really is right at the end I was worried for a moment it might just be left a mystery which I would of half appreciate and been half annoyed by

“From my earliest youth I realised that my nature was a mass of contradictions. I have, to begin with, an incurably romantic imagination. The practice of throwing a bottle into the sea with an important document inside was one that never failed to thrill me when reading adventure stories as a child. It thrills me still and for that reason I have adopted this course-writing my confession, enclosing it in a bottle, sealing the latter, and casting it into the waves. There is, I suppose, a hundred to one chance that my confession may be found--and then (or do I flatter myself?) a hitherto unsolved murder mystery will be explained.”

“I was born with other traits besides my romantic fancy. I have a definite sadistic delight in seeing or causing death. I remember experiments with wasps--with various garden Pests... From an early age I knew very strongly the lust to kill.

But side by side with this went a contradictory trait- a strong sense of justice. It is abhorrent to me that an innocent person or creature should suffer or die by any act of Mine. I have always felt strongly that right should prevail.”

yeah very contradictory lol

“It was then that I intimated to Armstrong that we must carry our plan into effect. It was simply this- I must appear to be the next victim. That would perhaps rattle the murderer-at any rate once I was supposed to be dead I could move about the house and spy upon the unknown murderer.”

Eh I like when clues are there and not just omitted, I like a game of mystery that is fair
But to give credit it does make sense I don’t see any cracks in the plot if this is what happened

“Armstrong was keen on the idea. We carried it out that evening. A little plaster of red mud on the forehead--the red curtain and the wool and the stage was set. The lights of the candles were very flickering and uncertain and the only person who would examine me closely was Armstrong.

It worked perfectly. Miss Claythorne screamed the house down when she found the seaweed which I had thoughtfully arranged in her room. They all rushed up, and I took up my pose of a murdered man.

The effect on them when they found me was all that could be desired. Armstrong acted his part in the most professional manner.”

how and when did he arrange the seaweed in his room he was the one who wouldn’t even let Vera leave for tea is it because he had already planted the seaweed and didn’t want her going up to her room (makes me wonder how many details in Christie novels are missed or not pieces together but she knew and had added in)

“Thad a rendezvous with Armstrong outside the house at a quarter to two. I took him up a little way behind the house on the edge of the cliff. I said that here we could see if any one else approached us, and we should not be seen from the house as the bedrooms faced the other way. He was still quite unsuspicious-and yet he ought to have been warned- if he had only remembered the words of the nursery rhyme. 'A red herring swallowed one.. He took the red herring all right.

It was quite easy. I uttered an exclamation, leant over the cliff, told him to look, wasn't that the mouth of a cave?

He leant right over. A quick vigorous push sent him off his balance and splash into the heaving sea below.”

this is just very gullible why would he agree to meeting outside?

“1 calculated that they would search the house again, but I did not think they would look closely at any of the corpses, a mere twitch aside of the sheet to satisfy themselves that it was not Armstrong masquerading as a body. This is exactly what occurred.”

okay this is clever

“I forgot to say that I returned the revolver to Lombard's room. It may be of interest to someone to know where it was hidden during the search. There was a big pile of tinned food in the larder. I opened the bottommost of the tins biscuits I think it contained, bedded in the revolver and replaced the strip of adhesive tape.

I calculated, and rightly, that no one would think of working their way through a pile of apparently untouched foodstuffs, especially as all the top tins were soldered.”

“And now came the moment that I had anticipated-three people who were so frightened of each other that anything might happen -and one of them had a revolver. I watched them from the windows of the house.”

also clever

“From my window I saw Vera Claythorne shoot Lombard.

A daring and resourceful young woman. I always thought she was a match for him and more. As soon as that had happened I set the stage in her bedroom.”

“It was an interesting psychological experiment. Would the consciousness of her own guilt, the state of nervous tension consequent on having just shot a man, be sufficient, together with the hypnotic suggestion of the surroundings, to cause her to take her own life? I thought it would. I was right. Vera Claythorne hanged herself before my eyes where I stood in the shadow of the wardrobe.

And now for the last stage. I came forward, picked up the chair and set it against the wall. I looked for the revolver and found it at the top of the stairs where the girl had dropped it. I was careful to preserve her fingerprints on it.”

“Why?

Yes, why?

It was my ambition to invent a murder mystery that no one could solve.

But no artist, I now realise, can be satisfied with art alone.

There is a natural craving for recognition which cannot be gainsaid.

I have, let me confess it in all humility, a pitiful human wish that someone should know just how clever I have been…”

makes sense

“In all this, I have assumed that the mystery of Soldier Island will remain unsolved. It may be, of course, that the police will be cleverer than I think. There are, after all, three clues. One: the police are perfectly aware that Edward Seton was guilty. They know, therefore, that one of the ten people on the island was not a murderer in any sense of the word, and it follows, paradoxically, that that person must logically be the murderer. The second clue lies in the seventh verse of the nursery rhyme. Armstrong's death is associated with a red herring' which he swallowed or rather which resulted in swallowing him! That is to say that at that stage of the affair some hocus-pocus is clearly indicated and that Armstrong was deceived by it and sent to his death. That might start a promising line of inquiry. For at that period there are only four persons and of those four I am clearly the only one likely to inspire him with confidence.

The third is symbolical. The manner of my death marking me on the forehead. The brand of Cain.”

I wish there had been a few more clues that when pointed out I would of been like oh wow that’s so clever can’t believe I missed that whereas with this confession it’s all oh that’s clever I didn’t miss it because there was no clue left behind

“I shall be found, laid neatly on my bed, shot through the forehead in accordance with the record kept by my fellow victims. Times of death cannot be stated with any accuracy by the time our bodies are examined.

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.

Signed:

Lawrence Wargrave.”

I still don’t understand his death

But yeah credit she did bamboozled me again my final prediction went the judge

God damm I didn’t predict it, I got some of it like one of the them already dead and the judges motives but it was still really cool and clever to read his confession cause towards the end I totally believed his death and didn’t suspect him at all

I think I got my hopes up a little much so it was slightly underwhelming just cause of how last minute the reveal was it felt like she could of spun it to be anyone

I’m still confused how he killed himself at the end to tie it all up while leaving the gun outside his room?

And most of this is up to Armstrong being pretty gullible

Don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed and had a good time it might of been my favoured Agatha Christie I’ve read so far it was so cool to have so many murders and the group keep dwindling down and I had to keep making new theories