And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie (Book)

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie.

I haven't read an Agatha Christie novel for like a decade now because once you start with any of her book, it is just not possible to read one and move on to other writers. As always is the case with any Agatha Christie book that its totally hooking, engrossing read and by the time your done with it, the reader in you starts asking for more and you very well know that this appetite cannot be satisfied by any other writer as no one comes close to her standards. The guessing game as it happens with all her works is damn tough and think as hard and try as harder I could, I just couldn't guess who was killing all of them in this one too as the title suggests. I would have never picked this up as I am in no position to buy anymore books (financially :() but a very darling friend came from Bangalore and got me this and one each from Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Haruki Murakami. See I have those kindda friends and no doubt they know that I love them from the bottom of my heart, really Veekey :) I love you big time - keep them coming :) Bangalore has some real kool people I tell you.

Also, I am no poetry guy and have hardly ever read any poems or remember any barring those kindergarten poems like BaBa Blacksheep, Johny Johny, Yes Papa and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star but this one got me totally hooked and I just cant not mention it here as the book and story kept making me go back to the poem so many times (read ten for minimum) and by the time I finished the book I was not only smiling ear to ear but I had the poem by heart by then :).

Ten little Soldier boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little Soldier boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little Soldier boys traveling in Devon; One said he’d stay there and then there were seven. Seven little Soldier boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six. Six little Soldier boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little Soldier boys going in for law; One got into Chancery and then there were four. Four little Soldier boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little Soldier boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little Soldier boys playing in the sun; One got frizzeled up and then there was One. One little Soldier boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

Terrific Story and what amazing suspense till the very end, if someone actually tears up the last two pages of any Agatha Christie book, I guess the reader will go mad not knowing the ending. This precisely applies to this book too even after knowing right at the very start that the Ten little soldiers (characters) are all going to die, what you want to know is who is killing them as its never a why in this story but who and how too :). Ten strangers are invited to a secluded Island which is cut off from the world, each one has a background for which he or she is supposed to pay a price although they have no idea of the same till they reach there and the killings start but by that time its too late, Island is totally cut off from the rest of the world as bad weather, distance and no boats coming back with supplies next day confirms it to all the remaining alive very next day that they are doomed. What they do next to safe guard themselves and how they keep guessing the killer among-st them as there is no eleventh person on the Island makes up for a terrific read. This is definitely one of her best works if not the totally best and I loved it. Looking forward to her other works now as I guess she in total wrote 76 novels :D.

Do let me know if you read this one, were you able to guess the killer? and if you haven't read it so far, guess its high time you read this and tell me how many times you went back to that lovely poem while reading the book :).