And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of a classic Agatha Christie mystery, starring Lyndsey Marshal, Geoffrey Whitehead, and John Rowe.

Ten guests travel to an island at the invitation of someone named U. N. Owen. All are strangers, but they have two things in common: they have all been responsible for someone's death, and none will leave the island alive. Over the next two days and nights, each of the guests is killed off in a different manner in keeping with the nursery rhyme, 'Ten Little Soldier Boys'. As they are picked off one by one, who could possibly be responsible?

The killers are forced to turn detective so they can find the unknown murderer, but one by one they become victims.

Billed as 'the famous detective story without a detective', And Then There Were None is one of Agatha Christie's darkest and most enduring tales.

1 pages, Audible Audio

Published January 13, 2011

About the author

Agatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.

Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.

This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.

Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this dramatized version of Agatha Christie's famous story!

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable mystery. It is a locked room mystery, ten strangers all trapped on an island and being killed one by one. The story is the members of their party trying to figure out who invited them to the island, why and who is killing them. It’s a fairly simple story in that way, but it has its turns and twists and keeps you guessing, as any good mystery does. As a dramatisation, it is abridged but it does use a full cast to bring the island to life. The cast are well chosen and do bring their characters to life. Harry Child does well as the vaguely disturbing Cyril. Alex Wyndham’s Captain Lombard feels just this side of sleezy. Lyndsey Marshal does a brilliant job of showing Vera’s deteriorating mindset. Joy Wilkinson has done fantastic work adapting this for drama. I highly recommend it for those looking at getting into Agatha Christie, there is a reason this is considered one of her best.

For those interested, the cast includes:
• Vera Claythorne — Lyndsey Marshal
• Captain Lombard — Alex Wyndham
• Emily Brent — Joanna Monro
• Dr Armstrong — Sean Baker
• Mr Justice Wargrave — Geoffrey Whitehead
• Anthony Marston — Lloyd Thomas
• Mr Blore — Sam Dale
• Narracott — Adeel Akhtar
• General MacArthur — John Rowe
• Mr Rogers — Wayne Foskett
• Mrs Rogers — Sally Orrock
• Cyril — Harry Child

This is not the first Agatha Christie I have enjoyed. I have seen The Mousetrap with all it has many similarities with this, another locked-room mystery (no spoilers). Agatha Christie is the mother of many of the tropes we take for granted in the crime and thriller genres today, so she can feel quite trope-ish. I think listening to or watching her work can lessen this impact and using the BBC is one of the best ways to do this. The BBC has access to some high-level talent, knows what will enhance the material and how to best adapt it for air.

[Jessica Chriesman · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 rounded up

Not quite as satisfying as the original ending but a great dramatization.