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Countdown to Death
Ten strangers are lured to a remote Scottish island at the invitation of a reclusive industrialist.
Stranded on Lord Black’s wondrous estate, the disparate guests have more in common than they first realize.
Accused in a mysterious letter of having committed crimes in their past, one by one they are hunted down. But who is the killer? Will any of them live to find out?
***A modern retelling of the Agatha Christie classic--with a surprising twist.***
Stranded on Lord Black’s wondrous estate, the disparate guests have more in common than they first realize.
Accused in a mysterious letter of having committed crimes in their past, one by one they are hunted down. But who is the killer? Will any of them live to find out?
***A modern retelling of the Agatha Christie classic--with a surprising twist.***
206 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
16 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Iain McChesney
2 books66 followersBorn and raised in Scotland, Iain McChesney is a writer of classic mysteries and the author of Murder at Malenfer.
His second novel, Countdown to Death, is a modern re-telling of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, drawing inspiration from the remote gothic qualities of the Scottish highlands in homage to the classic whodunit.
He lives in Vancouver, Canada, with his wife and two children.
His second novel, Countdown to Death, is a modern re-telling of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, drawing inspiration from the remote gothic qualities of the Scottish highlands in homage to the classic whodunit.
He lives in Vancouver, Canada, with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 3, 2015
Review: COUNTDOWN TO DEATH by Iain McChesney
36 stars for this wonderfully imaginative, well-created, and finely-tuned, "locked room" style mystery! It kept me puzzling throughout, choosing first one villain then another, but the author kept ahead of me throughout, leading this reader on a merry chase. I cut my mystery teeth on Dame Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. I 've never forgotten it, and I venture to state that COUNTDOWN TO DEATH is every bit as memorable. It certainly highly impressed thus reviewer.
36 stars for this wonderfully imaginative, well-created, and finely-tuned, "locked room" style mystery! It kept me puzzling throughout, choosing first one villain then another, but the author kept ahead of me throughout, leading this reader on a merry chase. I cut my mystery teeth on Dame Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. I 've never forgotten it, and I venture to state that COUNTDOWN TO DEATH is every bit as memorable. It certainly highly impressed thus reviewer.
October 27, 2015
Countdown to Death by Iain McChesney is a 2015 Wayzgooze Press Publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Ten green bottles, hanging on the wall! And if one green bottle should accidentally fall, There'll be nine green bottles...”
A group of people from all walks of life are invited to visit “Lord Black” in his Scottish Island 'castle' in a secluded and remote location. Once they arrive, they realize that their darkest and dirtiest secrets are about to be exposed and justice is about to be served…
“Something that last in this world, that's what counts, the rest of it is snow falling in springtime.”
As the synopsis of this mystery tale explains, this is a modern day retelling of the classic Agatha Christie novel “Then There Were None”.
Daring to put a new spin on such a groundbreaking and beloved classic is a little bit risky, in my opinion, so, I wondered if the author was either deep in his cups, had brass balls, or perhaps he was, in his own special way, paying homage to the classic mystery novel and especially to Ms. Christie, who quite literally turned the mystery genre on its head when she wrote “Then There were None.”
I approached the story with a slight feeling of trepidation, wondering in what way the author puts his own personal stamp on this familiar outline, hoping this wasn't too ambitious of an undertaking. I also wondered how I should approach it, since the temptation to compare the old with the new might be unavoidable. As it turns out the story is very well written, even stylish, with some wickedly dark humor, and a few illustrations added in, to put the cherry on the cake.
Despite the obvious and very familiar plot, the formula is one that in so enduring, it continues to work, time and time again. The story does what it sets out to do, which is to keep the reader guessing who will be the next victim, and who the murderer is and if he/she is performing some sort of twisted form of vigilante justice, or if there is another more sinister motive behind the murders, and of course the scenario creates a vast amount of tension when paranoia and suspicion sets in among the guest. There are shocking revelations, confessions, twist and turns, which created an atmosphere that's been missing in mystery novels for a long time. However, the modern day mystery lover will enjoy the updates which include current technology, and more grisly descriptions, giving the story an even darker tone.
Having read one of this author's books in the past, I knew going in the writing would be impressive, and was happy to see the obvious respect he has for this genre, using his very vivid imagination to breath new life into this standard classic. The dialogue was crisp and distinct, the atmosphere was unique and of course the story has a stunning and spectacular conclusion.
This is a fun and interesting spin on the classic novel, very unique and witty, which could even spark a renewed interest in British, 'locked room', or vintage mysteries, or maybe inspire a few more retellings in the future! I for one think that is a great idea! I had a great time reading this one!
Overall 4 stars
“Ten green bottles, hanging on the wall! And if one green bottle should accidentally fall, There'll be nine green bottles...”
A group of people from all walks of life are invited to visit “Lord Black” in his Scottish Island 'castle' in a secluded and remote location. Once they arrive, they realize that their darkest and dirtiest secrets are about to be exposed and justice is about to be served…
“Something that last in this world, that's what counts, the rest of it is snow falling in springtime.”
As the synopsis of this mystery tale explains, this is a modern day retelling of the classic Agatha Christie novel “Then There Were None”.
Daring to put a new spin on such a groundbreaking and beloved classic is a little bit risky, in my opinion, so, I wondered if the author was either deep in his cups, had brass balls, or perhaps he was, in his own special way, paying homage to the classic mystery novel and especially to Ms. Christie, who quite literally turned the mystery genre on its head when she wrote “Then There were None.”
I approached the story with a slight feeling of trepidation, wondering in what way the author puts his own personal stamp on this familiar outline, hoping this wasn't too ambitious of an undertaking. I also wondered how I should approach it, since the temptation to compare the old with the new might be unavoidable. As it turns out the story is very well written, even stylish, with some wickedly dark humor, and a few illustrations added in, to put the cherry on the cake.
Despite the obvious and very familiar plot, the formula is one that in so enduring, it continues to work, time and time again. The story does what it sets out to do, which is to keep the reader guessing who will be the next victim, and who the murderer is and if he/she is performing some sort of twisted form of vigilante justice, or if there is another more sinister motive behind the murders, and of course the scenario creates a vast amount of tension when paranoia and suspicion sets in among the guest. There are shocking revelations, confessions, twist and turns, which created an atmosphere that's been missing in mystery novels for a long time. However, the modern day mystery lover will enjoy the updates which include current technology, and more grisly descriptions, giving the story an even darker tone.
Having read one of this author's books in the past, I knew going in the writing would be impressive, and was happy to see the obvious respect he has for this genre, using his very vivid imagination to breath new life into this standard classic. The dialogue was crisp and distinct, the atmosphere was unique and of course the story has a stunning and spectacular conclusion.
This is a fun and interesting spin on the classic novel, very unique and witty, which could even spark a renewed interest in British, 'locked room', or vintage mysteries, or maybe inspire a few more retellings in the future! I for one think that is a great idea! I had a great time reading this one!
Overall 4 stars
November 12, 2020
This book was a gift from the author, Iain McChesney, and his publisher, Wayzgoose Press via NetGalley for the purposes of review.
Agatha Christie fans will appreciate this fun new take on her novel "And then there were none"! If I should be so bold, I'd have to say that I enjoyed "Countdown to death" MORE than the Christie novel. Sacrilegious I know... Also, I thought the cover was perfect for the book. The notes in the novel (with drawings by Steve Blincoe) were inspired by Edward Gorey's "The Gashlycrumb Tinies".
First off there is the wonderful setting of a windswept, remote, and beautiful Scottish island. A wealthy industrialist named Lord Black invites a mishmash of acquaintances to the island. They are a disparate group, one of which is blackmailing him. The others include an aging movie star, a corrupt police inspector, a wealthy media mogul, a doctor, an old school friend of Lord Blacks, the 'gillie' and housekeeper he hired to take care of his guests and... the biographer he hired to write his life's story.
The house is called "Taigh Dubh" or Black House. An apt name if ever there was one.
The author based the house on Kinloch Castle, a real dwelling situated on the island of Rum.
Once ensconced in Taigh Dubh, the guests are read a letter from their host. In it the letter refers to the ten empty bottles that are displayed on the mantle of the great room. Then he goes on to say how each guest is in some way guilty of something - AND, how they will be murdered - one by one... They all realize that they were lured to the island under false pretenses. And there is no way off the island until the following week!
After the first murder they attempt to rally together to either find a way off the island, or, to confront their host, who they have not as yet seen.
As their numbers dwindle, so too do the number of green bottles on the mantle. Their suspicion of one another increases - yet each doesn't want to be left alone.
One of my favorite sentences from the novel: "The cracks of taste were pasted over with money and bore the weight of purloined antiquity".
All in all "Countdown to death" was a fun, though improbable retelling of the Christie classic. I enjoyed the read. Thanks Mr. McChesney!
This review (including graphics) was originally published on my blog https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
Agatha Christie fans will appreciate this fun new take on her novel "And then there were none"! If I should be so bold, I'd have to say that I enjoyed "Countdown to death" MORE than the Christie novel. Sacrilegious I know... Also, I thought the cover was perfect for the book. The notes in the novel (with drawings by Steve Blincoe) were inspired by Edward Gorey's "The Gashlycrumb Tinies".
First off there is the wonderful setting of a windswept, remote, and beautiful Scottish island. A wealthy industrialist named Lord Black invites a mishmash of acquaintances to the island. They are a disparate group, one of which is blackmailing him. The others include an aging movie star, a corrupt police inspector, a wealthy media mogul, a doctor, an old school friend of Lord Blacks, the 'gillie' and housekeeper he hired to take care of his guests and... the biographer he hired to write his life's story.
The house is called "Taigh Dubh" or Black House. An apt name if ever there was one.
The author based the house on Kinloch Castle, a real dwelling situated on the island of Rum.
Once ensconced in Taigh Dubh, the guests are read a letter from their host. In it the letter refers to the ten empty bottles that are displayed on the mantle of the great room. Then he goes on to say how each guest is in some way guilty of something - AND, how they will be murdered - one by one... They all realize that they were lured to the island under false pretenses. And there is no way off the island until the following week!
After the first murder they attempt to rally together to either find a way off the island, or, to confront their host, who they have not as yet seen.
As their numbers dwindle, so too do the number of green bottles on the mantle. Their suspicion of one another increases - yet each doesn't want to be left alone.
One of my favorite sentences from the novel: "The cracks of taste were pasted over with money and bore the weight of purloined antiquity".
All in all "Countdown to death" was a fun, though improbable retelling of the Christie classic. I enjoyed the read. Thanks Mr. McChesney!
This review (including graphics) was originally published on my blog https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
November 11, 2015
First of all, thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I'm a bit afraid of "retellings", as the ones I've read lately are really lame, so I'm more than happy to have read this book, as it's good, good, good.
It's a modern version of "Ten Little Indians", by Agatha Christie, which happens to be the first AC book the author read, and also the first one by her I read. It's brilliantly written, and like the original book, full of suspense and twists.
Characters are modernized, but most of them are similar to the ones in AC. They are very well depicted and you can't help but wonder if the outcome will be the same.
Be prepared for it!
I'm a bit afraid of "retellings", as the ones I've read lately are really lame, so I'm more than happy to have read this book, as it's good, good, good.
It's a modern version of "Ten Little Indians", by Agatha Christie, which happens to be the first AC book the author read, and also the first one by her I read. It's brilliantly written, and like the original book, full of suspense and twists.
Characters are modernized, but most of them are similar to the ones in AC. They are very well depicted and you can't help but wonder if the outcome will be the same.
Be prepared for it!
November 27, 2015
"Ten green bottles hanging on the wall, And if one green bottle should accidentally fall, There will be 9 green bottles.........."
A crooked cop, an actress who is a black widow, an extortionist, a physician into experimental treatments, a warmonger, an actor spreading HIV, a couple who 'lost' a disabled son and a man who committed vehicular homicide all brought together by letters from Lord Black asking them to join him on his island. Everyone looking for something from Lord Black so everyone accepted.
All were strangers and all were stranded once they reached the island but no Lord Black was in residence. Then a letter was read by the caretaker. The letter addressed each guest personally and held each's darkest secret.
Then one of them was murdered and the nightmare began.
Countdown to Death reminded me of Hitchcock version of a Sherlock Holmes mystery minus the detective to save anyone. I really enjoyed the intrigue and the building suspense. Iain McChesney did an incredible job with this book and it is definitely not your average mystery.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for a review. For more information about Iaian McChesney check out https://iainmcchesney.wordpress.com/
A crooked cop, an actress who is a black widow, an extortionist, a physician into experimental treatments, a warmonger, an actor spreading HIV, a couple who 'lost' a disabled son and a man who committed vehicular homicide all brought together by letters from Lord Black asking them to join him on his island. Everyone looking for something from Lord Black so everyone accepted.
All were strangers and all were stranded once they reached the island but no Lord Black was in residence. Then a letter was read by the caretaker. The letter addressed each guest personally and held each's darkest secret.
Then one of them was murdered and the nightmare began.
Countdown to Death reminded me of Hitchcock version of a Sherlock Holmes mystery minus the detective to save anyone. I really enjoyed the intrigue and the building suspense. Iain McChesney did an incredible job with this book and it is definitely not your average mystery.
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for a review. For more information about Iaian McChesney check out https://iainmcchesney.wordpress.com/
November 21, 2015
This is an interesting "re-telling" of "And Then There Were None," by Agatha Christie. The general idea of both books is of ten(ish) strangers trapped on an isolated island encountering unexpected death in a creepy way.
The tone of McChesney's book comes across as frantic and chaotic. I think that the story would still surprise readers, considering that many people who will read this have read Christie's masterpiece.
It reads very quickly. It has been modernized in that the characters have cell phones, but they quickly become useless once out on the island. Other modern touches seem to be thrown in as the only factors to define the modernity of the story.
Like the original, there is an epilogue at the end. Overall, it is different enough to be interesting, and similar enough to be interesting.
**eARC netgalley**
The tone of McChesney's book comes across as frantic and chaotic. I think that the story would still surprise readers, considering that many people who will read this have read Christie's masterpiece.
It reads very quickly. It has been modernized in that the characters have cell phones, but they quickly become useless once out on the island. Other modern touches seem to be thrown in as the only factors to define the modernity of the story.
Like the original, there is an epilogue at the end. Overall, it is different enough to be interesting, and similar enough to be interesting.
**eARC netgalley**
September 28, 2015
Well, this actually turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect too much, McChesney's first novel was pretty average, but he really improved his game with this Agatha Christie pastiche. The original is impossible to improve upon, so McChesney doesn't try, he spins his own tale within set parameters and manages to maintain the suspense and mystery of it all throughout. The story is timeless and, although this one is modernized by presence of current day technology, it really doesn't lend itself to the plot, it's basically negligible. What does work is the quaintness of style, the eerie isolation of location, even a well placed loving wink and nudge to the original. Made for a quick and enjoyable read, good fun for a discerning mystery fan. Recommended.
July 6, 2017
When I told my daughter that I was reading a remake of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None - she asked why? Why would you write a book when the first one was perfect? And there you have it. Christie's was the perfect mystery story and anything is going to pale in comparison. This just had too many paragraphs where you didn't know who the speaker was. It was okay at first, but it really was annoying by the end.
October 27, 2015
And then there were none...kind of. I really liked this book. I became hooked on this author's writing with his first novel, so I was definitely curious to see what he would do next. I'm excited to say that he surprised me in a pleasant way.
This book is a modern retelling of a classic work, and although they are different enough that they can't be directly compared--I have to say, that for once, I liked this story better than the original.
One of my favourite things about McChesney's writing, is the way he blends dark humour into an ordinary scene, making it fun. I like the ironic things that happen to his characters and the way he gets an already quick plot moving even faster with unexpected events.
I couldn't figure this one out until the very end, and I laughed when I realised that the clues were there all along--but I was so involved with the writing and the characters that I didn't see what was right in front of me.
I truly like this author, and recommend his work to anyone looking for a great read.
So much fun!
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and was provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This book is a modern retelling of a classic work, and although they are different enough that they can't be directly compared--I have to say, that for once, I liked this story better than the original.
One of my favourite things about McChesney's writing, is the way he blends dark humour into an ordinary scene, making it fun. I like the ironic things that happen to his characters and the way he gets an already quick plot moving even faster with unexpected events.
I couldn't figure this one out until the very end, and I laughed when I realised that the clues were there all along--but I was so involved with the writing and the characters that I didn't see what was right in front of me.
I truly like this author, and recommend his work to anyone looking for a great read.
So much fun!
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and was provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
May 13, 2016
I honestly think I enjoyed this retelling of as much as I enjoyed the original. Flawless writing. Interesting characters. Wonderful setting. A classic whodunit mystery I loved reading from beginning to end.
May 26, 2017
I would like to thank Wayzgoose Press for providing me with a free electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an open and honest review.
Okay, so I am a fan of Agatha Christie, no surprise there. And I do in fact have one of the older printed copies of her novel now known as ‘And then there were none’. But my copy is so old it is still called ‘Ten little N…’ yeah, I’m not going to type that word as it is not a nice one. But you get my point, right? If not, go google the original name. Anyhow, I love the tale and know it well. So when I asked to read ‘Countdown to death’ I was perfectly aware of what it was paying homage to and had a little trepidation as to whether it could pull it off.
It did. And it did it in a lovely and entertaining manner too. Very much in the fashion of the original tale, while also breathing a new life and a new voice into the tale. Mr McChesney wasn’t just repeating Ms Christie’s work, he is truly paying her a homage by taking the old story and not making it new… but simply making it modern… if that makes sense? Yeah, no it probably doesn’t make sense outside my head but let’s just go with it okay? It was a compliment and we will just run with that. ;-)
Did I feel the need to go to an island with ten people and kill them off one by one to ensure I could truly review this book open and honestly? No, sadly I could not make that happen and I do know how that is seen as a flaw in my reviewing by some - that I can’t have an opinion without trying what the book is about first - but yeah, not in my budget and the closest islands I could use are either Granite Island or Kangaroo Island and both out of scope so ah well… Instead I just read it as the mystery it was, tried to see how identical to the original plot it would be, see if I could wade through the small school of red herrings and guess the killer and all in all have fun reading the book. No need to smash glass bottles or plot my revenge on people I feel have done me wrong before I could enjoy this tale!
And did I guess who the murder was? Yes, I did. To me it was a pretty obvious option, but the story was woven so well that I did have myself second guessing a few times, but in the end my original choice was proven correct. And, sadly, I figured it out rather early on. Unlike an Agatha Christie where it takes me most of the book to work it out. But never fear, it did not detract from the story, did not ruin the enjoyment of it all and it was nice to see how it was all explained and done in the end.
Plus I am a stinker and one of those annoying people who can watch a mystery for 5 minutes or read the first three chapters of a book and tell you whodunit. It’s the savant part of my idiot really - and yes, I am allowed to make such jokes about myself, I am neuro-diverse! :-D
As to the formatting and other “boring bits” side of things, there were a few typos and grammatical slip ups… but it was an ARC and so accepted. Plus I am a typo Queen and so don’t have the right to judge someone else on the odd slip up! It did not detract from my rating. Nor did the fact it sometimes seemed to get jumbled up and confused as to who was saying what. And I don’t mean those gorgeous snippets here and there deliberately meant to be ambiguous - those I liked. Just sometimes when they were all together talking, the formatting let down the narration as it wasn’t clear who said what. But hey, in some ways that is mimicking Ms Christie’s style too!
Would I recommend this book to others?
Yes I would. Though I really do feel someone who has read the original Christie tale would get the same appreciation of it that I did. However, I really don’t feel reading ‘And then there were none’ is a prerequisite to reading or enjoying ‘Countdown to death’. I feel it is a good, solid and enjoyable story all on its own. A homage yes, but it is worthy of being its own entity too and could easily be enjoyed as such.
Would I buy this book for myself?
Possibly? I mean, I enjoyed it, loved it for the salute to the old crime thrillers and liked it for its own potential and talent. But right now I am not drawn to wanting to read it again and again at a later date - as I would with an Agatha Christie novel. ‘Countdown to death’ is good, very good. But for now is more a “borrow from library” level of tale for me. Sorry. I feel I am doing this book a great injustice in saying that, but I am being open and honest.
In summary: A well written mystery in its own right, but also a beautiful homage to the crime Queen herself.
Okay, so I am a fan of Agatha Christie, no surprise there. And I do in fact have one of the older printed copies of her novel now known as ‘And then there were none’. But my copy is so old it is still called ‘Ten little N…’ yeah, I’m not going to type that word as it is not a nice one. But you get my point, right? If not, go google the original name. Anyhow, I love the tale and know it well. So when I asked to read ‘Countdown to death’ I was perfectly aware of what it was paying homage to and had a little trepidation as to whether it could pull it off.
It did. And it did it in a lovely and entertaining manner too. Very much in the fashion of the original tale, while also breathing a new life and a new voice into the tale. Mr McChesney wasn’t just repeating Ms Christie’s work, he is truly paying her a homage by taking the old story and not making it new… but simply making it modern… if that makes sense? Yeah, no it probably doesn’t make sense outside my head but let’s just go with it okay? It was a compliment and we will just run with that. ;-)
Did I feel the need to go to an island with ten people and kill them off one by one to ensure I could truly review this book open and honestly? No, sadly I could not make that happen and I do know how that is seen as a flaw in my reviewing by some - that I can’t have an opinion without trying what the book is about first - but yeah, not in my budget and the closest islands I could use are either Granite Island or Kangaroo Island and both out of scope so ah well… Instead I just read it as the mystery it was, tried to see how identical to the original plot it would be, see if I could wade through the small school of red herrings and guess the killer and all in all have fun reading the book. No need to smash glass bottles or plot my revenge on people I feel have done me wrong before I could enjoy this tale!
And did I guess who the murder was? Yes, I did. To me it was a pretty obvious option, but the story was woven so well that I did have myself second guessing a few times, but in the end my original choice was proven correct. And, sadly, I figured it out rather early on. Unlike an Agatha Christie where it takes me most of the book to work it out. But never fear, it did not detract from the story, did not ruin the enjoyment of it all and it was nice to see how it was all explained and done in the end.
Plus I am a stinker and one of those annoying people who can watch a mystery for 5 minutes or read the first three chapters of a book and tell you whodunit. It’s the savant part of my idiot really - and yes, I am allowed to make such jokes about myself, I am neuro-diverse! :-D
As to the formatting and other “boring bits” side of things, there were a few typos and grammatical slip ups… but it was an ARC and so accepted. Plus I am a typo Queen and so don’t have the right to judge someone else on the odd slip up! It did not detract from my rating. Nor did the fact it sometimes seemed to get jumbled up and confused as to who was saying what. And I don’t mean those gorgeous snippets here and there deliberately meant to be ambiguous - those I liked. Just sometimes when they were all together talking, the formatting let down the narration as it wasn’t clear who said what. But hey, in some ways that is mimicking Ms Christie’s style too!
Would I recommend this book to others?
Yes I would. Though I really do feel someone who has read the original Christie tale would get the same appreciation of it that I did. However, I really don’t feel reading ‘And then there were none’ is a prerequisite to reading or enjoying ‘Countdown to death’. I feel it is a good, solid and enjoyable story all on its own. A homage yes, but it is worthy of being its own entity too and could easily be enjoyed as such.
Would I buy this book for myself?
Possibly? I mean, I enjoyed it, loved it for the salute to the old crime thrillers and liked it for its own potential and talent. But right now I am not drawn to wanting to read it again and again at a later date - as I would with an Agatha Christie novel. ‘Countdown to death’ is good, very good. But for now is more a “borrow from library” level of tale for me. Sorry. I feel I am doing this book a great injustice in saying that, but I am being open and honest.
In summary: A well written mystery in its own right, but also a beautiful homage to the crime Queen herself.
October 26, 2020
I'm in the minority here . . . I was not a fan of the book. A modern re-telling of Agatha Christie's classic "Ten Little Indians" (published in the U.S. as both "And Then There Were None" and "Ten Little Indians" . . . why this was published under both titles is something I don't know), I wondered how McChesney would change things to make this his own. Some of the gruesomeness did that, along with the drawings. However, these were not enough for me jump on the bandwagon with others who give this four or five stars.
Once Lord Black's letter to his "guests" was read to them by MacGregor, I had expected there would be more of a reaction rather than complacency. Additionally, of course McChesney knew the mystery had to be solved and the way in which it was laid out for us was just his way of trying to tie up the loose ends rather quickly, whether or not everything jelled With the explanation of the who done it and how some of was done, one wonders how the killer found time to do all the things that were laid out for us.
Once Lord Black's letter to his "guests" was read to them by MacGregor, I had expected there would be more of a reaction rather than complacency. Additionally, of course McChesney knew the mystery had to be solved and the way in which it was laid out for us was just his way of trying to tie up the loose ends rather quickly, whether or not everything jelled With the explanation of the who done it and how some of was done, one wonders how the killer found time to do all the things that were laid out for us.
June 17, 2020
Updated retelling of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’. Nine people invited to a remote Scottish island, ten green glass bottles on the mantle, and a mysterious letter. A man they all know although only one of them actually met him is the absent host - or is he? A tenth person showed up as nurse to one guest. Is she innocent or part of the plot? An unexpected twist at the end and it keeps you guessing. A good story. I recommend this to any Christie fan. I really enjoyed this.
September 28, 2023
A rich industrialist sends invitations to nine individuals, teasing them with what they would get by meeting him at his remote island. Ten show up, when one insists on bringing his personal nurse with him. I liked how varied the individuals were, and how we learned of their crimes from the past.
When the first guest is murdered, they don't take it seriously, but I started to see more of their personalities as the story continued and that was made it interesting, and sad.
When the first guest is murdered, they don't take it seriously, but I started to see more of their personalities as the story continued and that was made it interesting, and sad.
December 26, 2017
An updating of the Agatha Christie classic. It reads well enough but the conclusion is a bit contrived. The plot is gory enough to satisfy any ghoul with quite graphic descriptions of the various deaths; little is left to the imagination. I'd say a good book to pass a wet afternoon with.
January 11, 2018
Wow this was really enjoyable. It like the game Clue but a lot more detail and gruesome at times. Everyone that goes to the island is guilty of something and they must try to figure out how to survive until the ferry boat comes back. Its not a long book but its certainly not lacking for detail!
June 23, 2017
Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None with a twist! I enjoyed this book. If you don't read Christie this book can stand on its own. It was a great diversion.
September 9, 2020
A rewrite of an Agatha Christie novel. It was well written and fun to read. I would read more from this author.
September 29, 2015
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Wayzgoose Press!
Countdown to Death is an update and homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. A group of ten strangers are invited to a castle on an isolated area at the behest of the mysterious Lord Black. Once there, they start dying in gruesome ways while a nursery rhyme, in this case Ten Green Bottles (the British equivalent of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall – Americans always have to make everything bigger) counts them down until there are none. In Christie’s version the murderer is famously one of the victims. This was a first and now the novelty is gone, even if it’s still a fun, enjoyable read. What makes Christie’s whodunit a masterpiece is that it’s unpretentious fun. No agenda, just a series of murders. This new version has more philosophical and political discussions amongst the victims, which distracted me a little. I also found some of the snippets of conversations or thoughts at the end confusing, as it was hard to figure out who was talking or thinking. The best part, in my opinion, is the description of the castle with its rooms and gardens. I also loved the cartoons that accompany each murder. I guessed who the killer was (definitely not the same as the original), but it was still fun to figure out how the murders were carried out. Lastly, I really loved how the Scottish author mixes British and American spelling and words according to the countries of origin of the characters. Whether you say lichen or moss, this is a fun read with an ending worthy of Dame Agatha.
Countdown to Death is an update and homage to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. A group of ten strangers are invited to a castle on an isolated area at the behest of the mysterious Lord Black. Once there, they start dying in gruesome ways while a nursery rhyme, in this case Ten Green Bottles (the British equivalent of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall – Americans always have to make everything bigger) counts them down until there are none. In Christie’s version the murderer is famously one of the victims. This was a first and now the novelty is gone, even if it’s still a fun, enjoyable read. What makes Christie’s whodunit a masterpiece is that it’s unpretentious fun. No agenda, just a series of murders. This new version has more philosophical and political discussions amongst the victims, which distracted me a little. I also found some of the snippets of conversations or thoughts at the end confusing, as it was hard to figure out who was talking or thinking. The best part, in my opinion, is the description of the castle with its rooms and gardens. I also loved the cartoons that accompany each murder. I guessed who the killer was (definitely not the same as the original), but it was still fun to figure out how the murders were carried out. Lastly, I really loved how the Scottish author mixes British and American spelling and words according to the countries of origin of the characters. Whether you say lichen or moss, this is a fun read with an ending worthy of Dame Agatha.
September 29, 2015
I have read all of Agatha Christie's novels several times over. Thus, I was intrigued by the idea of a modern retelling of And Then There Were None. Iain McChesney's novel is a fantastic tribute to the Grand Dame of Mystery. He is a skilled author whose approach does justice to the original.
The wealthy and elusive Lord Black invites a number of people to his estate on a remote Scottish island. Each feels there is something to gain. When they arrive, the only people they meet are the newly hired caretaker and his wife. There are no other staff, and no sign of the illustrious Lord Black. That evening, a letter is read, condemning each of the guests and sentencing them to death.
At first, the letter appears a cruel joke, but as their numbers fall, the remaining guests begin to crack, turning against one another in suspicion. Where is Lord Black? Who is leaving the drawings depicting the gruesome deaths? Is one of the guests in league with Lord Black? Will anyone survive?
I had a lot of fun figuring out who could be behind the murders. I had my suspicions, but there were definitely plenty surprises, particularly as to why each of the individuals were selected. The illustrations were a wonderful addition to the book, both humorous and gruesome.
I definitely recommend McChesney's Countdown to Death to anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie and other mystery classics.
5/5
I received a copy of Countdown to Death from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
A Death Sentence for 10
http://muttcafe.com/2015/09/countdown...
The wealthy and elusive Lord Black invites a number of people to his estate on a remote Scottish island. Each feels there is something to gain. When they arrive, the only people they meet are the newly hired caretaker and his wife. There are no other staff, and no sign of the illustrious Lord Black. That evening, a letter is read, condemning each of the guests and sentencing them to death.
At first, the letter appears a cruel joke, but as their numbers fall, the remaining guests begin to crack, turning against one another in suspicion. Where is Lord Black? Who is leaving the drawings depicting the gruesome deaths? Is one of the guests in league with Lord Black? Will anyone survive?
I had a lot of fun figuring out who could be behind the murders. I had my suspicions, but there were definitely plenty surprises, particularly as to why each of the individuals were selected. The illustrations were a wonderful addition to the book, both humorous and gruesome.
I definitely recommend McChesney's Countdown to Death to anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie and other mystery classics.
5/5
I received a copy of Countdown to Death from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
A Death Sentence for 10
http://muttcafe.com/2015/09/countdown...
April 4, 2016
I received this script in exchange for an honest review.
My name is Danielle Fisher and I have a confession. I can't multi-task. Give me two characters to invest in and root for and I'm golden. Anything more than five and my brain fizzles. This story starts out by introducing you to over a dozen characters. These introductions are frenzied and you feel like you're standing at a party where everyone knows each other except you. You get small snippets of their characterizations and by the time you're at number five, you don't remember anything about number one. This is not the fault of the author, since he clearly developed very diverse characters, but if you can brace yourself for the initial storm of "Who is that?" the ride calms down.
McChesney delivers a story line that is, for the most part, well-paced, although I did find myself skimming some of the sections that didn't seem to move the story forward. He allows the reader to play a constant game of "Who's next?" and those particular scenes definitely draw the reader in. There are elements like the ending that felt rushed, especially with the epilogue, where I felt like it was the final episode of "Friends" where everything comes together BUT, and this is a big but, the fact that I would've liked things drawn out tells me I was highly invested in each of these story lines and just wanted proper closure.
It takes a great author to lure a romance-genre-addict like me to cross genre and dip my toes into a mystery. The blurb drew me in and by the end, I have to say I was more than happily surprised. Well done, McChesney.
My name is Danielle Fisher and I have a confession. I can't multi-task. Give me two characters to invest in and root for and I'm golden. Anything more than five and my brain fizzles. This story starts out by introducing you to over a dozen characters. These introductions are frenzied and you feel like you're standing at a party where everyone knows each other except you. You get small snippets of their characterizations and by the time you're at number five, you don't remember anything about number one. This is not the fault of the author, since he clearly developed very diverse characters, but if you can brace yourself for the initial storm of "Who is that?" the ride calms down.
McChesney delivers a story line that is, for the most part, well-paced, although I did find myself skimming some of the sections that didn't seem to move the story forward. He allows the reader to play a constant game of "Who's next?" and those particular scenes definitely draw the reader in. There are elements like the ending that felt rushed, especially with the epilogue, where I felt like it was the final episode of "Friends" where everything comes together BUT, and this is a big but, the fact that I would've liked things drawn out tells me I was highly invested in each of these story lines and just wanted proper closure.
It takes a great author to lure a romance-genre-addict like me to cross genre and dip my toes into a mystery. The blurb drew me in and by the end, I have to say I was more than happily surprised. Well done, McChesney.
March 25, 2016
First two things before I review the book: 1)I received this book from Goodread's 'Read 'Em & Reap' groups & 2)I debated between 3 & 4 stars.
This is a modern spin on Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" which I love. It says modern but really about the most modern thing in the story is the addition of cell phones otherwise as I read I felt the story had the mood of a classic. The story was supposed originally to be entitled "Nine Green Bottles" and I wish the author would have followed his instinct and stayed with the original title.
9 characters are introduced at the beginning of the story - all coming to meet Mr. Black, a very rich man, who lives on a remote island in Scotland. All these guests are hoping to get money from Mr. Black. But rather than money they have been brought together to be judged. Soon after finding this out they also find out they have also been brought to the island to die.
I know almost from the beginning who did it but I wanted to know more about why these people had to die. And that's where I'm torn from a 4 star review to a three star review because with some of the characters it was clear why the mysterious Black wanted to kill them but others is was glossed over until the epilogue. It was almost as if the author felt the book was going to be too long (or the editor chopped) and that's a shame because I think those characters who had a quick ending could have benefited from the author's words. The author does a great job with describing scenes - it's where the book excelled. I will read more of this author's work.
This is a modern spin on Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" which I love. It says modern but really about the most modern thing in the story is the addition of cell phones otherwise as I read I felt the story had the mood of a classic. The story was supposed originally to be entitled "Nine Green Bottles" and I wish the author would have followed his instinct and stayed with the original title.
9 characters are introduced at the beginning of the story - all coming to meet Mr. Black, a very rich man, who lives on a remote island in Scotland. All these guests are hoping to get money from Mr. Black. But rather than money they have been brought together to be judged. Soon after finding this out they also find out they have also been brought to the island to die.
I know almost from the beginning who did it but I wanted to know more about why these people had to die. And that's where I'm torn from a 4 star review to a three star review because with some of the characters it was clear why the mysterious Black wanted to kill them but others is was glossed over until the epilogue. It was almost as if the author felt the book was going to be too long (or the editor chopped) and that's a shame because I think those characters who had a quick ending could have benefited from the author's words. The author does a great job with describing scenes - it's where the book excelled. I will read more of this author's work.
October 30, 2015
"Ten Green Bottles Hanging on the Wall"
Countdown to Death is basically a retelling of "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie and "Ten" by Gretchen McNeil. Ten guests are invited to a secluded Scottish island by the elusive owner. Each guest believes he or she is there for various reasons, mostly personal gain, but the actual intent of the owner is to exact revenge. It's a fairly short story- only about 200 pages long so it should have been a quick story to read. Unfortunately though, it wasn't for me because I never could get completely into it, but that may have just been because I've read similar versions already. It didn't feel like there was a whole lot of suspense though leading up to the murders and even though it was set on a secluded island in this big, old house, I never got any eerie feelings throughout the story which is what I was hoping for since it had the perfect setting and situations. I also guessed who the murderer was toward the end so that wasn't a big surprise to me but I did enjoy trying to figure it out. I also liked the way the ending was written and tied up and I thought the drawings were a creative touch. If you like whodunit's and want to try your hand at solving, I would say give it a try.
*I received this ARC from NetGalley and Wayzgoose Press in exchange for an honest review.
Countdown to Death is basically a retelling of "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie and "Ten" by Gretchen McNeil. Ten guests are invited to a secluded Scottish island by the elusive owner. Each guest believes he or she is there for various reasons, mostly personal gain, but the actual intent of the owner is to exact revenge. It's a fairly short story- only about 200 pages long so it should have been a quick story to read. Unfortunately though, it wasn't for me because I never could get completely into it, but that may have just been because I've read similar versions already. It didn't feel like there was a whole lot of suspense though leading up to the murders and even though it was set on a secluded island in this big, old house, I never got any eerie feelings throughout the story which is what I was hoping for since it had the perfect setting and situations. I also guessed who the murderer was toward the end so that wasn't a big surprise to me but I did enjoy trying to figure it out. I also liked the way the ending was written and tied up and I thought the drawings were a creative touch. If you like whodunit's and want to try your hand at solving, I would say give it a try.
*I received this ARC from NetGalley and Wayzgoose Press in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2015
Disclaimer: I received and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a sort of "Ten Little Niggers" by Agatha Christie, except that it goes with ten green bottle. In the same way the people present there are accused of something and it is said that they are condemn to death.
Then it goes like the usual horror movie. People in a remote place, can't get away, can't contact anyone outside, let's make three group of three....
They get suspicious of each other, which doesn't make them smarter.
It was an entertaining book. But as usual I wonder why not stick together back to back in a room until Friday. Is it really so hard to conceive from people in this particular situation that they could bear each other company for safety purposes at least for a week?
I also find the passage in the middle of the book which probably has for purpose to rise the psychosis a bit hard to follow. The jump in characters was distinct but it was still hard at time to figure out who was thinking.
It was an entertaining read and if you like to try and figure out who did it before the end sort of book, that's the book for you.
This book is a sort of "Ten Little Niggers" by Agatha Christie, except that it goes with ten green bottle. In the same way the people present there are accused of something and it is said that they are condemn to death.
Then it goes like the usual horror movie. People in a remote place, can't get away, can't contact anyone outside, let's make three group of three....
They get suspicious of each other, which doesn't make them smarter.
It was an entertaining book. But as usual I wonder why not stick together back to back in a room until Friday. Is it really so hard to conceive from people in this particular situation that they could bear each other company for safety purposes at least for a week?
I also find the passage in the middle of the book which probably has for purpose to rise the psychosis a bit hard to follow. The jump in characters was distinct but it was still hard at time to figure out who was thinking.
It was an entertaining read and if you like to try and figure out who did it before the end sort of book, that's the book for you.
January 13, 2016
The beginning of this book did not grab me. The characters introduced were in my opinion unlikable and made whether or not they survived less important to me. The middle of the book grabbed my attention with events starting to take place, it had become very engrossing. I was disappointed that it felt like the last 5 or so deaths took up a sentence or so a piece. It felt rushed, for all the careful planning the culprit did earlier, it felt like the last few deaths had not been considered until the end. The epilogue was great, with a twist I did not expect and reasoning on why the characters were chosen in the first place. While the epilogue explains some of the circumstances behind characters deaths, it also brought up more questions for me as well as some contradictions. Going by the epilogue I don't know how some of the deaths could be possible as they never explain how they got past locked doors. Overall I thought it was a good read but wasn't blown away by it.
I received this book as part of the Good Reads Giveaways Contest.
I received this book as part of the Good Reads Giveaways Contest.
April 10, 2016
Countdown to death belongs to the genre of suspense, murder-mystery especially the classic closed room murder mystery kind. Overall I really did enjoy the book even though there was misgivings about some sections. The book contains many characters and starts with a little background info about each of them in the characters point of view. Don’t bother trying to remember their names at first time itself. I had to flip back to the beginning from time to time to know which character was which. There are some sections in the book where conversations between the characters has no mention of the characters names. We have to guess them. It may be added to increase the mystery but I didn’t really feel it was necessary. Finally, the motivations of the killer was something I really couldn’t connect with. But as murder mystery stories go, this was quite good. The writer does a good job of keeping the readers guessing about the next victim and also how the killer does it. I will give it a 3 star out of 5.
October 2, 2015
I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, Wayzgoose Press.
You know trouble is around the corner when a group of strangers are invited to an island by a rich gentleman and this did not disappoint
It was well written and flowed very nicely and I really enjoyed it.
I found that I really disliked nearly all of the guests to the island and i was very interested to see what would happen to them further down the road.
I did not come even close to picking out the responsible person.
I must say, I will never think of Ten green bottles, quite the same again!
Highly Recommend to anyone who likes a good horror/thriller story!
.
Thank you, Wayzgoose Press.
You know trouble is around the corner when a group of strangers are invited to an island by a rich gentleman and this did not disappoint
It was well written and flowed very nicely and I really enjoyed it.
I found that I really disliked nearly all of the guests to the island and i was very interested to see what would happen to them further down the road.
I did not come even close to picking out the responsible person.
I must say, I will never think of Ten green bottles, quite the same again!
Highly Recommend to anyone who likes a good horror/thriller story!
.
July 28, 2016
Based on one of Agatha Christie's books, "And Then There Were None", but an up to date version with gadgets like laptops and mobile phones. Despite that a fair bit of the dialogue and descriptions sound old fashioned. Several people have been invited by the enigmatic Lord Black to be guests on a Scottish island, but one by one, they are being murdered - by who and why? There was an interesting twist at the end, but it was a bit slow getting to it. On the whole I did like this book, but did prefer the original story. It would have been good to see a completely different version of this tale! I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2016
Written with more than 'a nod' to And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie, I was actually glad when I got to the part where there were none left, in other words the end. This book was in parts interesting and well written and in others rather boring. Maybe it was the fact that the author recreated a classic novel for modern times. It made me wonder why he did this and didn't write something from his own imagination. I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2016
This modern retelling of an Agatha Christie novel is a curious thing. I've not read any of Agatha Christie's works yet. I'm intrigued enough to begin reading them now. I honestly don't know how to describe the book without having to resort to spoilers. Spoilers are something that I hate no matter the format. I like to reach my own journey with reading on my own.
The author is new to me yet clearly he knows what he's doing. The story and characters are raw, flawed, compelling, and intriguing. Definitely sparked my interest in reading more Agatha Christie Novels.
The author is new to me yet clearly he knows what he's doing. The story and characters are raw, flawed, compelling, and intriguing. Definitely sparked my interest in reading more Agatha Christie Novels.
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