Why a Booktrail?
10 strangers lured to an island – with no means of escape, as a killer strikes. Perhaps the best Christie ever!
And Then There Were None
What you need to know before your trail
Ten strangers lured to an island by the mysterious U. N Owen. None of the guests have met their hosts and they have all been invited under varying pretense of working, meeting others, a holiday. They don’t believe they have anything in common but get along and enjoy a dinner that evening. When a record is played accusing each of them of holding a deadly secret, they become agitated and angry. then when one of then dies from an overdose of cyanide, the fear ramps up.
A poem ‘ 10 little soldier boys’ is found in each of their rooms along with 10 figures on the dining room table. Now there are nine…and the poem says that each is to be killed in turn.With no means of escape, what can they do with a killer amongst them?
Travel Guide
Such a murder mystery with such a mysterious setting – an island in the middle of nowhere off the coast of Devon and named Solider Island. This lends itself well to the poem Ten little Soldiers that each of the guests find in their room and the models found in the dining room.
The house on the island is large, dark and empty. Only two servants work there who have not met their boss – the mysterious U N Owen. There are no other guests on the island and the screeching seagulls and the crashing waves against the jagged rocks make for some eerie, chilling moments. The poem as it appears in the 2015 television version:
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 travelling 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 in Chancery and then there were four.
Four little Soldier Boys going out to sea; A red herrring wallowed 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 sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one
One little Soldier Boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.
They are effectively trapped in a game with each one being hunted. No one wants to be alone so they stay in groups but as they become restless, they are picked off one by one according to the rhyme. The numbers dwindle and the house appears to get larger and larger. The mood is one of a locked house mysterious with tangles of lies holding the guests together..until….
On an island, in the middle of nowhere, no one can hear you scream.
Soldier Island was inspired by Burgh Island in Devon which Agatha Christie was fascinated by. A chilling and fascinating place.
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