And Then There Were None

Book review by Barbara Schultz, Common Sense Media
And Then There Were None Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Masterful murder mystery takes dark view of justice.

Agatha Christie Mystery 1939
Rate book

Parents say

age 12+

Based on 3 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 37 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate book

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that in prolific British mystery novelist Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None , 10 guests visit Soldier Island and a murderer uses a nursery rhyme as a framework to plan and execute the visitors' deaths, one by one, in various ways, including by shooting, drowning, bludgeoning, poisoning, and hanging. The text contains derogatory references to African "natives" and a couple of anti-Semitic remarks. The book was written for adults, but teens can learn a lot about the mystery genre from this master.

Community Reviews

Gr8Books
Gr8Books Adult
February 8, 2019
age 16+

It's becoming a soon-to-be banned book!

When it was published in the UK in 1939, this book carried the offensive title of Ten Little N****** (the n-word). Apparently, it was based on some British blackface song of the time. When published in the US, in 1940, they omitted the title (for obvious reasons) and used the last 5 words of the song...."and then there were none." Recently, it has been in our local media because people object to the background of the book, and don't think it has great value to middle school students. The plot is twisting and turning, and a bit hard to follow (like many Agatha Christie books), and that's a plus. It could teach kids how to follow an intricate plot. On the flip side, kids don't need that much exposure to violence and death.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
JennyBunny
JennyBunny Adult
March 28, 2019
age 2+

Amazing

I read this book when I was 11 and it's still one of my favorite books ever. Everyone is saying that this book will make you think violent thoughts but I haven't murdered anyone after reading this book. This book also taught me what a revolver and cyanide are. Even if I do murder someone in the future, it won't be because of this book.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In Agatha Christie's murder mystery AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, 10 guests are invited for a stay on Soldier Island, off the coast of England, by someone named U.N. Owen. Each of the guest bedrooms, and the dining room, contains a framed copy of a nursery rhyme, \"Ten Little Soldiers,\" in which each of 10 soldiers dies, one by one; this rhyme turns out to be the framework for U.N. Owen's murderous plans. It soon becomes clear that all of the island \"guests\" were duped in different ways into coming to the island, and that whoever tricked them wants justice for past crimes that the guests committed.

Is It Any Good?

And Then There Were None is a grim but riveting mystery. Characters are first introduced just so that readers can distinguish them, but as the book progresses and readers get further inside their minds and their fears, the suspense builds. One of the darkest aspects of the novel is the fact there's no "good guy" here -- all of the characters appear equally guilty in more ways than one. This is an exciting book -- however grisly -- that is to be enjoyed for its page-turning plot and Christie's masterful construction around the spooky nursery rhyme.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Agatha Christie's influence as a popular mystery writer. How this 1939 murder mystery compare with more modern mysteries you've read?

  • Once you've finished reading this novel, do you think there were any clues that should have told you earlier who the murderer is?

  • Explore more of Agatha Christie's plots by reading some of her Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple mysteries, or by watching the TV adaptations on PBS or Netflix.

Book Details

  • Author: Agatha Christie
  • Genre: Mystery
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: November 6, 1939
  • Number of pages: 320
  • Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: June 10, 2015

Our Editors Recommend

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate