Last Updated on April 22, 2026
While many of Agatha Christie’s novels feature either Hercule Poirot or Miss Jane Marple, she also wrote a staggering number of stand-alone novels, the most notable of which is And Then There Were None.
First published in 1939, it is the ultimate puzzle where ten strangers are invited to an isolated island where, one by one, they are accused of a terrible crime before being murdered.
With the numbers dwindling and the likely suspect still among them, can any of them survive, and, more to the point, who would want them all dead?
But before we get into the nitty-gritty of the plot, let’s lay the groundwork of who’s who and how they each arrive at Soldier Rock to meet their fate.
The Invited Guests
So, the premise of the book works like this. Eight strangers are invited to the island by Mr and Mrs Owen, who have not arrived yet, for a weekend.
They are then greeted by a married couple who are there as the butler and housekeeper/cook.
In all, we have ten characters in the mix, and they are:
1. Justice Lawrence Wargrave: Invited by Constance Culmington, an old acquaintance, who he is told has purchased the island and wants to catch up.
2. Vera Claythorne: Hired as a temporary secretary by Una Nancy Owen, supposedly for summer employment.
3. Philip Lombard: Hired by Mr. Isaac Morris on behalf of the Owens for a mysterious job, with no specific details given except that he would be paid handsomely.
4. Dr. Edward Armstrong: Invited to check Mrs. Owen’s health, under the impression that she needs a medical examination.
5. William Blore: Hired under the alias of Mr. Davis to come to the island and keep an eye on the guests, supposedly for security purposes.
6. Emily Brent: Invited by someone named U.N.O., who claimed to have met her at a guesthouse previously and offered a free vacation.
7. General John MacArthur: Invited by someone who claimed to be old war buddies under the pretense of meeting old friends and reminiscing.
8. Anthony Marston: Invited for a social gathering, attracted by the promise of a good time and a lavish party.
9. Thomas Rogers: Hired as the butler.
10. Ethel Rogers: Hired as the housekeeper/cook.
The Creepy Setting
While most of the characters are a little dubious about their invitations, the creepiness level ramps up when they each discover that Soldier Island, located off the coast of Devon, is completely isolated.
To even get there, they have to go by boat, but the boat does not stay, and when the weather deteriorates and a storm rages, it is impossible for anybody to get back to them safely.
With the island cut off from any external help and no telephone available, the guests’ attempts to find any other means of escape prove futile.
Basically, the murderer had planned this event so meticulously that nobody could get off the island once they arrived.
To make matters worse, each guest has a framed picture of an old nursery rhyme which reads as follows:
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 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 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.
And if all of that wasn’t enough, ten little china figurines of soldiers, one for each guest, sit on the dining room table.
But everything changes when, on the first night, a recording is played, accusing each of them, in turn, of committing a terrible crime.
The Crimes
So what were these awful crimes that each was accused of?
Here goes…
Justice Lawrence Wargrave: Accused of sentencing Edward Seton to death.
Vera Claythorne: Accused of causing the death of Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton.
Philip Lombard: Accused of causing the deaths of twenty-one East African tribe members.
Dr. Edward Armstrong: Accused of killing Louisa Mary Clees.
William Blore: Accused of perjury which led to death of James Stephen Landor.
Emily Brent: Accused of causing the death of her former maid, Beatrice Taylor.
General John MacArthur: Accused of sending his wife’s lover, Arthur Richmond, to his death during World War I.
Anthony Marston: Accused of killing John and Lucy Combes.
Thomas Rogers and Ethel Rogers: Accused of causing the death of their previous employer, Jennifer Brady.
Each character’s crime was something that had not been punished by the law, and the mysterious Mr. U.N. Owen brought them to the island to serve their overdue justice.
That evening, Anthony Marston dies after drinking poisoned whiskey. The guests realise that someone is following the pattern of the nursery rhyme, which describes how each of the ten soldiers dies one by one.
Who Is The Murderer?
As is the case with all Agatha Christie novels, the clues are there if you can spot them. And, as so each character gets bumped off, the list of suspects dwindles.
But I’m not a ‘spoiler’ gal, and I have no intentions of telling you whodunnit. Suffice it to say, nobody gets out alive!
Not even the murderer…
Film & TV
Since 1945, there have been more than 13 adaptations of And Then There Were None for TV and film.
For the most part, they have all followed the basics of the book, though some moved the setting to more exotic locations. For instance, the 1965 version, directed by George Pollock, is set in the Alps. The 1974 film is set in a desert hotel in Iran, which is not exactly the coast of Devon!
The most recent TV adaptation was a BBC miniseries in 2015, which had a star-studded cast that included Charles Dance, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson, and Aidan Turner.
It also stuck more closely to the book and was actually set in Devon. However, some of the character crimes were changed a little as were the specific ways in which each died on the island.
For those of you who have never seen this version, it is still available on BBC iPlayer!
To Summarise
I loved And Then There Were None largely because the pace is wild. With only 250 pages, on almost every one something happens or somebody says something that gets those ‘little grey cells’ (sorry, I couldn’t help the Poirot reference even though he’s not in this book!) working overtime.
There is seemingly no rhyme or reason for each death, and the characters are portrayed in such a way that it is difficult to believe they each did what they have been accused of.
But Christie is well able to weave a cunning narrative that can fool even the most ardent of cozy crime fans, and this book is right up there with the best of them.
It is a classic for a reason and one that should be a ‘must-read’ on everyone’s book list.
