And Then There Were None, Week 3

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. 

Did you enjoy the reading this week? I really did. I could not stop reading. I just had to know who was going to be the next person attacked by the mysterious killer. Do you have any strong theories about who is causing all of the chaos? I don't really have any idea who the perpetrator is. 

I think one of the creepiest parts of this whole book is the fact that the number of soldiers on the table keeps decreasing. That is such a scary detail. Not only is the person smart enough to stage all of these murders, but also, he is collected enough to remember to take away a soldier immediately. I think the person doing this is such a sociopath. 

The first person to die in this section was Mrs. Rogers. I wasn't surprised by her death. I figured she would be the one to sleep and not get up since she had had such an extreme reaction to the recording and then had to be sedated. It seemed like she was the most likely candidate for that kind of a death. The other person to die in this section was General MacArthur. Before his death, the people in the house were able to imagine that Marston died of suicide and Mrs. Rogers died accidentally. But, MacArthur was hit in the back of the head. That indicates that someone is hunting the guests, and it negates the suicide and accident theory. Did you ever believe that Marston's death was a suicide? Or, did you believe there was a murderer from the beginning? 

In this section, we also learn a little more about the incidents mentioned on the recording. We learn that Mrs. Brent's servant became pregnant and then killed herself because Mrs. Brent threw her out of the house. Mrs. Brent shows absolutely no remorse or regret for her actions. Even after she is questioned by Vera, Mrs. Brent feels like she did the right thing, and the girl deserved what she got because she acted indecently. How did you feel about Mrs. Brent after that section? I couldn't believe how callous she was. Before his death, General MacArthur confessed that he deliberately sent his wife's lover to his death. Were you surprised by that revelation? 

In chapter 9, Justice Wargrave holds a kind of a trial, trying to decide who U.N.Owen is. In this trial, they all have to give their alibis. Do you believe all of them? Someone has to be telling a lie, right? Or, do you think there is a hidden person on the island orchestrating everything? I kind of lean towards a hidden person on the island because everyone seems to be accounted for at all times. How is one person sneaking away to commit these murders? 

So far, I think Christie is trying to get us to think that Lombard might be the murderer since he has a gun. She also seems to be pointing at Armstrong, the doctor, because the first two victims were murdered. Do you think both of these are misdirects? Do you think either of them would really be the killer? 

What do you think about Christie after reading over half of the book? I think she had to be a very interesting person to create such innovative stories. If you'd like to read some interesting facts about her, check out this article from her website. 

One of the things I'm most excited for in the BBC adaptation of the book is the fabulous fashion. Do you love to watch period movies and tv shows, just to see the amazing costumes? I feel like the costumes are a big draw for me. Check out the video below if you'd like to learn more about the 30's fashion in this adaptation. 

I hope you're ready to finish the book for next week! Please let me know if you figure out the mystery before the end of the book. I can't wait to hear from you in the comments section.