And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

There really isn't anything left to say about this treasure.  Agatha Christie's most famous novel has stood for over seventy years as the classic murder mystery.  As of 2007, it ranked as the number one selling mystery - ever.  It has been recreated on stage, in movies, on tv and even in an episode of a Japanese anime series.

I (Tami) was first introduced to this puzzler in fifth grade when the teacher chose to read it aloud to the class and have the students discuss and vote on the culprit.  Looking back, it seems like an odd choice for a group of 10-year-olds (but I also recall he wasn't the typical teacher - we discussed Twilight Zone episodes and played "Three Dog Night" albums in class.  Mr. Ward, if you're out there - thanks for turning me on to mysteries).  I have reread this book as an adult, but it's been many years.  Dave was among the many who are familiar with the story line, but have not read the book, so we read this one together.

For any who may not know the basic story - ten people are invited to an island retreat but then find themselves cut off from the mainland and each accused of a crime.  The ten are murdered, one by one.  When police finally arrive, they find an impossible crime scene:  ten murdered bodies (none apparent suicide) and no living souls on an island from which there was no escape.

This was a great choice for reading aloud.  Of course, I had a big advantage in already knowing the outcome, but it was still fun to discuss theories.  A timeless classic hardly needs our approval, but none-the-less we recommend it for mystery fans and novices alike.