Book · 1939
And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers are lured to an island by a host none of them can find, and the deaths start matching a nursery rhyme, one guest at a time.
What does Reddit think of And Then There Were None?
And Then There Were None is the default answer whenever r/suggestmeabook or r/booksuggestions gets a "recommend me something" post, often as a single line with no elaboration (↑392, ↑299). Where reasoning does appear, it's consistent: one reader picked it deliberately to break a reading slump, reasoning that not knowing the killer "keeps me from abandoning the book" (↑547). A five-star endorsement still calls the opening "a bit mundane," crediting the back half for the payoff (↑337). Even praise here comes with an asterisk on memory rather than plot: one fan says the twist "was good" while admitting they'd forgotten what it actually was (↑479). r/suggestmeabook and r/booksuggestions both score clearly positive, and smaller counts from horror, fantasy, and YA subs show it reaching well past mystery readers. What's agreed on is the shape: slow open, sharp close, reputation that survives forgotten details.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · Christie's most-cited whodunit, reached for as a comfort read for slumps
- · The twist as the thing remembered even when the details fade
- · An acknowledged slow open followed by escalating suspense
- · Cross-genre reach into horror, fantasy, printSF, and YA subs
Common praise
- + One reader reaches for it specifically to escape a reading slump, because not knowing the killer "keeps me from abandoning the book" (↑547).
- + The twist gets credited even by a reader who admits they'd forgotten the actual reveal, just that it was good (↑479).
- + r/booksuggestions and r/suggestmeabook both post it as a near-automatic recommendation with no qualifiers attached (↑392, ↑299).
Common criticism
- − One five-star endorsement still flags the opening as "a bit mundane," conceding the book takes time to earn its suspense (↑337).
- − The "forgot the twist but it was good" comment (↑479) is praise, but it's also an admission the reveal doesn't stick the way the reputation implies.
- − Most quotes in this sample are single-line drops, not close reading; the case for the book is reputation more than argued detail.
Who it's for
Stuck in a reading slump and want a book that won't let you quit? One reader used exactly that logic to pick this (↑547). Fine with a slow first act if the ending pays for it? That's the trade a five-star review here explicitly makes (↑337). Want your recommender to remember every plot beat months later? This sample suggests otherwise; even a fan (↑479) admits the details didn't stick, just the verdict that it was good.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for And Then There Were None?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. It’s easy to read and spooky. Whenever I go through a slump, I read a whodunnit because wanting to find out who the killer is keeps me from abandoning the book.
“And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie. The twist is so good I forgot 😂 for real though, it was good, I just can't remember it.
“And Then There Were None
“And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie is an amazing book! It’s a bit mundane at the beginning, but the suspense really builds up and the ending is absolutely fantastic and totally worth it.
“I am so sorry. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie is gripping and a good escape The Martian by Andy Weir is great and absolutely worth reading even if you've seen the movie Life of Pi by Yann Martel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
“I would recommend {And Then There Were None}
“And then there were none by Christie
“And then there were none by Agatha Christie. It is the only thriller novel in which even if you read the last page by chance, you'd still not be able to guess who the killer is.
“And then there were none by Agatha Christie
“Maybe Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz? But honestly I think Christie is better than Horowitz. Christie’s “And Then There Were None” is iconic and very easy to read — whereas her “Crooked House” is part of the inspiration for Knives Out. If you liked the family/inheritance/clue-seeking aspect, ma…
“*And Then There Were None* by Agatha Christie. Always my default answer. Just such a good, compelling, twisty classic mystery!
“And then there were none by Agatha Christie. Seriously, it is insanely good and the plot twist is amazing. It is really well written and I love the characters. The story has so much depth to it and it only gets better the more you read it
“I'm glad to see Agatha Christie is the majority of choices. I'll definitely check out the other titles given too. I have two contributions: Tell No One by Harlan Coben... just wow! Now, to add one more to the Agatha Christie list, And Then There Were None. Truly surprising, always keeping you on the…
“Ooh, I want to recommend one but it’s a complete spoiler and would ruin the fun of the book! One I’ll recommend is {{And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie}}…it’s not fantasy/science fiction, but it is a creepy isolated setting mystery. Each character takes a turn ‘narrating’ (perspective - I …
“The last book that really grabbed my attention in an all consuming way like this was 'and then there were none' by Agatha Christie. Its a pretty light-hearted whodunnit (if you aren't disturbed by murder) and I couldn't put it down. Good luck for the surgery:)
Convinced? Pick up And Then There Were None
Readers also mention
Books that share discussion threads with And Then There Were None — counted from the comments, not curated.
And Then There Were None — frequently asked
Is And Then There Were None worth reading if the beginning feels slow?+
Yes, per a five-star r/suggestmeabook review in this sample that admits the opening is "a bit mundane" before crediting the back half with real suspense and a "totally worth it" ending (↑337). That's the trade the book asks of readers: patience for a payoff. Nobody in this sample disputes that the ending delivers; the only question is how much slow setup it takes to get there.
What does Reddit actually say about And Then There Were None?+
Mostly reflexive endorsement. r/suggestmeabook and r/booksuggestions both post it as a near-automatic answer to open recommendation requests, often as a single line (↑392, ↑299). Where reasoning appears, it's about the pull of not knowing who the killer is (↑547) and a twist people remember liking even after forgetting its details (↑479). Both subs' tracked sentiment reads clearly positive.
Is And Then There Were None's twist as memorable as its reputation claims?+
One reader calls the twist "so good" before admitting, in the same breath, that they'd forgotten what it actually was (↑479). The reputation for a great ending survives; the specific memory of the ending doesn't always. Read it for the experience of being fooled in the moment, not for a twist you'll recount years later.
Is And Then There Were None a good pick to get out of a reading slump?+
Yes, according to one r/suggestmeabook comment that picked it for exactly that reason, arguing that not knowing who the killer is "keeps me from abandoning the book" during a slump (↑547). That's a specific, deliberate use case rather than generic praise, and it fits how often this title gets dropped into open recommendation threads across this sample.