CREDIT: HARPER COLLINS (2011)
And Then There Were None has stood the test of time as one of the most entertaining books ever written.

Are you be crumbling under life’s varying pressures, then perhaps you ought to turn to one of the most widely-read books of all time for comfort.

I’m talking, of course, about queen of mystery Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. First published in 1939, the book has since been deemed her ultimate masterpiece, and earned a spot as one of the top-ranking international bestsellers of all time, along with the Bible and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

There’s nothing like a baffling murder-mystery novel to help refocus one’s energies. And Then There Were None is one of the most frustrating and exhilarating literary experiences laying in wait for any unsuspecting reader in need of a good brainteaser. Just think of the book as a much needed stretch for your cramped mental legs.

In the lone mansion on the remote Solider Island, 10 strangers arrive under the false pretenses of a mysterious host who never actually shows up to greet them. That evening, their confusion grows to fear when a surprise gramophone message accuses each one of having committed murder.

The twist? Every guest is, in fact, guilty of their crime. Yet because of social prejudices, legal technicalities and unsettling cognitive dissonances, they have managed to avoid confronting the consequences of their moral crimes – until now.

One by one, the guests are picked off when no one else is looking, their deaths aligning with the order of a creepy nursery rhyme about 10 little soldiers meeting their doom. Thorough searches of the island only serve to reveal two things to the survivors. One: there is no possible hiding place on the island for an unknown party, and two: there is no possible means of escape.

This can only mean that the killer is among them, and will stop at nothing to dole out their own brand of bloody justice. Piecing together all of Christie’s carefully placed clues, can you figure out who the crazed executioner can be before there are none?

Whether you are a lover of the mystery genre or a complete novice, And Then There Were None is guaranteed by decades of critical acclaim to prove itself one of the most unpredictable and unsolvable mystery novels ever written, and therefore one of the most fun.

Along with providing sharp insight into the many follies of post-colonial British culture, a read of Christie’s magnum opus can greatly reduce stress levels by redirecting thought patterns and giving your imagination a run for its money.

Simplistically written but intricately devised, I highly recommend And Then There Were None to anyone seeking respite from the predictable drudgery that comes along with this sullen time of year. The ending will give you just the jolt you need.