Books Like And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie described And Then There Were None as one of her most difficult books to write, but her hard work certainly paid off. None only is it the world's best-selling mystery novel, but also one of the best-selling books of all time. The plot, which centers around eight people receiving an unexpected invitation to an isolated island, is one that has been imitated many times in other media. The way in which guests are killed off in accordance with the lines of a children's rhyme is also something that inspired many other authors and writers. Fans of the book looking for similar mystery novels should check out the following books like And Then There Were None.

The Guest List

by Lucy Foley

Just like And Then There Were None, The Guest List by Lucy Foley is set on an island where people get together only for one of them to turn up dead. In this book, it is thirteen guests that attend the marriage of Jules Keegan and Will Slater, but find themselves trapped on the island due to a storm. The difference is that in this book story is told from the different viewpoints of the guests, which gives readers a deeper insight into their characters. It also quickly becomes clear that every one of them has their own dark secrets and grudges that could make them a suspect. Lucy Foley is also the author of the equally thrilling novel, The Hunting Party, which is similar in tone and atmosphere.

One by One

by Ruth Ware

One by One by Ruth Ware is set in the exclusive and secluded alpine ski resort of Saint Antoine. It is here where the shareholders and directors of a hot new music app, called Snoop, gather for a corporate retreat. The idea is to decide on the future of the company, which thanks to a billion-dollar buyout, could make some of them millionaires. However, there is a deadline on the offer and not everyone is on board with the idea, which causes tensions at the resort to run high. Then, when the resort is cut off from help by an avalanche, one of the board members goes missing in the snow. All of this makes for a perfect locked-room style mystery in the spirit of And Then There Were None.

An Unwanted Guest

by Shari Lapena

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena swaps the isolated island of And Then There Were None for a remote inn that is deep in the forest and miles from civilization. It's a place for rest and relaxation, but when a violent snowstorm breaks out the guests are all completely cut off from the outside world. The guests at the inn are all strangers, but to their horror, they discover that there is a killer among them and since nobody can get in or out it means that there is nowhere to run. As more people turn up dead it is up to the survivors to figure out who is the killer before it is too late.

They All Fall Down

by Rachel Howzell Hall

They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall is also set on an island, this time a luxurious private one off the coast of Mexico. The island is surrounded by miles of open water and for Miriam Macy, who received a surprise invitation, it was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime. However, Miriam is shocked to discover that she and the six other strangers who also received invitations were brought to the remote island under false pretenses. Thanks to the miles of open water and sporadic cell-phone coverage the group finds themselves trapped in paradise as strange accidents begin to occur. They All Fall Down is clearly an homage to And Then There Were None and offers some clever twists of its own.

Love Is Murder

by Allison Brennan

Love Is Murder by Allison Brennan is a suspense novella set at a picturesque lodge high in the Sierra Nevada. The protagonist, Lucy Kincaid, heads to this lodge after a tough breakup with her boyfriend and is joined by her brother, an ex-cop, for a long weekend of skiing. The peaceful retreat is everything that she had hoped for until one of the guests turns up dead. Her brother suspects foul play but is mysteriously stricken ill, which means Lucy has to keep him and herself alive while figuring out what is really going on. Of course, to complicate matters, an overnight snowstorm cuts the lodge off from the outside world.

The Westing Game

by Ellen Raskin

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin was first published in 1978 and while it is a children's novel, it shares a lot of similarities with And Then There Were None. It features a group of seemingly strangers moving into a new apartment building, only to discover that they actually have much more in common than they thought. Instead, the tenants were all carefully selected and most of them were named as heirs in the will of Samuel W. Westing, a self-made millionaire. Instead of an ordinary will, Westing structured his like a puzzle and the 16 heirs will have to find the solution if they want to inherit his entire fortune.