And Then There Were None (1939) Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. A games mistress in a "third class" school who traveled to the island to take up a temporary holiday post as Mrs Owen's secretary; she was accused of the murder of a child in her care.

Answer: Vera Elizabeth Claythorne

Vera was accused of the murder of a young boy, Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton. She was his nursery governess. One day, when her attention was distracted, he swam out too far and drowned. She claimed she would not get there in time to save him. In reality, she had encouraged him to swim out too far.

2. A captain and "soldier of fortune", described as having "a reputation for daring and for not being over-scrupulous"; he was accused of the deaths of 21 members of an East African tribe.

Answer: Philip Lombard

Lombard promptly admitted his guilt: "Story's quite true! I left 'em! Matter of self-preservation. We were lost in the bush. I and a couple of other fellows took what food there was and cleared out...I left them to die...Not quite the act of a pukka sahib, I'm afraid.

But self-preservation's a man's first duty. And natives don't mind dying, you know. They don't feel about it as Europeans do". Such racist attitudes and beliefs were not uncommon in English society in that era.

3. A disreputable Jewish lawyer who was hired to do the dirty work of purchasing the island, luring the victims to it, and making the necessary domestic arrangements; he was also murdered even though he was not present on the island with the others.

Answer: Isaac Morris

Isaac Morris was the first one to be murdered. He was killed in London after setting the scene for the murderer. Morris suffered from indigestion so the murderer gave him a poison capsule which he claimed "had done wonders for (his) own gastric juices", knowing that Morris was a hypochondriac who would not hesitate to take the capsule. Morris had to die, not only because he knew too much, but because the murderer felt it was justified: "he was a dope pedlar and he was responsible for inducing the daughter of friends of mine to take drugs.

She committed suicide at the age of 21".

4. A spinster aged 65, religious, self-righteous and lacking compassion; she was morally, although not legally, responsible for the suicide of her servant Beatrice Taylor.

Answer: Emily Caroline Brent

When accused of the death of Beatrice Taylor, Emily Brent maintained her innocence: "There is no question of defence. I have always acted in accordance with the dictates of my conscience. I have nothing with which to reproach myself." When Miss Brent discovered that Beatrice was "in trouble" (i.e. pregnant out of wedlock), she had no compassion and promptly turned her out of the house, causing a distraught Beatrice to drown herself. Miss Brent put the blame on Beatrice stating that, "If she had behaved like a decent modest young woman, none of this would have happened".

5. A military man, a general during World War 1, now retired; he was accused of deliberately sending his wife's lover to his death.

Answer: John Gordon Macarthur

General Macarthur was accused of deliberately sending his wife's lover, Arthur Richmond, to his death. He said there was "no truth whatsoever in what he said about - er - young Arthur Richmond. Richmond was one of my officers. I sent him on a reconnaissance.

He was killed. Natural course of events in war time. Wish to say resent very much - slur on my wife. Best woman in the world. Absolutely - Caesar's wife!" In reality, his actions were triggered by his wife's letter to her lover which she sent to her husband by mistake.

6. An eminent Harley Street doctor with a drinking problem; he was believed to have caused the death of a patient on whom he was operating whilst under the influence of alcohol.

Answer: Edward George Armstrong

Armstrong was accused of causing the death of a patient, Louisa Mary Clees. He claimed he was at a loss to understand the accusation. "The name meant nothing to me when it was spoken. What was it - Clees? Close? I really can't remember having a patient of that name, or being connected with a death in any way. The thing's a complete mystery to me. Of course, it's a long time ago. It might possibly be one of my operation cases in hospital. They come too late, so many of these people. Then, when the patient dies, they always consider it's the surgeon's fault."

7. A reckless driver who killed two children and felt no moral responsibility; of the ten people on the island, he was the first to die after his drink was spiked.

Answer: Anthony James Marston

Marston was accused of causing the deaths of John and Lucy Combes. Like Philip Lombard, he had no remorse. In fact, he callously regarded the incident as an inconvenience: "I've just been thinking - John and Lucy Combes. Must have been a couple of kids I ran over near Cambridge. Beastly bad luck...Of course it was a pure accident.

They rushed out of some cottage or other. I had my licence endorsed for a year. Beastly nuisance."

8. Travelled to the island under the pseudonym of Mr Davis; he was a private detective and former policeman (ex-Inspector) who was ostensibly hired to protect Mrs Owen's jewellery.

Answer: William Henry Blore

Blore was accused of the death of James Stephen Landor. Landor was an accused bank robber who was convicted on Blore's evidence. He died in prison a year later. Blore's defence was that "I was only doing my duty", but he later admitted he committed perjury and that Landor was innocent.

9. The local boatman who transported the guests to the island and later discovered their bodies; under Morris's orders, he did not make his usual daily trips to the island.

Answer: Fred Narracott

Isaac Morris told the villagers of Sticklehaven that "there was some experiment on - some bet about living on a 'desert island' for a week - and that no notice was to be taken of any appeal for help from out there." Fred Narracott usually made a daily trip to the island, weather permitting, to bring bread, milk, the mail, and to take orders.

However, after delivering the guests to the island, he did not make his usual trips because of Morris's orders and because of adverse weather. Vera Claythorne, William Blore and Philip Lombard used a mirror to flash S.O.S. signals to the mainland.

When Fred Narracott heard about boys scouts seeing the signals, he decided to disregard Morris's orders and took the boat out to the island at the earliest opportunity after the storm. Thus he was the first to discover the bodies.

10. She and her husband were hired as domestic staff (cook and butler respectively) to look after the island's guests; she died peacefully in her sleep from an overdose of chloral hydrate.

Answer: Mrs Ethel Rogers

Ethel and Thomas Rogers were accused of the death of Jennifer Brady. They were in service to the elderly Miss Brady. She had left them a legacy in her will, "in recognition of their faithful service". They claimed to be innocent of the charge but their extremely nervous behaviour aroused the suspicions of the other guests.

Source: Author MotherGoose

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Questions		Choices
1. A games mistress in a "third class" school who traveled to the island to take up a temporary holiday post as Mrs Owen's secretary; she was accused of the murder of a child in her care.		Emily Caroline Brent
2. A captain and "soldier of fortune", described as having "a reputation for daring and for not being over-scrupulous"; he was accused of the deaths of 21 members of an East African tribe.		Edward George Armstrong
3. A disreputable Jewish lawyer who was hired to do the dirty work of purchasing the island, luring the victims to it, and making the necessary domestic arrangements; he was also murdered even though he was not present on the island with the others.		John Gordon Macarthur
4. A spinster aged 65, religious, self-righteous and lacking compassion; she was morally, although not legally, responsible for the suicide of her servant Beatrice Taylor.		Mrs Ethel Rogers
5. A military man, a general during World War 1, now retired; he was accused of deliberately sending his wife's lover to his death.		William Henry Blore
6. An eminent Harley Street doctor with a drinking problem; he was believed to have caused the death of a patient on whom he was operating whilst under the influence of alcohol.		Isaac Morris
7. A reckless driver who killed two children and felt no moral responsibility; of the ten people on the island, he was the first to die after his drink was spiked.		Vera Elizabeth Claythorne
8. Travelled to the island under the pseudonym of Mr Davis; he was a private detective and former policeman (ex-Inspector) who was ostensibly hired to protect Mrs Owen's jewellery.		Anthony James Marston
9. The local boatman who transported the guests to the island and later discovered their bodies; under Morris's orders, he did not make his usual daily trips to the island.		Fred Narracott
10. She and her husband were hired as domestic staff (cook and butler respectively) to look after the island's guests; she died peacefully in her sleep from an overdose of chloral hydrate.		Philip Lombard

Match the major characters in this novel with their description. (NO SPOILERS)