Agatha Christie is one of the most talented mystery authors. She has graced the world of literature with her distinguished ability to simultaneously entertain and baffle readers.

I haven’t read all of her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, but out of the ones I have, one title stands out among them: “And Then There Were None.”

I love everything about it. The intricate plot, the well-developed characters, the subtle building of tension. The ending was satisfyingly jaw-dropping in the way a good mystery should be.

So, when I went to see the play adaptation at Alley Theatre in downtown Houston, I definitely had high expectations.

I’m glad to say that I was not disappointed.

The play followed the basic premise of the book: ten strangers travel to Soldier Island, secluded off the coast of Devon, England, where their numbers slowly start to dwindle, prompting a classic whodunit murder mystery.

One thing I was quickly impressed with in the play was the set design. The entire play has the same setting, that of a living room in a cliffside mansion. Though the stage was relatively small, every inch of space was taken advantage of, with a table in the center surrounded by a couch and two chairs.

I liked the simplicity of the design because it allowed the focus to be the story itself rather than fancy props. Even with this simplicity, though, everything was historically accurate. The story unfolded in 1939, and the house’s architecture and furniture looked reminiscent of that time.

The setting didn’t solely rely on visual aspects, though, but auditory as well. The music was orchestrated perfectly, with a stronger beat during more intense scenes and a slower tempo during more eerie ones.

This, blended with sound effects like piercing screams and loud bangs, added layers of intrigue, contributing to an atmosphere thick with suspense.

Though the set designs and sound effects were appealing, what enhanced the entire experience for me was the characters. Usually when I watch plays, I have trouble keeping track of who’s who.

However, this play employed original characters, all of whom possessed distinctive personalities which made it easy to not only remember everyone’s roles but also to connect with them.

My favorite characters were Captain Philip Lombard because of his boldness and wit, and Vera Claythorne because of her practicality and compassion. Though these were my favorites, I was also entertained by the remaining characters: cautious Mrs. Rogers, gullible Dr. Armstrong, uptight Emily Brent, level headed Rogers, arrogant Anthony Marston, controlling Justice Wargrave, quiet General MacKenzie and humorous William Blore.

The characters wouldn’t have been so captivating to watch without the amazing cast. Everything from their English accents to their body language was perfect, making even a simple exchange of dialogue into something I was invested into.

Speaking of dialogue, the writers did a fantastic job with this play. Book to movie adaptations seem hard, but book to plays seem even more daunting. I was impressed with how the writers devised lines that gave me the information I needed to clearly follow the story in a concise, engaging manner. The lines were short enough that they were easy to follow but complex enough to still be interesting and add depth.

Lastly, perhaps my favorite part of the play was witnessing a seemingly innocent nursery rhyme slowly transform to reality. In the book, Agatha Christie included the “Ten Little Soldier Boys” poem, so I enjoyed seeing how the characters frequently referenced it throughout the play as an explanation for the deaths. The passing of each verse mounted the tension until the poem’s playful rhyme became a rhythmic countdown of survival.