MURDER mystery “And Then There Were None” has been named the world’s favorite Agatha Christie novel in a poll. The 1939 thriller received 21 percent of the votes, with “Murder on the Orient Express” and “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” coming in second and third, respectively. Fans were asked to choose a favorite to mark the 125th anniversary of Christie’s birth Sept. 15. “And Then There Were None” depicts 10 strangers stranded on an island, all accused of getting away with murder. As members of the party start to die mysteriously, the survivors realize they may be harboring a murderer among their number. The book — which does not feature Christie’s famous detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple — has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, making it one of the most popular novels of all time. It received 21 percent of the votes in the online poll, run by Christie’s estate, which attracted more than 15,000 respondents. Christie’s grandson Mathew Prichard, who is also the chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd., said, “It has been genuinely exciting to see fans from all around the world cast their votes for the World’s Favorite Christie. “In ‘And Then There Were None,’ my grandmother crafted a staggeringly complex plot, which has baffled, entertained and surprised readers since it was first published in 1939 and will, I hope, do so for years to come.” The novel, which Christie adapted for the stage in 1943, is currently being produced as a three-part mini-series for the BBC. The TV adaptation has been written by Sarah Phelps (“The Casual Vacancy,” “Great Expectations”) and stars Aidan Turner from “Poldark” alongside Douglas Booth, Charles Dance, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson and Toby Stephens. “And Then There Were None” was also one of Christie’s own favorites, even though it tested her writing skills. The novel required “a difficult technique, which was a challenge and so I enjoyed it, and I think dealt with it satisfactorily,” she once wrote to a fan. (SD-Agencies) | 