Ten strangers trapped on an isolated island are systematically murdered, each death mirroring the verses of a sinister nursery rhyme. The protagonist group, comprised of individuals with dark pasts, must navigate a mounting sense of paranoia as their unseen host, U.N. Owen, executes a calculated plan of retribution. Cut off from the mainland by a storm, the characters face the logical constraint of a closed-room mystery where the killer is hidden in plain sight. The narrative employs a shifting third-person perspective that tracks the psychological disintegration of the survivors as they realize their own secrets have brought them to this lethal destination.

This novel is widely regarded as the definitive example of the locked-room mystery and remains one of the most influential works in the crime genre. Critics frequently highlight the precision of the plotting and the relentless pacing that keeps the reader guessing until the final revelation. The book is noted for its bleak atmosphere and its departure from the traditional detective-led investigation, placing the focus instead on the psychological unraveling of the suspects. It continues to be studied for its structural ingenuity and its ability to maintain tension despite the inevitable demise of its cast.