The absence of a detective in And Then There Were None has the simultaneous effect of conforming to and challenging the conventions of the classic murder mystery. This essay will begin by examining those conventions and the typical role the detective plays within the genre. The effect that results from the absence of a detective in this particular novel of Christie’s will be explored, with emphasis on the ways in which it adheres to and, at the same time, defies the standard conventions. It will be asserted that, as the protagonist, the detective’s role in this crime novel is primarily assumed by the villainous judge, Lawrence Wargrave, assisted by the author, and thus providing an element of conformity and a solution to the mystery. However,