In “And There Were None,” a classic novel by Agatha Christie, 10 people are invited to a mansion on a remote island, isolated from the rest of the world. The secret follows.
Life imitated art on Friday when a large tree fell into a one-way street in the south-west of Brixham beach in Britain, stranding several people for several hours at Greenway House, the former holiday home of Christie, the prolific novelist. best-selling mystery artist who died in 1976.
The National Trust, the nonprofit organization that manages Greenway House, said Friday that the fallen tree “blocked traffic from entering or leaving the area.”
“We are working closely with the police and highways to get this done as quickly as possible,” the National Trust said. “We know there are visitors, staff and volunteers still at the Greenway who cannot leave and we are doing everything we can to make sure they are comfortable while we all wait. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this time.”
At the end of “And There Were None,” every guest in the house is dead. However, luckily for those trapped at Greenway House, the road reopened in the evening, allowing visitors to leave, the National Trust said in an update.
It was not immediately clear how many people were inside Christie’s home, which is open to visitors and overnight stays, when the tree fell. DevonLivea news in Britain that gave the latest updates on the incident, said that more than 100 people were stuck.
Caroline Heaven, who was at the Greenway on a day trip on Friday, told DevonLive that she arrived at 11:30 a.m., and stayed for hours.
“It’s really embarrassing,” Ms. Heaven told the reporter. “They are doing a great job. They are giving us tea and free stuff. It’s a little dark.”
Greenway House may not have been a vacation home. It was also the source of inspiration for Christie’s book “Dead Man’s Folly” which contains Hercule Poirotin which a crime writer organizes a fake “killer hunt” on the grounds of a country house.
Social media has leaned on the snobbery that’s settled in the home of a private journalist.
Several Twitter users began reading, “99, 98, 97, 96, 94 (grisly), 93 . . . describing “And There Wasn’t.”
Marguerite Kenner wrote Twitter that the people in the house should “SUBMIT THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO FRIENDS AT THE SAME TIME!”
Devon and Cornwall Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Greenway House was named by Christie’s as “the most beautiful place in the world,” according to the National Trust. The house was filled with Christie’s heirlooms, including items from his childhood home and his Steinway piano, the agency said.
The building also has a library of 5,000 books, including some by Christie, according to the National Trust.