Call me weird, but there's something about a murder mystery I find really cosy and comforting.
I love the reliability of the theme - you know roughly what's going to happen; standard character roles tend to appear - a carefree bachelor, a thin-lipped spinster, a beautiful young woman, a retired army General, a policeman, a butler and various others - and they are always stranded because of a storm.
Agatha Christie is inarguably the queen of the murder mystery, and Agatha Christie Theatre Company has been touring the UK with a different production each year since 2006. This year the Grand Theatre Leeds plays host to And Then There Were None - widely classed as her masterpiece.
The aforementioned characters, as well as a doctor, a judge, a housekeeper and a former soldier, are invited to or given jobs on an island by a Mr or Mrs U N Owen, whom none of them have met.
It soon becomes apparent that each guest and the butler and housekeeper have been involved in the death of other people and have been brought to the island to face the consequences of their crimes - which they do, in a pattern mirroring a nursery rhyme which spells out the fateful end of 10 soldiers.
There are 10 killers in this play, so everyone's under suspicion - but only one of them is bumping off the others, and it's up to them to find out who.
As a fan of the genre I was expecting great things from the production and I wasn't disappointed. Everything I expected to see was there - the characters, the art deco set, the cryptic clues and the eventual reveal - I wouldn't dream of spoiling it for you, but I don't think I was the only one left guessing right to the final curtain.
There were some top class performances from a host of familiar faces, notably former Blue Peter presenter Mark Curry as Doctor Armstrong, who was a picture of serenity until things started to take a turn for the worse; Midsomer Murders star Eric Carte as General Mackenzie - exactly as you expect a stiff old general to be, and Kezia Burrows as secretary Vera Claythorne, who was probably the darkest horse of them all.
The cast also included ex Emmerdale star Frazer Hines as the butler Rogers, Soldier Soldier star Ben Nealton, as well as television and stage regulars Neil Stacy, Gary Mavers, Deborah Grant, Judith Rae, Jan Knightley and Tom McCarron.
If you like a bit of armchair sleuthing, this is definitely one to watch!
