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The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Book 4 in the series:Hercule Poirot

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The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie is a classic mystery novel featuring Hercule Poirot as he comes out of retirement to solve a murder in a country village. The story is narrated through the lens of an outsider to Poirot's world, providing a unique perspective on the investigation. With well-drawn characters, a clever plot, and a surprising twist ending, Christie weaves a tale that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

Characters:

The characters are intricately designed, each harboring secrets that contribute to the story's complexities, with Poirot standing out as a charismatic and intelligent detective.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging and clear, showcasing Christie's sharp wit and ability to create vivid characters, contributing to an overall captivating narrative.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot is centered around a murder mystery that cleverly employs an unreliable narrator, resulting in a surprising twist that challenges traditional expectations in the genre.

Setting:

The story is set in a quaint English village, providing a rich backdrop for the intricate plots and character interactions that unfold.

Pacing:

The pacing is steady and carefully controlled, effectively building suspense while weaving in distractions that keep readers guessing until the climax.
It was just a few minutes after nine when I reached home once more. I opened the front door with my latchkey, and purposely delayed a few moments in the hall, hanging up my hat and the light overcoat ...

Notes:

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was published in 1926 and is considered one of Agatha Christie’s masterpieces.
The novel features the famous detective Hercule Poirot, who is drawn out of retirement to solve a murder in a quiet village.
The book is known for its surprising twist ending, which is a significant contribution to the murder mystery genre.
It explores themes of secrecy, deception, and the hidden aspects of human nature.
The plot revolves around the murder of wealthy Roger Ackroyd, who is found dead shortly after receiving a letter revealing blackmail.
Christie’s writing in this novel is noted for its clever use of red herrings and character backstories to mislead readers.
The book is frequently recommended as an introduction to Agatha Christie’s work and the detective genre as a whole.
It has been influential in shaping the expectations of mystery readers, particularly regarding the role of the narrator.
The novel is often included in lists of must-read books and is celebrated for its innovative narrative structure.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include themes of murder, suicide, and blackmail, which some readers may find distressing.

From The Publisher:

"Agatha Christie's indelibly etched characters have entertained millions across the years and a love of her work has brought together generations of readers-a singular achievement for any author and an inspiration to writers across the literary landscape."-Jacqueline Winspear, New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs novels

Roger Ackroyd knew too much. He knew that the woman he loved had poisoned her brutal first husband. He suspected also that someone had been blackmailing her. Then, tragically, came the news that she had taken her own life with an apparent drug overdose.

However, the evening post brought Roger one last fatal scrap of information, but before he could finish reading the letter, he was stabbed to death. Luckily one of Roger's friends and the newest resident to retire to this normally quiet village takes over-none other than Monsieur Hercule Poirot . . .

Not only beloved by generations of readers, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was one of Agatha Christie's own favorite works-a brilliant whodunit that firmly established the author's reputation as the Queen of Mystery.

Ratings (148)

Incredible (34)
Loved It (65)
Liked It (35)
It Was OK (10)
Did Not Like (4)

Reader Stats (236):

Read It (160)
Currently Reading (2)
Want To Read (45)
Not Interested (29)

9 comment(s)

It Was OK
1 week

I had some real luck with Agatha Christie novels lately but this one didn't quite feel as intriguing and cozy. For me it's often about if I get invested in the many characters and care enough to get emersed into the plot. But unfortunately this one didn't quite pull me in. Still a good story just not one of the top for me

 
Loved It
1 month

Incredible. Absolutely wonderful. I had had the ending spoiled for me by the author of an article about classic whodunnits, but even so it was fantastic. Highly recommend. It starts a little slow, but stay with it to the end and you'll be glad you did.

 
Loved It
3 months

twist........at the end:)

First read in 2012

------------------

*****4.5******

My re-read :) 2017

Fourth Book in Poirot series. A tale with a twist.

A wealthy Businessman and a widower is murdered. Just few weeks before Mrs Ferrars commits suicides by taking poison. There is also a talk of Blackmail. Who killed Mr. Ackroyd? As always there are many people in the story, who are also suspects.

Roger Ackroyd- murdered wealthy widowed businessman.

Mrs Ferrars- commits suicide taking poison just few weeks before the murder and is close to Roger.

Captain Ralph Paton- Roger Ackroyd's stepson, in a bad position in life.

Flora Ackroyd-Roger Ackroyd's niece, engaged to Ralph Paton

Mrs Cecil Ackroyd-Flora's mother, Roger Ackroyd's widowed sister in law.

Ursula Bourne- Roger Ackroyd's parlourmaid, poor but well educated and brought-up.

Geoffrey Raymond- Roger Ackroyd's secretary.

John Parker- Roger Ackroyd's Butler.

Elizabeth Russell- Roger Ackroyd's housekeeper.

Major Hector Blunt- Roger Ackroyd's friend and guest at the time of murder.

Dr James Sheppard – the local doctor,the narrator.

Caroline Sheppard – Dr.James spinster sister, who loves gossiping.

and many more.

Now, the story begins with Mrs Ferrars's suicide and Roger Ackroyd who was thought to marry her is distraught by the news. He calls Dr James Sheppard to dinner with the inmates of his house. After dinner, Ackroyd and Sheppard goes to his study for a talk where Ackroyd confides with Sheppard that Mrs Ferrars was being blackmailed about killing her husband. At the same time, he receives a letter by Mrs Ferrars, possibly a suicide note with the information of the blackmailer. But Ackroyd decides to read it after Sheppard leaves.

After Sheppard reaches his house, he receives a phone call from Ackroyd's Butler Parker saying Ackroyd is dead. But when Sheppard rushes back to Ackroyd's place, he finds that the phone call was fake but the news is true. Ackroyd is indeed dead.

Hercule Poirot, who is a neighbour to Dr. Sheppard, takes an interest in the case. Bingo! The case is solved. :)

But it's not easy. The estimated time of death doesn't match with witnesses. Someone or the other confide that they have heard Ackroyd talking or they themselves talked to him personally at that time.

So when was Ackroyd killed? By Whom? and Why?

Wonderful as always, Christie has put a twist which will swipe the reader off their feet.

 
Liked It
3 months

It is hard to read these classic mystery stories this day and age, because so many of the genre's key tropes have become stereotypes. This was still an enjoyable mystery and you can tell why Agatha Christie became a classic. Overall the entire premise reads a bit "dinner mystery theater" these days, but it was still an enjoyable mystery with fun characters.

 
Incredible
3 months

Estaba pensando en darle cuatro estrellas, constantemente da más información y te hace cambiar tu idea de quien puede ser el asesino. Muy bien escrito y muy entretenido. Y entonces llegué al final y sin desvelar nada. 5 estrellas.

 
Incredible
5 months

Totally unexpected outcome. Creative and unique. Different!

 
Did Not Like
6 months

Method, order, and the little gray cells.

Oh, Agatha: it’s not you, it’s me. Unfortunately I think that both

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and

A Study in Scarlet have taught me one thing this year: I don’t like murder mysteries. Or, rather, that the “whodunnit” element isn’t enough to get me excited. I loved

And Then There Were None in 2022, but in hindsight I think the thriller element is what kept me reading. But

Roger Ackroyd isn’t a thriller; in fact, dare I say there isn’t much of a plot at all, beyond establishing all the clues (or “clews,” as it’s charmingly spelled) necessary for the final solution. It’s strange, because I thought Christie was known for methodically eliminating suspects as her mysteries unfolded—which certainly happens in

And Then There Were None!—but the majority of

Roger Ackroyd felt like setup.

Then again, the apparent lack of progress may have to do with the fact that I had a very hard time keeping all the characters and clues straight. There’s a fairly large cast, and none of them are especially memorable or well-drawn, with the notable exception of Caroline, who was an utter delight every time she appeared on the page. Even the narrator, Dr. Sheppard, doesn’t bring a lot to the table in terms of style or personality; he’s just sort of bland (except where Caroline is concerned). I do think it would have done a lot to mitigate his somewhat stilted and dry narration, and just generally been a fun framing device, if Christie had let the reader know that

the book is actually being written by Dr. Sheppard

(is this a spoiler? I don’t really see how it could be, but technically it isn’t revealed until the end).

Speaking of the end: look, the solution is great. I was completely surprised. But that doesn’t change the fact that I just didn't really…care. Don’t get me wrong, I was fully engaged in the final chapters (which I unfortunately can’t say for the rest of the book), but the big revelation didn’t hold any emotional impact. I can appreciate Christie’s idea, but in the context of

this murder and

these characters I didn't feel like it landed.

Ultimately, I don’t think I’ll be reading any more Christie or murder mysteries…at least not for a while.

Some favorite passages:

“The chains of habit. We work to attain an object, and the object gained, we find that what we miss is the daily toil.

“And anyway,” continued Miss Flora, “all this making a fuss about things because some one wore or used them seems to me all nonsense. They’re not wearing or using them now. The pen that George Eliot wrote The Mill on the Floss with—that sort of thing—well, it’s only just a pen after all. If you’re really keen on George Eliot, why not get The Mill on the Floss in a cheap edition and read it.”

I do not see why I should be supposed to be totally devoid of intelligence. After all, I read detective stories, and the newspapers, and am a man of quite average ability. If there had been toe marks on the dagger handle, now, that would have been quite a different thing. I would then have registered any amount of surprise and awe.

“It is completely unimportant,” said Poirot. “That is why it is so interesting,” he added softly.

“If those walls could speak,” I murmured. Poirot shook his head. “A tongue is not enough,” he said. “They would have to have also eyes and ears. But do not be too sure that these dead things”—he touched the top of the bookcase as he spoke—“are always dumb. To me they speak sometimes—chairs, tables—they have their message!”

Understand this, I mean to arrive at the truth. The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to the seeker after it.

Poirot took the words out of his mouth.

I thought Caroline would be pleased with me, but it is hard to satisfy one’s women folk. It appears that we were eating chops for lunch—the kitchen staff being regaled on tripe and onions. And two chops set before three people are productive of embarrassment. But Caroline is seldom daunted for long. With magnificent mendacity, she explained to Poirot that although James laughed at her for doing so, she adhered strictly to a vegetarian diet. She descanted ecstatically on the delights of nut cutlets (which I am quite sure she has never tasted) and ate a Welsh rarebit with gusto and frequent cutting remarks as to the dangers of “flesh” foods.

I am rather pleased with myself as a writer. What could be neater, for instance, than the following:— “The letters were brought in at twenty minutes to nine. It was just on ten minutes to nine when I left him, the letter still unread. I hesitated with my hand on the door handle, looking back and wondering if there was anything I had left undone.” All true, you see. But suppose I had put a row of stars after the first sentence! Would somebody then have wondered what exactly happened in that blank ten minutes?

 
Incredible
6 months

Poirot was an extraordinary-looking little man. He was hardly more than five feet four inches, but carried himself with great dignity. His head was exactly the shape of an egg, and he always perched it a little on one side. His moustache was very stiff and military. The neatness of his attire was almost incredible; I believe a speck of dust would have caused him more pain than a bullet wound. Yet this quaint dandified little man who, I was sorry to see, now limped badly, had been in his time one of the most celebrated members of the Belgian police. As a detective, his flair had been extraordinary, and he had achieved triumphs by unravelling some of the most baffling cases of the day.

Christie, Agatha. Hercule Poirot 3-Book Collection 1: The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder on the Links, Poirot Investigates (Kindle Locations 308-313). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

I love Hercule Poirot. Such a great detective. Such a character. There's always a great mystery with lots of twists and turns and red herrings, all of which keep me riveted. The characters are interesting and have complex motives for their actions. I've read many Agatha Christie books before but not all and not in order so I'm in the process of commencing a reread. Highly recommend to crime lovers.

Mind. Blown.

I had to sit on this review for a few days to think about what to say because Mind. Blown. was literally all I could think to put down. I've managed to put my thoughts into some semblance of order now. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is amazing. It is epic, terrific, brilliant. I loved this book. I didn't see the twist coming. In any way shape or form and it's been awhile since I was so utterly blindsided by a mystery book. I loved it.

Plus Hastings is gone. I don't know why he's gone but I'm glad he is. I never really liked him afterall. I liked Dr James Sheppard though. I felt that he was a nice fit to play Watson to Poirot's Sherlock. I loved Caroline. She was bossy and observant and amusing.

This was just awesome. I can't wait to read more.

 
Loved It
8 months

My first Christie. It altered my conception of a mystery book. I didn't know twists like this existed before reading this.

 
 
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