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The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Collins brings the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, to English language learners.
Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language. Now Collins has adapted her famous detective novels for English language learners. These carefully adapted versions are shorter with the language targeted at upper-intermediate learners (CEF level B2).
Roger Ackroyd is a man who knows too much. He knows the woman he loved poisoned her first husband. He knows someone was blackmailing her – and now he knows she killed herself.
When Roger Ackroyd is found murdered, the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is called in to find out who the killer is.
Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time and in any language. Now Collins has adapted her famous detective novels for English language learners. These carefully adapted versions are shorter with the language targeted at upper-intermediate learners (CEF level B2).
Roger Ackroyd is a man who knows too much. He knows the woman he loved poisoned her first husband. He knows someone was blackmailing her – and now he knows she killed herself.
When Roger Ackroyd is found murdered, the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, is called in to find out who the killer is.
128 pages, Paperback
Published June 7, 2012
42 people are currently reading
588 people want to read
About the author
Agatha Christie
5,781 books76.1k followersAgatha Christie also wrote romance novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, and was occasionally published under the name Agatha Christie Mallowan.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime". She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.
This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.
Associated Names:
Agata Christie
Agata Kristi
Агата Кристи (Russian)
Агата Крісті (Ukrainian)
Αγκάθα Κρίστι (Greek)
アガサ クリスティ (Japanese)
阿嘉莎·克莉絲蒂 (Chinese)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
April 22, 2025
It starts with the suicide of Ackroyd's girlfriend.
When the widowed Mrs. Ferrars admits that she not only killed her awful husband but is being blackmailed by someone in the village to keep it a secret, Roger Ackroyd is understandably upset and backs away quickly.
When she kills herself and mails a letter naming her blackmailer, though, he feels it is his duty to avenge her.
However, before he can do so, he's stabbed to death in his study.
Poirot, who has retired to this sleepy town to garden and enjoy the simple life, comes out of retirement to solve the case.
Oddly enough, he's not as happy with his vegetable marrows and their growth as he thought he would be when he was planning his retirement, so this case provides a welcome break from taking it easy.
With the town doctor, James Sheppard, acting in the role of Hastings, Poirot goes over the evidence with a fine-tooth comb, finds out what everyone is hiding, and comes up with the solution.
I know I say this quite a bit, but...
This mystery goes down as one of Agatha Christie's best.
I've also heard that Dr. Sheppard's gossipy sister, Caroline, who knows the skinny on everyone in town, was an early incarnation of her famous Miss Marple.
Which, hey. That's mighty damn cool!
I don't want to give anything away in case someone hasn't read this one yet, so I'll just say this: TRUST NO ONE.
Recommended.
For anyone who loves the book, you should check out BBC Audio Crime's radio play of this book.
When the widowed Mrs. Ferrars admits that she not only killed her awful husband but is being blackmailed by someone in the village to keep it a secret, Roger Ackroyd is understandably upset and backs away quickly.
When she kills herself and mails a letter naming her blackmailer, though, he feels it is his duty to avenge her.
However, before he can do so, he's stabbed to death in his study.
Poirot, who has retired to this sleepy town to garden and enjoy the simple life, comes out of retirement to solve the case.
Oddly enough, he's not as happy with his vegetable marrows and their growth as he thought he would be when he was planning his retirement, so this case provides a welcome break from taking it easy.
With the town doctor, James Sheppard, acting in the role of Hastings, Poirot goes over the evidence with a fine-tooth comb, finds out what everyone is hiding, and comes up with the solution.
I know I say this quite a bit, but...
This mystery goes down as one of Agatha Christie's best.
I've also heard that Dr. Sheppard's gossipy sister, Caroline, who knows the skinny on everyone in town, was an early incarnation of her famous Miss Marple.
Which, hey. That's mighty damn cool!
I don't want to give anything away in case someone hasn't read this one yet, so I'll just say this: TRUST NO ONE.
Recommended.
For anyone who loves the book, you should check out BBC Audio Crime's radio play of this book.
February 13, 2019
It was fun to read some Agatha after such a long time. I can certainly see why she is so popular. She is the most widely published author after the Bible and Shakespeare. Her descriptions of people and plotting are well done. Her one paragraph on the sister Caroline is precious. She does have tropes, like always gathering all the suspects together in one room and eliminating them one by one. Also throwing red herrings out at possible suspects. I must say that I did not guess the perpetrator in this book. Glad I read it and our book group had fun with it.
March 26, 2023
Don’t mind me playing detective AGAIN and no this isn’t an Agatha fan account BUT it nearly is 🕵♀️. This is the 3rd of hers that has been an easy 5star for me. I’ve seen this one featured in lists of books you must read before you die and honestly THEY AREN’T WRONG.
📖S Y N O P S I S📖
Roger Ackroyd was a man who knew too much. He knew the woman he loved had poisoned her first husband. He knew someone was blackmailing her – and now he knew she had taken her own life with a drug overdose. Soon the evening post would let him know who the mystery blackmailer was. But Ackroyd was dead before he’d finished reading it…
Agatha may be, in my opinion, an absolute babe when it comes to mysteries but she’s also a very sly fox. I had thoughts early on as to who it was but AS ALWAYS she manipulated me and made me doubt myself 🥲. It really does make for such a fun reading experience and I think that’s why I just find myself going back to her books time and time again.
As always, there’s a wide range of suspects with different motives but it is easy to keep track of. I really liked the idea of Poirot coming out of retirement to help solve the case, what a good egg 🥚. My favourite character though was Caroline who was just so bizarre and honestly the comments she was making about James’s liver kept setting me off 🤣. The dialogue in this one made me laugh a bit too much.
The twist is a good one, possibly one of her best and I think even if you have some accurate suspicions it still lands great. Even now knowing all the clues and the conclusion I wouldn’t hesitate to reread it as I know I’d still find it just as enjoyable.
📖S Y N O P S I S📖
Roger Ackroyd was a man who knew too much. He knew the woman he loved had poisoned her first husband. He knew someone was blackmailing her – and now he knew she had taken her own life with a drug overdose. Soon the evening post would let him know who the mystery blackmailer was. But Ackroyd was dead before he’d finished reading it…
Agatha may be, in my opinion, an absolute babe when it comes to mysteries but she’s also a very sly fox. I had thoughts early on as to who it was but AS ALWAYS she manipulated me and made me doubt myself 🥲. It really does make for such a fun reading experience and I think that’s why I just find myself going back to her books time and time again.
As always, there’s a wide range of suspects with different motives but it is easy to keep track of. I really liked the idea of Poirot coming out of retirement to help solve the case, what a good egg 🥚. My favourite character though was Caroline who was just so bizarre and honestly the comments she was making about James’s liver kept setting me off 🤣. The dialogue in this one made me laugh a bit too much.
The twist is a good one, possibly one of her best and I think even if you have some accurate suspicions it still lands great. Even now knowing all the clues and the conclusion I wouldn’t hesitate to reread it as I know I’d still find it just as enjoyable.
April 21, 2019
The clues were all there...but I only figured it out three pages ahead of the reveal.
December 29, 2021
Really good book and one of the clues to understanding the political allegory in The Catcher in the Rye.
October 3, 2022
This twist truly caught me by surprise.
August 4, 2020
I have a lot to say about this book because I really like it but intrigued me at the same time. First of all, it`s my second Agatha Christie`s book to read so I kinda` knew her writing style. I`m doing my college license on Agatha Christie`s books so I had to read it from a critical point of view. I had a lot of assumptions and suspicious along the way and it felt a bit unsettled to me how it ended.
Let`s talk about the characters first. There are a lot of people in a single house the night of the murder as much as in general.
Roger Ackroyd was a rich man who received a letter from a lover and was really scared the night of the murder. He was an avaricious man from what people in his family told, although he was rich. He had a stepson who was planning marring him with his niece Flora.
Flora to me was the most suspicious person in the entire movie. Her stories were not matching the time, the moment and was her idea to get Poirot on the murder matter. She had her secrets but no the kind of secrets I thought of. What I didn`t understand about her personality was that she wanted so bad the secret to come out and for Ralph to be cleared even though she didn`t really want to marry him. She had a different relationship herself.
Major Blunt was so indifferent for me and I didn`t cared much about him. I like the fact that he took the blame for Flora`s theft. He really loved her but didn`t have the courage to take action until Poirot and the doctor made him confess.
Another character that I suspected was Mrs. Ackroyd, Roger`s sister that was there only for the family purpose and to be the one who always complain about something or some pain that she has. I suspected her because like everyone in the family, she had hid the most. She didn`t tell the exact story that happened and complain the most.
Move on, Ralph Paton was the only one I didn`t suspected at all even though he was suspected by everyone. It was to obvious that he would commit murder and leave by the window. Too obvious. What kind of murderer leaves footprint right in the open, muddy prints I might add. He was innocent and his affair with the parlor-maid was not big news. I wasn`t expecting it but didn`t surprised me at all. As his wife, the parlor-maid was also accused but that was also too obvious because Roger dismissed her before the murder happened.
I can say that I never read something that strangely, the murderer being the one that tells the story. Is something new for me. The doctor was suspicious because he was the only one who didn`t like Poirot and his reputation. He was never convinced that Poirot was doing his job properly and thought that his methods were too melodramatic when in fact that`s the job of a particular detective.
As for Poirot he was a very conventional man. He liked being on time with everything and took into consideration everything to be important. He even find the moving of the chair quite odd. Anyhow, he was very methodical and question everything that find suspicious. I also didn`t believe the teeth lie when we was actually making some inquiries. Very intelligent and very polite with everyone even though he didn`t have a reason to do so. He was very considerate or maybe pretended to be of Poirot`s sister theories and that made me like him.
It is a great mystery book and I really enjoyed playing the detective myself.
Let`s talk about the characters first. There are a lot of people in a single house the night of the murder as much as in general.
Roger Ackroyd was a rich man who received a letter from a lover and was really scared the night of the murder. He was an avaricious man from what people in his family told, although he was rich. He had a stepson who was planning marring him with his niece Flora.
Flora to me was the most suspicious person in the entire movie. Her stories were not matching the time, the moment and was her idea to get Poirot on the murder matter. She had her secrets but no the kind of secrets I thought of. What I didn`t understand about her personality was that she wanted so bad the secret to come out and for Ralph to be cleared even though she didn`t really want to marry him. She had a different relationship herself.
Major Blunt was so indifferent for me and I didn`t cared much about him. I like the fact that he took the blame for Flora`s theft. He really loved her but didn`t have the courage to take action until Poirot and the doctor made him confess.
Another character that I suspected was Mrs. Ackroyd, Roger`s sister that was there only for the family purpose and to be the one who always complain about something or some pain that she has. I suspected her because like everyone in the family, she had hid the most. She didn`t tell the exact story that happened and complain the most.
Move on, Ralph Paton was the only one I didn`t suspected at all even though he was suspected by everyone. It was to obvious that he would commit murder and leave by the window. Too obvious. What kind of murderer leaves footprint right in the open, muddy prints I might add. He was innocent and his affair with the parlor-maid was not big news. I wasn`t expecting it but didn`t surprised me at all. As his wife, the parlor-maid was also accused but that was also too obvious because Roger dismissed her before the murder happened.
I can say that I never read something that strangely, the murderer being the one that tells the story. Is something new for me. The doctor was suspicious because he was the only one who didn`t like Poirot and his reputation. He was never convinced that Poirot was doing his job properly and thought that his methods were too melodramatic when in fact that`s the job of a particular detective.
As for Poirot he was a very conventional man. He liked being on time with everything and took into consideration everything to be important. He even find the moving of the chair quite odd. Anyhow, he was very methodical and question everything that find suspicious. I also didn`t believe the teeth lie when we was actually making some inquiries. Very intelligent and very polite with everyone even though he didn`t have a reason to do so. He was very considerate or maybe pretended to be of Poirot`s sister theories and that made me like him.
It is a great mystery book and I really enjoyed playing the detective myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2024
I have been an Agatha Christie fan since I was a teenager, but until recently had never read one of her most famous books, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. When I was asked to review a new release of the book I thought it would be a good push to finally read it. I must say though, it feels a bit odd to be reviewing something by the Queen of Crime, and a book that has been voted by the British Crime Writers’ Association as the Best Crime Novel of all Time.
While I enjoy the Miss Marple stories, I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie’s character Hercule Poirot, who is the detective in this book. At this point, Hercule has retired to a small English village, ready to tend his garden and take it easy (as if he could really do that). Roger Ackroyd lives in this village and is a friend of Poirot’s. Unfortunately, he is murdered, and Poirot is drawn out of retirement to find the killer and solve what appears to be a locked room mystery. The main suspects are Roger’s family who lived with him, his personal secretary, the house staff, and a friend who was visiting—and they all have secrets. Many of the motives involve money, as Roger was a successful businessman and owner of the Fernly Park Estate—though he tended to be a bit stingy with his family.
The narrator of this book is a local doctor who lives next door to Poirot, Dr. Sheppard. Sheppard lives with his sister, who is the town gossip. Sheppard not only acts as Poirot narrator in this book, but he also helps him investigate and drives him around to speak to different people.
Christie does a brilliant job of peppering in the clues to this very complex mystery—had I not already known who the killer was, I am not sure I would have guessed. One of the biggest reasons I had never read the book is that her twist in this book was so groundbreaking at the time that I knew who the killer was soon after I discovered her books, so I wasn’t sure how much fun it would be to read it knowing that already. However, it was actually a brilliant read and almost more fun knowing who the killer was and reading to see how she pulled it all off and what clues were there for Poirot to figure it out. I will refrain from saying anything more for those who are not yet familiar with this book.
I am also a big fan of David Suchet’s portrayal of Poirot, so after reading the book, I went back and rewatched the episode based on it, and honestly, I enjoyed the episode less this time around as I now see how her brilliance in this plot is lost in bringing this story to the screen—no fault of those who adapted it and it was still fun, but some things can only be done in a book. It was interesting to see how many characters were taken out of the story, and it was fun to see Poirot’s friend Inspector Jap brought into the story.
I highly recommend this book, whether you already know who the killer is or not. And I highly recommend Agatha Christie to any mystery fan. And if you are new to Agatha Christie and start thinking that she uses too many tropes that you see in modern mysteries—try to remember that she created these tropes so everyone else is copying her!
While I enjoy the Miss Marple stories, I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie’s character Hercule Poirot, who is the detective in this book. At this point, Hercule has retired to a small English village, ready to tend his garden and take it easy (as if he could really do that). Roger Ackroyd lives in this village and is a friend of Poirot’s. Unfortunately, he is murdered, and Poirot is drawn out of retirement to find the killer and solve what appears to be a locked room mystery. The main suspects are Roger’s family who lived with him, his personal secretary, the house staff, and a friend who was visiting—and they all have secrets. Many of the motives involve money, as Roger was a successful businessman and owner of the Fernly Park Estate—though he tended to be a bit stingy with his family.
The narrator of this book is a local doctor who lives next door to Poirot, Dr. Sheppard. Sheppard lives with his sister, who is the town gossip. Sheppard not only acts as Poirot narrator in this book, but he also helps him investigate and drives him around to speak to different people.
Christie does a brilliant job of peppering in the clues to this very complex mystery—had I not already known who the killer was, I am not sure I would have guessed. One of the biggest reasons I had never read the book is that her twist in this book was so groundbreaking at the time that I knew who the killer was soon after I discovered her books, so I wasn’t sure how much fun it would be to read it knowing that already. However, it was actually a brilliant read and almost more fun knowing who the killer was and reading to see how she pulled it all off and what clues were there for Poirot to figure it out. I will refrain from saying anything more for those who are not yet familiar with this book.
I am also a big fan of David Suchet’s portrayal of Poirot, so after reading the book, I went back and rewatched the episode based on it, and honestly, I enjoyed the episode less this time around as I now see how her brilliance in this plot is lost in bringing this story to the screen—no fault of those who adapted it and it was still fun, but some things can only be done in a book. It was interesting to see how many characters were taken out of the story, and it was fun to see Poirot’s friend Inspector Jap brought into the story.
I highly recommend this book, whether you already know who the killer is or not. And I highly recommend Agatha Christie to any mystery fan. And if you are new to Agatha Christie and start thinking that she uses too many tropes that you see in modern mysteries—try to remember that she created these tropes so everyone else is copying her!
December 26, 2025
did not enjoy as much as murder on the orient express
January 30, 2023
Just when Hercule Poirot thought he could retire and spend a calm life in a small town away from everything, a murder strikes and he decides to help investigate what happened. His goal is to find the truth, would he be able to? (Spoiler alert: he does)
Looks like everyone has a motive, everyone had the opportunity, but is just by using his grey cells that Poirot will untangle the whole mystery and discover who actually did it, and why.
Once again I have been struck by Agatha Christie's writing. I was not even close or whatsoever to guess who the murderer was, everything was set up so perfectly. How did this woman have such a mind? Hercule Poirot does use his gray cells, but for him to use them his author needs to use them too, and wow... Just wow... I had read some reviews about how awesome this book was and how it's one of the best of Christie's novels, and, oh my, they were not wrong.
The writing, the descriptions, the situations, the characters, everything was set up in a way it traps you and how the chapters were divided made it easier to follow along.
I have to admit this has been one of my best readings of the year. I did feel the end was way too quick and almost felt like something was missing, but when you get to understand the whole concept of the book it makes absolute sense, of course it was going to end like that:
Looks like everyone has a motive, everyone had the opportunity, but is just by using his grey cells that Poirot will untangle the whole mystery and discover who actually did it, and why.
Once again I have been struck by Agatha Christie's writing. I was not even close or whatsoever to guess who the murderer was, everything was set up so perfectly. How did this woman have such a mind? Hercule Poirot does use his gray cells, but for him to use them his author needs to use them too, and wow... Just wow... I had read some reviews about how awesome this book was and how it's one of the best of Christie's novels, and, oh my, they were not wrong.
The writing, the descriptions, the situations, the characters, everything was set up in a way it traps you and how the chapters were divided made it easier to follow along.
I have to admit this has been one of my best readings of the year. I did feel the end was way too quick and almost felt like something was missing, but when you get to understand the whole concept of the book it makes absolute sense, of course it was going to end like that:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2019
Narrator has done some pretty much everything for you from visualizing the crime scene,making theories to being a iconic sidekick after WATSON. The book starts from the introduction to environment of King's Abbot then the narrator guides you though the book in pretty typical detective story format which is very crucial to the plot because when the case is finally solved the the real story begins.I can Guarantee that if you finish this book the you definitely want to re-read the book once again to catch the clue all by yourself. This book turns the detective genre upside down and take you far a ride.
February 23, 2019
Was convinced I'd solved it a dozen times... only for me to be completely blindsided in the last few pages. Excellent book.
March 1, 2020
Noboby could guess it’s the dog!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2021
Dear Agatha is still relevant and entertaining after all this time. She stays the queen of mystery
Really enjoyed this book!
Really enjoyed this book!
October 8, 2022
I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. The best book I've read in this genre.
December 30, 2022
Ben Shapiro would hate this
April 26, 2023
I discovered who did it. No cheating. It somehow only made me like the book better. Loved it
January 3, 2024
Good twist but otherwise mid
February 3, 2024
Unexpected ending. I enjoyed the Mah Jong game that was mentioned.
February 5, 2026
Great book per usual for Christie 👏
January 14, 2026
Christie's way of words (or lack thereof) cleared this storyline to keep the reader guessing until the very end. I had to go back and reread to fully grasp the cleverness of its pivotal scenes. Love!
July 3, 2020
Book review „The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd“
“The Murder of Roger Ackroyd “ is a crime novel which was written by the English author Agatha Christie and was first published in June 1926.
Main characters
Hercule Poirot is a retired Belgian detective. In all his investigations he relies on his own logic and treats everyone as a suspect.
Roger Ackroyd is a widower and a wealthy businessman. He has a big influence in his village which makes him a constant subject of gossip and speculation.
Mrs. Ferrars is a nervous, scared woman who poisoned her alcoholic husband to escape his abusiveness. Although she died at the beginning of the novel she plays an important role in the plot as a close friend of Roger Ackroyd.
Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd is Roger Ackroyd’s sister-in-law. After her husband died she and her daughter live at Mr. Ackroyd’s estate Fernley Park. She is an arrogant and talkative person and is constantly complaining about her brother-in-law.
Ralph Paton is Roger Ackroyd´s stepson. He is very handsome and charming, but often gets into trouble with debts and financial obligations.
Flora Ackroyd is Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd’s daugther. She is young, fair and beautiful. She is financially dependent on her uncle.
Dr. James Sheppard is a doctor in King´s Abbott. He is Roger Ackroyd’s friend and the person from whose perspective the story is told.
Caroline Shepard is Dr. Sheppard’s sister. She is very inquisitive and knows everything about everybody in her village. She often gives very useful advice to her brother about local matters.
Summary
The story takes place in the village of King's Abbot in England and is written out of the view of Dr. James Sheppard. The story begins with the death of Mrs. Ferrars, a wealthy widow who is suspected by some people to have murdered her husband. First everyone believed that her death was an accident until Roger Ackroyd, a wealthy widower and close friend to Mrs. Ferrars, reveals that she committed suicide. Shortly after this he is found murdered with a dagger in his own house. The suspects include Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd, her daughter Flora, Ralph Paton and some friends as well as some sevants of Mr Ackroyd’s Houshold. The main suspect is Ralph Paton, who is engaged to Flora and disappeared shortly after his stepfather’s death. Since the police has no real clue to who actually killed Mr Ackroyd the retired detective Hercule Poirot is entrusted with the case. Poirot immediately starts his investigation and is able to convict the true offender in the end.
My own opinon and Recommendation
After reading the book, I can say that I really enjoyed it. The book is very exciting but easy to understand, which makes it a lot of fun to read and follow the plot. In my view, the characters are very detailed and well used and it is therefore very interesting to get to know the individual characters.
The plot of the book is just fantastic. The story is structured in such a way that it never gets boring to follow the plot. The end is really great and will surely surprise everyone who reads the book. But what is also so great is the fact that everything is explained and presented so well that it surprises you that you didn't get it yourself
The language in which the book is written is very demanding and therefore, in my view, not suitable for people who are not so well familiar with the language. However it is ideal for expanding your vocabulary and learning new forms of expression.
All in all, I can say that I enjoyed the book very much and would definitely recommend it to others.
“The Murder of Roger Ackroyd “ is a crime novel which was written by the English author Agatha Christie and was first published in June 1926.
Main characters
Hercule Poirot is a retired Belgian detective. In all his investigations he relies on his own logic and treats everyone as a suspect.
Roger Ackroyd is a widower and a wealthy businessman. He has a big influence in his village which makes him a constant subject of gossip and speculation.
Mrs. Ferrars is a nervous, scared woman who poisoned her alcoholic husband to escape his abusiveness. Although she died at the beginning of the novel she plays an important role in the plot as a close friend of Roger Ackroyd.
Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd is Roger Ackroyd’s sister-in-law. After her husband died she and her daughter live at Mr. Ackroyd’s estate Fernley Park. She is an arrogant and talkative person and is constantly complaining about her brother-in-law.
Ralph Paton is Roger Ackroyd´s stepson. He is very handsome and charming, but often gets into trouble with debts and financial obligations.
Flora Ackroyd is Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd’s daugther. She is young, fair and beautiful. She is financially dependent on her uncle.
Dr. James Sheppard is a doctor in King´s Abbott. He is Roger Ackroyd’s friend and the person from whose perspective the story is told.
Caroline Shepard is Dr. Sheppard’s sister. She is very inquisitive and knows everything about everybody in her village. She often gives very useful advice to her brother about local matters.
Summary
The story takes place in the village of King's Abbot in England and is written out of the view of Dr. James Sheppard. The story begins with the death of Mrs. Ferrars, a wealthy widow who is suspected by some people to have murdered her husband. First everyone believed that her death was an accident until Roger Ackroyd, a wealthy widower and close friend to Mrs. Ferrars, reveals that she committed suicide. Shortly after this he is found murdered with a dagger in his own house. The suspects include Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd, her daughter Flora, Ralph Paton and some friends as well as some sevants of Mr Ackroyd’s Houshold. The main suspect is Ralph Paton, who is engaged to Flora and disappeared shortly after his stepfather’s death. Since the police has no real clue to who actually killed Mr Ackroyd the retired detective Hercule Poirot is entrusted with the case. Poirot immediately starts his investigation and is able to convict the true offender in the end.
My own opinon and Recommendation
After reading the book, I can say that I really enjoyed it. The book is very exciting but easy to understand, which makes it a lot of fun to read and follow the plot. In my view, the characters are very detailed and well used and it is therefore very interesting to get to know the individual characters.
The plot of the book is just fantastic. The story is structured in such a way that it never gets boring to follow the plot. The end is really great and will surely surprise everyone who reads the book. But what is also so great is the fact that everything is explained and presented so well that it surprises you that you didn't get it yourself
The language in which the book is written is very demanding and therefore, in my view, not suitable for people who are not so well familiar with the language. However it is ideal for expanding your vocabulary and learning new forms of expression.
All in all, I can say that I enjoyed the book very much and would definitely recommend it to others.
April 22, 2025
Oh. My. God. I can't believe that ending! I didn't expect it one single bit.
I enjoyed this book. I have to admit that before knowing the plot twist, it felt a bit repetitive to read and that the story wasn't moving in any direction. I couldn't help but think that the doctor was the worst narrator ever, because he was completely clueless and the fact that Poirot didn't tell him A SINGLE THING. Everything Poirot told the doctor was encrypted, nothing direct or clear, and because we were reading from Sheppard's perspective we just had that information. It was frustrating. For the entire book I just wished that we were reading from Poirot's perspective, or from someone a bit more smart at figuring out what he said.
But now that I know that it had actually been Sheppard the whole time, it puts a lot of this in perspective. Maybe Poirot kind of knew all along, and didn't tell everything to the doctor on purpose (even though it wouldn't have changed much, since the murder had already been committed). What's crazy is the fact that even though we were reading from the murderer's perspective, I never once suspected him of anything. Nothing that he said or though seemed odd to me, and I was truly deeply surprised once it was revealed.
The ending and the big reveal felt a bit rushed though, I feel like the entire book was solved in like three pages, and I didn't get to know anything about the rest of the characters. Like, yes, I get why the doctor protected Ralph, but what happened then? With his wife? What about Mrs Ackroyd? What about everyone? How did they react? Poirot promised Sheppard that he wouldn't tell Caroline, but how? Why? I just wished there was an epilouge.
I enjoyed this book. I have to admit that before knowing the plot twist, it felt a bit repetitive to read and that the story wasn't moving in any direction. I couldn't help but think that the doctor was the worst narrator ever, because he was completely clueless and the fact that Poirot didn't tell him A SINGLE THING. Everything Poirot told the doctor was encrypted, nothing direct or clear, and because we were reading from Sheppard's perspective we just had that information. It was frustrating. For the entire book I just wished that we were reading from Poirot's perspective, or from someone a bit more smart at figuring out what he said.
But now that I know that it had actually been Sheppard the whole time, it puts a lot of this in perspective. Maybe Poirot kind of knew all along, and didn't tell everything to the doctor on purpose (even though it wouldn't have changed much, since the murder had already been committed). What's crazy is the fact that even though we were reading from the murderer's perspective, I never once suspected him of anything. Nothing that he said or though seemed odd to me, and I was truly deeply surprised once it was revealed.
The ending and the big reveal felt a bit rushed though, I feel like the entire book was solved in like three pages, and I didn't get to know anything about the rest of the characters. Like, yes, I get why the doctor protected Ralph, but what happened then? With his wife? What about Mrs Ackroyd? What about everyone? How did they react? Poirot promised Sheppard that he wouldn't tell Caroline, but how? Why? I just wished there was an epilouge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2022
I could have sworn I read this book back in high school. If I did though I forgot everything even whodunnit, so I guess this qualifies as my first time. When Pushkin Press releases this book, it will be a deluxe edition and I can't wait to see it.
Hercule Poirot is living in the small village of King’s Abbot, and it isn't long before he is investigating a murder. He has moved into The Larches, next door to Doctor James Sheppard, who will fill the role vacated when Captain Hastings moved to Argentina.
You see Roger Ackroyd was murdered and it is not only a perplexing case but one where the local police have settled on one suspect, Ralph Patton. Poirot has his own ideas and with the assistance of Doctor Sheppard, he discovers whodunit and why. I won't go into more details but there is a reason why Agatha Christie's books are still so popular today. Such an engaging story and when the killer is revealed my "little grey cells" were indeed surprised.
Hercule Poirot is living in the small village of King’s Abbot, and it isn't long before he is investigating a murder. He has moved into The Larches, next door to Doctor James Sheppard, who will fill the role vacated when Captain Hastings moved to Argentina.
You see Roger Ackroyd was murdered and it is not only a perplexing case but one where the local police have settled on one suspect, Ralph Patton. Poirot has his own ideas and with the assistance of Doctor Sheppard, he discovers whodunit and why. I won't go into more details but there is a reason why Agatha Christie's books are still so popular today. Such an engaging story and when the killer is revealed my "little grey cells" were indeed surprised.
December 14, 2025
Agatha Christie took a LEAP of faith with her fourth murder mystery book and I understand why this novel launched her into true popularity. Completely thrown by the ending, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was a wonderful ride. If you're a fan of the Knives Out movies, give this book a read. Wake Up Dead Man takes a few pages out of the Roger Ackroyd book.
November 13, 2013
Call me a fool but i didn't know that its a simplified and truncated version of the classic!!It was a Times of India's report
(http://articles.timesofindia.indiatim...)
that inspired me to read Agatha Christie , which was on my to-read list ever since i started reading fiction.Searched Flipkart and ordered the best buy. To my surprise the book was just 120 pages and only after reading the foreword did i realize it was not the original.
But nonetheless its a gripping tale which glued me to the book . I could guess the murderer and was confirming my while gulping down the pages. Though this book covers the story and preserves the narrative it left me with the desire to read the original...
(http://articles.timesofindia.indiatim...)
that inspired me to read Agatha Christie , which was on my to-read list ever since i started reading fiction.Searched Flipkart and ordered the best buy. To my surprise the book was just 120 pages and only after reading the foreword did i realize it was not the original.
But nonetheless its a gripping tale which glued me to the book . I could guess the murderer and was confirming my while gulping down the pages. Though this book covers the story and preserves the narrative it left me with the desire to read the original...
May 1, 2021
I was disappointed that my copy, procured from local library, was the "adapted" and shortened version better suited to readers who are younger, perhaps not familiar with English language, or just want a quick read. I prefer the original versions of my books and enjoy the challenge of sorting out language that may be a bit old fashioned by today's standards. Still, I enjoyed the story, and kept comparing it with what I was seeing in my head at the same time, which is the TV version with David Suchet as Poirot. I realized that I've never read many of Christie's full length novels, so thought it was time to rectify that situation. I have a collection of her short stories that I return to from time to time. Christie is always entertaining!!
January 8, 2023
Read for 52 Book Club Challenge #43 Author who's published in more than one genre (whilst Christie is most know for her murder mysteries, she also penned romance novels) and 52 Book Club Summer Genre Challenge - Classic. I have intended to read this for a long time as it is supposed to have one of the best twist endings - I never usually work out the murderer but in this case, I did!
Having got my suspicions halfway along it was fun to read it with that in mind - I can see that this is a book that would be worth re-reading to see how it all fits in. The Introduction & Postscript by Laura Thompson in this HarperCollins edition was also fascinating, looking at how Christie's life helped shape this book and the theories and mysteries that still surround it.
Having got my suspicions halfway along it was fun to read it with that in mind - I can see that this is a book that would be worth re-reading to see how it all fits in. The Introduction & Postscript by Laura Thompson in this HarperCollins edition was also fascinating, looking at how Christie's life helped shape this book and the theories and mysteries that still surround it.
July 10, 2023
I have been tricked by Agatha Christie yet again. I had absolutely no clue who it was until the end and my jaw actually dropped. She can’t keep getting away with this. As usual I love the vibes of this book very over the top at times and fun. I love how strange all of the characters are and how they all have secrets that are slowly revealed throughout the book. I love how even information that you feel is unnecessary and unimportant ends up being used in some sort of explanation near the end. I always like how things are revealed too. So fun and over the top. How Poirot was even setting up the lighting for his little reveal at the end. I feel like Agatha Christie’s books are just such comfort reads for me and I always have a good time.
August 5, 2024
I loved one of Agatha Christie's early books -- here we are meeting Hercule Poirot at his retirement in a simple small English village. He teams up with the local doctor (Sheppard) and the two begin to try to solve one, then two, murders. The twist at the second to last chapter (the last chapter sets up the ending) took me by shock. Never saw that coming. Great book.
Roger Ackroyd knows too much. He knows that the woman he loves poisoned her brutal first husband. He also suspects that someone has been blackmailing her. Now, tragically, the news has come that she has taken her own life with a drug overdose. But the evening post brings Roger one last fatal scrap of information. Unfortunately, before he can finish reading it, he is stabbed to death!
Roger Ackroyd knows too much. He knows that the woman he loves poisoned her brutal first husband. He also suspects that someone has been blackmailing her. Now, tragically, the news has come that she has taken her own life with a drug overdose. But the evening post brings Roger one last fatal scrap of information. Unfortunately, before he can finish reading it, he is stabbed to death!
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