Poirot returns

‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ – Agatha Christie

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 . . .

My second read in the Poirot series and I was completely blindsided by the final reveal! This made for a great murder mystery and I found this story even better than my first read from Christie.

The story follows a similar format to the other Poirot book but this doesn’t matter because it just works. It is a book that proves that Christie was definitely the queen of murder mystery writing and I loved how unexpected the ending became. In this episode, it is a family affair where money seems to be the motivator behind Roger Ackroyd’s murder. I liked how much Christie manipulates readers; frequently we are suspecting one character more than others.

I enjoyed the different characters in this book and the intriguing family connections. Indeed, the protagonist’s sister, Caroline, was particularly entertaining, especially as Sheppard is rather sarcastic towards her. He sees his sister as a gossip who has to know everyone’s business. On the other hand, Caroline merely sees it as her right to understand all the goings-on and has firm views on who might be behind the murder. Indeed, when she starts colluding with Poirot, I did find it funny how much she feels part of the exclusive detective club.

I found this book charming to read because of the period it is set in. It is a reflection of when times felt much simpler and it didn’t matter in the slightest that I hadn’t read all of the preceding Poirot books. There are red-herrings everywhere and Christie takes readers on a twisting path that leads to a very unexpected ending. It didn’t feel old and dated; the plot developments were just as exciting as a modern read.

A clever, intricate plot, I don’t think it is one you can read more than once because the ending packs such a punch, it certainly makes it unforgettable. I am so pleased I have started to read Agatha Christie books because I think she was such a pioneer of this genre and her stories (so far), have been very enjoyable.

Book Bingo 2024 category completed: By Agatha Christie.