The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Classic Mystery Novel by Agatha Christie
Introduction
If you are a fan of mystery novels, you have probably heard of Agatha Christie, the queen of crime fiction. She is one of the most popular and prolific authors of all time, with over 80 novels and short story collections to her name. Among her many works, one stands out as a masterpiece of the genre: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.
What is the book about?
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a crime novel that was first published in 1926. It features one of Christie's most famous detectives, Hercule Poirot, a Belgian sleuth with a brilliant mind and a distinctive mustache. The story is narrated by Dr. James Sheppard, a local physician who lives in the village of King's Abbot, where the murder takes place.
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Why is it considered one of the best and most controversial mysteries of all time?
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is widely regarded as one of Christie's finest works, and also one of her most controversial ones. It has been praised for its ingenious plot, its clever use of clues and red herrings, its suspenseful atmosphere, and its surprising ending. It has also been criticized for breaking the rules of fair play in detective fiction, for being unethical and immoral, and for deceiving the reader. Without spoiling anything, let's just say that this book has one of the most shocking twists in literary history.
Summary of the plot
The narrator and the setting
The story begins with Dr. Sheppard waking up to learn that Mrs. Ferrars, a wealthy widow who lives in the village, has died from an overdose of sleeping pills. His sister Caroline, who is a gossip and a busybody, tells him that she believes Mrs. Ferrars killed herself out of remorse for poisoning her husband, Mr. Ferrars, who died a year ago.
Dr. Sheppard is friends with Roger Ackroyd, another wealthy widower who lives in Fernly Park, the biggest house in the village. Roger was rumored to be in love with Mrs. Ferrars, and was expected to marry her soon. Roger invites Dr. Sheppard to dinner that evening, saying that he has something important to tell him.
The death of Mrs. Ferrars and the engagement of Roger Ackroyd
At dinner, Roger reveals to Dr. Sheppard that he was indeed engaged to Mrs. Ferrars for three months. He also tells him that Mrs. Ferrars confessed to him that she had killed her husband by giving him an overdose of medication, and that she was being blackmailed by someone who knew her secret. She promised to tell Roger the name of the blackmailer in a letter that she would send him.
Just then, Parker, Roger's butler, brings in an envelope from Mrs. Ferrars. Roger opens it and reads it aloud to Dr. Sheppard. It is a suicide note, in which Mrs. Ferrars says that she cannot bear to live with her guilt anymore, and that she hopes Roger will forgive her. She also reveals the name of her blackmailer, but Roger stops reading aloud before he says it.
Roger asks Dr. Sheppard to leave him alone for a while, as he needs some time to think. Dr. Sheppard agrees and leaves the room, but not before noticing a silver table with a dagger on it.
The murder of Roger Ackroyd and the arrival of Hercule Poirot
Dr. Sheppard goes to his car, but realizes that he has left his bag in Roger's study. He returns to the house, and hears a loud scream from inside. He rushes to the study, and finds Roger lying dead on the floor, stabbed in the neck with the dagger. Parker and Flora Ackroyd, Roger's niece, are also there, having heard the scream as well.
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Dr. Sheppard examines the body and confirms that Roger is dead. He also notices that the letter from Mrs. Ferrars is missing from the table. He calls the police, who arrive shortly after. They question Dr. Sheppard, Parker, and Flora, as well as other members of the household: Major Blunt, a friend of Roger who was playing billiards with him before dinner; Ralph Paton, Roger's stepson who is in debt and has a bad reputation; Ursula Bourne, Roger's secretary who resigned abruptly that day; and Miss Russell, Roger's housekeeper who is very strict and loyal.
The police also learn that there is a new neighbor in the village: a retired Belgian gentleman named Hercule Poirot, who lives in a cottage next to Dr. Sheppard's house. Poirot is a famous detective who has solved many cases in Europe, but has decided to retire and grow vegetable marrows. However, he is intrigued by the murder of Roger Ackroyd, and offers his help to the police.
The investigation and the suspects
Poirot begins his investigation by interviewing Dr. Sheppard, who agrees to be his assistant and chronicler. Poirot tells him that he believes that the murderer is one of the people in the house at the time of the crime, and that he has a list of six suspects: Parker, Flora, Major Blunt, Ralph Paton, Ursula Bourne, and Miss Russell.
Poirot also tells him that he has found some clues that point to the identity of the killer: a chair that was moved from its usual place; a dictaphone that was hidden under a sofa cushion; a goose quill that was used to write an anonymous letter; a torn scrap of paper with a phone number on it; a pair of gold pince-nez glasses that were found near the body; and a footprint of a man's shoe in the flower bed outside the window.
Poirot uses his methods of deduction, psychology, and observation to analyze each suspect and their motives, alibis, and lies. He also discovers some secrets and scandals that involve them: Parker was in league with Mrs. Ferrars' blackmailer; Flora stole money from Roger's bedroom; Major Blunt was in love with Flora; Ralph Paton was secretly married to Ursula Bourne; Ursula Bourne was Roger's illegitimate daughter; and Miss Russell was addicted to drugs.
The shocking twist and the revelation of the murderer
After gathering all the evidence and eliminating all the suspects except one, Poirot calls for a meeting in Roger's study. He reveals that he knows who killed Roger Ackroyd, and that it is none other than Dr. Sheppard himself.
Poirot explains how Dr. Sheppard planned and executed the murder: he was Mrs. Ferrars' blackmailer, and he killed her when she refused to pay him anymore; he then killed Roger when he found out his identity from the letter; he used the dictaphone to record Roger's voice and make it seem like he was alive after Dr. Sheppard left; he then returned to the house and stabbed him with the dagger; he took the letter and burned it in his fireplace; he planted some false clues to mislead the police and Poirot; and he wrote his own account of the case to cover his tracks.
Poirot also reveals how he figured out Dr. Sheppard's guilt: he noticed that Dr. Sheppard was always one step ahead of him in finding clues; he realized that Dr. Sheppard had access to all the suspects and their secrets; he detected some inconsistencies and contradictions in Dr. Sheppard's story; he found out that Dr. Sheppard had bought a dictaphone from a shop in London; he traced the phone number on the scrap of paper to Dr. Sheppard's surgery; he identified the pince-nez glasses as belonging to Dr. Sheppard; and he matched the footprint in the flower bed to Dr. Sheppard's shoe.
Dr. Sheppard admits that Poirot is right, and that he is the murderer. He congratulates Poirot on his cleverness, and asks him what he will do next. Poirot tells him that he will leave him alone for a while, and that he has two options: to confess to the police, or to take his own life. He also tells him that he will send him a letter with his full explanation of the case, and that he expects him to burn it after reading it.
Analysis of the book
The genre and the style of detective fiction
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a classic example of the golden age of detective fiction, a period between the two world wars when writers like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Arthur Conan Doyle created some of the most popular and influential mystery novels. These novels typically featured a clever and eccentric detective, a complex and puzzling plot, a closed circle of suspects, a fair presentation of clues and evidence, and a logical and satisfying solution.
However, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd also challenged and subverted some of the conventions and expectations of the genre, especially the idea of fair play. Fair play is the principle that the author should provide the reader with all the necessary information to solve the mystery, and that the solution should not depend on hidden facts or coincidences. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd violated this principle by making the narrator himself the murderer, and by withholding crucial information from the reader until the end. This created a sense of shock and betrayal among some readers, who felt that they had been cheated and misled by Christie.
The themes and the symbols of the book
Some of the themes that The Murder of Roger Ackroyd explores are: deception, guilt, greed, justice, and truth. The book shows how deception can take many forms, such as blackmail, lies, secrets, disguises, and false identities. It also shows how guilt can affect people's actions and emotions, such as driving them to suicide, murder, or confession. It also shows how greed can motivate people to commit crimes or betray others for money or power. It also shows how justice can be achieved or denied by different methods, such as legal or moral judgment, or personal vengeance. It also shows how truth can be elusive or revealed by different means, such as logic or intuition, or evidence or confession.
Some of the symbols that The Murder of Roger Ackroyd uses are: the letter, the dagger, the dictaphone, and the vegetable marrows. The letter represents the motive and the secret of the murder, as well as the link between Mrs. Ferrars and Roger Ackroyd. The dagger represents the weapon and the method of the murder, as well as the symbol of violence and death. The dictaphone represents the device and the trick of the murder, as well as the symbol of deception and manipulation. The vegetable marrows represent the hobby and the disguise of Poirot, as well as the symbol of innocence and humor.
The characters and their motivations
The characters in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd are complex and realistic, with different personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. They are not just stereotypes or caricatures, but human beings with flaws and virtues, hopes and fears, strengths and weaknesses. They are also influenced by the social and historical context of the book, which is set in the 1920s, a period of change and uncertainty after the First World War.
The main character is Dr. Sheppard, who is the narrator and the murderer. He is a clever and charming man, who seems to be a loyal friend and a respectable doctor. However, he is also a greedy and ruthless man, who is willing to kill and lie for his own benefit. He is motivated by his desire for money and power, as well as his fear of being exposed and punished.
The other main character is Hercule Poirot, who is the detective and the solver. He is a brilliant and eccentric man, who has a keen eye for detail and a remarkable logic. He is also a humble and compassionate man, who respects human nature and values justice. He is motivated by his curiosity and his passion for solving mysteries, as well as his sense of duty and morality.
Conclusion
The impact and the legacy of the book
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of the most influential and memorable books in the history of literature. It has been widely acclaimed by critics and readers alike, and has been adapted into several films, plays, radio shows, and TV series. It has also inspired many other writers and works, both within and outside the genre of detective fiction. It has been ranked among the best novels of the 20th century by various sources, such as The Modern Library, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The BBC.
The recommendations and the ratings of the book
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves mystery novels, or who wants to read a classic example of the genre. It is a book that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last, that will challenge your mind and your emotions, that will surprise you and shock you, that will entertain you and enlighten you. It is a book that deserves a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about The Murder of Roger Ackroyd:
Q: How did Dr. Sheppard know that Mrs. Ferrars killed her husband?
A: He found out from his sister Caroline, who overheard Mrs. Ferrars confessing to her friend Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd.
Q: How did Dr. Sheppard get rid of the dictaphone after using it?
A: He threw it into the pond in Fernly Park.
Q: How did Poirot know that Dr. Sheppard was lying about not seeing Ralph Paton on the night of the murder?
A: He noticed that Dr. Sheppard had a scratch on his face, which he got from Ralph Paton's dog.
Q: What happened to Ralph Paton after he was cleared of the murder?
A: He inherited Roger Ackroyd's fortune, and lived happily with Ursula Bourne.
Q: What happened to Dr. Sheppard after he was exposed as the murderer?
A: He chose to commit suicide by taking cyanide.
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