Written by: Manavi Regmi - 27007, Grade IX
Posted on: 16 June, 2023
Agatha Christie is famous for her mastery of the detective novel genre and her iconic characters, including Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Her books have sold over 2 billion copies worldwide, making her one of the best-selling authors of all time. She has written over 100 books, the majority of them being crime/mystery novels, “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” being no different.
Our protagonist is Dr. James Shepard, a physician of a village King’s Abbot lives with his sister Caroline who becomes involved in the investigation of the murder of his wealthy neighbor, Roger Ackroyd. The case is taken up by the famous detective, Hercules Poirot, whom himself has over fifty books with him as a cunning detective, who reveals a lot of secrets and lies among the suspects, including Ackroyd's widow, his stepson, and his secretary. Poirot's investigation leads to a shocking twist in the case, which is revealed in the final chapters of the book. The novel is famous for its smart use of narrative techniques, as the narrator is revealed to be an unreliable witness to the events of the story. "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" is considered one of Christie's most successful and revolutionary works, and has been made into films, television series, and plays. The incredibly clever Christie has always confused her readers until the last minute, only revealing the answers until the very end. “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” is no different. The killer is only revealed in the last chapter.
We the reader read from the point of view of Dr. James. He provides Poirot with information about the suspects, who include Ackroyd's fiancée, his stepson, his secretary, and various other characters in the village. As Poirot delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a web of secrets and lies, including a secret romance between Ackroyd's stepson and his secretary, as well as evidence that says Mrs. Ferrars was actually murdered. Poirot also learns that Ackroyd had received a letter from Mrs. Ferrars before her death, in which she confessed to killing her abusive first husband. Throughout the novel, Sheppard is the narrator, and his perspective is used to provide insights into the other characters and their actions. However, it is revealed in the final chapter that Sheppard had been deliberately withholding information from the reader in order to conceal his own guilt.
