There are many murder mystery stories out there, many also written by Agatha Christie. But many don’t place the reader in the shoes of one of the suspects and on the scene when the body was found. So what would you do if you discovered a murdered body?
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd places you in the point of view of Dr Sheppard, a local doctor who is shocked to find a person he was speaking to just an hour before has been found murdered following an anonymous tip-off. As the local population attempt to figure out the culprit, enter the famous yet retired Hercule Poirot, who works with Dr Sheppard to get to the bottom of the crime, and reveal the unlikely killer.
People who know me will know that I tend to really enjoy Agatha Christie’s works, and this was no different. My first story featuring Hercule Poirot was a very entertaining story, kept me guessing (incorrectly!) the entire time and was a satisfying ending when I eventually got to the revelation. The placement of readers in the point of view of Dr Sheppard is a unique take for a murder mystery story, and one which works a lot more than I would ever have imagined, and the way in which Christie crafts the world around the reader without feeling like an extensive level of exposition is masterful. The complex storylines that Christie is famous for can sometimes leave the reader feeling lost, but the relationship between Poirot and Sheppard, from who’s point of view you see the story, acts as a useful way to refamiliarize yourself with the facts of the case, as it is solved in front of your eyes.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a brilliantly ingenious, well-crafted story that is a successful departure from some of the storytelling beats Agatha Christie often employs, yet still being a characteristically Christie story. It is simple enough to follow and incredibly rewarding at the end, and is a fun way to begin reading classic literature if you’re new to Christie’s works.
Rating: ★★★★★
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (ISBN: 978-0-670-91996-3) was published in 1926. A copy is available to borrow from the LGBTQ+ Lending Library in the LGBTQ+ Lounge
