#ReadThis @AgathaChristie @HarperCollins @Morrow_PB #TheMurderofRogerAckroyd by #AgathaChristie Fourth #4 #HerculePoirot #Mystery
Who did you spend your weekend with? Agatha Christie cannot be beat! The Queen of Mystery strikes again and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is quite the page turner. We are officially becoming addicted to Christie and it's obvious why her works have stood the test of time. She's going to become your best friend until that covid vaccine becomes widely available and once it does you'll want to celebrate with her too.
The bright green lights of the eyes of Poirot shine again just like the light at the end of Daisy Buchanan's dock in The Great Gatsby ready to illuminate yet another mystery and this time we are on number four. Of course everything that is old is new again and Poirot reminds us all on page 244 that newspapers are not always true!
Previously on Whom You Know, Agatha Christie was featured:
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Murder on the Links
Poirot Investigates
As you might recall if you are also reading these in order, dear Hastings has parted ways with Poirot and is in the Argentine so we meet a new narrator: Dr. Sheppard. Along with his busybody gossipy sister, Caroline, Dr. Sheppard is a staple in a classic English village who happens to luck out and have our favorite Belgian detective as his neighbor. The town doctor is oh so logical and paired with grandiloquent Poirot in all his grandeur, they team up winningly. Remember, what one does not tell Papa Poirot, he finds out. Poirot knows everything.
Caroline herself is one of our favorite characters; she reminds us of The Dowager Countess played by Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey when she tells her brother James Sheppard not to be so horribly American. (p. 133) To be clear, Caroline Sheppard came first however we have seen Downton in its entirety prior to ever reading Christie. If you liked Downton obviously you're going to like Christie. So in essence, Caroline is a younger Dowager Countess predecessor. Maybe Julian Fellowes read Christie.
We applaud Christie (we believe she is reading up there) for her style diversity. This book is set up unlike the others and though it is most definitely a murder mystery, it is in a league of its own. Her alacrity and astute attention to detail will enrapture you to the point where you will no longer want to binge watch the shows you used to like as they are no longer high level enough to compete with her. Plus, reading Christie is better for your little grey cells anyway.
The novel opens with a death: Mrs. Ferrers, one of the major players in the community along with Mr. Roger Ackroyd. Each owns quite the spread and has an enviable position from which others might eventually gain. Once you get through it as all the others it is completely logical, however it's unlikely you'll ever read between the lines and guess this one. It's going to completely take you by surprise which you'll love.
The summerhouse, the billiard room, and climbing through windows all play into the questionings and answers and as they progress, and you'll start to wonder if you are getting further away from or closer to the truth. As usual, timing is key. A clue: a woman's wedding ring from R. You'll almost feel like you're playing the board game Clue. Don't forget good old Blackmail. And remember 100 years ago there actually were traveling salesmen because they didn't have Amazon. Who is the American stranger??!
There's never been such a backstabber before and we're not sure there's been one like this since.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is Recommended by Whom You Know: enjoy it in its timeless legend.
Born in Torquay in 1890, Agatha Christie became, and remains, the best-selling novelist of all time.
She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play – The Mousetrap. Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation.
