The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is said to be Agatha Christie’s best novel and one of the best murder mysteries ever written. It’s only my second Christie novel, so I can’t really speak to the first point. But it does seem to be the template for most cozy mysteries. It was charming, funny, easy to read, and had quirky characters.
The book is told from the point of view of Dr. Sheppard, a local doctor in the English village of King’s Abbot. Hercule Poirot has recently retired to King’s Abbot and is called out of retirement by Ackroyd’s niece, who begs him to find her uncle’s killer. Poirot enlists the good doctor’s help, as the doctor is a friend of Ackroyd’s and knows everyone in the village. Suspicion immediately falls on Ackroyd’s stepson and heir, Ralph Paton, but neither the doctor nor Poirot are entirely convinced of his guilt.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is great, fun read. It’s fast-paced and has all of the twists and turns expected of a good mystery.
The reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I found it too easy to guess the murderer.
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