One of the most popular of the Poirot series,
in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, the Belgian sleuth is called
to the sleepy village of King's Abbot.
King's Abbot is home to a variety of interesting
characters: Major Blunt, Colonel Carter, Miss Gannett, Dr.
James Shephard (who narrates the story) and the doctor's
very nosy sister and village gossip, Caroline. The village
will soon be home to murder, suicide and blackmail and every
one of the characters will be transformed into suspects.
We watch Poirot's every move through the
eyes of Dr. Shephard. We learn about a very suspicious death
of an attractive widow, Mrs. Ferrars, that has village tongues
wagging night and day.
Before we can say, "Whodunit?",
we discover that a murder of wealthy residen,t Roger Ackroyd,
has shaken the quiet village to it's core. What's more,
Ackroyd was thought to be in love with the recently deceased
Mrs. Ferrars. Can his murder be connected to her suicide?
Perhaps the Widow Ferrars didn't choose to end her life,
after all? Maybe she was murdered just like Ackroyd?
This book is proof that Agatha Christie
was the champion of mystery writers. Everyone in the village is a valid suspect and the surprise ending
will have most mystery fans gasping with delight.
This great mystery was first published in
1926. The book was adapted into a play, 'Alibi' and
opened in London in 1928 with Charles Laughton taking on
the role of Hercule Poirot. Laughton took the play to America
in 1932 with a new title, 'Fatal Alibi'.
