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    The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
    The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
    The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition
    Audiobook6 hours

    The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery: The Official Authorized Edition

    Written by Agatha Christie

    Narrated by Hugh Fraser

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Voted by the British Crime Writers’ Association as the ""Best Crime Novel of all Time""

    Hercule Poirot comes out of retirement in one of Agatha Christie’s ten favorite novels, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

    Roger Ackroyd knew too much. He knew that the woman he loved had poisoned her brutal first husband. He suspected also that someone had been blackmailing her. Then, tragically, came the news that she had taken her own life with an apparent drug overdose.

    However the evening post brought Roger one last fatal scrap of information, but before he could finish reading the letter, he was stabbed to death. Luckily one of Roger’s friends and the newest resident to retire to this normally quiet village takes over—none other than Monsieur Hercule Poirot.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJul 3, 2012
    ISBN9780062233745
    Author

    Agatha Christie

    Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English with another billion in over 70 foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and in any language, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. She is the author of 80 crime novels and short story collections, 20 plays, and six novels written under the name of Mary Westmacott.

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    Reviews for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

    4.5/5

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    • 4/5
      The BBC radio production was really well done and made listening to the book so enjoyable!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      Classic Agatha Christie murder mystery .Full of cliches about class and the clever private detective and stupid police.I wonder how much of the drug (cocaine) issue reflects real life at the time or is it just a literary device.A good read.
    • 5/5
      In Agatha Christie's fourth book to feature Hercule Poirot, we see the detective as retired from taking cases, moving to a new village, King's Abbott, and away from Captain Hastings. Even with Hastings gone, Agatha Christie continues the third person narrative of the case, utilizing Dr. James Sheppard, a resident of King's Abbott. Another terrific book from the master of mystery. This book will leave you tossing and turning as you try to solve the case of who killed Roger Ackroyd.
    • 4/5
      Poirot retires to grow marrows… and solve the murder of a widower who was hiding a dark secret.

      One of Christie’s most notorious works, "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" is an interesting case: it’s undoubtedly a good book, but there’s a certain laziness in ascribing it “classic” quality just because of that ending. There’s no doubt that "Roger Ackroyd" is a defining moment in the history of crime fiction, but how does that stand up against the book as a work of the genre?

      Well, the simple answer is: very well. In fact, I’d call it the best book Christie wrote in the ’20s. Admittedly, she spent much of this decade writing short stories and dabbling in thrillers, but in some ways, "Roger Ackroyd" was where Dame Agatha found her place constructing baffling mysteries and then – more importantly – obfuscating every damn element of them. There’s nothing amazing in the construction of the murder itself, and one could argue that there are too many red herrings, to the point where it just becomes nonsensical. Yet, there’s nothing at all wrong with it either. Each individual clue makes sense, and Poirot’s investigation is both completely logical to the viewer and completely impossible for us to mimic, while also justifying the fact that he fails to detect the killer for so long.

      Christie had reduced Hastings to a recurring player already, and so Dr. James Sheppard fills in as narrator: it’s a perfect decision, because we get to essentially “re-meet” Poirot: a retired, civil but reclusive man who just wants to grow vegetable marrows. When he returns to active detection, Poirot will become much more arrogant, but in this environment, he is just a tradesman, doing his job.

      [Retrospectively speaking, Poirot's retirement in 1926 raises questions about how he remains so active into the 1970s, but that's another story.]

      The twist ending of "Roger Ackroyd", which I won’t spoil here, was front-page news at the time, and reasonably so. It was unprecedented, endlessly clever, and – depending on who you talked to – possibly unfair for the reader, who couldn’t be expected to figure it out. I’m not sure if that would apply nowadays. I certainly didn’t, but it’s possible a more astute reader – with ninety years of this trick’s descendants – may figure out the killer. (Of course, the other possibility – which has happened to all of us at some point – is that the mere act of knowing there’s a trick ending means you figure it out. You somehow become more cagey, and those little details – the joins and the screws – stand out.)

      So, is "Roger Ackroyd" a classic? Well, yes and no… and yes. It deserved the praise at the time, and still remains a bold experiment. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the reception to this novel – and the mere struggle it must have to been to write it – prepared Dame Agatha for her increasingly elaborate constructions in future, and her other no-holds-barred twisters like "Murder on the Orient Express" and "And Then There Were None". (Not to mention "The Mousetrap".) "Roger Ackroyd" is very solidly put together and – in truth – I can find nothing to fault it.

      Poirot ranking: 8th out of 38
    • 4/5
      Excellent! Truly surprising and classic. The audiobook is especially fun... take on your next road trip.  
    • 5/5
      The Ultimate DeceptionAgatha Christie’s job, as a writer of Detective Novels, was, paradoxically, to hide the criminal – much like a spiv with the card game, Hide the Lady. Even though the punter aims to find the card – and makes wild guesses (based, of course, on superior talents) the side-show spiv will win every time – maybe it’s just a trick, a slight of hand, but we come back again and again in the vain hope of putting one over on the expert.Not much hope, I’m afraid!‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ has to be Ms Christie’s ultimate deception – it certainly had me fooled right ‘til the end. No matter where I looked, the Lady was hidden.Up pop all the usual suspects – and with a Christie you know if someone is accused, it isn’t them. One by one she knocks out everyone – and I do mean everyone! Surely she hasn’t had a total stranger do the murder?No, the wrist works it’s magic: Poirot, shows you the superiority of his little grey cells and you loose again.And I can’t tell you the secret – I won’t spoil the thrill.What I will say is it is beautifully done.Agatha Christie manages here to exploit the genre ‘Detective Novel’ in a way which relies on the reader’s knowledge of all the usual tricks, of lulling them into a false sense of security and then flipping them onto their backs. It is a book to be read rather than a story to be told – and despite the amazing craftsmanship of Granada television’s version with David Suchet, it fails precisely because this is not only a story but an exploration of the relationship between reader and writer.Poirot has gone into retirement – Hastings is away in Argentina, Scotland Yard is not involved. A local rich man is the victim of murder (the only one, incidentally in the story – the TV version needed to double the number, bring Inspector Japp in where he wasn’t wanted and simplify the plot by removing a couple of key characters). There is blackmail and love, lost wedding rings and phone calls in the night.Poirot, after throwing marrows around, one of which lands in his neighbour’s garden and smashes open at the feet of the doctor, is brought in on the sidelines – he hardly features in fact. There is a chair out of place, a man arrested in Liverpool, and the delicate feelings of the local constabulary all to be taken into consideration.And a lot of consideration is being done by a local tribe of Miss Marples. Nosey old women pop up in profusion – and references to the greatest detective of all times can’t be avoided: The story is retold by the Doctor whose shoes were splattered – a Watson to Poirot’s Holmes.As you would expect, it is the twist and turns of the plot that matter rather than deep characterisation, but to suggest the book is shallow as a result would be to deny the profound insight Ms Christie shows into the psychology of her readership.The term masterpiece has been justifiably applied to the book – and I fully concur.Just make sure you read the book before you see the film!
    • 5/5
      Great entertainment with a surprise ending! Perfectly read by Hugh Fraser!
    • 5/5
      An awesome read. Totally got me in.
    • 4/5
      A classic of the genre. Nice pace, very clever, fun . At the end you have to say zut! mais bien sur.
    • 5/5
      The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie *****Having watched the Tv adaptations of Poirot starring the brilliant David Suchet I thought it was about time I picked up one of the original novels. I have never read anything by Agatha Christie before and if I am perfectly honest have never really fancied the Whodoneit type of novel. So when I came across The Murder of Roger Ackroyd in a second hand bookstore for the sum of 25p I snatched it up and settled down for a read.Firstly, despite the age of the novel (written in 1926) the language used doesn't seem to have aged at all. This surprised me as many other Authors I have read from the era such as Nevil Shute the words sometimes seem slightly archaic. The reader immediately becomes enveloped in the world of small village gossip in the early part of the 20th century with the entire book being narrated by Dr James Sheppard. I assume that he is some sort of stand in for the more regular Captain Hastings. The novel is written so that we, the reader, only know as much as Poirot is willing to divulge to Dr Sheppard, this accompanied by the Doctors own thoughts and feelings keep us guessing all the way. The clues are brilliantly laid out throughout the pages and at the end you cannot help but wonder how you did not come to the same conclusions as the great detective (in fact I may well revisit it one day just to see where I missed all the vital information). As always the entire novel leads up to a final meeting of all suspects and a very unexpected and dramatic conclusion.A really well written book and I am glad I chose this as my introduction to Christie. I am sure that if I come across another Poirot mystery I will pick it up.
    • 3/5
      A wealthy widow commits suicide, but she sends a letter to Roger Ackroyd telling him that blackmail concerning her late husband’s suspicious death is what drove her to this final act. When he is then found stabbed in his locked study, suspicion quickly falls on his nephew, who is known for his easy life style and mounting debts, and who has disappeared.

      This is a variation on the “locked room” murder – a house full of people with various motives for wanting Ackroyd dead, a missing ne’er-do-well nephew, and clues that don’t quite match up. At least not until the vacationing, retired Hercule Poirot employs his “little gray cells.”

      I thought it was a bit slow to get started, but it certainly kept me guessing right to the end. I’m not a fan of the “confession” reveal, but Poirot had pretty much laid it out for the reader just before that epilogue.
    • 5/5
      Very good detective novel, the outcome was surprising, you can never guess who is the guilty until last page
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite Christie books, not so much for Poirot's detection skills, but for its classic ending. This time around was my second reading of this book, and knowing the ending, it was still fun watching the solution to this rather baffling crime unravel. Because of the nature of the story, I can't really give an in-depth summary here. If you decide to read this book, believe me, you'll thank me later. In the quiet English village of King's Abbot, Roger Ackroyd, as the title suggests, ends up murdered in the study of his home Fernly Park. As it just so happens, Poirot is in the village, staying in the house next door to Dr. Sheppard (the narrator) and his sister Caroline, where he spends his days growing vegetable marrows. Dr. Sheppard believes his new neighbor is a hairdresser, based on the evidence of Poirot's moustache. But Poirot reveals his true colors as he gets down to the business of Ackroyd's murder, using his "little gray cells" to comb through the staggering amount of red herrings and a number of suspects in the case. There are also a number of humorous moments throughout. An entire chapter is devoted to a rather crazy mah-jong game where the players share their own theories about the case in between calling out plays. And at one point, one of the suspects calls Poirot a "little foreign cock duck," and I swear I heard the voice of John Cleese in my head, as the epithet reminded me of that scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the French knights mercilessly taunt King Arthur and his men ("your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries"). But on the serious side, I have to say that this second reading provided me with a deeper appreciation for Christie's attention to minute detail -- as even little things turn out to be important in this book.The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of Christie's best works, with an ending you won't soon forget. It's a definite must read in the Christie canon and one of my personal favorites.
    • 5/5
      A twist ending I did not see coming. I enjoyed this narrator more than Hastings.
    • 4/5
      This one started slower for me but by the end I was 😳😳😳. Had my suspicions but they were never on the actual culprit. This was my first adventure with Poirot and I can't wait to see what else he has in store. So excited that my A.C. Collection is growing. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
    • 5/5
      Wonderfully brilliant murder mystery! Superbly read/acted! Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
    • 5/5
      I loved it...started to have my suspicions, but really wasn't sure, just thought I was reaching. It was brilliant, the reconstruction made me want to go back and find the clues. This was tried by another author I recently read and it was terrible.... never try to imitate Christie...nobody does it better.
    • 5/5
      My boyfriend and I read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd together, and we kept a series of google docs of our clues and suspects and timelines. It was really fun, it made me really appreciate why the reveal is so legendary, surprising and controversial. There were plenty of clues to figure it out; logically, it was almost too obvious and did cross my mind... but I won't give it away.
    • 5/5
      I can't say much about why I liked it without spoiling it, but it's a perfect example of what it is. I even noticed some things and still didn't see that coming.
    • 4/5
      Quite pleased with myself as I managed to work out who the murderer was before it was revealed in the story. The first time I have ever been able to do that with an Agatha Christie mystery!
    • 5/5
      An absolute Masterpiece. Agatha Christie really outdid herself this time. If you read one Agatha Christie book, it has to be this one!
    • 3/5
      Roger Ackroyd has been found dead with a knife in the back of his neck, and there are a bevvy of suspects. Dr. James Sheppard, the doctor who discovers the body, joins Hercule Poirrot in the investigation after Roger's niece convinces Poirrot to come out of retirment. Plenty of twists, but nothing stellar for me, although I did enjoy it.
    • 4/5
      I love Agatha Christie novels, they're so much fun! This one is no exception -- Hercule Poiroit, in retirement is just as smart and observant as he is in the earlier novels.

      This is a fun, light, easy read that's definitely worth it. Good airplane/beach reading.
    • 3/5
      This has been on my to be read list forever. I have started it more than once in the past and for whatever reason put it down without finishing. Well, I finally finished. Am I happy I read it? I guess. For me it was an easy read of a classic mystery. Not the best or the worst I have read. I wonder if I had read this book first before reading other mysteries if I would have rated it higher?
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this Christie novel. I liked the shift in point of view. The entire story was told through the point of an outsider to Hercule Poirot's world. This meant that you were privy to all of the facts of the case but only got tidbits here and there of Poirot's determinations of those facts. I also really liked the reason revealed about why this point of view was chosen.
    • 5/5
      Great Book Agatha Christie does it again with Hercule Poirot
    • 5/5
      This story broke such new ground with its famous plot twist! Just as fresh and brilliant as it was when it was written nearly a hundred years ago. Even knowing the plot twist it’s such a captivating who-dunnit?!
    • 4/5
      I wish I'd read this without knowing the end, which is a stroke of genius. The story itself is fairly conventional but I could see Christie was getting more comfortable with Poirot. Loved the character of Caroline, who can solve a crime from her dining room, and I was very happy indeed to find out she'd inspired the character of Miss Marple.
      Now craving some poison, the weapon used here (a dagger) bored me a little :D
    • 5/5
      While Agatha's "And Then There Were None" might have gained more attention, this story is by far my favorite. A true joy to read again and again.
    • 4/5
      Another Christie classic! Very enjoyable!