ChristiesCapers

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

I‘ve started this week‘s short story for #christiescapers because I didn‘t read it in time for Sunday‘s discussion. I‘m enjoying it. I don‘t know if I‘ll finish it before the end of the month because the month is almost over. There‘s only 3 days left of July. If I don‘t finish this book before the end of the month then I‘ll finish it next month.

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kelli7990

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

I started this book yesterday after reading the short story for #noplacelikeholmes and Richard Armitage is narrating. I like when he narrates these stories. I like his voice. Richard‘s voice was keeping me company while I was coloring some pictures for 1 hour and then I decided to take a break for the rest of the day. I didn‘t read anything at all last night. I‘m looking forward to reading more of this book today.

#christiescapers

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dabbe

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | AGATHA. CHRISTIE

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#ChristiesCapers @Librarybelle
This detective novel is widely regarded as one of the most influential and controversial detective novels ever written. As the third novel featuring Hercule Poirot, it stands out for its innovative narrative structure, psychological depth, and groundbreaking twist ending that revolutionized the mystery genre. The novel‘s ending is legendary, shocking readers with a revelation that redefined ⬇️

dabbe the rules of detective fiction. Christie plays fair with clues but manipulates reader assumptions masterfully with her abundance of red herrings, leaving the reader truly engaged in solving this murderous puzzle. 3d

DGRachel I had to look up my review of this one and I have to say I kind of hate myself. I need to learn how to use the spoiler tags so when I say “while I wasn‘t disappointed by the reveal, I was disappointed by the ending itself. It bothers me, but I can‘t say why without spoilers, obviously” I can actually type the spoiler and REMEMBER! 🤣🤣 3d

Librarybelle Great review! 3d

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dabbe @DGRachel I'd love to hear why! You can hit the “contains spoiler“ tab and tell me details! 😍 2d

dabbe @Librarybelle TY! 2d

DGRachel @dabbe That‘s the problem. I didn‘t know how to use a hide spoiler tag in my StoryGraph review so my review actually says something irritated me but I can‘t say what it is because it is a spoiler tag! I guess I‘ll just have to reread it and see if 7 years later, it still makes me mad. 🤣🤣🤣 2d

The_Penniless_Author @dabbe This is literally the only mystery novel where I correctly guessed the killer, and somehow I knew it only a couple of pages in (using the sister's method rather than the MC's. It was very much vibes-based; somehow, I just "knew" ?). 2d

dabbe @DGRachel 😂🩵😂 2d

dabbe @The_Penniless_Author Okay, my new nickname for you is #razorsharprandall 🤩 2d

BarbaraJean @DGRachel I can guess at why the ending bothered you because it might be the same reason it bothered me! (Aside from feeling tricked by the twist, even though as @dabbe says, Christie definitely plays fair!) Imma put my annoyance under a spoiler tag so I don't mess it up for others (or for you if you don't want to know till after you re-read!) 14h

BarbaraJean OK, the aspect of the ending that bothered me was Poirot suggesting that Sheppard should commit suicide. I HATE that “solution“ to the problem, whenever I see it. I think Christie uses it elsewhere, and I've seen Sayers do it as well, and it always bothers me. 14h

DGRachel @BarbaraJean I don‘t remember the ending, but that has to be it! That would have made me LIVID. Thank you! 14h

BarbaraJean @DGRachel Haha, you're welcome! I hate that plot point SO MUCH. 14h

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kelli7990

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Short Stories - Unabridged - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, the Return of Sherlock Ho | Arthur Conan Doyle

I‘m behind on the #noplacelikeholmes and #christiescapers buddy reads again but I will catch up. I haven‘t read The Veiled Lodger yet. I couldn‘t participate in Saturday‘s discussion for it because I went out to lunch on Saturday with my family to celebrate our July birthdays. After I read The Adventure Of The Veiled Lodger then I‘ll start The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd but I‘m not going to be finished with it today.

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Librarybelle

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

The #ChristiesCapers discussion questions are posted! You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtags. This is my second favorite Christie, and I hope everyone enjoyed it!

Next month, Hastings is back with Poirot for The Big Four. Official post tomorrow! #AgathaChristieClubR3

janeycanuck, suvata, Aims42, MallenNC, Soscha, Cuilin, kspenmoll, BarbaraJean, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, Lizpixie, MariaW, elkeOriginal, AnneCecilie, Gissy, OutsmartYourShelf, mrp27, Larkken, Suet624, Cailey_Mac, Deblovestoread, ferskner, Marmie7, MaleficentBookDragon, majkia, Bookwormjillk, StayCurious, Teresereading, Laughterhp, Sace, RainyDayReading, Skygoddess1, Morr_Books, PathfinderNicole, dabbe, tdrosebud, MaGoose, kelli7990, TheAromaofBooks, Tineke, PageShifter, willaful, kimrenee, AnishaInkspill

Aims42 Thanks for posting the full years schedule! (edited) 3d

Deblovestoread My ebook version was wacky again. so am picking up a print copy from my library Tuesday. I‘ll chime in when I finish. 3d

MallenNC @Deblovestoread Did your ebook have the page numbers/title in the middle of the screen? Mine did and it was so distracting 3d

Deblovestoread @MallenNC Yes and AgATha chrisTie (just like this) through out as well. Ridiculous! 2d

MallenNC @Deblovestoread Yes! We must have had the same version. The pagination was totally off and I don‘t know what was going on with AgATha chrisTie 2d

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Librarybelle

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

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8. This novel has seen quite a number of adaptations in various formats, from stage productions to the small screen (Suchet as Poirot!) and even graphic novel. If you are familiar with any adaptations, how do they compare to the original work?

As an aside, while it does not completely follow the novel, the 2000 TV production of the novel starring David Suchet as Poirot is entertaining and a must watch! #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

MallenNC I haven‘t seen any adaptations that I can recall but I‘m going to watch the TV episode tonight 3d

dabbe I can't believe I have yet to see any adaptations, though I've seen Suchet in other Poirot stories. I've added this one to my TBW list! 3d

BarbaraJean I mentioned this on your post about watching the David Suchet adaptation, but my book group found the changes in that one SO interesting. I can see this book being hard to adapt because of the unreliable narrator. It's difficult to pull that off on screen. I liked the way they handled it there, even the amped-up drama of the ending. We also all found the HUGE clock in the Ackroyd house to be hilarious and a little too obvious!! 14h

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Librarybelle

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

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7. Is Christie having fun with mysteries in a way? Were there moments in the book that struck you as funny or comical?~from discussion questions, Johnson Public Library #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

MallenNC There were several humorous moments in this book. I especially laughed at Poirot‘s new neighbors thinking he was a retired hairdresser because of his mustache. 3d

MallenNC I also imagine she enjoyed knowing all along that her readers would be surprised at the narrator‘s role in the case. 3d

dabbe A few moments I found humorous:
√The great detective‘s retirement hobby—growing “those blasted vegetable marrows“—is a delightful absurdity.
√Caroline's gossip as comic relief: Caroline‘s relentless nosiness is played for laughs, especially her smug confidence in her own theories. Her rivalry with the other village busybodies (like Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd) also feels like a parody of small-town pettiness. ⬇️ 3d

dabbe √The secret marriage between Ralph and Ursula plays like a Victorian melodrama, complete with fainting and hidden letters.
√Even the dictaphone twist feels like a cheeky nod to detective tropes—a gadget straight out of a pulp novel, used for murder.
The humor matters because it's a tool for misdirection, making Sheppard “seem“ harmless, Poirot “seem“ eccentric (rather than brilliant), and the villagers “seem“ like bumbling stereotypes. 3d

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Librarybelle

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

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6. As with Christie's other village settings, King's Abbot has its share of intrigue, scandal, and secrets. Think about the characters in this novel. Was Ackroyd a worthy victim? Any thoughts on the other characters?

Caroline, Dr. Sheppard's sister, is a stand out character to me. She is a busybody, yet I think she knows quite a lot and suspects her brother. #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

MallenNC I thought the setting was a good one. Lots of good suspects. I liked Caroline too. 3d

dabbe To me, Ackroyd‘s murder works because he‘s just sympathetic enough for us to regret his death but just corrupt enough to deserve it. The supporting cast—especially Sheppard—elevates the novel from a simple whodunit to a psychological exploration of guilt and deception. King‘s Abbot isn‘t just a backdrop; it‘s a microcosm of human frailty, where everyone has a motive—and Poirot must untangle whose is deadly. RE: the other characters: ⬇️ 3d

dabbe •Caroline Sheppard: Her nosiness contrasts with her brother‘s calculated secrecy—ironic, since she‘s right about many things but misses the truth under her nose.
•Ralph Paton is the scapegoat and major red herring. His relationship with the barmaid Ursula Bourne adds a layer of class tension (a recurring theme in Christie‘s work).
•Parker the Butler is the suspicious servant (aka “The butler did it!“) and another red herring. ⬇️
(edited) 3d

dabbe Christie plays with the “sinister servant“ trope—his eavesdropping and financial motives make him a prime suspect. Plus, his resentment of Ackroyd‘s dismissive treatment adds realism to the class dynamics. Why do these characters work? Each character has something to hide (gambling debts, illicit relationships, blackmail), making the village a pressure cooker of motives and making the crime harder for the reader to solve. 3d

BarbaraJean I loved the Ralph/Ursula and Flora/Blunt subplots and revelations. Those characters and their secrets throw just enough confusion on the murder, while not being guilty themselves. @dabbe Yes, I think that's spot on as to why this works so well! Pretty much everyone has something to hide, even though it's not the murder. 16h

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Librarybelle

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

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5. Poirot escapes to King's Abbot for a bit of R&R, though of course he stumbles upon murder. And those blasted vegetable marrows! Think of our prior encounters with Poirot. What do you think of his detection skills in this one versus the prior novels? How well does he use his little gray cells? #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

kspenmoll I think he was superb! 3d

MallenNC He was great as usual. He always notices details. 3d

dabbe ACKROYD showcases Poirot‘s evolution from a conventional detective to a psychological manipulator. His “little grey cells“ are as sharp as ever, but their application is more nuanced—less about physical clues, more about how people lie. It‘s a testament to Christie‘s growth as a writer and Poirot‘s enduring genius that this novel remains a landmark in detective fiction. ⬇️ 3d

dabbe The novel‘s infamous twist hinges on Poirot‘s ability to see through narrative deception; here he must unravel not just the crime but the unreliability of the narrator, a challenge that pushes his deductive skills to the limit. 3d

BarbaraJean @dabbe GREAT points. I agree--this book really showcases Poirot's mind: his insight into not just the clues but the people involved. He interprets the clues through the lens of the people instead of vice versa. 16h

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Librarybelle

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie

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4. Before we explore other characters, I want to dive into the twist, because Dr. Sheppard plays a huge role. Were you surprised by the murderer's identity?

This was my 4th read, and I finally picked up on a comment that Dr. Sheppard makes that shows his culpability--I should have bookmarked the passage! I read this a few months ago for my IRL book club, so I cannot remember! #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3

kspenmoll I did not choose him at all- at one point I thought of his sister as the murderer. 3d

MallenNC I didn‘t suspect him. I thought it really might have been Ralph or Miss Ackroyd even. 3d

dabbe Everything changes in Chapters 13 and14. There is a noticeable shift in Chapters 13 and 14 as Poirot draws away from Dr. Sheppard and keeps him at arms' length, while beginning to use Caroline as a replacement “Watson.“ Dr. Sheppard even acknowledges Poirot has cooled toward him, and their paths pretty much diverge from here on in the story. A shift in verb tense also occurs. Sheppard places more personal observations--as one who is looking ⬇️ 3d

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dabbe back and commenting on what he knows now that he has been discovered as the murderer. “As I know now, I failed in this latter task,“ he says. And then, indicating Poirot has already solved the case: “To Poirot alone belongs the renown of fitting those pieces into their correct place.“ These present-tense comments imply some of the text of the narrative is written at a time after Poirot has revealed the truth of the case to Dr. Sheppard. 3d

BarbaraJean Super surprised on my first read. This time, I kept looking for (and not finding) reasons he was the murderer, and couldn't convince myself he was until pretty late in the book. I still felt like it HAD to be Ralph. @dabbe Oooh, I didn't pick up on that at all! Those are great clues I totally missed, on both reads. It took me till Chapter 23 to confirm that my memory of the murderer was correct. 16h

dabbe @BarbaraJean I had to double-check, too! 😅 16h

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