April 2023 Book Of The Month Club - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

[gilmargl]

I've read this book twice and couldn't face reading it again. So sorry for not exactly joining in this month.
Last year I thought I'd completely forgotten the plot as it must be 30 years since I first read it. As soon as I started reading the book again, I knew who the cad was and hated the narrator. Although I finished the book, I didn't enjoy it.

Perhaps the book is so well-written that the character of the narrator shines through his text. But - I can't really give it any stars after rereading it as there was no suspense at all. I have no idea how I felt the first time but, I was more alert in those days, and cannot imagine not seeing through the narrator.

 

[rubysmama]

Once I got a few chapters into it I couldn't put it down and finished last night.

You did read fast, as you only started it earlier in the week!

I wish I had kept notes about the findings because it was a little hard to remember all the details to try to figure out the murderer!

There were lots of clues pointing to Sheppard, if you were looking for them.

I kind of enjoy Poirot, I've seen a couple of the movies and the PBS show with him in it. He has some character, and his sayings- about the little grey cells and other things he says.

I'm not sure what I think of Poirot yet. I've never seen any movies, so all I have to base my opinion on is this book, and despite his funny sayings about little grey cells and other things, he didn't exactly endear himself to me.

I liked how his name was written as "Porrot" at the beginning, when I was in elementary school we in my family called him "Herkyoolee Poy-Rot." Our mom got us reading Agatha Christie.

That's so cool that your Mom got you into reading Agatha Christie. I never read anything by her till last year when we read ATTWN.

Great, rubysmama ! I didn't read it till just now!

It was funny, wasn't it.

Unfortunately I found Poirot very irritating, pompous and condescending. I have watched a few films on tv where the wonderful actor David Suchet played his character but didn't enjoy them either.

I totally agree with your opinion of Poirot, and though I didn't dislike him as much as you did, I'm not sure if I actually like him.

I liked Caroline, Dr Sheppard's sister, she would fit in well living in a village near me, its known as 'the land of the twitching curtains' as everyone knows what has happened before it's happened. It seemed she was the hub of the gossip.

I really liked Caroline too, and actually wondered if she made any appearances in any other books. But I suppose having a respected doctor for a brother, who turned out to be a murderer, might have culled some of her gossipy ways.

I've read this book twice and couldn't face reading it again. So sorry for not exactly joining in this month.

No worries. I almost never read a book a second time, so can't imagine reading the same book 3 times.

 

[verna davies]

rubysmama apart from Dr Sheppard being one of the last to see Ackroyd and his concern over the missing letter, did you think that Poirot suspected him of being the murderer from the start and was involving him so closely in the investigation just to be able to able to watch him.

pearl99 you must have read the book in record time. Glad you enjoyed it so much.

gilmargl I agree that if you've read a book a couple of times and remember the story well, then there's no point in reading it again. Even though you didnt write a review, you still joined in by telling us. Cad, love that word along with Bounder.

 

[rubysmama]

rubysmama rubysmama apart from Dr Sheppard being one of the last to see Ackroyd and his concern over the missing letter, did you think that Poirot suspected him of being the murderer from the start and was involving him so closely in the investigation just to be able to able to watch him.

I'm not sure if Poirot suspected Dr. Sheppard right from the start, but I do recall hints that he suspected him long before the end of the book. I should have taken note and wrote them down when I saw them. One I do remember was when Poirot suggested they walk over to the Ackroyd place, as I figured he wanted to time Sheppard's walking speed.

Just did a quick google search and found this blog that might be interesting.
The Clues to <i>The Murder of Roger Ackroyd</i>

 

[verna davies]

I would have to have a suspicion that Dr Sheppard may have been the killer to be able to pick up those clues in the early chapters but interesting.

 

[rubysmama]

I would have to have a suspicion that Dr Sheppard may have been the killer to be able to pick up those clues in the early chapters but interesting.

I think there were other clues, and wish I'd written them down.
Reading that blog, though, at least I learned what a vegetable marrow is.

 

[rubysmama]

mani Boris Diamond laureen227

Just tagging those of you who posted upthread that you were planning to read the book.
Did you finish? Any comments?.

 

[mani]

One of the beauties of aging is that you forget book plots
I'd read this before and really enjoyed it, thinking it was one of her best, and when I went to reread it I wondered why.. It's great, but typical.. Christie has a wonderful turn of phrase and paints characters wonderfully well. She draws us in.
Then, as it went on, I remembered why.. the twist. Very clever and not at all her usual Poirot. But we are so used to him having a sidekick, and so it seemed quite logical that he would pick the doctor. Whether or not he knew early on, I have no idea.

 

[verna davies]

mani . I didn't realize Poirot usually had a sidekick. Now it seems more logical to me why he befriended the doctor in trying to solve the crime.

 

[Boris Diamond]

I am reading these books too soon. I forget what has happened! And I've read another Poirot book since then. I should write the review as soon as I finish. I may have to read it again to post a valid review.

 

[pearl99]

But we are so used to him having a sidekick, and so it seemed quite logical that he would pick the doctor. Whether or not he knew early on, I have no idea.

Same with me. It wasn't till much later I started thinking of the doctor.

 

[rubysmama]

Then, as it went on, I remembered why.. the twist. Very clever and not at all her usual Poirot. But we are so used to him having a sidekick, and so it seemed quite logical that he would pick the doctor.

Since I haven't read any other Poirot books, I didn't realize till after I'd finished this one and read some reviews that he normally has a sidekick. Maybe knowing that would have kept me from suspecting the doctor so early on.

mani mani . I didn't realize Poirot usually had a sidekick. Now it seems more logical to me why he befriended the doctor in trying to solve the crime.

If you go back and read the last frame of the comic I posted up thread, that last comment by Sheppard will make sense.

I am reading these books too soon. I forget what has happened! And I've read another Poirot book since then. I should write the review as soon as I finish. I may have to read it again to post a valid review.

I highly recommend writing your review right after you finish the book, otherwise it's so easy for forget what you read once you move onto other books. And worse if you read one in the same series. This I know from experience.

 

[rubysmama]

Only a few days left in April, if anyone has anything else to add about The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

One thing I found interesting was the mention of cocaine. Didn't realize it was that commonly known about 100 years ago.

 

[rubysmama]

We've reached the end of another month, so time to thank everyone who read and reviewed "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" with us. As always we really appreciate your participation.

Hope you'll join us again in May when we read "Shutter Island" by Dennis Lehane.
May 2023 Book of the Month Club - Shutter Island

Meanwhile, here's a couple memes that pretty much explain all we now know about Roger Ackroyd's murder.