Mar 23, 2014 10:31 AM
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I finished my 2nd read of Agatha Christie - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd a month back. Previous to this I've read 'The murder on Orient Express'. If I compare the two, I found the Orient Express mystery more better than this one, may be because of my biasness towards trains, but nonetheless, this book was also a good read. It took me 44 days to complete 368 pages. The book I owned, I ordered from Flipkart for Rs.90 and my copy is published by Harper Collins.
Agatha Christie needs no introduction, she was better known as the queen of crime, and she is only behind 'Bible' &'Shakespeare' in terms of widely published author of all time in any language. Her first novel was 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' where she created the famous detective Hercule Poirot. This book was written by her in 1926, and it was also the first of her books to be dramtised under the name 'Alibi'. This great author of all time died in 1976 but still her books are publishing, and still in demands and this is what she is remembered for always.
Over the 27 chapters divided over 368 pages this story tells about a death, a murder, murder of a very famous man named Roger Ackroys, and whole story was placed in a small town of King's Abbot. He was a wealthy man who in mysterious circumstances found dead in his room. And then there are so many suspects of the household, a butler who wants some money by blackmailing, a daughter who was in need of money, a servant who is holding a secret, an adopted son who is not in terms with him, a wife who always wants something for herself, and a mysterious caller who informs first about the murder, and we cannot forget one friend of him. Dr.Sheppard who got this news first, and inform the police. Now it is upto Mr.Hercule Poirot, who was vacationing in the place after retirement, to solve this mystery.
This novel is written in the same style for which Agatha Christie is known for, and since the setting is old and British, hence the writing is somewhat old style of English, and it is this different style which makes the book more interesting to read. Right from the beginning this novel is being written as narrating by a main character of book, Dr.Sheppard, which make us believe and think about what he's thinking and we will feel the same as he's feeling, that is one good thing about the writing, giving you a feel of one particular character, and that is what intended for the climax to have its full effect on you. The mystery is good but not best, I could able to guess the murderer before it was found by Poirot. Novel though bound you for long, with his many side stories, and many culprits plot. Everybody has some or other thing to hide, and which can make you guessing the murderer.
So, now I've complete my 2nd read of AC, and I will surely buy another book sometime from the AC's khazana, do let me know her good mysteries. This one I rate as 3.5/5.
GRuchirG.
Jai Raam ji ki :)