The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Fans of Luke Reviews know it: When it comes to Agatha Christie, I am a fan. She is a brilliant author, who can do so much in such a short number of pages, and really make every mystery one to draw you in. So why has it been so long since I last looked at her work? I certainly can’t think of a good reason for it. I set out to rectify this with the next of her Hercule Poirot books that I am reading through in order of publication, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.


In a small country village, one person’s business is everyone’s business. So when a rich widow commits suicide, everyone knows about it, and speculates as to the reason why. And everyone wonders, does it have anything to do with her new paramour, Roger Ackroyd? However, when Ackroyd is found murdered after a mysterious phone call to the local doctor, it is up to Poirot to solve a case in which everyone seems to have had the chance, the motive…or both.

This one has all of the traits that make me love Christie’s work: strong characterization of everyone in the novel, very tightly written plotting, with no wasted verbiage and lots of plot details and twists, and the ability to piece together the crime and follow the clues, if you are quick witted enough to keep up with Poirot.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd also has what is likely to be Christie’s most controversial ending in any of her novels or short stories. It is one that readers will either love or hate, or in some cases (like with this reviewer), not be entirely sure how you feel about it. Christie pulls a trick out of her hat that is both brilliant and infuriating, and quite over the top. It is believable, well-explained, and yet to some will feel like a cheat. I certainly still don’t know what to think of it.

Despite that, or perhaps because of it, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd has become a classic of the mystery genre, and the novel that really sent Christie to literary fame. It is a fast paced, thoroughly engaging novel that readers will find hard to put down, and a cornerstone of a genre. Fans of great storytelling, mysteries, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle shouldn’t miss this one.

9/10

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie

After the wonderful experience of reading The Murder on the Links, I knew I wanted to go straight into the next Poirot book, Poirot Investigates, which is a short story collection instead of a novel. Bits on each story:


“The Adventure of ‘The Western Star’”: When two jewels with mystical backgrounds are the object of capture by those who want to return them to their original resting place, Poirot must discover if this is quite what is truly happening.

“The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor”: After a man is mysteriously murdered, could it be his ghost that is haunting the manor and trying to bring the truth to the fore?

“The Adventure of the Cheap Flat”: When a bizarrely cheap apartment comes to the attention of Poirot, with no reason for its low price, Poirot investigates and is drawn into a multinational drama.

“The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge”: With Poirot sick, Hastings must work out the mystery with only the occasional telegraph with the master sleuth. But can he piece the puzzle together before the culprit escapes?

“The Million Dollar Bond Robbery”: Missing bonds and bank corruption revolve around the quest to recover both money and a man’s reputation.

“The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb”: Playing off the “curse” of King Tut’s tomb, Poirot travels to Egypt, where, at the tomb of Men-her-Ra, he explores a series of frightening, curse-like coincidences.

“The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan”: A vacation turns into mystery when prized jewels disappear, and the loyal maid seems to be the culprit. But, as always, there is more going on than there seems.

“The Kidnapped Prime Minister”: Poirot plays his part in World War I, saving the British Prime Minister and keeping the path of the war on track for Allies victory.

“The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim”: Poirot makes a bet to solve a case without leaving his falt, and begins his mental inspection into the case of a man who walked out of his house, never to return.

“The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman”: A business meeting gone wrong turns out to be far from as straight-forward as it seems.

“The Case of the Missing Will”: A young lady’s foster-father leaves her a complex puzzle that she has to solve if she wants the money he left her in her will. She hires Poirot, who sets out to find the hidden will.

“The Veiled Lady”: Poirot takes the role of criminal himself to solve the case and protect a lady’s reputation, but the lady isn’t quite the innocent young wife she seems.

“The Lost Mine”: Poirot helps a business discover who is stealing their important document.

“The Chocolate Box”: Poirot tells Hastings of the one case he failed to solve, the murder of a public figure.

Poirot Investigates was a fun diversion, but it doesn’t hold up to Christies first two Poirot books. What I really like about her novels was how in-depth and detailed the characters and situation were. In these stories, you just couldn’t get that depth, and so it felt more problem followed by immediate answer, without the usual psychological depth and search for criminal among the many possibilities. This is a good book for picking up and putting down, enjoying for short bits, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the Poirot novels.

7/10

The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie

After the brilliance that was The Mysterious Affair at Styles, I knew that I would need to dig deeper into Agatha Christies works, especially her Poirot books. Setting out to read them all, and there are a goodly number of them, I picked up the second Poirot book, The Murder on the Links.


Hercule Poirot, along with his associate Arthur Hastings, are seeking an interesting case to work on, when Poirot receives a summons from Monsieur Renauld, begging him to come. Yet when they arrive, Renauld is dead. Everyone comes under suspicion, from his son, to his wife, to the woman he sees far more than his wife is comfortable with, and each has viable motive. After a terrible mistake by Hastings, key evidence disappears, and it is up to the “little grey cells” of Poirot to bring the criminal to justice.

One of the things I truly love about Christie’s novels is her attention to all of the characters. They are all fleshed out quite in-depth, which allows both for them to undergo intense scrutiny as a potential culprit, as well as a very pitiable victim. She is hard to beat when it comes to characterization. The way she fully spreads out her mystery is brilliant as well. She gives you plenty of space to get into the story and really become engrossed.

I quite literally couldn’t put this book down, reading it in one sitting. Christie takes a small book, and fills it with huge amounts of content, not wasting a single word. A brilliant story.

10/10

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Luke Reviews began with Science Fiction, which easily shifts into including Fantasy and Horror. I also had a love for thrillers, and wanted to add them in, making the site very much a reading-for-pleasure ordeal. However, it was very infrequently, sadly, that I added mysteries to the site and my reading list. However, I got into a mystery mood, and wanted a good one, and had always hoped to read a book by the Queen of Mystery, Agatha Christie. As all points weaved together, and a Christmas gift card arrived to facilitate the measure, I went out and picked up Christie’s first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles.


Styles Court is home to the wealthy Cavendish family. It is a peaceful, serene location, even during war-time, and is the perfect place for Hastings to recover after receiving a wound at war. However, the house is rocked when Mrs. Inglethorp, the step-mother of the current generation of Cavendishes, is murdered. Luckily, Hastings’ good friend, Hercule Poirot, lives in town, and he sets about to solve the mystery.

At this point, it is hard to begin anywhere other than stating that The Mysterious Affair at Styles is the best mystery I have ever read. For sheer enjoyment, it would seem to be impossible to surpass. All of the characters are fleshed out richly in so few pages, especially the eccentric Poirot, who is hilariously odd in his own special way. The mystery is set in a wonderful historical setting that keeps the advent of modern technology from making the novel age poorly. The mystery is plenty complex and multi-faceted.

At a scant 198 pages, it baffles this reviewer that such a complex and twisting plot could be fully fleshed out, but Christie wastes no words or space, and gets to her point so well that there is no room for any slowing of the story. It is nothing but fun, the perfect mystery to revamp the mystery part of Luke Reviews to its prime. After this, I had to immediately go out and buy the next Hercule Poirot novel, The Murder on the Links. Check this novel out!

10/10