Murder Of Roger Ackroyd Essay, Research Paper

The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd

Dr James Sheppard lived together with his sister Caroline in King’s Abbot, a small village. He was a great doctor and when somebody died he looked to see what had happened.

Mrs Ferras died on the night of the 16th – 17th September. Dr Sheppard drove there. After he had analysed the body he drove home again where he talked about the death of Mrs Ferras with his sister. Caroline pretended to know everything about the death. She thought Mrs Ferras had killed herself because she had killed her husband last year.

That day Dr Sheppard met Roger Ackroyd, a good friend of his, by chance. Roger invited Dr Sheppard to his house at 7.30. He also told Dr Sheppard that it was very important. That evening Roger told James that Ralph Paton, his nephew, was in London. But James had seen Ralph this afternoon. When Roger heard that, he was very angry and pretended that he didn’t know that.

The next morning Caroline told him that she had seen Ralph Paton with Flora Ackroyd. They had been walking together. Dr Sheppard went into the garden. Minutes later pumpkins flew past his ears and a face looked over the fence. After the new man had excused himself he introduced himself. His name was Hercule Poirot, the new neighbour.

When James walked into his house again Caroline told him that she had heard that Ralph Paton had said to a girl Mr Ackroyd had to die.

Then James walked to Roger’s house. When Dr Sheppard entered Ackroyd’s house on this day he heard the closing of a window. But he didn’t pay any attention to it. In the room stood a silver table with many weapons. Dr Sheppard was looking at them when Flora entered the room. She told him that she wanted to marry Ralph, and she showed him the ring on her finger. When Roger came into the room they talked about many things.

Then Roger said that Mrs Ferras had not killed her husband. Mr Ferras had been poisoned. There was a letter from Mrs Ferras and Roger wanted to read it alone, so James walked home.

At 8.00 at the gates he met a stranger who wanted to know the way to Fernly Park. Back home James wanted to go to bed, but then the telephone rang and Parker, Mr Ackroyd’s butler, told him that Mr Ackroyed had been murdered. So he went to Fernly Park again. When he came into the room again, he established that the letter from Mrs Ferras had been removed. Flora said that she was the last person who had seen her uncle alive.

She wanted Dr Sheppard’s new neighbour Hercule Poirot, a detective, to take over the case. Poirot agreed and Dr Sheppard decided to help him. They found out that Parker couldn’t be the murderer because of the footpoints under the window. They didn’t belong to Parker. When Poirot walked through the garden he found a ring in the pool.

Hammond, the family lawyer, thought that Ralph Paton could never kill his uncle. Poirot thought the contrary. Miss Ursula Burner, a servant, didn’t have an alibi. And she wasn’t saying anything. Poirot sent Dr Sheppard to talk to Mrs Ackroyd the next morning. Mrs Ackroyd didn’t say it directly but she accused Miss Ursula of the murder.

The next day Mr Ackroyd and Mrs Ferras were buried. In the afternoon Poirot received a telephone call that the stranger from Fernly Park had been found. His name was Charles Kent. Flora came to Poirot and told him that she had stolen money from her uncle. Poirot said to her that she couldn’t be the murderer and he walked to Miss Russell, a servant too, to talk to her.

She confessed to Poirot to have a son, Charles Kent. So Charles Kent wasn’t the murderer either because at that time he was out with his mother.

When Dr Sheppard went for breakfast Caroline told him a man came to see Poirot early this morning. So he walked to Poirot but Poirot didn’t tell him who it was. But he said that Ursula Bourne was Ralph Paton’s wife.

Poirot sent James to invite all the people from Fernly Park to his house. that evening everybody was there. There Poirot told everybody that he knew the murderer was in this room. He began explaining and everybody listened and Poirots last words were: “The murderer is…” Well, if you want to find out what Poirot said you have to read the book yourself!