Buckle up, buttercups. Ya girl has got 15 reviews a’coming. I am mildly annoyed I got this bogged down, but I’m remembering the words of my husband from a few years back when I would get anxious and frustrated about this scenario. “Ah. So you’re behind on your pretend homework?” Touche, sir. It’s important to me, and that’s fine, but I used to not read until I had written a review. Unnecessarily punative much?? Glad that I have been able to relax about it and not let the “pretend homework” keep me from reading more. And now without further vamping, a review.
My winter/spring was hard, the hardest period I’ve had in my life so far, and during that time my brain needed mysteries, but not twisty thrillers, the kind of book that you knew, in the end, that good would triumph over bad, and everything would be neatly tied up in a bow. Enter Agatha Christie, the O.G. of this style of writing. I’ve read a bunch (all?) of Miss Marple but until now had never picked up any of the Poirot books and boy oh boy, this one (the 4th with him) blew my mind right out of my butt.
(And also, I read the 4th in a series which is NOT my modus operendi, it was an accident, but Christie writes the in a way that it doesn’t matter all that much).
It’s not surprising that my mind was blown as this book is heralded as her “greatest and most controversial book.”
In this book, Poirot has has semi-retired to the countryside when a murder lures him back in to detective work. And I mean, retiring to the countryside for some quiet? My dude, have you not even HEARD of murder she wrote?? The quiet countryside is where all the murders happen. But I digress (again).
This story is told from the POV of the country doctor who helps Poirot with the investigation, which is the same conceit that she uses in books 1-3 but with another character. It’s right there in the title, this book is about The Murder of Roger Akroyd, found in his study, dead. The country doctor is called in early to the scene, as a medical professional and family friend, and his nosy sister stumbles upon the secret that Poirot has moved in next door, and it’s off to the races.
I cannot in good conscience say one more word about the plot because you need to be surprised; I believe this book is the reason her work has stood the test of time, often immitated but never duplicated. What I’m saying is go read this book.
P.S. I have to mention that she herself was shrouded in mystery as Christie once disappeared for 11 days (!!) with supposedly no recollection of where she was, or what happened. AND if you watch Doctor Who, there is a fun episode with Tenant (the best Doctor) where they explore that historical fact.