The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Sheppard, who is out visiting patients on rounds, encounters Roger Ackroyd, a widower and supporter of local organizations and events. Ackroyd asks if Sheppard has a few minutes to talk; when he says that he does not, Ackroyd invites him to dinner at his estate, Fernly Park, that evening. Sheppard inquires if the meeting is about Paton, Ackroyd’s stepson, whom Sheppard saw in town recently. Ackroyd says it isn’t and that Paton is not in town.

Sheppard returns to his office to treat patients. One of them is Miss Russell, the housekeeper at Fernly Park. Miss Russell complains of knee pain, though Sheppard cannot see anything that would be affecting her knee. He prescribes her a medicine that will help the knee pain if there is any but will not harm her if there is not. During her visit, they discuss treatments for drug addiction and whether there are poisons that will kill quickly without the poison being easily identified. Sheppard informs her that there are not.

Sheppard is working in his garden when a marrow (a vegetable similar to zucchini) from his neighbor’s yard almost hits him. The neighbor, Hercule Poirot (mispronounced by Sheppard as “Porrott”), apologizes and offers Sheppard his garden’s best marrow in apology. The two discuss Paton, and Poirot tells Sheppard he is acquainted with Ackroyd and knows that Paton is engaged. Sheppard cannot get more information from Poirot before Caroline calls him in from the garden.

She tells Sheppard that she overheard a conversation between Paton and a mystery woman about changing Ackroyd’s will. Neither can guess who the mystery woman might be, and Sheppard goes to the inn to talk to Paton. Paton is excited to see him and discloses that he’s in a difficult situation. When Sheppard offers to help, Paton thanks him but says he must play a lone hand.

Sheppard arrives at Fernly Park for dinner. Flora Ackroyd, Roger Ackroyd’s niece, says she does not understand keeping odd mementos, such as the pen an author allegedly wrote with, but she does appreciate the works those people create. She also announces during the evening that she and Paton are engaged. Roger’s sister-in-law and Flora’s mother, Mrs. Cecil Ackroyd, asks Sheppard to intervene with Ackroyd to ensure Flora is well taken care of in the will. Major Blunt, a big game hunter, enters the room and talks with Flora about some of the relics on the silver table. Also at the house are Geoffrey Raymond, Roger’s secretary; Parker, the butler; Miss Russell, the housekeeper; and Ursula Bourne, the parlourmaid. Dinner begins, and it is an awkward affair where few people talk.

After dinner, Sheppard and Ackroyd retire to Ackroyd’s study. He asks Sheppard to ensure the window is closed and latched securely. Ackroyd then confesses that Mrs. Ferrars poisoned her husband and that someone was blackmailing her. During the conversation, a letter arrives from Mrs. Ferrars, presumably a suicide note revealing the blackmailer. Sheppard wants Ackroyd to read it, but Ackroyd chooses to read it later privately. Ten minutes later, Sheppard leaves and encounters a stranger asking for directions to Fernly Park.

Just as Caroline and Sheppard go to bed, they receive a telephone call. Sheppard answers the phone and tells Caroline he must return to Fernly Park immediately. The phone call was from the butler, Parker, who found Ackroyd murdered.

Sheppard returns to Fernly Park and is admitted by Parker. When Sheppard asks where Ackroyd is, Parker does not realize anything is wrong. He tells Sheppard that he has placed no phone calls that evening. The two go to Ackroyd’s study and find the door locked from within. They break down the door and find Roger Ackroyd sitting in his chair with a knife in his back.

They alert the local authorities, who arrive and establish a general timetable identifying where all household residents were and at what time. Sheppard left Fernly Park at 8:50pm, Major Blunt heard Ackroyd speaking with someone else at 9:30pm, and Flora Ackroyd left Ackroyd’s study at 9:45pm after saying goodnight to him. They confirm that the murder happened between 9:45pm and 10:00pm.