The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (by Agahta Christie)

In my avid reading of Agatha Christie's books (for the first time), I had more than once been recommended 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd'. I was told that it is a masterpiece... one where very few people guess 'whodunit'. I was intrigued... and wanted to read it myself before someone told me the answer!

This story is told from the point of view of Dr Stoppard. A friend of his, Roger Ackroyd, is murdered one night. Hercule Poirot, who has just moved into the area, decides to investigate. He gets Dr Stoppard to assist him.

Various people are suspected, in a masterly plot, which left me guessing until about a chapter before the unmasking, when I suddenly had an 'aha!' moment, that turned out to be correct.

I was also pleased to note, as an aside, that Agatha Christie's characters play the game mah-jong.  Moreover, like my family, the initial race to build the walls is as important, if not more so, than the actual game.

I thought this plot very clever indeed, deservedly a classic by this prolific author.

Highly recommended.