The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Combining murder, with rumors and gossip, narrator Nigel Anthony performes this classic Christie mystery with superb pacing and style. Versatility, gender changes, and English accents display his dynamic range of characters and animate the quiet village of King's Abbot. From Poirot's charming, sophisticated humor to Mrs. Ackroyd's snappy, breathless speech, the depictions are true to character and provide plenty of red-herrings for listeners to follow. Poirot's precise deductions lead to blackmail, murder, and a surprising conclusion. The depiction of Dr. James Sheppard, with his clipped, academic voice, lends itself well to dry humor. G.D.W. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

Christie's classic detective story of the murder of the man who knew too much is read in a classic British style by the late Robin Bailey. Bailey portrays the storyteller, Dr. James Sheppard, stoically and his co-investigator and new neighbor, Hercule Poirot, diplomatically. Listeners will quickly be embroiled in Ralph Paton's story, Mrs. Ferrars's suicide, the Tunisian dagger, and Ursula's tale. Bailey adds to the intrigue by using various accents, variable pacing, and a distinctive lightness of tone and pitch to distinguish the numerous male and female characters. Christie's complex plot maintains suspense, and Bailey's performance will totally immerse listeners in the British country-house experience. S.C.A. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

This tightly executed adaptation of Christie's classic brings Hercule Poirot (John Moffatt) out of retirement to investigate a murder that is more complex than it first appears. Originally produced for BBC Radio, the dramatization features a solid cast of curious villagers and murder suspects, uninterrupted by excessive music or sound effects. Instead, we are led by the story's first-person narrator, Dr. James Sheppard (John Woodvine), as he unwittingly becomes assistant to Poirot and his methodical pursuit of the facts and the "whole truth." With a plot that stands the test of time, listeners experience a world of intrigue, betrayal, drugs, and greed as Poirot uncovers each character's secret, leading to the mystery's famously shocking end. F.G. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

AudioFile Golden Voice Simon Jones delivers Agatha Christie's classic locked-room mystery to perfection. After the overdose death of Mrs. Ferrars and the murder of his friend Roger Ackroyd a short time later, Dr. Sheppard recounts a story of guilt, blackmail, and despair. Hercule Poirot is renting the cottage next to Sheppard's and soon is drawn into the investigation. Jones provides varied accents for characters ranging from Sheppard's plummy-voiced sister, a spinster, to stuffy butlers, eager maids, unreliable Ackroyd family members, and the local police, all of whom populate the village of King's Abbot. Jones's interpretation of Poirot is impeccable. The elaborate setup and misdirections of Christie's 1926 novel offer a master class in mystery writing, and Jones's performance leaves listeners fully satisfied. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine