Roger Ackroyd Review

Question 1

Where does Dr. Sheppard live, and what event starts the mystery?

Answer 1

In the village of King’s Abbot, and the mystery starts with the death of Mrs. Ferrars

Question 2

What is Caroline Sheppard’s theory about Mrs. Ferrars’ death?

Answer 2

She believes Mrs. Ferrars killed herself with a sleeping medication out of remorse for poisioning her husband

Question 3

Who is Roger Ackroyd, and what is his relationship to Dr. Sheppard?

Answer 3

Roger Ackroyd is a wealthy businessman who owns Fernly Park. He is a good friend of Dr. Sheppard

Question 4

What does Miss Russel ask Sheppard during her visit?

Answer 4

If there is a cure for drug addiction (mainly cocaine)

Question 5

Who is the mysterious neighbor Sheppard meets, and what is his real identity?

Answer 5

Dr. Sheppard meets Mr. Porrott, who is actually the famous detective Hercule Poirot

Question 6

What does Ralph Paton tell Sheppard during their conversation?

Answer 6

He tells Dr. Sheppard that he has been arguing with his father about money and needs to “play a lone hand”

Question 7

What is the significance of the letter Roger Ackroyd receives from Mrs. Ferrars?

Answer 7

It contains the name of the person who was blackmailing Mrs. Ferrars

Question 8

When does Dr. Sheppard leave the Ackroyd estate on the night of the murder?

Answer 8

8:50 pm

Question 9

What happens when Dr. Sheppard returns to the Ackroyd estate after receiving a phone call from Parker?

Answer 9

Dr. Sheppard and Parker find Roger Ackroyd dead, stabbed in the neck

The phone call wasn’t actually from Parker, but that is who Dr. Sheppard says the caller claims they were.

Question 10

How long does Dr. Sheppard say Roger Ackroyd has been dead for?

Answer 10

He determines that Roger has been dead for at least half an hour by the time they find the body

Question 11

What does Flora Ackroyd claim to have done at 9:45 pm?

Answer 11

She claims she saw her uncle alive at 9:45 pm, and told Parker that Roger didn’t want to be disturbed

Question 12

What item is determined to be the murder weapon?

Answer 12

A Tunisian dagger kept in a silver table

Question 13

Why are the police initially suspicious of the butler, John Parker?

Answer 13

He was bringing drinks to Ackroyd even though he was told not to multiple times. Parker also appears very flustered and nervous

Question 14

What evidence does Inspector Raglan find that suggests Ralph Paton might be the killer?

Answer 14

Shoeprints outside the window that resemble shoes owned by Ralph Paton

Question 15

What does Poirot reveal about Flora’s claim of seeing her uncle alive at 9:45 pm?

Answer 15

He reveals Flora never saw Ackroyd at 9:45. She stole money, heard Parker coming, and rushed to the study door with her hand on the handle to act that she’d just come out

Question 16

What is revealed about Miss Russel’s connection to the stranger Charles Kent?

Answer 16

Charles Kent is her son and a drug addict

Question 17

How does Poirot prove Dr. Sheppard was the one who killed Roger Ackroyd?

Answer 17

Poirot proves that Dr. Sheppard used a dictaphone to simulate Roger’s voice, set up false clues, and created an alibi for himself

Question 18

Why did Dr. Sheppard murder Roger Ackroyd?

Answer 18

To prevent Roger from discovering that he was the one blackmailing Mrs. Ferrars

Question 19

What ultimatum does Poirot give Dr. Sheppard at the end of the investigation?

Answer 19

Poirot says he’ll either go to the police, or Dr. Sheppard can kill himself

Question 20

How does Dr. Sheppard plan to end his life?

Answer 20

He plans to take an overdose of sleeping medication (veronal)

Question 21

Where did Dr. Sheppard hide Ralph Paton?

Answer 21

In a home for the mentally unfit

Question 22

What is Major Blunt’s confession after Flora admits to stealing money from Roger’s desk?

Answer 22

Blunt confesses he was in love with Flora

Question 23

What reason does Ralph Paton give for marrying Flora, despite already being married to Ursula?

Answer 23

Ralph agreed to marry Flora to please Roger and secure his inheritance

Question 24

What personal item of Ursula’s did Poirot find in the goldfish pond?

Answer 24

Ursula’s wedding ring with the inscription “From R”

Question 25

What did Charles Kent drop in the summerhouse on Friday?

Answer 25

a quill of “snow” used by addicts

Question 26

When Sheppard, Caroline, Colonel Carter, and Miss Gannett meet up, what game do they play?

Answer 26

Mah Jong

Question 27

How does Poirot get the information from Caroline that Ralph Paton was wearing boots?

Answer 27

He asked her to find out if Ralph Paton’s boots were black or brown

Question 28

What estate did Ursula Bourne work at before Fernly Park?

Answer 28

Marby Grange

Question 29

Who is the Ackroyd solicitor (lawyer)?

Answer 29

Mr. Hammond

Question 30

Where was the call that Dr. Sheppard received on the night of the murder from?

Answer 30

King’s Abbot train station

Question 31

Initially, what do the members of Fernly believe was the cause of the murder?

Answer 31

A robbery

”Nobody would have any other motive for killing Roger Ackroyd”

Question 32

When Sheppard examines Ackroyd’s body, how long does he say Roger has been dead for?

Answer 32

30 minutes

Question 33

How did Dr. Sheppard mislead readers?

Answer 33

By omitting important information (mainly about his actions from 8:40-8:50)

All of the information in the book was true, it’s just that Sheppard left out some—like when he murdered Roger

Question 34

Why had Hercule Poirot originally come to King’s Abbot?

Answer 34

To grow vegetable marrows

Question 35

What time did Sheppard rig the dictaphone to play?

Answer 35

9:30

Sheppard had already left Fernly Park at 8:50 and killed Roger, so he set up the dictaphone at 9:30 to divert suspicion

Question 36

How did Poirot figure out where Ralph Paton was being hid?

Answer 36

Poirot asked Caroline homes for the mentally unfit he could send his nephew to

Poirot knew that an optimal place for a doctor to hide somebody would be a nursing home / a home for the mentally unfit. He invested a fake nephew with mental problems, and asked Caroline some places Sheppard had referred patients to. She happily obliged, and Poirot went from there.