The Mystery of Roger (also translated as the Murder of Roger Akroyd, the Murder of Roger Acroy, The Mist, The Mystery, the Murder of Akrod) is a long detective novel by British writer Agatha Christie, and is also her famous work and masterpiece.
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Mrs. Flass, a wealthy widow who lived in the village of Kim Abbott, was found dead in her bed on a Thursday night after taking too much barbiturates. The next night, Roger Aykroyd, a widower who everyone thought he would marry Mrs. Flals, was murdered in his study at the Furnley compound. The connection between the two deaths casts doubt on the story's development.
People in the village said that the first case must have been suicide. Dr. Shepard had the same doubts during the autopsy, but out of the prudence of a village doctor, he did not make his suspicions public.
Akroyd knew the truth. He said to Shepard the next day, "I have to talk to you. It's scary, worse than you know. He looked haggard and tired. Dr. Shepherd promised him a dinner party in the evening, and the two parted ways.
Dinner takes place in a "spacious hall" full of high-end friends, a scene that is common in Christie's novels. After dinner, the two friends retreated to their rooms and talked over coffee. Akroyd told the secret he had hidden in his heart. He blamed himself for Mrs. Flass's death, which of course might not be fair.
Akroyd said they had planned to get married, but instead of announcing it, they wanted to wait a year after her husband's death, as was customary. The day was finally coming, and Akroyd urged her to reveal their secrets, but she hesitated. Just yesterday, she suddenly announced that she was determined not to marry him. Mrs. Flass had a terrible thing in mind. She confessed to him that she had poisoned her husband. That drunkard, she had never loved him.
When Akroyd spoke of this, he couldn't control his voice and shouted to Dr. Shepard, "Oh my God! It's brutal murder! ”
It is clear in his tone that an honest, straightforward and sincere man like him would never forgive such an act, even if it was the woman he loved who committed the crime. Mrs. Flass knows this equally well. She understood that her confession was actually an end to their relationship. If she was the only one who knew the secret, she might be able to keep it shut and be at peace from now on. But now some people also know that she has been blackmailed for a year, and the intensified demands have finally forced her to a dead end.
Akroyd, on the other hand, not only did not sympathize with her, but also showed great fear of her confession.
When Parker, the butler, delivered a mail for the evening shift, Shepard assured him of his safety in the tone of a doctor. Dr. Shepherd wanted to know what it contained, but Akroyd wanted to give priority—the letter could only be read to him; he would read it later before deciding what to do. He put the blue envelope aside for the time being.
After learning that his friend would not act rashly, Dr. Shepard left and returned to a nearby home where he lived with his sister. Within two hours, Dr. Shepard was called back to Fernley Compound. Akroyd was murdered. The blue envelope also disappeared.
11.3.2021