The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

The next morning Dr. Sheppard goes to work, and returns in the afternoon. Caroline informs him that Flora Ackroyd wants to see him. Flora explains that Sheppard’s neighbor is Hercule Poirot, the famous detective. Flora has heard that Poirot retired, but she wants to persuade him—with Sheppard’s help—to take up Roger Ackroyd’s case. Dr. Sheppard insists that Flora not involve Poirot. However, Flora notes that Sheppard went to the Three Boars to talk to Ralph later at night, after Roger’s body was found. Sheppard admits that he went to the inn, only to find—as Flora has—that Ralph was gone. Since then, an inspector has visited the Three Boars, apparently because he thinks Ralph is guilt of the murder. Flora wants to hire Poirot to prove Ralph innocent.

Dr. Sheppard and Flora go to visit Hercule Poirot. Poirot has heard about the murder, and offers his services to Flora. He insists that he’ll work for free, and that he’ll follow the case through to the end. Flora says that she wants “all the truth,” and insists that Poirot work on the case.

Poirot then asks Sheppard to explain what he knows about the case. Sheppard explains the events of the previous night and—with Flora’s prompting—his visit to the Three Boars. Sheppard claims that he visited because he wanted to tell Ralph about the murder. Poirot suggests that he visited because he wanted to reassure himself that Ralph had been home all evening, but Sheppard denies this.

Poirot suggests that he and Dr. Sheppard go to the police. There, Sheppard introduces Poirot to Inspector Davis, and meets Colonel Melrose, chief constable in the area. Finally, Sheppard and Poirot meet Inspector Raglan, the main investigator on the case. Colonel Melrose explains that he can’t have Poirot interfering with the investigation. However, Poirot “saves the day” by insisting that his name never be mentioned in conjunction with the case. After this, the investigators become more gracious.

Inspector Raglan informs Poirot and Dr. Sheppard that he’s tested the fingerprints on the knife blade—they don’t belong to Sheppard, Raymond, or Parker. Poirot asks about Ralph’s fingerprints, and Raglan insists that he’ll test them as soon as possible. He adds that Ralph was seen near Ackroyd’s home around 9:30 pm. Furthermore, Colonel Melrose has obtained a pair of Ralph’s shoes from the Three Boars inn. The shoes have rubber studs, similar to the windowsill shoeprints.

Poirot goes with Melrose and Dr. Sheppard to examine the study, which the police haven’t disturbed. Poirot asks how the room appeared when Sheppard found it—for example, whether the fire in the fireplace was low. Sheppard admits that he can’t recall. Poirot also examines the shoeprints on the windowsill and finds them to be identical to Ralph Paton’s shoes. Poirot then summons Parker, and Parker recalls that the fire had burned low, that the curtains were drawn, and that the electric light was on when he first saw Ackroyd’s body. Parker also remembers that a chair near the door was moved from its current position. Poirot wonders who would have moved the chair. Sheppard points out that this detail can’t be important, to which Poirot replies, “It is completely unimportant. That is why it is so interesting.”

Poirot tells Dr. Sheppard something he’s noticed during his career: in all cases, all the suspects have something to hide—even Dr. Sheppard, Poirot guesses. Sheppard, embarrassed, asks Poirot about his methods. Poirot explains: when the body was discovered, the door was locked and the window was open. Only Roger Ackroyd himself could have opened the window, either because the room was warm (but this is unlikely, since the fire was low) or because he “admitted someone that way.” Further, Ackroyd would only have admitted someone he knew very well—the person who was in the room at 9:30. Just then, Colonel Melrose enters the room: he’s just gotten word that the call Dr. Sheppard received at 10:15 last night came from a phone at King’s Abbot train station—“and at 10:23 the night mail leaves for Liverpool.”