# XXVII: Apologia explained — The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

> Chapter companion for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.

## What happens

Dr. Sheppard writes his confession at five in the morning, revealing that he murdered Roger Ackroyd. He describes his meticulous planning, including the use of a dictaphone to create an alibi, and his manipulation of events to cast suspicion on others. He reflects on his motives, his fear of his sister Caroline discovering the truth, and his decision to take his own life with veronal, addressing the manuscript to Poirot.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Appearance vs. Reality

Sheppard's entire narrative is a constructed deception, hiding his guilt behind a facade of innocence and careful wording.

### Unreliable Narration and Perspective

The chapter reveals that the first-person narrator has been the murderer all along, completely undermining the reader's trust.

## Character check-ins

### Dr. Sheppard

The narrator and murderer, confessing to the crime and detailing his actions.

### Roger Ackroyd

The victim, whose murder is confessed by Sheppard.

### Caroline Sheppard

Sheppard's sister, whom he fears might guess the truth and wishes to protect from the revelation.

### Hercule Poirot

The detective to whom Sheppard addresses his confession and trusts to manage the aftermath.

### Ralph Paton

Mentioned as being seen with Mrs. Ferrars, but Sheppard's initial suspicion was mistaken.

## Key lines

> I meant it to be published some day as the history of one of Poirot’s failures!

Sheppard originally intended his manuscript to show Poirot being outsmarted.

_Irony: the manuscript becomes a confession instead._

> The dagger was an afterthought. I’d brought up a very handy little weapon of my own, but when I saw the dagger lying in the silver table, it occurred to me at once how much better it would be to use a weapon that couldn’t be traced to me.

Sheppard decided to use Ackroyd's own dagger instead of his own weapon to avoid suspicion.

_Reveals premeditation and cunning._

> I did what little had to be done!

Sheppard downplays his actions of removing the dictaphone and moving the chair.

_Example of his deceptive wording throughout the narrative._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters/xxvii-apologia
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_murder_of_roger_ackroyd_se/chapters