The story is set in the quiet English village of King’s Abbot. Dr. James Sheppard, the local physician, serves as the narrator. The village is abuzz with gossip following the apparent suicide of Mrs. Ferrars, a wealthy widow rumored to have been having a secret affair with Roger Ackroyd, another prominent resident.

The following evening, Ackroyd is found murdered in his study, stabbed with a dagger. The room was locked from the inside, and a mysterious phone call had seemingly reported the murder before the body was discovered. With many suspects—including Ackroyd’s relatives, his secretary, and his household staff