Customer Reviews

Peril at End House

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Poirot and Hastings return in this novel set in the resort town of St. Loo on the Cornish coast. While on a week's holiday, the pair meet Miss Magdala Buckley who has had a series of life-threatening accidents. Poirot believes these "accidents" are more likely attempts on her life. In true Christie tradition, a murder soon occurs. However, Miss Buckley is not the victim, but the newly-deceased is a cousin of hers. Poirot must prevent another murder while discovering why anyone would want Miss Buckley dead. Into the mix enters her friends Frederica Rice and Commander Challenger as well as a mysterious couple from Australia who live in a cottage on the grounds of End House, possible narcotics involvement, and a surprise ending that will truly amaze. I won't reveal what the ending is, of course, but it is one that Christie will successfully use again in later works.

Mystery writers are supposed to play by a set of rules, ie give the reader all the clues, no rare, undetectable poisons, the murder can't be the butler, detective, victim or someone we've never met etc. Agatha Christie always played fair in that all the clues were present for the reader, and she didn't rely on obscure poisons unknown-to-science but she was somewhat more creative in her interpretations of some of the others. PERIL AT END HOUSE is an example of Christie's creativeness with one of the rules of mystery writing (but you'll have to read the book to find out which rule).

Poirot and Hastings are spending some time at a seaside resort. Poirot is still insisting that he has retired but concedes that "...if a bullet should strike the wall by my head, I would ...investigate the matter!" Needless to say one does and Poirot is soon investigating the numerous attempts on the life of a young woman. Poirot sorts his way through a murder, drug trafficking, false identities, secret engagements and attempted frauds to reach the truth.

The ending is clever and we are treated to Poirot being forced to ask someone else for the answer to a minor secondary puzzle.

This mystery is less a who-done-it than it is a who's-gonna-do-it. Attempts are being made on the life of Nicky Buckley, the pert proprietress of End House. Poirot sets out to foil the would-be murderer, but feels that he's failed miserably when Nicky's cousin dies instead. Poirot redoubles his efforts to save Nicky and to solve the cousin's murder, but he finds himself in a quandary. As Poirot fruitlessly attempts to discern a motive and discover the murderer, Nicky has another narrow escape from a poisoning attempt. Poirot finally decides that the only way to flush the murderer out is to fake Nicky's death. The denouement is both surprising and satisfying. Another nice thing about the story is the glimpse into the mind of Poirot as he sorts out the clues. In this case he does not keep his thoughts and surmises secret from Captain Hastings, and we follow him step by step as he winnows through the evidence to come to his conclusions. He does, however, hold back enough to surprise the reader in the final chapter.

Now for the critique: [1] Christie either knows nothing about the behavior of bullets or expects her readers to know nothing. Her description of the near fatal shooting of Nicky is as full of holes as Nicky's hat. Poirot took no notice of the fact that there was no noise from the report of the pistol, no noise from the ricochet of the bullet, and no scuff mark on the wall. No mention was made of the bullet being deformed by striking the wall. This is not the first time Christie has betrayed such ignorance. In the short story "Dead Man's Mirror", a bullet struck a gong without denting the gong, deforming the bullet, or depositing a lead scuff on the gong. [2] Although Poirot twice stated that the simplest explanation was the best, the final explanation was not simple. It was so complex and convoluted that such a series of events could never have converged to produce Christie's result. [3] Again we see Christie borrowing from Arthur Conan Doyle. One of Sherlock Holmes' favorite maxims was "When you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Poirot paraphrases Holmes thus: "when you have eliminated other possibilities you turn to the one that is left and say - since the other is not - this must be so." I can't say Poirot improved on Holmes' proverb.

As the author of Peril on the Katy Trail I was curious to find out more about Peril at End House. This book was showing up at the top of the search list whenever I typed Peril. Who else had used the word Peril in a title and who was so popular?

Oh My! Imagine my surprise quickly followed by a smile. Peril at End House was written by Agatha Christie! I immediately understood the attraction. So I obtained a copy and began to read. I am glad I did.

Peril at End House is a classic Hercule Poirot mystery. The primary strengths are in the plotting and mystery. From the very beginning the reader is intrigued and captivated by wondering the who and why.

Another strength is the description of the location. I found myself wanting to travel there to enjoy the ambiance. Perhaps to enjoy high tea.

For me, the use of occasional phrases in French slowed the reading. Many of the obvious were quickly translated. However, a few references to a French dictionary were necessitated for a complete comprehension.

I enjoyed reading Peril at End House and now understand why it is usually first on the search list when typing the word Peril.

One of the early Poirot novels (the seventh to be exact), and once again narrated by Poirot's faithful companion Hastings, "Peril at End House" is a classic Agatha Christie mystery. In fact, it's so "classic" that it's one of the few mysteries that I managed to puzzle out before the denouement, though this in no way impinges on the reading experience (and takes my grand total of outwitting Christie up to three).

Poirot and Hastings are enjoying a break at the Cornish resort of St Loo when they meet a vivacious young woman known as "Nick". Her real name is Magdala Buckley, but her nickname derives from her grandfather, who was called Old Nick on account of his devilish nature. Both men are enchanted by her, but Poirot is gravely concerned when Nick lightly tells him that she's had three near-death encounters in as many days. That very day, someone takes a shot at her and leaves a bullet hole through the brim of her hat, though Nick doesn't take it very seriously until she realizes that her gun is missing.

Yet she can't think of a single reason why anyone would want to kill her, even though Poirot suspects that the constant nature of the attacks point to someone in her inner circle. Various lodgers, servants, friends and family members regularly converge on End House where Nick lives, and so Poirot asks her to send for a trusted family relation to stay with her at all times.

Yet a case of mistaken identity means that Nick's cousin ends up dead, and Poirot is beside himself with guilt. Somewhere out there is a murderer who has not yet achieved his/her objective, and Nick's life still hangs in the balance - especially when it comes to light that there is a very good reason why someone would want her dead.

It's an interesting twist on the usual mystery, in that it's not a whodunit so much as a who-wants-to-do-it, and far from his usual confident, breezy self, Poirot finds himself stumped on several occasions. But since everything is fair and neatly structured, those familiar with Christie's formula may find that it's relatively easy to piece together the clues and find the culprit. A few leaps of logic are required - but such is the case in most of Christie's novels.

With a few little winks at previous books, such as The Mystery of the Blue Train and the short-story "The Chocolate Box" (chocolates have a prominent role here as well), this is not my favorite Christie novel, nor the best, but certainly worth curling up with on a cold night.

Agatha Christie's sleuth, Hercule Poirot is a singular creation. Often conceited by his great intelligence, Poirot is stumped for the longest time in "Peril at End House". Even though he has retired, again, he finds himself caught up in the case of the beautiful Miss Nick Buckley, who has escaped three near-fatal "accidents" in three days. "Peril at End House" reunites Poirot with his friend Captain Hastings, and is filled with Christie's usual twists and turns as Poirot tries to stop a murderer before it is too late.

Knowing that Nick Buckley's brushes with death were no accident, Poirot takes it upon himself to protect her and find out who may really want her dead. He knows immediately that it cannot be a stranger, so he looks into the intimate circle of friends surrounding Nick. There is her friend, Frederica Rice, who stands to gain from the will Nick had drawn up earlier in the year. There is Frederica's lover, Jim Lazarus, whose business may be in a shabby state of affairs. Also, there is her cousin, Charles Vyse, a lawyer who will surely inherit the family home. And then there is also Commander Challenger, a Navy officer in love with Nick, but it is a love that is unrequited. Yet Nick Buckley lives in the heavily mortgaged End House and has very little money of her own - why would anyone want to see her dead to gain money if there was no money to gain? When murder does occur at End House, Poirot begins to wonder if there is more to the matter of inheritance than he at first considered.

All of these characters and all of the questions concerning them stump the great Hercule Poirot (and the reader) until the very end. The conclusion is a clever and surprising finish. "Peril at End House" is a delightful mystery, one that will have readers guessing for the longest time and gasping when the truth is finally revealed. After all, appearances can be deceiving.

Fastidious Hecule Poirot, the great and somewhat immodest detective from Belgium, finally chooses the sea resort of St. Loo to relax and let his impeccable mustaches down. However, in true Christie fashion, the young damsel in distress arrives, but seeminging not in any distress at all. Nick Buckley is a free-spirit who owns the small estate near the hotel where M. Poirot and his ever astonished sidekick, Hastings, are staying. A series of near-miss "accidents" are immediately suspect in Poirot's mind after a bullet misses Nick by a fraction of an inch. Who could be so avaricious and dastardly to harass such a sweet heiress? Could it be the overly sweet neighbors from Australia? Could it be the ever ethereal Frederika? What about the sturdy and trusted servant Ellen or her slow and lethargic husband, the gardener? Who has killed good and sensible Cousin Maggie who was wearing Nick's shawl at the time of the murder? Is there a secret panel somewhere in the house and who would know of its existence? Our proud detective is puzzled and frustrated but cleverly stages a small bit of drama to entice the murderer into the light. I was very surprised by the solution to this mystery and I'm sure other readers will be surprised, as well! I highly recommend this wonderful whodunit! With PERIL AT END HOUSE, Agatha Christie offers the reader one of her best examples of mystery writing.

When Christie was on top of her game, no one was better, and this is a prime example of her amazing skills. A real fine twist ending will reverse every notion you may have had for the characters. Poirot is at his amusing, determined best here; his one flaw being he cares too much. It almost costs him the case. Hastings as usual narrates the story in his own daft and befuddled way. Hercule enjoys toying with him. Sort of like the way Christie must have enjoyed toying with her readers.

This is one of Agatha Christie's most ingenious and classic murder mysteries. The confidence trick she wields in this book is both startling and imaginative, and only a very experienced Christie reader would have any suspicion of what the authoress is up to. A very enjoyable, lively Christie book, and one which surely belongs among her finest.

This is my third Christie book (which have all been Poirot by coincidence) and I loved it! Her writing is brilliant and beautiful. The mysteries are suspenseful and exciting. I never know who it was. Ever. I though I had it pinned right away and it was obvious, but I was wrong. My suspicion had committed a crime, but it was not attempted murder.

Since I have read a couple Christie books, I have talked to a lot of mystery fans about her...and it turns out they have not read anything she has written! I am trying to push them to try because she is so brilliant. They will also find, like I have, that they have been missing references all of their lives! Other TV shows and movies have so many little nods to Christie, it is just astonishing once you realize it!

It is so interesting to read mysteries that are back in the early 1900s. Some things never change. This book has drugs, cut brakes, forgery, and plenty of "accidents". I could completely see it taking place in modern times, which I think is just another reason why Agatha Christie was so brilliant!

I will say that as I read reviews on goodreads, people who read a LOT of her books were able to figure it out right away...which could be annoying and make the rating go down, I am sure. Since I am still a newbie, I do enjoy it.

One last thing. Did you know that the Poirot book are in a specific order? I didn't think it mattered until this book. Apparently, there were references and even some characters that were in previous books. I don't really mind that I am reading out of order though and don't think I will make an effort to go in order. I'll just prepare to be entertained and mystified with each book!