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A review by awebofstories
Peril at End House by Agatha Christie
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Grade: B+
Poirot and his clueless sidekick, Hastings, are back and inexplicably vacationing on the Cornish Riveria (I have questions. Why is Hastings back? Is he still married? Does his wife care that he is off ogling young women thousands of miles away while she's on a ranch in Argentina?). They meet a young woman, confusingly named Nick, who has survived numerous attempts on her life, and Poirot feels compelled to make sure the next attempt is not successful.
First of all, this is an excellently plotted mystery. I was surprised by the solution, although looking back, I can see how Christie played fair with the reader. It was nothing less than what I would expect from an early-ish Christie novel. I was also less annoyed by Hastings than I had been in the past. However, I'm the weird reader who isn't a Hastings fan, yet I still think I prefer the Poirot novels without him. For Poirot's part, he was as charmingly fussy as usual.
The downside was that it took me longer than it should have to really settle in with this one. I think that is because I found the character of Nick to be just insufferable. She was flippant and annoying, and I never understood why Poirot was so taken by her to the point that he would take on her protection. I do think that Nick could have been better written without changing the story. However, I also accept that she may be an example of what was expected of an early 1930s English trust fund baby.
So, this was a fairly successful Christie for me. The only way it could have been more successful is if one character was...different. In the grand scheme of things, however, it was a hit.
Poirot and his clueless sidekick, Hastings, are back and inexplicably vacationing on the Cornish Riveria (I have questions. Why is Hastings back? Is he still married? Does his wife care that he is off ogling young women thousands of miles away while she's on a ranch in Argentina?). They meet a young woman, confusingly named Nick, who has survived numerous attempts on her life, and Poirot feels compelled to make sure the next attempt is not successful.
First of all, this is an excellently plotted mystery. I was surprised by the solution, although looking back, I can see how Christie played fair with the reader. It was nothing less than what I would expect from an early-ish Christie novel. I was also less annoyed by Hastings than I had been in the past. However, I'm the weird reader who isn't a Hastings fan, yet I still think I prefer the Poirot novels without him. For Poirot's part, he was as charmingly fussy as usual.
The downside was that it took me longer than it should have to really settle in with this one. I think that is because I found the character of Nick to be just insufferable. She was flippant and annoying, and I never understood why Poirot was so taken by her to the point that he would take on her protection. I do think that Nick could have been better written without changing the story. However, I also accept that she may be an example of what was expected of an early 1930s English trust fund baby.
So, this was a fairly successful Christie for me. The only way it could have been more successful is if one character was...different. In the grand scheme of things, however, it was a hit.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use and Murder