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My contribution to Rich Westwood’s #1932book challenge
Harper Masterpiece edition, 2010. Format: Kindle (405 KB). First published in Great Britain by Collins 1932. ISBN: 978-0-007-42269-2. ASIN: B0046RE5C2. Pages 288.
My Kindle edition comes with a brief summary at the end of all Poirot novels. The summary of Peril at End House (1932) reads as follows:
Nick is an unusual name for a pretty young woman. And Nick Buckley has been leading an unsual life of late. First, on a treacherous Cornish hillside, the brakes on her car fail. Then, on a coastal path, a falling boulder misses her by inches. Safe in bed, she is almost crushed by a painting. Upon discovering a bullet hole in Nick’s sun hat, Hercule Poirot (who had come to Cornwall for a simple holiday with his friend Captain Hastings) decides that the girl needs his protection. At the same time, he begins to unravel the mystery of a murder that hasn’t been committed. Yet.
Peril at End House provides us with an excellent example of a Poirot mystery. The story is narrated in first person by captain Hastings and is set in Cornwall, where we find Poirot and Hastings on holiday. Poirot has to deal with an extremely difficult case, a crime that has yet to be committed. The reader’s attention is immediately caught from the beginning to the last page, and the story has a wide cast of interesting characters that reflect very nicely the time, between the two world wars, in which the novel was written. Nothing in the narrative of the facts is superfluous and all the clues are there, but it does have some red herrings, besides a surprising twist towards the end, very original in my view, and that undoubtedly will surprise the reader. The action unfolds naturally, at a proper pace, and is a very pleasant read. A highly representative novel of what has come to be called the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, by one of their most influential and charismatic authors. I enjoyed it very much and, therefore, I can recommend it.
My rating: A (I loved it)
Peril at End House has been reviewed at Mysteries in Paradise (Kerrie), Books Please (Margaret) and In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel (Puzzle Doctor), among many others.
Peril at End House at Agatha Christie official website
Peligro inminente de Agatha Chirstie 
Mi Kindle incluye un breve resumen de todas las novelas de Poirot al final. El resumen de Peligro inminente (1932) dice lo siguiente:
Nick es un nombre poco corriente para una mujer joven y bonita. Y Nick Buckley ha estado llevando una vida poco habitual en los últimos tiempos. Primero, un accidente en el que los frenos de su coche fallaron en una peligrosa curva y del que se salvó por muy poco. Después, una gigantesca piedra que casi la aplasta. Finalmente, una pintura al óleo que se desprende de la pared de su habitación y está a punto de matarla en la cama. Las sospechas sobre lo fortuito de tales accidentes se disipa en la mente de Poirot (que había llegado a Cornwall para pasar unas vacaciones con su amigo, el capitán Hastings) tras ver un agujero de bala en el sombrero de la señorita Buckley . De esta manera, Poirot deberá enfrentarse al misterio de un asesinato que no se ha cometido. Todavía. (Mi traducción libre).
Peligro inminente nos ofrece un excelente ejemplo de un misterio de Poirot. La historia está narrada en primera persona por el capitan Hastings y se desarrolla en Cornwall, donde nos encontramos con Poirot y Hastings de vacaciones. Poirot tiene que lidiar con un caso extremadamente difícil, un crimen que aún no se ha cometido. La atención del lector es capturada inmediatamente desde el principio hasta la última página, y la historia tiene un amplio elenco de personajes interesantes que reflejan muy bien el tiempo, entre las dos guerras mundiales, en el que fue escrita la novela. Nada en la narración de los hechos es superfluo y todas las pistas están ahí, pero tiene algunas pistas falsas, además de un giro sorprendente hacia el final, muy original en mi opinión, y que sin duda va a sorprender al lector. La acción se desarrolla de forma natural, a un ritmo adecuado, y es una lectura muy agradable. Una novela muy representativa de lo que se ha dado en llamar la edad de oro de la novela de detectives, por uno de sus autores más influyentes y carismáticos. La disfruté mucho y, por lo tanto, se la recomiendo.
Mi valoración: A (Me encantó)
A Crime is Afoot 
José Ignacio – I am so pleased you liked this book! I think it’s an interesting example of Christie’s work. As you say, it’s a solid representation of GA crime fiction.
Thanks for your comment, Margot. I appreaciate it very much.
I don’t remember this one but just reading your review I can tell it is a typical of the Golden Age – I’m having a mini revival of Agatha myself at the moment.
Thanks for you comment Cleo! Certaintly it’s an excellent example of Golden Age Detective Fiction.
Thanks for the link. It’s an odd one this – I found it all blindingly obvious the first time that I read it, and the final act is remarkably clumsy (the poisoned chocolates bit) but it’s still a great example of Christie at her best. That sentence shouldn’t really make sense, but somehow it does…
Am the one grateful for your comment, Puzzle Doctor. It might sound as a clichè sentence, but, oddly enough, it seems to me that it makes some sense after reading the book.
This isn’t one of my very favourite Christies, but still a good solid example from her best era. Nice review Jose Ignacio.
Thank you Moira!
Always one of my favourite Poirots front eh 1930s – thanks José Ignacio, I really should read it again.