History Literature / PerilAtEndHouse

* ContinuityNod: Several, as was Agatha Christie's habit. Hastings expresses regret that he was off in Argentina and wasn't able to accompany Poirot for ''Literature/TheMysteryOfTheBlueTrain'' or "that strange affair at Fernley Park", aka ''Literature/TheMurderOfRogerAckroyd''.

* LostWillAndTestament: The will of Nick is missing, only to turn up after her [[spoiler:faked]] death, and it turns out that it's a fake made by [[spoiler:the Crofts, who persuaded her to make a will in the first place, then prevented it from reaching her cousin/lawyer after she survived the operation. When she apparently dies for real, then send their version to him]].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: While discussing the possible motives for murder, Poirot briefly mentions [[Theatre/{{Othello}} Iago]] and how ingenious his methods of killing were. In Literature/{{Curtain}}, Poirot must face a killer who [[spoiler: had perfectly mastered Iago's methods and is able to commit murder through other people while he himself remains legally innocent.]]
** Poirot mentions that Mr. and Mrs. Croft seem almost [[{{Flanderization}} excessively Australian]]. [[spoiler:He's right, they're crooks hiding out.]]

* KnownOnlyByTheirNickname: Nick, Freddie, and Maggie. [[spoiler: The fact that both Nick and Maggie have the first name Magdala but neither uses it is what makes the plan possible]].

* SignificantNameOverlap: Both Nick and her cousin Maggie are legally 'Magdala Buckley'.

* OneSteveLimit: Subverted: [[spoiler:Both Nick and her cousin Maggie are legally 'Magdala Buckley'.]]

* InheritanceMurder: This is a suspected motive behind the attacks on Nick, as she is engaged to Michael Seton, nephew and inheritor of "the second-richest man in England", who had named his fiancee as his own inheritor. [[spoiler:While Seton's money was indeed the motive for the murder, the truth plays out differently from what was presupposed. Michael was engaged, not to Nick, but to her cousin Maggie. As they have the same name -- Magdala Buckley -- Nick murders her cousin in order to claim the inheritance Michael had left for Maggie]].

* KnownOnlyByTheirNickname: Nick, Freddie, and Maggie. [[spoiler: The fact that both Nick and Maggie have the first name Magdala but neither use it is what makes the plan possible]].

* JustOneLittleMistake: The use of a love letter that does not mention [[spoiler:Nick's serious operation, despite being dated for that time. There are surprisingly few letters for such an ardent love affair, as Nick had to remove all of the ones that mention the real recipient. Also, her RevealingCoverup at the end.]]

* CoincidentalDodge: Nick appears to be bothered by a fly near her face. It turns out to be a bullet that went through her hat and narrowly missed hitting her, which Poirot finds nearby. [[spoiler:Subverted; she planted the bullet, made the hole in her hat, and pretended to be bothered by a fly, all to re-enforce the idea that someone was trying to kill her]]

* DrugsAreBad: Played with. [[spoiler:Freddie]] is a recovering cocaine addict, trying to get clean of the stuff after being addicted by [[spoiler:her violent addict husband. Commander Challenger]] is also found out to be a drug dealer. And then Nick gets poisoned by cocaine-laced chocolates [[spoiler:that she herself prepared]].

* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler:Nick]] is persuaded by Poirot to do this, in order to expose [[spoiler:the Crofts]].

* AntiAdvice: This is how Poirot reacts to Hastings calling Commander Challenger a "pukka sahib" (a [[UsefulNotes/TheRaj Raj]] term for a [[QuintessentialBritishGentleman true gentleman]]), deciding that it might be worth investigating him after all. [[spoiler: Sure enough...]]

* AntiAdvice: This is how Poirot reacts to Hastings calling Commander Challenger a "pukka sahib" (a [[UsefulNotes/TheRaj Raj]] term for a true gentleman), deciding that it might be worth investigating him after all. [[spoiler: Sure enough...]]

* NamesTheSame: [[spoiler:Both Nick and her cousin Maggie are legally 'Magdala Buckley'.]]

** Poirot mentions that Mr. and Mrs. Croft seem almost [[{{Flanderization}} excessively Australian]]. [[spoilers:He's right, they're crooks hiding out.]]

%%* DrugsAreBad: Played with.

* InheritanceMurder: This is a suspected motive behind the attacks on Nick, as she is engaged to the millionaire Michael Seton, who had left all his fortune to his fiancee. [[spoiler:While Seton's money was indeed the motive for the murder, the truth plays out differently from what was presupposed. Michael was engaged, not to Nick, but to her cousin Maggie. As they have the same name -- Magdala Buckley -- Nick murders her cousin in order to claim the inheritance Michael had left for Maggie]].
* JustOneLittleMistake: The use of a love letter that does not mention [[spoiler:Nick's serious operation, despite being dated for that time. Also, her RevealingCoverup at the end.]]

* LostWillAndTestament: The will of Nick is missing, only to turn up after her [[spoiler:faked]] death, and it turns out that it's a fake made by [[spoiler:the Crofts]].

* LostWillAndTestament: The will of Nick is missing, only to turn up after her [[spoiler: faked]] death, and it turns out that it's a fake made by [[spoiler:the Crofts]].

The novel was adapted for a double episode in series two of ITV's ''{{Series/Poirot}}'' starring David Suchet in 1990; this episode was generally very faithful to the novel. Tropes unique to this adaptation can be found on the series page.

* MurderByMistake: [[spoiler:Inverted. Nick dressed up her murder of Maggie as this.]]

%%* CoincidentalDodge: [[spoiler:Subverted.]]

%%* KillTheCutie: Poor [[spoiler:Maggie]].

The novel was adapted for an episode of ITV's ''{{Series/Poirot}}'' starring David Suchet.

* EveryoneIsASuspect: Surprisingly -- and yet totally believably -- subverted. Poirot compiles a seemingly complete list of suspects, even giving each one of them a letter of the alphabet, and yet in the end it turns out that neither the main culprit (despite being there and well-known by everybody for all the time) nor one of the minor ones are on it.