An Ear For Danger

The Three Investigators: Crimebusters #5

by Marc Brandel

The Three Investigators, just turned seventeen, win a free trip to Mexico and find themselves on an unexpected quest for treasure in the Sierra Madre.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Detective

144 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Original name, Marcus Beresford; name legally changed during the 1960's. Author of eleven novels, contributor to The Three Investigators series. Author of the play "The Man Who Let It Rain," first produced in London at Theatre Royal. Contributed to numerous television series, including "Kraft Theater," "Playhouse 90," "Amos Burke," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "Honey West", "Barnaby Jones," and "Fantasy Island." Author of teleplays for the BBC and for ITV. Contributed to periodicals, including Colliers, Atlantic Monthly, New York Times, and Cosmopolitan.

Reviews

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turns out that this'd been one of my childhood favourite entries in the Three Investigators series and I'd forgotten to mark it as Read before. D'oh.

This is a super solid Crimebusters entry precisely because it's very reminiscent of the original 3I books. There's a historical element to the central mystery, the way the boys are roped in is creative, no emphasis on cars and girls (sue me, but I don't care about either of those things that feel very tacked-on just to show that ~the boys are grown up now~) The supporting characters are pretty well written, and the volcanic eruption finale was very suspenseful.

I had to ignore at least two things (Pete wearing a Kelly Madigan shirt the entire time, the teenage equivalent of her pissing on him to mark her territory; and Jupiter being, once again, the identical twin of someone, like in Deadly Double, though this time it's just his voice. More believable than the DD identical-in-every-way twinsies, but seriously, what are the freaking odds), but I still consider it a great entry in the series.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This adventure of the updated Three Investigators series was the most "adult" of the series by far. For example, in one scene Pete is writing a little to his girlfriend while they have a suspect tied up, and he actually says in the letter "we're not into whips and chains here" which is quite a statement for that has basically straddled the line between juvenile and young adult all this time. And also, someone is killed by boiling lava directly in front of the trio, which is the first time they have ever seen a person die in front of them. I'm not sure if this was a one off or if the further volumes will continue the more mature trend, but I'll guess we'll see.

As far as the mystery itself goes, it's decent but not among the best of the series, nor among the worst. I'm sure I'll never enjoy the Crimebusters series as much as I did the original, but it's still interesting to see the detectives when they're a bit older.

[Nadja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hat mir beim wiederholten Male viel besser gefallen.
Die Folge ist nicht ohne Probleme, aber toll atmosphärisch und auch spannend.

2017: 2 Sterne

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Τίποτα αξιομνημόνευτο και σίγουρα καμία σχέση με την αρχική σειρά του Άρθουρ.

[Anna Catharina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meine Lieblingsfolge aus der Crimebuster-Zeit. Ein interessanter Fall, viele gefährliche Abenteuer, Lagerfeuerromantik und zwielichtige Charaktere. Nicht alles ist ganz realistisch, aber dafür gefällt mir die Atmosphäre. Das Ende ist ganz anders als die typischen Happy-End-Auflösungen, sehr erwachsen und schon fast ein wenig aufwühlend.

[Bubu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digga da stirbt einfach jemand in Lawa

[sonofabook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich muss sagen irgendwie war das eine Folge die man schön nebenbei hören konnte, bei der aber jetzt nicht sonderlich Spannung enthalten war.
Ich mochte das mexikanische Ambiente, aber die Geschichte mit dem Doppelgänger, also zumindest stimmlich, fand ich eher mäßig.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Neele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Story war wie so oft etwas absurd und in Teilen vorhersehbar, aber großer Pluspunkt für Goldie und außerdem, es stirbt jemand???
3,5⭐

[Dolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very memorable...

[Eva Siagian · Rating 5 out of 5]

i like it. new environment for the background setting..

[Kees · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a pitty that the original names are changed in Dutch names.

[Raif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, suspenseful, and is easy to digest
It exactly hits all it intends to, while still being interesting enough for the older audience