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Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators #27
The Mystery of the Magic Circle
Three young sleuths uncover a coven of witches when they search for the missing memoirs of a movie star.
143 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
8 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
M.V. Carey
121 books28 followersAlso known as Mary V. Carey
Personal: Born May 19, 1925, in New Brighton, Cheshire (now Merseyside), England; brought to the United States in 1925, naturalized citizen in 1955; daughter of John Cornelius (an engineer) and Mary Alice (Hughes) Carey. Home address in 1993 was 3748 Birch St., Ventura, CA.
Ms Carey passed away in 1994.
Education: College of Mount St. Vincent, B.S., 1946.
Religion: Roman Catholic
Career: Coronet, New York City, editorial associate, 1948 - 55; Walt Disney Productions, Burbank, CA, assistant editor of publications, 1955 - 69; free-lance writer 1969 - 1994.
Member: PEN; Mystery Writers of America; Society of Children's Book Writers; Women in Communications.
Awards, Honors: Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award, 1986, for "A Place for Allie".
Hobbies and Interests: Walking on the beach.
Writings:
Novelizations of Walt Disney Motion Pictures:
(With George Sherman) WD's "Babes in Toyland" Golden Press, 1961.
WD's "The Sword in the Stone" Whitman, 1963.
The Story of Walt Disney's Motion Picture "Mary Poppins" Whitman, 1964.
WD's "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" Whitman, 1964.
WD's "Donald Duck and the Lost Mesa Ranch" Whitman, 1966.
The Story of WD's Motion Picture "Jungle Book" Whitman, 1967.
The Story of WD's Motion Picture "Blackbeard's Ghost" Whitman, 1968.
"Mrs. Brisby's Important Package" (adapted from film "The Secret of NIMH), Golden Press, 1982.
Juveniles:
"Raggedy Ann and the Glad and Sad Day", Golden Press, 1972.
"Little Lulu and the Birthday Surprise, Whitman, 1973.
"The Tawny, Scrawny Lio and the Clever Monkey" Golden Press, 1974.
"Alonzo Purr, the Seagoing Cat", Western Pub., 1974.
"The Owl Who Loved Sunshine", Golden Press, 1977.
"The Gremlin's Storybook", Golden Press, 1984.
The Three Investigators Mystery Series (Random House):
"The Mystery of the:
#15 Flaming Footprints, 1971.
#17 Singing Serpent, 1972.
#20 Monster Mountain, 1973.
#21 The Secret of the Haunted Mirror, 1974.
#23 Invisible Dog, 1975.
#24 Death Trap Mine, 1976.
#27 Magic Circle, 1978.
#29 Sinister Scarecrow, 1979.
#31 Scar-Faced Beggar, 1981.
#32 Blazing Cliffs, 1981.
#34 Wandering Cave Man, 1982.
#36 Missing Mermaid, 1984.
#39 Trail of Terror, 1984.
#41 Creep-Show Crooks, 1985.
#43 Cranky Collector, 1987
FYF#8 The Case of the Savage Statue, 1987.
Other:
(Editor) Jane Black, "The Indispensables", Hewitt House, 1971.
"Step-by-step Candlemaking", Golden Press, 1972.
"Step-by-step Winemaking", Golden Press, 1973.
"Love Is Forever" (collection of prose and poetry), C.R. Gibson, 1975.
(With George Sherman) "A Compendium of Bunk", C.C. Thomas, 1976.
(Editor) "Grandmothers Are Very Special People", C.R. Gibson, 1977.
"A Place for Allie" (young adult novel), Dodd, 1985.
Sidelights: Carey told Contemporary Authors: "I began writing late; my first articles and stories were published after I was thirty, and I was motivated by money. Money is not a bad motivation. The need to eat keeps us from laziness, and the fact that someone is willing to pay to read what we write assures us that we have indeed written."
"I think that writing should be honest and simple, and it should say something about what it means to be a person. When God is good to us, we write in such a way that the act of reading becomes a pleasure to those who buy our books. This experience doesn't happen all the time, but when it does it is at least as heady as winning the Irish sweepstakes. It makes mere competence seem dull. It is probably also what makes writing a compulsive occupation; some of us are uncomfortable when we are away from our typewriters for any length of time."
"My lifelong ambition, aside from writing, is to finish exploring the American West. This should keep me busy for at least another thirty years, since there is a
Personal: Born May 19, 1925, in New Brighton, Cheshire (now Merseyside), England; brought to the United States in 1925, naturalized citizen in 1955; daughter of John Cornelius (an engineer) and Mary Alice (Hughes) Carey. Home address in 1993 was 3748 Birch St., Ventura, CA.
Ms Carey passed away in 1994.
Education: College of Mount St. Vincent, B.S., 1946.
Religion: Roman Catholic
Career: Coronet, New York City, editorial associate, 1948 - 55; Walt Disney Productions, Burbank, CA, assistant editor of publications, 1955 - 69; free-lance writer 1969 - 1994.
Member: PEN; Mystery Writers of America; Society of Children's Book Writers; Women in Communications.
Awards, Honors: Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People Award, 1986, for "A Place for Allie".
Hobbies and Interests: Walking on the beach.
Writings:
Novelizations of Walt Disney Motion Pictures:
(With George Sherman) WD's "Babes in Toyland" Golden Press, 1961.
WD's "The Sword in the Stone" Whitman, 1963.
The Story of Walt Disney's Motion Picture "Mary Poppins" Whitman, 1964.
WD's "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" Whitman, 1964.
WD's "Donald Duck and the Lost Mesa Ranch" Whitman, 1966.
The Story of WD's Motion Picture "Jungle Book" Whitman, 1967.
The Story of WD's Motion Picture "Blackbeard's Ghost" Whitman, 1968.
"Mrs. Brisby's Important Package" (adapted from film "The Secret of NIMH), Golden Press, 1982.
Juveniles:
"Raggedy Ann and the Glad and Sad Day", Golden Press, 1972.
"Little Lulu and the Birthday Surprise, Whitman, 1973.
"The Tawny, Scrawny Lio and the Clever Monkey" Golden Press, 1974.
"Alonzo Purr, the Seagoing Cat", Western Pub., 1974.
"The Owl Who Loved Sunshine", Golden Press, 1977.
"The Gremlin's Storybook", Golden Press, 1984.
The Three Investigators Mystery Series (Random House):
"The Mystery of the:
#15 Flaming Footprints, 1971.
#17 Singing Serpent, 1972.
#20 Monster Mountain, 1973.
#21 The Secret of the Haunted Mirror, 1974.
#23 Invisible Dog, 1975.
#24 Death Trap Mine, 1976.
#27 Magic Circle, 1978.
#29 Sinister Scarecrow, 1979.
#31 Scar-Faced Beggar, 1981.
#32 Blazing Cliffs, 1981.
#34 Wandering Cave Man, 1982.
#36 Missing Mermaid, 1984.
#39 Trail of Terror, 1984.
#41 Creep-Show Crooks, 1985.
#43 Cranky Collector, 1987
FYF#8 The Case of the Savage Statue, 1987.
Other:
(Editor) Jane Black, "The Indispensables", Hewitt House, 1971.
"Step-by-step Candlemaking", Golden Press, 1972.
"Step-by-step Winemaking", Golden Press, 1973.
"Love Is Forever" (collection of prose and poetry), C.R. Gibson, 1975.
(With George Sherman) "A Compendium of Bunk", C.C. Thomas, 1976.
(Editor) "Grandmothers Are Very Special People", C.R. Gibson, 1977.
"A Place for Allie" (young adult novel), Dodd, 1985.
Sidelights: Carey told Contemporary Authors: "I began writing late; my first articles and stories were published after I was thirty, and I was motivated by money. Money is not a bad motivation. The need to eat keeps us from laziness, and the fact that someone is willing to pay to read what we write assures us that we have indeed written."
"I think that writing should be honest and simple, and it should say something about what it means to be a person. When God is good to us, we write in such a way that the act of reading becomes a pleasure to those who buy our books. This experience doesn't happen all the time, but when it does it is at least as heady as winning the Irish sweepstakes. It makes mere competence seem dull. It is probably also what makes writing a compulsive occupation; some of us are uncomfortable when we are away from our typewriters for any length of time."
"My lifelong ambition, aside from writing, is to finish exploring the American West. This should keep me busy for at least another thirty years, since there is a
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
July 14, 2024
Ich habe es als Hörspiel gehört. Es kam mir relativ kurz vor, vielleicht, weil relativ viel in der kurzen Zeit passiert ist. Aber dadurch war es auch sehr unterhaltsam und spannend.
February 9, 2020
Auch wenn mir bisher nicht alle Fälle von M. V. Carey gefallen, ist sie auf jeden Fall die amerikanische Autorin der Reihe, deren Stil mir am besten gefällt. In den alten Büchern kommen die drei oft sehr verstaubt rüber, und auch wenn man auch Careys Büchern anmerkt, dass sie viele Jahrzehnte alt ist und man sie kaum als zeitlos bezeichnen würde, wirken Justus, Peter und Bob bei ihr mehr wie echte Menschen. Nicht nur wie Menschen, sondern teilweise sogar fast wie Jugendliche... Es macht das Lesen wesentlich angenehmer, wenn nicht jeder Dialog einem vollkommen an den Haaren hervor gezogen vorkommt.
December 31, 2020
Lustigerweise hatte ich die ersten 15 Minuten das Gefühl, dass ich diese Folge nicht kennen würde. Langsam aber sicher kamen dann aber die Wiedererkennungsmomente. :) Jessica Schwarz hat als Erzählerin eine solide Arbeit geleistet, aber kommt in Längen nicht ran an die wirkliche Hörbüchersprecher.
May 29, 2023
Auch wenn die Folge sehr verwirrend ist wegen den vielen Charakteren, so gefällt sie mir dennoch sehr. Es passiert viel und bleibt spannend bis zum Ende.
June 29, 2023
2010 review - The boys are working part-time at Amigos Press, run by the smart but clumsy Beefy Tremayne. He’s just taken receipt of the potentially explosive memoirs of Madeline Bainbridge, an actress from Hollywood’s Golden era, who might or might not have been a witch. When the Amigos offices are burned down, the memoirs stolen and Bainbridge’s films snatched from a TV studio next door, it’s up to the boys to get to the bottom of things. Starting with a bang, this has a terrific pace and is a real page-turner, with some great supporting characters and a nostalgic appreciation for old Hollywood. The boys interplay was excellent, the plot was watertight and some of the set pieces were inspired. This is great fun and a terrific read, very highly recommended.
2014 update - I completely agree with the 2010 review, this is an excellent mystery, very well written and with a great pace to it. I’ve always had the impression that Carey was writing the boys as slightly older with this (whether it’s because they’re working or not I don’t know) and I still think that and it works a treat (as Bob says “the private detective business is slow this summer, we thought we’d get some experience with office work”). I liked the way Madeline’s history was constructed, the set pieces are strong and it’s a great read, very highly recommended.
2017 update - Another favourable re-read. The mystery works well, I love the atmosphere, it’s well written and has great pace, it’s a terrific story and a great addition to the series.
2020 update - Nothing to add other than this is fantastic and well-written mystery that I adore.
2023 update - this gets more enjoyable with every re-read!
2014 update - I completely agree with the 2010 review, this is an excellent mystery, very well written and with a great pace to it. I’ve always had the impression that Carey was writing the boys as slightly older with this (whether it’s because they’re working or not I don’t know) and I still think that and it works a treat (as Bob says “the private detective business is slow this summer, we thought we’d get some experience with office work”). I liked the way Madeline’s history was constructed, the set pieces are strong and it’s a great read, very highly recommended.
2017 update - Another favourable re-read. The mystery works well, I love the atmosphere, it’s well written and has great pace, it’s a terrific story and a great addition to the series.
2020 update - Nothing to add other than this is fantastic and well-written mystery that I adore.
2023 update - this gets more enjoyable with every re-read!
March 4, 2017
AH&T3I Update: 27 read, 1 lonely hardback left to go--and the 15 paperbacks will be on a short hold before I get to them.
Mary Virginia (M.V.) Carey wrote several of the Three Investigators books. She seems to like and therefore dwell on and use things like witchcraft, the occult, and supernatural phenomenon in a number of the Three Investigators books she wrote. That is not necessarily a bad thing--especially when she explains those magical happenings by using some not so magical explanations. She did not do that in the Mystery of Monster Mountain (Book #20) where she left a supernatural occurrence go unexplained. Perhaps though, she learned her lesson, because everything in this book, The Mystery of Magic Circle, seems to be firmly grounded in what could be reality. Of course, all of these books are fiction, but it is somewhat realistic fiction even if magic is used to attract and hold the interest of the reader. The book was a typical Three Investigators book. Most of the normal elements present in most T3I books are present in this book as well. The story itself was nice and tight with a number of plot twists. Carey even educated readers, to a certain degree, about witchcraft. Even today, many people think that witches worship the devil and call on Satan to do evil things. That is not really the case, and without using the name of Wicca (Carey called the witchcraft in the book as the Old Religion), Carey described witches in a way that most witches would accept. That is, most witches are pagan and worship Mother Earth using ceremonies that have nothing to do with Satan at all. I am not Wiccan myself, but I do believe that it is important that people understand the true nature of witches and not the evil version in which some people believe. Carey does a good job of making that distinction with this book. Overall, this is a good book and a fun read. It is short and can be read quickly by readers of almost any age. Now, onward towards the last of the Three Investigator hardbacks!
Mary Virginia (M.V.) Carey wrote several of the Three Investigators books. She seems to like and therefore dwell on and use things like witchcraft, the occult, and supernatural phenomenon in a number of the Three Investigators books she wrote. That is not necessarily a bad thing--especially when she explains those magical happenings by using some not so magical explanations. She did not do that in the Mystery of Monster Mountain (Book #20) where she left a supernatural occurrence go unexplained. Perhaps though, she learned her lesson, because everything in this book, The Mystery of Magic Circle, seems to be firmly grounded in what could be reality. Of course, all of these books are fiction, but it is somewhat realistic fiction even if magic is used to attract and hold the interest of the reader. The book was a typical Three Investigators book. Most of the normal elements present in most T3I books are present in this book as well. The story itself was nice and tight with a number of plot twists. Carey even educated readers, to a certain degree, about witchcraft. Even today, many people think that witches worship the devil and call on Satan to do evil things. That is not really the case, and without using the name of Wicca (Carey called the witchcraft in the book as the Old Religion), Carey described witches in a way that most witches would accept. That is, most witches are pagan and worship Mother Earth using ceremonies that have nothing to do with Satan at all. I am not Wiccan myself, but I do believe that it is important that people understand the true nature of witches and not the evil version in which some people believe. Carey does a good job of making that distinction with this book. Overall, this is a good book and a fun read. It is short and can be read quickly by readers of almost any age. Now, onward towards the last of the Three Investigator hardbacks!
September 18, 2020
2018
Been taking a lot of nostalgic trips through some of the books I used to read as a child. And the Three Investigators were always some of my favorites. I loved the idea of three teenagers being able to solve crimes before the police, very in vein of Scooby Doo or when I was really really little, the Mary Kate and Ashley Detective series (I'm a little embarrassed by remembering those books lol), and Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. The Three Investigators always had plot twists and scheming characters, but the teenagers always sorted it out in the end.
This mystery didn't exactly hold to standard the typical Investigators stories. Or at least it fell a little flat for me. I thought that an old movie star, Madeline Bainbridge, that had basically had no contact with the outside world was a little bit of a stretch for me. I mean, yeah, she relied on Marvin for the day to day, but she also had Clara, her secretary, with her every day, too. Are you telling me that Clara never mentioned someone in passing to her? That everyday Clara would just be like, "oh that couldn't possibly interest Madeline in the least. Best just not say anything to her about the outside world."
Even though I had a few issues with the plot itself, I still enjoyed the read. It's a quick trip for me, but it was a great blast from the past to reread about the Three Investigators and an old mystery.
Been taking a lot of nostalgic trips through some of the books I used to read as a child. And the Three Investigators were always some of my favorites. I loved the idea of three teenagers being able to solve crimes before the police, very in vein of Scooby Doo or when I was really really little, the Mary Kate and Ashley Detective series (I'm a little embarrassed by remembering those books lol), and Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. The Three Investigators always had plot twists and scheming characters, but the teenagers always sorted it out in the end.
This mystery didn't exactly hold to standard the typical Investigators stories. Or at least it fell a little flat for me. I thought that an old movie star, Madeline Bainbridge, that had basically had no contact with the outside world was a little bit of a stretch for me. I mean, yeah, she relied on Marvin for the day to day, but she also had Clara, her secretary, with her every day, too. Are you telling me that Clara never mentioned someone in passing to her? That everyday Clara would just be like, "oh that couldn't possibly interest Madeline in the least. Best just not say anything to her about the outside world."
Even though I had a few issues with the plot itself, I still enjoyed the read. It's a quick trip for me, but it was a great blast from the past to reread about the Three Investigators and an old mystery.
February 7, 2017
This was one of the better Three Investigators novels. This one involves a reclusive movie star, a witches' coven, and a trio of dastardly villains. This one was a little more "real world" than some of the Scooby Doo type monster stories (which I do enjoy.) Adding the witchcraft angle into old Hollywood really made this an enjoyable read. I could picture this as an old film starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. If you're a 3 Investigators fan I don't think you'll disappointed with this one.
March 17, 2023
It was good, but lacked the wow factor that'd make it a standout in the series. The mystery was clever and the dialogues were snappy, but it could, and should, have leaned more into the Wicca element imo. Actually very similar in tone to Sinister Scarecrow, which also had a lot of potential but "held back" and ended up being mid because of it.
May 21, 2024
Dank des Bobcasts hat mein Gehirn aus jedem „Bainbridge“ ein „Brainbitch“ gemacht 💀
October 20, 2017
2010 review - The boys are working part-time at Amigos Press, run by the smart but clumsy Beefy Tremayne. He’s just taken receipt of the potentially explosive memoirs of Madeline Bainbridge, an actress from Hollywood’s Golden era, who might or might not have been a witch. When the Amigos offices are burned down, the memoirs stolen and Bainbridge’s films snatched from a TV studio next door, it’s up to the boys to get to the bottom of things. Starting with a bang, this has a terrific pace and is a real page-turner, with some great supporting characters and a nostalgic appreciation for old Hollywood. The boys interplay was excellent, the plot was watertight and some of the set pieces were inspired. This is great fun and a terrific read, very highly recommended.
2014 update - I completely agree with the 2010 review, this is an excellent mystery, very well written and with a great pace to it. I’ve always had the impression that Carey was writing the boys as slightly older with this (whether it’s because they’re working or not I don’t know) and I still think that and it works a treat (as Bob says “the private detective business is slow this summer, we thought we’d get some experience with office work”). I liked the way Madeline’s history was constructed, the set pieces are strong and it’s a great read, very highly recommended.
2017 update - Another favourable re-read. The mystery works well, I love the atmosphere, it’s well written and has great pace, it’s a terrific story and a great addition to the series.
2014 update - I completely agree with the 2010 review, this is an excellent mystery, very well written and with a great pace to it. I’ve always had the impression that Carey was writing the boys as slightly older with this (whether it’s because they’re working or not I don’t know) and I still think that and it works a treat (as Bob says “the private detective business is slow this summer, we thought we’d get some experience with office work”). I liked the way Madeline’s history was constructed, the set pieces are strong and it’s a great read, very highly recommended.
2017 update - Another favourable re-read. The mystery works well, I love the atmosphere, it’s well written and has great pace, it’s a terrific story and a great addition to the series.
June 9, 2015
Reading one of the Three Investigators books is always a happy, nostalgia trip. I think, as a child of the '80s, I was likely on the tail end of this particular nostalgia trip, but I always used to look for these books when I went to the library and I'm having a lot of fun re-reading them. They remind me in a way of Scooby Doo episodes, somewhat. A perplexing mystery with lots of twists and turns, lots of sneaky, devious characters, and the truth is all laid out in detail at the end.
I was surprised at the pagan/witch angle in that it was treated with much more respect than I would have expected for a book written almost forty years ago. That wasn't particularly "Scooby Doo" at all - no cackling old crone with a broomstick, but rather candles and ceremonies on hallowed ground all while drawing a clear distinction between the "old religion" and "evil" witchcraft.
The plot is a bit muddled at times and it definitely isn't the most solid of the Three Investigators stories...nothing award-winning here (and the fake Alfred Hitchcock angle is campy and annoying) but the story itself was still a pleasure to read and a definite nostalgia trip. It is always a blast to follow Jupiter, Pete, and Bob on their adventures.
I was surprised at the pagan/witch angle in that it was treated with much more respect than I would have expected for a book written almost forty years ago. That wasn't particularly "Scooby Doo" at all - no cackling old crone with a broomstick, but rather candles and ceremonies on hallowed ground all while drawing a clear distinction between the "old religion" and "evil" witchcraft.
The plot is a bit muddled at times and it definitely isn't the most solid of the Three Investigators stories...nothing award-winning here (and the fake Alfred Hitchcock angle is campy and annoying) but the story itself was still a pleasure to read and a definite nostalgia trip. It is always a blast to follow Jupiter, Pete, and Bob on their adventures.
October 19, 2015
2.5 Jupiter Jones is in good form, but the mystery itself was easy to see through. I had expectations of Hitch giving the boys clues based on some film he made with Miss Bainbridge, but that didn't happen. Miss Bainbridge, a big star whose career began in the silent era, was less Norma Desmond that I either hoped or feared.
February 11, 2013
I loved this story. MV Carey wrote some pretty weak 3I stories, but when she put her mind to it she could produce some gems. Magic Circle is a great story full of sabbats and witches. I give it a 5, even though she finds it increasingly hard to find useful things for Pete and Bob to do in her books. Her later writings could arguably be renamed the Jupiter Jones books.
October 26, 2016
WKKPL | Surprisingly accurate depiction of witchcraft for a book of its time, worth reading for those who enjoy the series but it's part of the middle set that aren't as strong as either the early books or the later ones. Should really be The Jupiter Jones Show, not The Three Investigators, because there wasn't much use made of Bob or Pete.
June 9, 2020
Every bit as fun as I remembered! These books hold up well, even with the obvious lack of modern tech like smartphones and the internet. Just good, old-fashioned mysteries with clever twists. The writing is wonderful. One of the few things from my childhood that has held up.
January 3, 2016
I read a lot of the three investigators in my early teens, when I was between 11 and 14. I think I read the whole shelf of the library, where those books were kept :) but I remember only a few ...
January 29, 2020
Ich habe die vollständige Lesung von Jessica Schwarz gehört. Es geht ausdrücklich nicht! um eines der Hörspiele!
Hm ich muss sagen, die Lesung selbst fand ich gelungen. Ich mag Jessica Schwarz unaufgeregte Art und es war auch wieder interessant, wie anders ihr Ansatz war. Im Vergleich zu den anderen Hörbüchern, die bisher erschienen sind.
Allerdings habe ich hier gemerkt, das ich den Fall selbst nicht allzu spannend fand. Die Geschichte plätscherte irgendwie so vor sich hin und hat mich manchmal etwas verwirrt, weil ich nicht alle Figuren aus einanderhalten konnte. Ich vermute, das wäre mir beim selbst lesen wohl nicht passiert. Aber ich habe schnell auch bemerkt, das ich immer wieder nicht richtig zugehört habe. Das lag wirklich daran, das mich der Fall nicht so richtig gefesselt hat. Eigentlich mag ich das Filmsetting, das ja auch ein Merkmal von Drei ??? als Reihe insgesamt geworden ist. Aber diese ganzen Verwicklungen ... mir fehlte tatsächlich Spannung. Und der Magische Kreis. selbst, es kam einfach keine rechte Atmosphäre auf.
Für mich macht das insgesamt 3 Sterne aus, weil die Lesung selbst gelungen war, inhaltlich mich der Fall aber nicht besonders interessiert hat. Da ich das Ganze aber komplett gehört habe und es auch kein Flop war. Lande ich bei dieser für mich eher mittelmäßigen Wertung.
Hm ich muss sagen, die Lesung selbst fand ich gelungen. Ich mag Jessica Schwarz unaufgeregte Art und es war auch wieder interessant, wie anders ihr Ansatz war. Im Vergleich zu den anderen Hörbüchern, die bisher erschienen sind.
Allerdings habe ich hier gemerkt, das ich den Fall selbst nicht allzu spannend fand. Die Geschichte plätscherte irgendwie so vor sich hin und hat mich manchmal etwas verwirrt, weil ich nicht alle Figuren aus einanderhalten konnte. Ich vermute, das wäre mir beim selbst lesen wohl nicht passiert. Aber ich habe schnell auch bemerkt, das ich immer wieder nicht richtig zugehört habe. Das lag wirklich daran, das mich der Fall nicht so richtig gefesselt hat. Eigentlich mag ich das Filmsetting, das ja auch ein Merkmal von Drei ??? als Reihe insgesamt geworden ist. Aber diese ganzen Verwicklungen ... mir fehlte tatsächlich Spannung. Und der Magische Kreis. selbst, es kam einfach keine rechte Atmosphäre auf.
Für mich macht das insgesamt 3 Sterne aus, weil die Lesung selbst gelungen war, inhaltlich mich der Fall aber nicht besonders interessiert hat. Da ich das Ganze aber komplett gehört habe und es auch kein Flop war. Lande ich bei dieser für mich eher mittelmäßigen Wertung.
April 16, 2022
I found this super old book in an old store-room in my house and decided to read it because the cover and summary are bad and I wanna find out how bad it is (it was my mom's and she has a questionable taste in book, so naturally, i was intrigued) 😂
Well, apparently i was wrong because turns out this book is a pretty decent read after all and i ended up enjoying my reading experience.
As mystery book, plot-wise, it's not that it's suuuuuper good. But it's not as bad as I thought it's gonna be. The writing is decent, the characterization is decent, the plot is... well, the plot is... not exactly good, there's alot of plot-hole, but it's intriguing, at least.
One thing I love about this book is how it makes me feel like I'm super smart. It's so predictable that I can guess who's the culprit and what makes me suspect them since the very first time they open their mouth. Hahahahah. It's funny because I'm not the most perceptive person on earth so the fact that I can guess it means that it was soooo predictable and you shouldn't read it bcs it can get underwhelming anticlimactic.
TW // arson, murder attempt, near death experience
Well, apparently i was wrong because turns out this book is a pretty decent read after all and i ended up enjoying my reading experience.
As mystery book, plot-wise, it's not that it's suuuuuper good. But it's not as bad as I thought it's gonna be. The writing is decent, the characterization is decent, the plot is... well, the plot is... not exactly good, there's alot of plot-hole, but it's intriguing, at least.
One thing I love about this book is how it makes me feel like I'm super smart. It's so predictable that I can guess who's the culprit and what makes me suspect them since the very first time they open their mouth. Hahahahah. It's funny because I'm not the most perceptive person on earth so the fact that I can guess it means that it was soooo predictable and you shouldn't read it bcs it can get underwhelming anticlimactic.
TW // arson, murder attempt, near death experience
February 3, 2025
Die drei ??? haben (mal wieder) Schulferien und bessern sich in dieser Zeit ihr Taschengeld in einem Verlag auf, was den jungen Detektiven (wer hätte das gedacht) allerdings schon nach kurzer Zeit einen neuen Fall beschert: durch Brandstiftung wird erst das Verlagsgebäude zerstört und dann auch noch das brisante Manuskript einer Filmdiva gestohlen, die in ihren Memoiren über die Hollywood-Branche auspacken wollte.
Diese Episode beginnt dramatisch und interessant, kann das gute Anfangsniveau aber nicht unbedingt halten. Der Bezug auf die titelgebenden Magie-Elemente wirkt sehr willkürlich und spielt eigentlich kaum eine Rolle. Zudem wird die kriminelle Verschwörung im Verlauf der Geschichte auch etwas zu sehr aufgeblasen, sodass es aufgrund der Vielzahl an zwielichtigen Gestalten mitunter etwas unübersichtlich wird. Auch atmosphärisch bietet die Folge kaum Highlights, da die Hexen-Komponente in dieser Hinsicht ebenfalls ungenutzt bleibt. Das wurde bei der Folge "Die drei ??? und die singende Schlange" zwei Episoden zuvor zum Beispiel deutlich besser umgesetzt. So bleibt am Ende ein sehr durchschnittlicher Fall, der kaum nachhaltig in Erinnerung bleibt.
Diese Episode beginnt dramatisch und interessant, kann das gute Anfangsniveau aber nicht unbedingt halten. Der Bezug auf die titelgebenden Magie-Elemente wirkt sehr willkürlich und spielt eigentlich kaum eine Rolle. Zudem wird die kriminelle Verschwörung im Verlauf der Geschichte auch etwas zu sehr aufgeblasen, sodass es aufgrund der Vielzahl an zwielichtigen Gestalten mitunter etwas unübersichtlich wird. Auch atmosphärisch bietet die Folge kaum Highlights, da die Hexen-Komponente in dieser Hinsicht ebenfalls ungenutzt bleibt. Das wurde bei der Folge "Die drei ??? und die singende Schlange" zwei Episoden zuvor zum Beispiel deutlich besser umgesetzt. So bleibt am Ende ein sehr durchschnittlicher Fall, der kaum nachhaltig in Erinnerung bleibt.
August 24, 2021
Justus, Peter und Bob helfen in den Ferien in einem Verlag aus, da die Anzahl ihrer Fälle als Detektive zurzeit mau ist.
Dort trifft das Manuskript einer berühmten Schauspielerin ein, die, alles Mögliche zu sagen hat über die Branche und alte Kolleginnen und Kollegen.
Während die drei im Verlag überstunden schieben, sehen sie sich plötzlich einem Feuer ausgesetzt - das Haus brennt!
Rechtzeitig können sie noch gerettet werden. Währenddessen wurde jedoch bei den Nachbaren eingebrochen und die Filmrollen der Filme in der besagte Schauspielerin mitspielt gestohlen.
Ein neuer Fall beginnt. Doch werden die Filmrollen das Einzige bleiben was verschwindet?
Gerade wenn man wie ich im Verlag arbeitet ist dies ein schöner Fall. Jedoch wurde es gegen Ende, gerade mit den Namen, etwas verwirrend und wer es war und wieso hat man schon reöativ zu Beginn heraus.
Von daher eine gute Folge, aber nicht so gut als, dass ich sie weiterempfehlen würde.
Dort trifft das Manuskript einer berühmten Schauspielerin ein, die, alles Mögliche zu sagen hat über die Branche und alte Kolleginnen und Kollegen.
Während die drei im Verlag überstunden schieben, sehen sie sich plötzlich einem Feuer ausgesetzt - das Haus brennt!
Rechtzeitig können sie noch gerettet werden. Währenddessen wurde jedoch bei den Nachbaren eingebrochen und die Filmrollen der Filme in der besagte Schauspielerin mitspielt gestohlen.
Ein neuer Fall beginnt. Doch werden die Filmrollen das Einzige bleiben was verschwindet?
Gerade wenn man wie ich im Verlag arbeitet ist dies ein schöner Fall. Jedoch wurde es gegen Ende, gerade mit den Namen, etwas verwirrend und wer es war und wieso hat man schon reöativ zu Beginn heraus.
Von daher eine gute Folge, aber nicht so gut als, dass ich sie weiterempfehlen würde.
April 17, 2020
Haben es immer abends zum Einschlafen als Hörbuch gehört.
War ganz gut gelesen, auch wenn man sich erst umgewöhnen muss, wenn man eigentlich die Hörspiele gewohnt ist.
Trotzdem fand ich die Handlung für Drei ??? Verhältnisse etwas schwach, bzw. nicht besonders spannend und Überraschend. Es gibt Fälle, bei denen einen die Lösung mehr überrascht.
Was ich aber schön fand: Da es sich hier um einen der ersten Fälle der Gruppe handelt, gibt es keine Handys oder dergleichen modernen Kram und trotzdem schaffen sie es mit anderen Menschen zu kommunizieren. Über Festnetz!
Also im Großen und Ganzen hörens- bzw. lesenswert und kurzweilig.
War ganz gut gelesen, auch wenn man sich erst umgewöhnen muss, wenn man eigentlich die Hörspiele gewohnt ist.
Trotzdem fand ich die Handlung für Drei ??? Verhältnisse etwas schwach, bzw. nicht besonders spannend und Überraschend. Es gibt Fälle, bei denen einen die Lösung mehr überrascht.
Was ich aber schön fand: Da es sich hier um einen der ersten Fälle der Gruppe handelt, gibt es keine Handys oder dergleichen modernen Kram und trotzdem schaffen sie es mit anderen Menschen zu kommunizieren. Über Festnetz!
Also im Großen und Ganzen hörens- bzw. lesenswert und kurzweilig.
September 1, 2017
Back in the days of my loathsome youth, I was a big fan of the Three Investigators series. My daughter then picked them, and just recently finished all of the books that I had bought for myself. This was probably the first 26 books in the series. For some reason , I don't know why, I stopped buying the books. But they were still be published.
So, my daughter hit the library catalog and did an ILL for the next book in the series beyond what I had bought, and this book was it. Picking up this book was like seeing an old, long-lost childhood friend. I can't wait to find the rest of them.
So, my daughter hit the library catalog and did an ILL for the next book in the series beyond what I had bought, and this book was it. Picking up this book was like seeing an old, long-lost childhood friend. I can't wait to find the rest of them.
February 5, 2024
In "...und der magische Kreis" geht es um Memoiren einer ehemaligen bekannten Schauspielerin, die sich für das Okkulte interessiert und auch Gerüchten zufolge einem Hexenzirkel angehört. Als die Aufzeichnungen verschwinden, gehen die drei ??? in die heiße Ermittlungsphase.
Mir hat der Teil wirklich gut gefallen. Die Geschichte war wirklich spannend und die Gefahr, in der die drei Ermittler zeitweise geschwebt haben, war deutlich spürbar.
Mir hat der Teil wirklich gut gefallen. Die Geschichte war wirklich spannend und die Gefahr, in der die drei Ermittler zeitweise geschwebt haben, war deutlich spürbar.
September 2, 2021
The plot seemed awfully thin with an endless assortment of minor characters parading briefly through the novel. I swear there were a couple dozen characters who appeared for one sentence. Little that mattered happened until the last third of the book with the first two thirds largely devoted to random acts of danger and witchcraft. Not a favorite in this series.
June 13, 2024
Riletto dopo anni - e ammetto che non lo ricordavo per niente. Poca "magia" ma ugualmente una bella storia gialla, con una struttura interessante e anche più di un momento d'azione. 3/4 stelline per un romanzo con storie di Hollywood, pellicole scomparse, una congrega attorno a una strega, e il trio di giovani investigatori in ottima forma.
February 12, 2019
I did enjoy this tale of Hollywood gossip and betrayal. But this case was particularly convoluted, with multiple villains all trying to use the same set of events.
I also enjoyed the reminder of Worthington's service, though it was not utilized this go around.
I also enjoyed the reminder of Worthington's service, though it was not utilized this go around.
January 11, 2020
3.5
Releyendo toda la colección. Este es uno de los libros más "adultos", con estrellas de cine involucradas en rituales de brujería, y un plot algo más complejo (para la edad a la que está dirigida).
Releyendo toda la colección. Este es uno de los libros más "adultos", con estrellas de cine involucradas en rituales de brujería, y un plot algo más complejo (para la edad a la que está dirigida).
March 15, 2023
ein echt nicer band, wie ich finde. coole figuren, ein spannendes setting und obwohl das mit der hexerei wenig mit dem fall zu tun hat, hat auch das seinen reiz. die aufklärung des falls ist etwas an mir vorbeigegangen irgendwie.
October 2, 2023
As my son and I chug along with the series, some are better than others. This one was a mid-card. While I didn’t dislike it, I didn’t really like it. I found it rather bland. Not all can be winners. Off to Terror Castle!
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