This is not a mystery-book, but action and drama. Sometimes when I read this book I didn´t know if I was reading The Three Investigators or The Hardy boys or a tourist pamphlet. However it starts rather exciting. The boys are going for a little flight in a small plane in the Alps. The Plane crashes and later armed men attack. After this it is very boring. No real mystery, no atmosphere. I don´t want to be rude to Mrs Henkel-Waidhofer, but this book knocks out my worst nightmares.

#73. Poltergeist, 1997, André Marx
A valuable painting is stolen from a Museum in Rocky Beach, but the Three Investigators don´t get a fair chance to solve that case. Instead they promise to help an eccentric lady who has lost a medallion. Shortly thereafter they get a new case to solve - a house is afflicted by poltergeist phenomenon.

The beginning of this book is rather boring. But after 50 pages it becomes much better and then You understand that the different cases are related. At the end of the book my favourite villain takes part of the story, and that was a fascinating reunion.

I think this is a pleasant story even though the intrigue is a little bit unnatural (dubious). This also was the first 3I-story by André Marx and as far as I understand this book meant a new direction for the German stories, back to real mysteries.

Jupe gets information from a friend, Albert Hitfield (Hector Sebastian), that his parents perhaps are alive in South America. Albert met a married couple when he was in Venezuela - Julius and Catherine Jonas (Jones). Jupe doesn´t know what to think. His parents died in an air plane accident ten years ago. But they never found their bodies. Jupe is very confused and he decides to go to Venezuela. He wants to know the truth. Pete and Bob is working on the case in Rocky Beach, while Jupe is in South America.

I read comments on this story on the German sites, and they differ very much.

I am a little bit confused. Perhaps because of the fact that the book is a mixture of old and new stuff. You will meet Mr Worthington (Morton) and they get a postcard from Allie Jamison who now is going on college in San Francisco. But there is also stuff from the Crimebuster era. Pete has a girlfriend Kelly. Also Jupe has a girlfriend - Lys de Kerk. I think they have driving licences and are older than in the original series. But the characters are not so ridiculous as in the Crimebusters.

The story is dealing with Jupe´s past and it reminds me a little bit of The Rogues´ Reunion. But this story is better. The book is not as good as the works of Robert Arthur, William Arden or the best of MV Carey, but it is better than the Crimebusters. The story is perhaps not thrilling enough, but after reading this book, You have a better understanding of Jupe. That is what I like - the information on Jupe´s past, his thoughts and feelings.

The Three Investigators are going to deliver a mystical letter to a stranger called Johnny. But they can´t find him. Who is Johnny? Where is Johnny? They open the letter and the contents leads the boys to Kings Canyon National Park. They experience some strange episodes, and then they come to a mystical castle in the middle of the park. It looks exactly like a castle from Scotland. In the castle there is a strange lady and her valet with Scottish names. The lady is a publisher with odd interests. The boys get into the castle and after some thrilling episodes they solve the mystery.

I like this story very much. The atmosphere and the theme is classical. The intrique is perhaps a little bit forced sometimes, but as a whole it is ok. There are some similarities with stories from the original series. The mystical letter with strange clues reminds me of Dead Man´s riddle (und die gefährliche Erbschaft) The atmosphere in the National park reminds me of The Mystery of the Nervous Lion (und der rasende Löwe) However in this story it is a nervous bear. The thrilling atmosphere in the Castle reminds me of The Secret of Terror Castle (und das Gespensterschloß) Bob also says so to Jupe on page 72.

There is also a lot of humour and irony. There are many allusions to authors of the originalseries. In the book You find streets called Arden-Street and Carey-Street. In the castle there are portraits of the famous detective authors Robert Arthur and MV Carey. Ben Nevis seems to respect the pioneers, and he deserves a hearty commendation for that.

I also want to say that I like the way Ben Nevis decribes the characters with different personalities. And the lady in the Castle is super´b. I also like that Skinny Norris takes part of the story in the beginning. It would have been great if he had followed (chased) the boys to the National park.

The only thing I miss in this book is the hidden caravan and the secret tunnels. I will repeat that in every little review. May I suggest some house-breakings into the unhidden caravan. Then perhaps the boys decide to hide the caravan again and give us back the tunnels.

The Three Investigators fail to enter a first night Star Wars film party. They have to go back in the Rolls Royce with Mr Worthington/Mr Morton. But he has to drive a director to his Museum, and the boys get the chance to see a famous diamond. Suddenly the electricity is cut. Thieves enter the museum to steal the diamond. Jupe and Mr Worthington/Mr Morton get caught in the elevator and the others have to meet the villains.

This is an ordninary detective story about thieves, a diamond and a secret assigner of the coup. The intrigue is ok, but I don´t think this is a perfect story for the Three Investigators. The book doesn´t contain those odd surrealistic ingredients that I expect from a 3I-story, and the boys don´t have a client. It is also full of clichés from the world of detective stories.

Nevertheless, there are things that I like. It is a pleasure to read the dialogue between Mr Worthington/Mr Morton and Jupe in the elevator. It is also fun to see how Jupe solves the mystery only by listening and thinking. The villain called Alpha is also desperate enough to qualify for a position in a 3I-story. I also enjoy the atmosphere of the Museum.

The book is ok, but it could have been better if Mr Andrè Marx had exchanged the diamond for a painting. That would have made it possible to allow Mr Hugenay to show up as the brain of the coup.

Mr Worthington/Morton is dead in a car accident (?), but his body is not to be found. With grief in their hearts The Three Investigators try to solve the mystery, and they understand that they don´t know much about their friend. Who was/is Mr Worthington and what has happened to him?

This is a tranquil (sensitive) book and Mr Worthington/Morton is the centre of attention. You will get a few interesting insights of his life and his values (Did You know that Mr Worthington/Mr Morton is a Chess-player?). The intrigue is not one of the best of Mr André Marx, but his intentions are fine. It would have been interesting to read a mystery of Mr Worthington/Morton and the Chess-club. I don´t know if I like the boys breaking into the apartment of Mr Worthington in order to find a clue. But that scene is very thrilling.

I don´t think this is a topstory, but a story about Mr Worthington/Morton is worth respect and I am happy to have read this book.

In Sweden there is a Pop-group called "Liverpool". They try to play and look exactly like The Beatles. They are very popular. The fans of The Beatles often like "Liverpool" for nostalgic reasons. The group is a reminder of the 1960´s.

André Marx is trying to write like Robert Arthur and particularly like William Arden. Of course he is a great writer of his own, but he is not trying to hide his influences. In this book the spirit of William Arden is perhaps too obvious - almost like Liverpool playing the songs of The Beatles. The story reminds me of The secret of Phantom lake, The Mystery of The Purple Pirate and also a little bit of The Mystery of the Green ghost and The Secret of Skeleton Island. Sometimes I get the feeling that I have read this story before…

The Phantom Ship of a pirate called Duncan has been seen outside the Californian coast. But only in the foggy nights. The Three Investigators try to solve the Mystery and help their client Mr Qin. I don´t have the time to summerize the whole story, but it is very thrilling.

André Marx has the ability to create an atmosphere and the story has the ingredients of a real mystery from the old good times - pirates, a pirate Island, a treasure, odd tricks (I escpecially like how they managed to get the Ghost ship to shine in the foggy night). This book also contains many funny details. For example when Jupe tells about Aunt Mathildas different voices when she calls for him. She has one voice for telling that the dinner is served, one voice to tell him that there is post for him and one voice to get him to work.

Unfortunately the headquarter is not hidden anymore and there are no secret tunnels, and that is something I miss very much! The boys are older with girlfriends. However the characters are very much like they were in the older days, much better than in the Crimebusters. I have no complaints.

I think this story is a little bit better than its reputation, but perhaps it is too much inspired by "Schwarze Katze" und "Bergmonster". Nevertheless - a charming story which I read with pleasure.

Someone is calling Jupiter Jones on the telephone and says there is a fire. The firemen find the card of the three investigators and they are suspected. Mr and Mrs Jones are leaving home to meet some old friends from School. Therefore Jupe is alone. Someone is calling once again saying there is a fire. Who is the person behind the voice? Is it the same man with red hair who almost did run over Mrs Ferguson?

This is a very thrilling story and it is hard to stop reading. The intrigue is good and also the characterization. The boys appear younger again and they use bicycles and not cars. I like that, but I understand if someone thinks that is a chronological breaking. I also like the way the villain is characterized. He is tragical but dangerous and desperate, smart but at the same time sick. Though I don´t like the way detective Franks is characterized. It is hard to believe that a detective would act in such a stupid way.

The every-day atmosphere at the Yard is charming and it is fun that Mathilda is important in this story.

The author has not reintroduced the secret tunnels which disappeared during the crimebuster era. But Jupe use the Red Gate Rover - a step in the right direction.

This book was a happy surprise!

Usually it is rather easy to review a book. There is always something to praise and something to criticize. But this time I became almost speechless. I started to read this book yesterday evening and I couldn´t stop. I seldom use the word "masterpiece" and it is worn out - but this is a cult masterpiece. I hope I will think the same in two weeks or two years.

Usually I don´t like the idea of the Three Detectives getting older, having girlfriends and personal problems. I prefer the "innocent" nostalgic era, and I want the books to be an escape from reality for some hours. But I must admit that the girl Brittany is perfect in this story. Jupe is supposed to solve the riddle of Hugenay who is dead and who was one of the smartest villains in the world. Jupe must be in perfect form. But now he has to face his kryptonite - devasting for super logical men. I think it is brilliant to expose Jupe for strong feelings and to let him find himself in a moral dilemma.

I also think that the whole story and the riddle is brilliant from the beginning to the end. The atmosphere of the monastery reminds me of the great stories of Robert Arthur and William Arden who often used mystical houses and gardens.

Thank You Mr André Marx! You have written a top ten story!

Gefährliches Quiz is a well-written and ingenious story thrilling almost all the time. It was a great pleasure to read. I am deeply impressed by the author and his attempt to combine a modern thriller (TV-show and kidnapping) with a classical treasure-hunt including a riddle and a ghost.

The middle part of the book, when the investigators are trying to solve the riddle, is the weakest. The dialogue and the teamwork is not working. The book is also in need of more characters.

The general impression of this book is positive. I am happy that Mr Sonnleitner is writing books with the Three Investigators solving real mysteries including interesting villains with far-fetched plans - books in the borderland between the realistic and the almost unbelievable.

I think that Panik im Park is a solid and rather exciting story with some surprising turnings. But villains and a tunnel is not a new idea (der verschwundene Schatz, der unheimliche Drache, der Ameisenmensch), but I like the connection to the Spanish era. And the villains are interesting and desperate.

The characters are not bad, but a little bit exaggerated. Nick West had the same problem when he wrote his first book - der unheimliche Drache. He described the investigators in a way so that they were very close to caricatures. Perhaps beginners are a little bit unsecure, and for that reason they exaggerate some of the characteristics, which results in rather superficial characters. Nick West did that, and so does Marco Sonnleitner.

Despite that, I love der unheimliche Drache because of its crazy charm. Panik im Park also has that crazy charm. I like this story.

In both books written by Marco Sonnleitner there is a particular pattern - the investigators are deceived by the villains from the beginning. They are very important parts of the villains´ plans. I guess You can write so in two books and still surprise the reader, but in the next book You must have a new idea.

This is a good harmonious book - amusing and exciting. Perhaps not a masterpiece, but perfect when You want to relax and meet your three friends for a while.

The story have many interesting characters acting strange. Many people - many suspected.

But why two girl-detectives? The book doesn´t become more funny or interesting because of them. (I would have preferred Allie Jamison) But three investigators are enough and they are working as a team in this book.

It is also interesting to read that Justus doesn´t only rely on his logical thinking. A few times he also has a feeling that something is wrong. (Doch er wurde das Gefühl nicht los, dass irgendetwas nicht stimmte. P 103) That is remarkable. Justus using intuition and not only logical thinking and facts. But I guess that a good detective also is in need of some intuition.

This was funny reading! I had a great time!