Author: M. V. Carey

Translator: Solveig Rasmussen

Swedish cover: Robert Adragna

First Swedish edition: 1988 (1987 in the USA)

Editions: 1

Spine-number: 2449

Original title: The Mystery of the cranky collector

Review:

The Three Investigators are working as waiters on a party in the house of an angry millionaire - Mr Jeremy Pilcher. Suddenly he is kidnapped, and the boys try to help his daughter Marilyn Pilcher and solve the mystery. The kidnapper is looking for a book called "The Bishop´s book". When the boys are looking for clues they find a riddle in the computer of Mr Pilcher.

An old diary of a Bishop and a riddle - yes this could have been a very good story. It is not hard to imagine some very interesting surroundings and characters (An old church, a monastery, a treasure and perhaps a mystical monastic order) - but unfortunately they never emerge. The plot is rather poor. There is also an irrelevant story about a ghost in the house of Mr Pilcher.

It is a pity that this was the last book in the original series. But in Sweden the last story was Dead man´s riddle - a blessing in disguise that we had to wait so long for that masterpiece.

Summarize:

The Story: 3 (of 10)

Characterization 3 (10)

Atmosphere 3 (10)

Thrilling factor 3 (10)

Environment 3 (10)

Original cover 2 (10)

Cult status 1 (10)

Nostalgia 1 (10)