Author: M. V. Carey

Translator: Madelaine Hjelm

Swedish cover: Jan Gissberg & Miralles.

First Swedish edition: 1984 (1983 in the USA)

Editions: 4

Spine-number: 2358

Original title: The Mystery of the missing mermaid

Review:

The Three Investigators try to find a child who has disappeared in Venice. Then they run into another mystery concerning stolen art and a mystical room in a hotel.

It is a pity that the story never gets exciting, because the idea is not bad - a missing child, stolen art and a mystical room. The Three Investigators drift and drift and drift. The most thrilling moment is when the boys get into the secret room in the hotel, but the atmosphere from the first books in the series never appears. It is rather easy to guess where the boy is to be found, if You read carefully. And it is not hard to guess who the villain is.

The original title is a fantastic piece of false information.

The characters are poor depicted. There are no memorable persons, but the villain is a rather tragic figure.

It is hard to say why I don´t like this book and I don´t get any inspiration to write about it. But this story must be a creative low-water mark of MV Carey.

Summarize:
The Story: 3 (of 10)
Characterization 3 (10)
Atmosphere 3 (10)
Thrilling factor 3 (10)
Environment 3 (10)
Swedish Cover 5 (10)
Cult status 1 (10)
Nostalgia 1 (10)