Three Investigators

File:The Secret of Terror Castle.jpg

The cover of the 1978 paperback edition of the first Three Investigators book, with cover art by Stephen Marchesi.

The Three Investigators was an American juvenile detective book series first published as "Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators." It was created by Robert Arthur, Jr., who believed using a famous figure like movie director Hitchcock would attract attention. Random House, which is owned by Bertelsmann AG, is the U.S. publisher and still holds some of the rights to the books. Other rights are held by the heirs to Robert Arthur, Jr. and the German publisher, Kosmos. The Three Investigators are Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw and Bob Andrews.

Most of the mysteries involved investigation of baffling phenomena (e.g. an ancient Egyptian mummy that whispered and a human skull that talked).

Introduction and publishing history

The original series ran from 1964 to 1987 and comprised 43 books. Books number 1 to 9 and 11 were written by the creator, Robert Arthur, who also sketched out ideas for a few of the other stories. Arthur had been an editor for several Hitchcock book collections. The other authors were William Arden (Dennis Lynds), Nick West (Kin Platt), M(ary). V(irginia). Carey and Marc Brandel (born Marcus Beresford). All of the authors wrote their own introductions and epilogues, which purportedly were dictated by Hitchcock and later in the series by Hector Sebastian.

In the original series, the specific ages of the investigators were never revealed, but context indicates that they were likely 13 or 14 years old. They were not old enough to drive, but were said to be just a few years younger than their nemesis Skinny Norris, who had a driver's license. On one occasion it was mentioned that Pete was on the high school wrestling team.

The investigators were typically introduced into a mystery through a client or by accidentally stumbling upon something unusual. The boys encountered baffling, sometimes misleading clues and danger before finally solving the crime. A major strength of the series was that the boys had to work to find and understand clues, unlike other contemporary series in which serendipity and coincidence played a frequent role. The last chapter of each book was an epilogue in which the investigators sat with Alfred Hitchcock (and later, Hector Sebastian), reviewing the mystery and revealing the deductions through the clues shown earlier in the book.

In 1989, Random House revamped the series, calling it The 3 Investigators — Crimebusters Series. The investigators were now 17 years old, could drive and were far more independent. The stories continued to contain an abundance of detecting, but with the addition of more action. The series was well received, but was halted in 1990 when legal issues between Random House and the heirs to the Arthur estate could not be resolved. By 2005, the disagreements were still not settled.

Eleven novels were published in the Crime Busters series, which was launched by one of the series' favorite authors, William Arden, pseudonym of Dennis Lynds, who wrote the Dan Fortune mystery series for adults under the pen name of Michael Collins. The other authors were Megan Stine and husband H. William Stine, G.H. Stone (Gayle Lynds), William MacCay, Marc Brandel and Peter Lerangis.

Random House has reprinted several of the original books in two paperback reprint series, partly to assure their legal rights.

International Publishing

The Three Investigators books have always been very popular in Germany. They are known there as the "Die drei ???" (Die drei Fragezeichen, meaning "The Three Question Marks"). While American authors' novels in the series continue to be published there, German writers have added more, contributing about six new ones a year with the count being up to 129 episodes in winter 2009. Taped radio dramas (Hörspiele) of the novels are special favorites in Germany. Many fans listened to them as children and rediscovered them as grown-ups. Of the first 125 titles, 29 won Platinum and another 49 Gold. When the actors, who have been narrating the plays since 1979, toured the country, entire stadiums in major cities like Hamburg were packed.

Sixty-one original stories (including 'Crimebusters') have been published in Poland (by Siedmiorog), where they are still very popular. The books are also very popular among children and grown-ups in Slovakia where the books are published by Mlade Leta.

In Italy, the Three Investigators novels have been published in paperback by Mondadori in the 1970s and 1980s within their "Giallo per ragazzi" series that included Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and other juvenile sleuths' adventures. The cover author for the Three Investigators books was always Alfred Hitchcock, whereas the inner copyright notice correctly reported the real author (although saying "Text by ..."). No other publications of the novels are known.

In France, the original nine books were published in the 1970s by the Bibliothèque Verte collection of books for young readers under the title Trois Jeunes Détectives (Three young investigators). In that version, Jupiter was rechristened as Hannibal, nicknamed as "Babal". As in Italy, Hitchcock was touted as sole author.

In 2003, a Three Investigators movie was announced. The first was The Secret of Skeleton Island, which was released in Europe in 2007 and the following year in the U.S. A second movie, The Three Investigators and the Secret of Terror Castle, was released in 2009.

New English-language Three Investigators titles were released in 2005 for the first time since 1990. The German 'American-English' series saw the release of Poisoned E-Mail and The Curse Of The Cell Phone. As of May 2008, a total of seven German stories have been translated and published in this format, with an eighth title due for publication in October.

The Three Investigators have been published in Pakistan in Urdu as "Teen nanhay suraghrasaan" since the 1980s by the "Ferozesons" publications. They have also been published in the monthly "Taleem-o Tarbiat" magazine for children. The name of the characters are Amber (Jupiter Jones), Naseem (Pete) and Aaqib (Bob). The name of their Mercedez driver is Allahdad. They live in Karimabad. Amber is tall and lanky as opposed to the Jupiter's character who is stocky. However, Naseem is the most athletic of all. The translators are Saleem Ahmed Siddiqui and Maqbool Jahangir. They have done an excellent job in adapting the stories to match the Pakistani culture and geography.

The Three Investigators have also been published in Bangladesh by Sheba Prokashoni as Teen Goenda since the 1980s and became very popular among Bangladeshi readers. In the Bengali editions, Jupiter Jones is known as Kishor Pasha (an American Bangladeshi). The other two are named as Musa Aman and Robin Milford. Sometimes Gina and Rafian (Gina's pet dog) join them. The chauffeur's name is Hanson. Hitchcock in the American publication is replaced by Davis Christopher, who is also a famous movie director. The character "Skinny Norris" appears as "Shutki Terry" and the famous French thief appears as "Shopa". The character Victor Simon in Bangladeshi edition appears in the place of "Hector Sebastian". The series shaped the way of life of many Bangladeshi juveniles. The main context is on American society as it would be very difficult to set up the plot in Bangladeshi locations.

Series background

Characters

The Three Investigators

1. Jupiter Jones, First Investigator - A former child actor named Baby Fatso, Jupiter is intelligent, stocky and has a remarkable memory and deductive skills. Jupiter is an orphan who lives with Uncle Titus Jones and Aunt Mathilda, who run a salvage business. Jupiter is not exactly fit and a bit plump. He goes by the nickname "Jupe". In Germany, Jupiter Jones is called Justus Jonas. In Pakistan he is known as "Amber". In Bangladesh he is known as "Kishor Pasha".
2. Pete Crenshaw, Second Investigator - Pete is an athletic youth who dislikes dangerous situations, but is nonetheless reliable as the "action member" of the team. Pete loves and cares for animals. His father is a special effects man in Hollywood. In Germany, Pete Crenshaw is known as Peter Shaw. In Pakistan he is known as "Naseem". In Bangladesh he is known as "Musa Aman".
3. Robert "Bob" Andrews, Records and Research - Bob is studious, meticulous and wears glasses. Early in the series, he wore leg braces because of an accident he had, relegating him to a more studious and less physical approach to investigation. Bob works part-time in the local library, suiting his role as data collector. His father is a newspaper man and occasionally gives Bob helpful hints. In Pakistan he is known as "Aaqib". In Bangladesh he is known as "Robin Milford".

Supporting characters

1. Worthington - Worthington is a British chauffeur who drives the Three Investigators around in a Rolls Royce. As time passes, he also becomes a confidante and helper in the boys' investigations. In the German edition, Worthington has the name Morton. His Pakistani counterpart is "Allahdad" and he drives a Mercedes.
2. Alfred Hitchcock - Hitchcock was the boys' first patron who "introduced" their first 30 cases. In truth, the introductions were written by each book's author, not by Hitchcock himself. Random House paid Hitchcock for the use of his name. After his death in 1980, the Hitchcock estate asked for more money and the publisher refused. The last Hitchcock book was The Secret of Shark Reef. From then on, the boys' cases were introduced by Hector Sebastian.
3. Hector Sebastian - A (fictional) famous detective-turned-writer, Sebastian took over the patron role beginning with The Mystery of the Scar-Faced Beggar (#31). Hitchcock's name and silhouette on the cover art of each book were then replaced by a stylized keyhole. Later, all of the Hitchcock volumes were reprinted with the keyhole and introductions by Hector Sebastian. The one exception was the reprint of the first story, The Secret of Terror Castle, which was "introduced" by the fictional Reginald Clarke, a movie producer. This was necessary since a movie producer (originally Hitchcock) was central to the plot and Hector Sebastian did not fill that role.

Recurring adversaries

1. E. Skinner "Skinny" Norris - Skinny is a student from a well-to-do family in the school attended by the Three Investigators. He was a legal resident of another state and thus able to drive. He was constantly trying to outdo the Investigators, always failing in the end, but not before causing the Investigators some trouble. In The Mystery of the Headless Horse, Skinny Norris dabbles in arson, a stunt that gets him shipped off to military school.
2. Victor Hugenay - Hugenay is a French art thief who cleverly eluded police from Europe and had a professional respect for Jupiter Jones.

"The Three Investigators" agency

Jupiter, Pete and Bob live in Rocky Beach, a fictional southern California coastal town described as 10 to 12 miles from Hollywood and 15 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Jupiter's family owns and operates the Jones Salvage Yard ("the Yard"), where the team's headquarters is hidden in an old trailer, which itself is hidden amid the "junk". There are several ingenious secret entrances (i.e. Tunnel Two, Door Four etc.). The trailer's equipment includes a telephone, a darkroom, a filing cabinet and a workshop in which Jupiter assembles devices, mostly from discarded items found in the junkyard, which help the Investigators in their detective work. The team often has to pay for what they take by working for Aunt Mathilda, a hard taskmaster who believes "idle" boys should be put to work.

Jupiter has designed a business card to intrigue their potential clients, memorable to readers particularly for its three question marks. These potential clients often ask what the question marks stand for, giving Jupiter an opening to impress them with his explanation that they are "symbolical of questions to be answered, mysteries to be solved." The boys' patrons usually did no more than introduce them to cases, meet again with them at the end of a particular adventure and sometimes refer them to specialists such as a scholar on studies of the supernatural. At no point is it ever suggested that the patrons provided the Investigators funding in their work.

The Three Investigators solve cases by doing research (Bob's speciality), active observation (Pete's speciality) and clever deduction (Jupiter's speciality). Though the boys are both younger and lack the resources and connections of fellow fictional detectives The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, they have found ways to compensate or ignore these handicaps. Though too young to drive, the Three Investigators soon acquire reliable transportation in the form of a Rolls Royce limousine driven by British chauffeur Worthington. Jupiter won the use of the limousine for "thirty days, of twenty-four hours each" after winning a promotional contest held by the rental agency, soon before beginning their investigation of The Secret of Terror Castle. Despite Jupe's argument that the wording "thirty days of twenty-four hours each" meant that the boys should have the use of the Rolls Royce for the equivalent of 30 full days (or 720 hours), the Rent-N-Ride Auto Agency briefly ended their use of the limo in The Mystery of the Fiery Eye. Fortunately, a grateful client arranged for the boys to have access to the car whenever they needed it. Nevertheless, although Worthington became a confidante and a supporter of the boys' work, the limo's use grew rare in later books.

After proving their reliability, the Investigators received a green card from Rocky Beach police chief Samuel Reynolds, which identified them as junior deputies cooperating with the Rocky Beach police. They used this credential occasionally to convince others they were serious detectives.

Plot elements

Each installment of the series would begin with an introduction by the current patron of the Three Investigators. The mystery would then begin, as the boys would be introduced to a case, investigate using their observation skills and wit and eventually solve the case. However, in each book, there would usually be an instance in which one or more of the boys is threatened or captured and the other boys, sometimes with the help of others, must rescue the Investigator in peril. For instance, in The Mystery of the Green Ghost, Bob and a friend (and later Pete) are captured while exploring a narrow cavern and taken to the headquarters of Mr. Won, the book's villain, a Chinese man who drinks powder from rare "Ghost Pearls" to prolong his life. Mr. Won convinces the boys to reveal the location of the ghost pearls which they had hidden and attempts to hypnotize them into leading the way to the hiding place. Jupiter is able to obtain the assistance of Chief Reynolds and other policemen to nab the wrongdoers and rescue his friends by intercepting a note with "???" written on it which Bob had composed as he had successfully avoided the hypnosis.

Though the books were initially published in 1964 and thus computers and cell phones were not available to the Three Investigators in their early days, the technology and plots evolved as time passed. Reflecting trends in U.S. society, there were references to the growing public interest in the supernatural, such as seances in two books published in the 1970s. Awareness of ecology showed in The Mystery of the Sinister Scarecrow (1979), UFOs in The Mystery of the Blazing Cliffs (1981), protection of whales in The Mystery of the Kidnapped Whale (1983) and the dangers of toxic waste in Rough Stuff (1989). One of the first novels ever published that revolved around a computer virus was Fatal Error (1990).

An interesting tidbit in the series would be the term Ghost to Ghost Hookup. This involved massive collection / disbursement of information where each node would take collective load, something like the torrents of internet parlance. Each person is asked to call up five of his/her friends to either pass on some information or request some similar information and each of those friends in turn call up five of their friends. This would create a fast growing network where each person will have to call only five people, but information will travel in a fast, though inefficient manner. This could have been a precursor to our Peer-to-Peer networking in a 1960's style.

Collecting The Three Investigators

A complete set of the Three Investigators is not easy to locate, especially in hardback and can be quite expensive. As the series continued, the books went through several format changes, from matte finish covers, to glossy covers, to different endpapers.

Beginning with book #29 (Secret of the Sinister Scarecrow) and continuing through book #43 (The Mystery of the Cranky Collector), hardcover editions of the books were only released to libraries (Gibraltar Library Binding). Therefore, hardcover copies of books 29 through 43 are typically found in poor condition and paperback copies are easier to locate. Interested collectors should look for books #1 through #30 that state the series title as Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators rather than just Three Investigators.

Those without the Hitchcock name are editions that were rewritten after Hitchcock's death in 1980, replacing Hitchcock with Hector Sebastian. These are easier to find, but only have value as reading editions. Additionally, these editions have been edited and rewritten from the original.

The books

The complete series of The Three Investigators

Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators in... (from book 31, The Three Investigators in...)

1. The Secret of Terror Castle (1964, by Robert Arthur)
2. The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot (1964, by Robert Arthur)
3. The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy (1965, by Robert Arthur)
4. The Mystery of the Green Ghost (1965, by Robert Arthur)
5. The Mystery of the Vanishing Treasure (1966, by Robert Arthur)
6. The Secret of Skeleton Island (1966, by Robert Arthur)
7. The Mystery of the Fiery Eye (1967, by Robert Arthur)
8. The Mystery of the Silver Spider (1967, by Robert Arthur)
9. The Mystery of the Screaming Clock (1968, by Robert Arthur)
10. The Mystery of the Moaning Cave (1968, by William Arden)
11. The Mystery of the Talking Skull (1969, by Robert Arthur)
12. The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow (1969, by William Arden)
13. The Secret of the Crooked Cat (1970, by William Arden)
14. The Mystery of the Coughing Dragon (1970, by Nick West)
15. The Mystery of the Flaming Footprints (1971, by M. V. Carey)
16. The Mystery of the Nervous Lion (1971, by Nick West)
17. The Mystery of the Singing Serpent (1972, by M. V. Carey)
18. The Mystery of the Shrinking House (1972, by William Arden)
19. The Secret of Phantom Lake (1973, by William Arden)
20. The Mystery of Monster Mountain (1973, by M. V. Carey)
21. The Secret of the Haunted Mirror (1974, by M. V. Carey)
22. The Mystery of the Dead Man's Riddle (1974, by William Arden)
23. The Mystery of the Invisible Dog (1975, by M. V. Carey)
24. The Mystery of Death Trap Mine (1976, by M. V. Carey)
25. The Mystery of the Dancing Devil (1976, by William Arden)
26. The Mystery of the Headless Horse (1977, by William Arden)
27. The Mystery of the Magic Circle (1978, by M. V. Carey)
28. The Mystery of the Deadly Double (1978, by William Arden)
29. The Mystery of the Sinister Scarecrow (1979, by M. V. Carey)
30. The Secret of Shark Reef (1979, by William Arden)
31. The Mystery of the Scar-Faced Beggar (1981, by M. V. Carey)
32. The Mystery of the Blazing Cliffs (1981, by M. V. Carey)
33. The Mystery of the Purple Pirate (1982, by William Arden)
34. The Mystery of the Wandering Cave Man (1982, by M. V. Carey)
35. The Mystery of the Kidnapped Whale (1983, by Marc Brandel)
36. The Mystery of the Missing Mermaid (1983, by M. V. Carey)
37. The Mystery of the Two-Toed Pigeon (1984, by Marc Brandel)
38. The Mystery of the Smashing Glass (1984, by William Arden)
39. The Mystery of the Trail of Terror (1984, by M. V. Carey)
40. The Mystery of the Rogues' Reunion (1985, by Marc Brandel)
41. The Mystery of the Creep-Show Crooks (1985, by M. V. Carey)
42. The Mystery of Wrecker's Rock (1986, by William Arden)
43. The Mystery of the Cranky Collector (1987, by M. V. Carey)
44. The Mystery of the Ghost Train (unpublished/unfinished, by M. V. Carey)

Find Your Fate Mysteries (1985–1987)

• RH1 Case of the Weeping Coffin (1985, by Megan Stine and H. William Stine)
• RH2 Case of the Dancing Dinosaur (by Rose Estes)
• RH3 Case of the House of Horrors (by Megan Stine and H. William Stine)
• RH4 Case of the Savage Statue (1987, by M.V. Carey)

Crimebusters (1989–1990)

1. Hot Wheels (1989, by William Arden)
2. Murder to Go (1989, by Megan Stine and H. William Stine)
3. Rough Stuff (1989, by G.H. Stone)
4. Funny Business (1989, by William MacCay)
5. An Ear for Danger (1989, by Marc Brandel)
6. Thriller Diller (1989, by Megan Stine and H. William Stine)
7. Reel Trouble (1989, by G.H. Stone)
8. Shoot the Works (1990, by William MacCay)
9. Foul Play (1990, by Peter Lerangis)
10. Long Shot (1990, by Megan Stine and H. William Stine)
11. Fatal Error (1990, by G.H. Stone)
12. Brain Wash (finished but unpublished, by Peter Lerangis)
13. High Strung (finished but unpublished, by G.H. Stone)

German editions (since 1993)

As the series remained popular in Germany, from 1993 German publisher Kosmos started to publish new books written by German authors. As with the American books, these books are the basis for the German radio dramas, which are actually even more popular than the books. In August 2009, 94 books will have been published in the German edition of which 73 books have been realised as a radio drama yet. All in all, this will result in 149 books and 129 radio dramas published in August 2009.

Die drei ??? (The three investigators) (series title)

1. Tatort Zirkus (Crime Scene Circus) (1993, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
2. und der verrückte Maler (And The Insane Painter) (1993, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
3. Giftiges Wasser (Toxic Water) (1993, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
4. Dopingmixer (Doping Mixer) (1994, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
5. und die Rache des Tigers (And The Revenge Of The Tiger) (1994, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
6. Spuk im Hotel (Haunted Hotel) (1994, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
7. Fußball-Gangster (Soccer Gangsters) (1995, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
8. Geisterstadt (Ghost Town) (1995, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
9. Diamantenschmuggel (Diamond Smuggling) (1995, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
10. und die Schattenmänner (And The Shadowmen) (1995, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
11. Geheimnis der Särge (The Mystery Of The Coffins) (1996, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
12. Schatz im Bergsee (The Treasure Of The Mountain Lake) (1996, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
13. Späte Rache (Late Revenge) (1996, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
14. Schüsse aus dem Dunkel (Shots From The Dark) (1996, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
15. Die verschwundene Seglerin (The Missing Sailor) (1996, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
16. Dreckiger Deal (Dirty Deal) (1996, by B. J. Henkel-Waidhofer)
17. Poltergeist (Poltergeist) (1997, by André Marx)
18. und das brennende Schwert (And The Burning Sword) (1997, by André Marx)
19. Die Spur des Raben (Trail Of The Raven) (1997, by André Marx)
20. Stimmen aus dem Nichts (Voices From The Void) (1997, by André Minninger)
21. Pistenteufel (Slope Devil) (1997, by Ben Nevis)
22. Das leere Grab (Empty Grave) (1997, by André Marx)
23. Im Bann des Voodoo (Voodoo Spell) (1998, by André Minninger)
24. Geheimsache UFO (Secret Matter: UFO) (1998, by André Marx)
25. Verdeckte Fouls (Hidden Fouls) (1998, by Ben Nevis)
26. Die Karten des Bösen (The Hand Of Evil) (1998, by André Minninger)
27. Meuterei auf hoher See (Mutiny At Sea) (1998, by André Marx)
28. Musik des Teufels (The Devils Music) (1998, by André Marx)
29. Feuerturm (Tower Of Fire) (1999, by Ben Nevis)
30. Nacht in Angst (Night Of Fear) (1999, by André Marx)
31. Wolfsgesicht (Wolf Face) (1999, by Katharina Fischer)
32. Vampir im Internet (Vampire On The Internet) (1999, by André Minninger)
33. Tödliche Spur (Deadly Trail) (1999, by André Marx)
34. Der Feuerteufel (Firebug) (1999, by André Marx)
35. Labyrinth der Götter (Labyrinth Of The Gods) (2000, by André Marx)
36. Todesflug (Flight Of Death) (2000, by Ben Nevis)
37. und das Geisterschiff (The Haunted Ship) (2000, by André Marx)
38. Das schwarze Monster (Black Monster) (2000, by André Marx)
39. Botschaft von Geisterhand (Message From A Ghost) (2000, by André Marx)
40. und der rote Rächer (And The Red Avenger) (2000, by Katharina Fischer)
41. Insektenstachel (Stinger) (2001, by André Minninger)
42. Tal des Schreckens (Valley Of Horror) (2001, by Ben Nevis)
43. Rufmord (Slander) (2001, by André Minninger)
44. Toteninsel (Island Of Death) (2001, by André Marx)
45. Hexenhandy (The Curse Of The Cell Phone) (2001, by André Minninger)
46. Doppelte Täuschung (Double Deception) (2001, by André Marx)
47. Erbe des Meisterdiebs (Legacy Of The Master Thief) (2002, by André Marx)
48. Gift per E-Mail (Poisoned E-Mail) (2002, by Ben Nevis)
49. und der Nebelberg (And The Mountain of Mist) (2002, by André Marx)
50. Der Mann ohne Kopf (The Headless DJ) (2002, by André Minninger)
51. und der Schatz der Mönche (And The Treasure Of The Monks) (2002, by Ben Nevis)
52. Die sieben Tore (The Seven Gates) (2002, by André Marx)
53. Gefährliches Quiz (Dangerous Quiz Show) (2003, by Marco Sonnleitner)
54. Panik im Park (Panic In The Park) (2003, by Marco Sonnleitner)
55. Die Höhle des Grauens (Cave Of Horror) (2003, by Ben Nevis)
56. Schlucht der Dämonen (Valley Of The Demon) (2003, by Marco Sonnleitner)
57. Das Auge des Drachen (Eye Of The Dragon) (2003, by André Marx)
58. Die Villa der Toten (Mansion Of The Dead) (2003, by André Marx)
59. Auf tödlichem Kurs (Deadly Course) (2004, by Ben Nevis)
60. Codename: Cobra (Codename: Cobra) (2004, by Marco Sonnleitner)
61. Der finstere Rivale (Sinister Rival) (2004, by André Marx)
62. Das düstere Vermächtnis (Mysterious Testament) (2004, by Ben Nevis)
63. Der geheime Schlüssel (Secret Key) (2004, by André Marx)
64. Der schwarze Skorpion (Black Scorpion) (2004, by Marco Sonnleitner)
65. Spur ins Nichts (Trail Into The Darkness) (2005, by André Marx)
66. Fussballfieber (Soccer Mania) (2005, by Marco Sonnleitner)
67. und der Geisterzug (The Mystery of the Ghost Train) (2005, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
68. Geister-Canyon (Ghost Canyon) (2005, by Ben Nevis)
69. Feuermond (Moon Of Fire) (2005, by André Marx)
70. Schrecken aus dem Moor (Terror From The Swamp) (2005, by Marco Sonnleitner)
71. Schwarze Madonna (Black Madonna) (2006, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
72. Schatten über Hollywood (Shadows over Hollywood) (2006, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
73. SMS aus dem Grab (The Pharaoh's Message) (2006, by Ben Nevis)
74. Der Fluch des Drachen (The Curse Of The Dragon) (2006, by André Marx)
75. Haus des Schreckens (House of Terror) (2006, by Marco Sonnleitner)
76. Spuk im Netz (Web Phantom) (2006, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
77. Fels der Dämonen (Rock of the Demons) (2007, by Marco Sonnleitner)
78. Der tote Mönch (The Dead Monk) (2007, by Marco Sonnleitner)
79. Fluch des Piraten (The Pirate's Curse) (2007, by Ben Nevis)
80. und das versunkene Dorf (and the Sunken Village) (2007, by André Marx)
81. Pfad der Angst (Path of Fear) (2007, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
82. Die geheime Treppe (The Hidden Stair) (2007, by Marco Sonnleitner)
83. Fußball-Falle (The Soccer Trap) (2008, by Marco Sonnleitner)
84. Stadt der Vampire (Vampire City) (2008, by Marco Sonnleitner)
85. Das Geheimnis der Diva (The Secret of the Diva) (2008, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
86. Tödliches Eis (Arctic Adventure) (2008, by Kari Erlhoff)
87. und die Poker-Hölle (and the Gambling Joint) (2008, by Marco Sonnleitner)
88. Zwillinge der Finsternis (Twins of Doom) (2008, by Marco Sonnleitner)
89. Grusel auf Campbell Castle (Horror at Castle Campbell) (2009, by Marco Sonnleitner)
90. Der Biss der Bestie (The Bite of the Beast) (2009, by Kari Erlhoff)
91. und die Rache der Samurai (and the Revenge of the Samurai) (2009, by Ben Nevis)
92. und die feurige Flut (and the Fiery Flood) (published August 2009, by Kari Erlhoff)
93. Der namenlose Gegner (The Nameless Foe) (published August 2009, by Kari Erlhoff)
94. Schwarze Sonne (Black Sun) (published August 2009, by Marco Sonnleitner)

und das versunkene Schiff (The Secret of the Sunken Ship) (1997, by André Marx)(unpublished))

German 'American-English' Series (since 2005)

'A new series of stories in English (translated from the original German titles).'

Original German titles in italics

Die drei ???

1. The Curse Of The Cell Phone (Hexenhandy) (2001 / 2005, by André Minninger)
2. Poisoned E-mail (Gift per E-Mail) (2002 / 2005, by Ben Nevis)
3. Soccer Mania (Fussballfieber) (2005 / 2006, by Marco Sonnleitner)
4. The Haunted Ship (und das Geisterschiff) (2000 / 2006, by André Marx)
5. Valley of Horror (Tal des Schreckens) (2001 / 2007, by Ben Nevis)
6. The Mystery of the Ghost Train (und der Geisterzug) (2005 / 2007, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
7. Hidden Fouls (Verdeckte Fouls) (1998 / 2008, by Ben Nevis)
8. The Pirate's Curse (Fluch des Piraten) (2007 / 2008, by Ben Nevis)
9. Web Phantom (Spuk im Netz) (2006 / 2009, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
10. The Pharaoh's Message (SMS aus dem Grab) (2006 / 2009, by Ben Nevis)

German The Three Investigators Kids Series (since 1999)

In this series, the Three Investigators are 10 years old, thus making it a kind of 'prequel' to the original series. Their headquarters is a water tank close to Rocky Beach nicknamed "Coffee Pot", which was once used to fill up locomotives. Joining the recurring cast are Mr. Porter, Rocky Beach's general dealer, Harbor Master Ernesto Porto, and Giovanni, who runs an ice cream parlor.

Another difference to the original series is that Bud Norris, Skinner's father, operates a shady bar in the city center.

Die drei ??? Kids (series title):

1. Panik im Paradies (1999, by Ulf Blanck)
2. Radio Rocky Beach (1999, by Ulf Blanck)
3. Invasion der Fliegen (1999, by Ulf Blanck)
4. Chaos vor der Kamera (2000, by Ulf Blanck)
5. Flucht in die Zukunft (2000, by Ulf Blanck)
6. Gefahr im Gruselgarten (2000, by Ulf Blanck)
7. Gruft der Piraten (2000, by Ulf Blanck)
8. Nacht unter Wölfen (2001, by Ulf Blanck)
9. S.O.S. über den Wolken (2001, by Ulf Blanck)
10. Spuk in Rocky Beach (2001, by Ulf Blanck)
11. Fluch des Goldes (2001, by Ulf Blanck)
12. Internetpiraten (2002, by Ulf Blanck)
13. Im Reich der Rätsel (2002, by Ulf Blanck)
14. Gefahr aus dem All (2002, by Ulf Blanck)
15. In der Geisterstadt (2003, by Ulf Blanck)
16. Der magische Brunnen (2003, by Ulf Blanck)
17. Rettet Atlantis! (2003, by Ulf Blanck)
18. Mission Maulwurf (2004, by Ulf Blanck)
19. Spur in die Wildnis (2004, by Ulf Blanck)
20. Die Schmugglerinsel (2004, by Ulf Blanck)
21. Die Geisterjäger (2004, by Ulf Blanck)
22. Einarmige Banditen (2005, by Ulf Blanck)
23. Feuer in Rocky Beach (2005, by Ulf Blanck)
24. Im Banne des Zauberers (2005, by Ulf Blanck)
25. In letzter Sekunde (2005, by Boris Pfeiffer)
26. Fußball-Alarm (2006, by Ulf Blanck)
27. Die Schokofalle (2006, by Boris Pfeiffer)
28. Diamantenjagd (2006, by Boris Pfeiffer)
29. Monsterpilze (2006, by Ulf Blanck)
30. Im Geisterschiff (2007, by Ulf Blanck)
31. Rückkehr der Saurier (2007, by Boris Pfeiffer)
32. Die Gruselfalle (2007, by Boris Pfeiffer)
33. Nacht im Kerker (2007, by Ulf Blanck)
34. Falsches Gold (2008, by Boris Pfeiffer)
35. Im Wilden Westen (2008, by Ulf Blanck)
36. Mission Mars (2008, by Boris Pfeiffer)
37. Der Fluch der Indianer (2008, by Ben Nevis)
38. Stunde der Wahrheit (2009, by Boris Pfeiffer)
39. Der verrückte Professor (2009, by Ulf Blanck)
40. Brennendes Eis (published August 2009, by Boris Pfeiffer)
41. Insel der Haie (published August 2009, by Boris Pfeiffer)

German American-English Pons Die drei ??? Series (from July 2009)

Learning English with Justus, Peter and Bob! These American-English translations include an abridged version of the original story both in German and English, plus a vocabulary part and grammar exercises. Accompanying the books are CDs containing narrated audio versions of the English texts.

1. Arctic Adventure (Tödliches Eis) (2008, by Kari Erlhoff)
2. Mysterious Testament (Das Erbe des Meisterdiebs) (2002, by André Marx)
3. Vampire City (Stadt der Vampire) (2008, by Marco Sonnleitner)
4. Dangerous Quiz Show (Gefährliches Quiz) (2003, by Marco Sonnleitner)
5. Black Madonna (Schwarze Madonna) (2006, by Astrid Vollenbruch)
6. Soccer Gangsters (Fußball-Gangster) (1995, by Brigitte-Johanna Henkel-Waidhofer)

Credits

In the French, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian and Italian version of the series, the books were at one point wrongly published with Alfred Hitchcock as their author. It's the same with some German paperback editions published at the beginning of the 1980s.

Similarly, all British Armada paperback editions of "The Mystery of the Moaning Cave" are wrongly credited to Robert Arthur. Moreover, the British series reversed the order of #42 and #43, meaning that the Armada original series ends with "Wreckers' Rock".

In Spain, "The Mystery of the Moaning Cave", "The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow", "The Secret of the Crooked Cat", "The Mystery of the Coughing Dragon", "The Mystery of Monster Mountain" as well as "The Mystery of the Headless Horse" are wrongly credited to Robert Arthur. The new Latin American edition takes the name of "Los tres detectives" instead of "Los Tres Investigadores" which was used in Spain for earlier editions.

In the booklet of the German audio play "The Mystery of the Invisible Dog", the episode it bases on is wrongly credited to Nick West. Moreover, in Germany there are different revised editions of "The Mystery of the Scar-faced Beggar": one using Alfred Hitchcock as their patron, one using Alfred Hitchcock and Hector Sebastian and one using only Hector Sebastian.

External links

• The Life and Art of Three Investigators artist Harry Kane - with New T3I Forum!
• The Three Investigators
• The Three Investigators Readers' Web Site
• The Three Investigators U.S. Editions Collector's Site
• TunnelTwo.com
• German fan site
• The official website of author Dennis Lynds
• The official website of novelist Gayle Lynds
• Three Investigators Online Office Austrian Archive