Skeleton Key (novel)
 Skeleton Key Cover | |
| Author | Anthony Horowitz |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Alex Rider series |
| Genre | Adventure, Spy novel= |
| Publisher | Walker Books |
Publication date | 4 September 2001 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 288 pp (first edition, paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-1424-0102-1 (first edition, paperback) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| Preceded by | Point Blanc |
| Followed by | Eagle Strike |
Skeleton Key is the third book in the Alex Rider series written by British author Anthony Horowitz. The book was released in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2002 and in the United States on April 28, 2003.
Plot introduction
Walker Books plot synopsis:[1]
Fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is enlisted by the national security services again – this time for a routine reconnaissance mission at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. But before long, Alex finds himself caught up in a terrifying chain of events that leads from the Chinese Triad gangs in London to an undercover assignment in Cuba. Alex begins to make chilling links between suspicious deaths, an illegal nuclear weapons deal and the plans of his host, Russian General Sarov, for the future of the world…
Plot
Fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is needed once again by MI6.
Coincidentally, MI6 have an assignment abroad. A Russian ex-general by the name of Alexei Sarov, who still lives in the old days of Communist Russia, is meeting with the Russian President in a few days' time on a Cuban island, "Cayo Esqueleto" (Spanish for "Skeleton Key"). MI6 wants Alex to investigate. Armed with gadgets from Smithers, Alex heads off to Miami to begin his mission. There, he meets CIA agents Tom Turner (Glen Carver in U.S. version) and Belinda Troy.
There, Alex discovers that there is more to the mission than just sneaking in. The two agents are looking for a nuclear bomb. Turner, Troy and Alex are taken to an underwater cave named the "Devil's Chimney" by a man called Garcia. They plan to infiltrate Sarov's house through scuba diving into the cave. However, upon entering the cave, the pair are killed by a trap. When Turner and Troy don't return for an hour, Alex becomes suspicious and searches for them underwater. A Great white shark attacks Alex, but is crushed by the trap. Alex returns to the boat. Finding Garcia dead, he is kidnapped by Conrad and tied to a conveyer belt leading into grinding stones. At the last minute, General Sarov comes and saves Alex. Alex is taken to the his house. Rather than wanting Alex dead, he wants to adopt him as a son.
When the President arrives, Sarov treats them to dinner. However, the drinks are spiked. Sarov edits the interview footage of the president to humiliate him when it is broadcast. He takes Alex with him on his trip to Russia. At an airport, when attempting to contact MI6 by phone, he is caught by Sarov and brought back with him.
In Murmansk, General Sarov's men plant the bomb on a nuclear submarine in the shipyard. Because Alex refused to accept Sarov as his father, with a feeling of sadness, Sarov leaves Alex to die in the explosion, leaving his henchman, Conrad, to make sure he doesn't get away. After overcoming and killing Conrad, Alex makes a mad dash to a nearby crane to remove the bomb from the submarine. A few moments later, a large fight breaks out between Sarov's men and a Russian Army force. After Alex's removes the detonation card from the bomb, Sarov arrives and asks him to put it back in. Alex instead throws it into the water. Severely disappointed and saddened, Sarov shoots himself.
Later, in a private meeting between Blunt and Mrs. Jones, we discover that the Russian army that fought back was informed of the situation after the security guard at Edinburgh airport was killed, since the phone had not been hung up at the aiport. Mrs. Jones lashes out at Blunt for not being able to understand the pain Alex is feeling.
Alex, back in London, is depressed, and goes for a walk. A girl he met at Wimbledon, Sabina Pleasure, catches up with him. She invites him to go with her family to the South of France in a couple of weeks; Alex's mood lifts.
See also
References
- ^ "Skeleton Key" (PDF). Walker Books website. Retrieved 2007-05-22.