The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy

I read a few of these when I was younger and always rather enjoyed them. It's always different reading such stories when you're older but I still really enjoyed this addition to the series.

Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw and Bob Andrews are three boys who have decided to start a detective agency, aptly named The Three Investigators. They use 3 question marks as their symbol and are willing to solve any mystery, riddle or puzzle. Jupiter is the brains of the operation, Pete the muscle and Bob the researcher. The boys have their own secret Headquarters - (a portable office that's been hidden under many piles of junk) that has secret entrances and a phone, use chalk (each boy a different colour) to leave directions, clues and messages to show more each other - and even a driver (Worthington) with Rolls Royce - courtesy of a competition Jupiter wins to have a chauffeur for 30 days. I'm not sure how long they actually have the car for - I don't think I ever read any without it but I haven't read all of them, so who knows.

The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy sees the boys looking into a little problem Professor Yarborough is having - his 3000 year old mummy, Ra-Orkon - has begun to whisper to him. I enjoyed reading how The Three Investigators go about solving the mystery. These are really just feel good reads. The boys are likable. The mystery is interesting. I love Worthington's faith in Jupiter.

Worthington looked up as they approached.
"All finished lads?" he asked.
"Just getting started," Pete told him, his tone gloomy. "This time we're tangling with an ancient Egyptian curse and there's no telling what will happen. Right now we need the leather case Jupe put in the trunk."
"I'll back Master Jones against at Egyptian curse any time," Worthington said, leading the way to the rear of the car.

And I like how they constantly add technology to their agency. In this one Jupiter has made walkie talkies and there's a newly added "See-All" (it's a periscope) in Headquarters. The Ghost to Ghost hookup (basically chain mail but with a phone) also made an appearance this time highlighting how it can work against them. Damn Skinny Norris! Although I do admit I had a little bit of a chuckle - it was a little funny if it doesn't happen to you. (They're looking for a building with a chalk question mark and Skinny Norris adds extra question marks to the buildings just to make it more difficult.)

It's not particularly hard to decipher who was guilty but it was fun to read. I'll definitely be reading (and rereading for some) the rest of the series. 3.5 stars. show less

When Ra-Orkon, a 3,000-year-old mummy, begins to whisper strange words in an ancient Egyptian tongue, the Three Investigators are determined to find out the facts: Why is he speaking? What is he saying? And how is the horrible curse of Ra-Orkon about to be fulfilled?

Just read this aloud to my 8 year old son. Enjoyed it as much as I did when my sixth grade teacher read it aloud to our class.

I loved this series when I was a child, and am looking forward to reading them sometime soon with my son.

Jeg har masser af store læseprojekter, men engang imellem skal man også bare gribe den bog, der springer en i øjnene. Som barn læste jeg en frygtelig masse De tre detektiver, og da jeg så min kones udgave af Den hviskende mumie på reolen, vidste jeg, at det var tid til et nostalgitrip. Hvordan ville teenagedetektiverne tage sig ud tredive år senere?

De tre detektiver er tre raske californiske drenge, der i en stribe romaner fra 1960’erne og 1970’erne opklarede alskens mysterier. Jupiter Jones er en kraftig dreng med masser af omløb mellem ørerne, Pete Crenshaw er modig og stærk og Bob Andrews er gruppens sekretær og kronikør. De holder til hos Jupiters onkel og tante, hvor de har indrettet et kontor i en gammel show more beboelsesvogn midt på den genbrugsplads, de lever af. (Her mærker man den glade fantasiverden, for der er både hemmelige indgange og et periskop, så de kan holde øje med omgivelserne. Og det er ikke det hele: Gennem en konkurrence har de sikret sig en gylden limousine, som de bliver kørt rundt i…)

Detektiverne er specialister i det barokke og tilsyneladende overnaturlige. Sådan er det også her, hvor den pensionerede ægyptolog professor Yarborough pludselig oplever, at hans nye mumie begynder at hviske til ham på et mystisk sprog, som han ikke forstår. Og den vil kun hviske, når han er alene med den, hvilket kun gør sagen endnu mere mærkelig.

Det er en sag, han dårligt kan gå til politiet med, så i stedet hyrer han De tre detektiver, og da de først tager fat, sker der andre mærkelige og truende ting. Statuer vælter, sten ruller og hvad betyder det egentlig, at mellemøstlige mænd har henvendt sig for at købe mumien ”tilbage”? Jupiter har rigeligt at tænke på, men de andres evner kommer også i spil, indtil intrigen er afsløret. Det viser sig – som det plejer med detektiverne – at forklaringen er langt mere prosaisk, end det først så ud til.

Holder historien så stadig? Ikke helt. Der sker en masse, men persontegningen er tynd. Drengene er nærmest arketyper, og de øvrige personer løfter sig heller ikke meget over gennemsnittet. Man sidder hele tiden med en fornemmelse af, at de tre detektivers virkelighed ikke er virkelig, men derimod et produkt af en teenagefantasi – tilmed fantasien hos en teenager, der ikke har set meget til verdens elendighed.

Nå, tiderne skifter. Det generede mig ikke, da jeg læste bøgerne, og forventningerne til god ungdomslitteratur har ændret sig meget siden Robert Arthur opfandt De tre detektiver. Bogen er vel kun til et par stjerner, men jeg giver den en ekstra på vegne af mit 14-årige jeg. show less