Customer Reviews

Ti #02 Myst of the Stuttering (Three Investigators)

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4 star:		(2)
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In this second book about the Three Investigators, Robert Arthur has exceeded the achievements of the first. Whereas The Secret of Terror Castle detailed the boys' attempt to prove their investigative powers, The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot relates the story of the boys' first real case. Having been charged with finding a missing parrot, they soon find themselves intimately involved in a search for a valuable work of art. The story is much fuller and more satisfying than that of the first book. Here we see the case evolve from a seemingly simple, far from dangerous search for a missing pet to an expanded search for seven mysterious parrots (the significance of which are not at first apparent) and finally to a race against an international art thief to acquire a lost masterpiece. Along the way, they face mysterious foreigners working against them, make sense of an enigmatic coded message, and ultimately triumph (albeit somewhat by accident). Admirably, they also go out of their way to generously help a young Mexican immigrant and his uncle establish a more comfortable life for themselves.

This is the Three Investigators at their finest. The mental acumen of Jupiter Jones is put to the test, and once again his mental prowess proves up to the task. For an adult such as myself, some of the obvious clues are not picked up on in as timely a fashion as I would expect, but one must remember that even Jupiter Jones, genius that he is, is only a lad. This book is an unqualified success, eminently enjoyable to both young and old alike. I feel just as I felt twenty years ago upon first reading these books--anxious to read about the boys' next case.

The Three Investigators series is MUST reading for all kids. As a teacher I encourage all of my students to delve into the adventures of Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw, and Bob Andrews. None of my young readers has ever been disappointed!

This (the second book in the series) mystery is one of the best. It's a fast moving story that gives readers a lot of mystery and action. All the familiar Investigators charms are here: bad guys galore, red herrings, riddles and clues, chases, and the fun of the revelations in the last pages.

I strongly encourage anyone who reads (no matter their age) to pick up this series. It'll put a smile on your face and make you glad that you shut off the TV and dove into a book.

I know I am not the only reader who grew up thrilling to the adventures of the Three Investigators only to graduate on to Sherlock Holmes as an adult. Now I'm forever reminded of that stuttering parrot (to-to-to-be) whenever Holmes and Watson cross their threshold. Robert Arthur created ideal, escapist reading for kids who love to read (and, believe it or not, for those who don't) when he took us to Rocky Beach, CA. This book stands as one of the very best in the long line of Three Investigator books. Three Investigator fans can only hope that the entire series is reissued! BUY THIS FOR YOUR KIDS!!!

This book and other books in this series are excellent reading material. I am 25 now and still find the same thrill and excitement on reading these books as I found 10 years back. These are simply unputdownable at any stage of life.

You could expect the weirdest stories in this genre and I assure you, this book will make your heart blow.It is BEST.

One day I was at the book store with my mom and she wanted me to read something new. She spotted the series and picked one up. She thought it was suitable so we got it and left. I'm glad she spotted it. I have been reading them ever scince and I now greatly enjoy reading these books. I also greatly reccomend them to anyone interested in a good mystery.

This book is the second in the series, following our introduction to the Three Investigators in "The Secret of Terror Castle." As we learned in the first book, the Three Investigators are Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw and Bob Andrews. Jupiter is the intelligent, sometimes inadvertently arrogant member of the group who has a tendency to be condescending. Pete Crenshaw is typically the muscle of the group. Pete is usually quite fearless. Bob Andrews, who begins the series with a broken leg, works at the library and handles records and research for the group.

In this story, the boys are investigating the case of a missing parrot at the request of Alfred Hitchcock. A friend of Mr. Hitchcock had recently purchased a parrot that stutters, and shortly after the purchase the parrot disappeared. The Three Investigators are on the case!

Initially, the boys, and perhaps the reader, might wonder whether this mystery is going to be interesting. Never fear. The boys soon encounter a renowned art thief and a suspicious fat man who threatens the boys. The three boys also discover that there are more parrots missing and that their mystery has compounded. The mystery deepens as the boys learn that a mysterious man trained the parrots and the parrots may be speaking a riddle that could lead to a treasure. This story has enough twists that many adults might find it entertaining.

Quite a few children's mystery book series have become classics. Most people are familiar with Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Tom Swift. Even the Boxcar Children are relatively well-known. However, Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators were well-written books that offered an intelligent, interesting and more contemporary alternative to many of the earlier classic series. Many people recall the earlier series well, but the Three Investigators series, which Robert Arthur wrote and debuted in 1964, has, for now, largely been overshadowed by the other series and generally forgotten. Fortunately, all of these books are available either from Amazon or from other internet sources.

If you are looking for mystery books for children and you are looking for an alternative to the Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift, I highly recommend the Three Investigator series.

Enjoy!

Even though this is only book # 2 of the 3I series, this is far and away the best book. I re-read it several years ago and I remember getting this adrenaline rush surging through me as the story progressed. It was one of the best young adult books I've ever read. I would re-read it, but I've since moved from my parents' house, where it's under lock and key.

Even if you're a Hardy Boys fan, give this book a whirl. Help yourself to the first book, too (Terror Castle). The rest of the series isn't nearly as charming as this one.

After solving the mystery of a nearby haunted castle, the Three Investigators have their second case. It's not as exciting, finding a missing parrot, except that the parrot stutters. But the case quickly goes from mundane to interesting, as they find that this case involves 7 birds, all taught to repeat a part of a riddle. And it soon becomes dangerous when they realize that others are interested in the whereabouts of the parrots, and will stop at nothing to get them, including kidnapping. The Three Investigators will need all their smarts and some luck to solve this mystery.

The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot has all the frights of The Secret of Terror Castle, but with a truly puzzling mystery to solve added in. The plot is extremely clever, and draws the reader in expertly with the riddle of the parrots. New investigative methods are introduced, sometimes with good results and sometimes not, but the genius of this series is apparent in this book. I loved it 30 years ago when I read it as a kid, and my son and I loved reading it now. Exciting and interesting enough to keep even reluctant readers coming back for more. And as others have commented, I definitely think there's potential for a movie here. (We managed to find the old Alfred Hitchcock version).

I have to say I haven't read these books since they came out-However, I did remember that I LOVED them and remembered them all these years. I bought two of them for my grandson to read. (He's not much of a reader but I hope these excellent books will spark a little more interest). I used to have all of them but time and moving have made them disappear. Good characters and written in an interesting way. I'll update you on his response!