Hot Wheels

The Three Investigators: Crimebusters #1

by William Arden, Robert Arthur

Mystery and music intertwine as the Three Investigators try to find the connection between a car-theft ring and a Latin rock band.

Genres: Mystery, Detective, Audiobook, Childrens, German Literature, Indonesian Literature, Young Adult

139 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Real name: Dennis Lynds.
Beginning in 1968 with The Mystery of the Moaning Cave and ending in 1989 with Hot Wheels, Dennis Lynds wrote fourteen novels under the pen name William Arden for the juvenile detective series The Three Investigators, which was originated by Robert Arthur, Jr.. Under this same name, he also wrote five novels featuring private eye Kane Jackson, a former military policeman who has become an industrial security specialist after leaving the military. The first Jackson novel, A Dark Power, appeared in 1968. As Arden, Lynds also wrote the highly-regarded espionage short story, "Success of a Mission," which was a finalist for the 1968 Edgar Award for best short fiction.

Reviews

[FlySirius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I have mixed feeling after reading this book. I love our three investigators as kids who don't involved in romance. I have that image in my mind all this time. But now, well, I know they must have to grow up, but I just want the image of three kids investigates just as I pictured in my mind.
Nice story though. It kinds of giving different vibe in comparison with the older version. How they solved the case is much more mature and somehow I can picturing the case happening in real life.
Overall, I like this book. But I like the version where the three boys stays pure and innocence lol.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read the entire original series of Three Investigators books, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the update. And in a way I'm still not sure.

Overall I did enjoy the book, and really it read very similar to the original novels. The characters are older now, instead of around 14 they are around 17, and of course a lot changes over those few years. What is surprising to me is I always found it strange how in the early series the Investigators never showed any interest in girls, as in none. Now, two of the investigators not just show interest in girls but have turned into Casanovas (Jupe is still hefty and unsure of himself around women.) It just seemed like the change from no interest at all to lady's man didn't make sense, but then again at those ages it does happen.

One thing I did like, and some other readers have disagreed with me, is that the boys are now able to handle themselves a little better against the bad guys. The guys have studied karate and judo and aren't above handing some thugs a beating, and if the thieves drop their guns, then the boys will pick them up and use them. (Although I'm assuming not actually shoot someone.) I always thought the guys should be a little more aggressive considering they were in a dangerous line of work so that was a neat twist. They can also drive now, but sadly that probably means we won't see much of Hans and Conrad who used to drive them around, or the Rolls Royce and Chauffer. (None of them appeared in this first volume.)

This first volume was promising and gives me a few more books to read before I'm totally out of Three Investigators material, so overall I'm pleased. If you liked the original series you should at least try this series out to find out if its for you. I don't think it's so different you'll hate it.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, I really don't love the Crimebusters books. They read like fanfics of the original series. I'm still gonna read them all anyway, but they're very formulaic; the boys talk about girls and cars (they're masters in both, except for Jupiter who's portrayed as completely pathetic and just obssessed with his weight compared to Pete and Bob)/ there's some kind of crime ring/ the boys just catch the criminals like they're mini cops.

This book, in particular, was unnecessarily long imo. I have no idea why we needed long sections of nothing happening, or characters discovering places that other characters had already been to, or detailed unimportant stuff like El Tiburon fighting one of his gang members, which never comes up again. There's some clever parts, like the way Bob hides Jupiter in Taco Bell, but most of it is just convenient and boring.

[sonofabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Vetter von Justus ist aus New York zu Besuch. Mit schickem Auto fährt er am Schrottplatz vor. Prompt wird er allerdings von der Polizei festgenommen, da er in einem gestohlenen Wagen unterwegs ist. Ihm wird unterstellt teilt der Automafia zu sein, die seit Monaten viele Autos an der gesamten Westküste klauen.
Dies können die drei Detektivbüro natürlich nicht auf sich sitzen lassen. Sie machen sich an die Arbeit herauszufinden wer die Autos wohl gestohlen haben könnte. Denn der Vetter hat den Namen Tiburrón fallen lassen.
Bob fällt da direkt die Band ein und wie sich herausstellt hängen sie auch mit drinnen. Aber nicht nur sie, sondern auch der Chef des Plattenlabels.
Ein schöner Fall. Besonders gefallen haben mit, dass z.B. Peters Freundin vorkommt und die klare Linie und Erzählstruktur. Was ich immer nur nicht mag, ist wenn sie am Ende sich dann auf alle stürzen und sie überwältigen, weil es immer das Gleiche ist.

Aber eine Empfehlung!

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mein erstes drei ??? Buch auf englisch und dann noch eine crimebusters folge, da fühlt sich vieles erst mal komisch und ungewohnt an. Ich kannte das Hörspiel ja und wusste, dass ich den Fall recht spannend/ordentlich fand, aber das Originalbuch ist doch noch mal anders. Ich finde eigentlich die veränderte Charakterisierung der drei irgendwie lustig. Wenn ich das alles mit Humor nehme, unterhält es ganz gut. Gerade meine Lieblingsfigur von als Frauenheld wird in diesem Buch total auf die Spitze getrieben und dass Peter so sehr Kelly zu Füßen liegt wie in diesem Buch hab ich vorher auch nicht gelesen. Dass dann auch noch Peter und Bob beide aufeinander sauer sind, dass sie weniger Zeit füreinander haben, fand ich besonders Skurill. Das lesen hat sich auf jeden Fall für so kleine Dinge gelohnt, wie dass Kelly gerne hätte dass Peter Hemden Start tshirts trägt, wie Bob das auch tut. Herrlich dated/überhaupt nicht zeitlos ist das Buch auch. Wenn ich allerdings nicht amüsiert war, war ich etwas genervt. Wir kapieren es, Justus macht immer diäten und hat Angst vor Mädchen. Taco Bell hat das Buch übrigens nicht etwa gesponsert oder?

[Colton · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not the Three Investigators - it's more like a bad fanfiction version of them. Jupiter is now a sad-sack dope, Bob is now a hot ladies' man, and Pete is whipped by his girlfriend. Aside from everyone being completely out of character, the story itself is not interesting and the mystery is nonexistent. The boys just chase around this band who are operating a chop shop. That's it. Pretty dreadful and unnecessary.

[Nadja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dramatisch und kriminell. Bob kommt einzig vor, um die Sekretärin mit seinem Charme abzulenken. 😅😂

2016: 2 Sterne

[Bubu · Rating 3 out of 5]

An sich eine gute Folge, aber mich stört wie viele Witze hier über Justus Gewicht sind!

[Neo Scarlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Etwas verwirrend und undurchsichtig zwischendurch, aber schlussendlich eine schöne Crimebusters-Folge!

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a lot better and in my opinion had a decent storyline.
But neither books were on a par with the old style investigators, they seem to have changed the characters a lot.

[Robert Stewart · Rating 1 out of 5]

http://fourdecades.blogspot.com.br/20...

[Paula Brandon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 3 Investigators are on the case when Jupiter Jones' cousin, Ty, is arrested for stealing a car. He insists he drove it as a favour. The investigators are quick to link it to a Latino band that only sings "La Bamba" (or so it seems.) The band seems to be using their tour as a front to steal cars up and down the coast. The investigators try to find the car thieves' chop shop to expose their racket and get Ty off the hook.

I remember loving these books as a pre-teen. I remembered nothing about this first entry, so decided to read it after recently re-collecting the series. The story is fast-paced, and Jupiter and his sidekicks, Pete and Bob, are intelligent and likeable. However, car thieves just aren't my bag when it comes to fiction, and I wasn't all that interested in what was going down. I was reluctant to pick this up when I put it down and it took me three days to read a 139-page quickie. As is usually the case with something published in the late 1980s, this was full of stereotypes about Latin people and also came with some casual, off-putting racism.

Looking forward to revisiting the rest of the series, however!

[GhostofMyrtle]

Hot wheels is the first in a new series of books featuring The Three Investigators.

Written by Dennis Lynds under his pseudonym William Arden, it includes some tropes from the original series including mentioning Jupiter biting his lips when thinking and the trailer that is the boys office albeit now no longer covered and with more gadgets.

Lynds had written several of the books in the original series and it shows although this series has more action than the original. The lads are older and have their own cars and drivers licences so there is no Worthington.

The pace of the stories make them more akin to an average Hardy Boys novel.

In this first book the boys meet Jupiter's cousin who is arrested for car theft after inadvertently becoming mixed up with a gang.

Naturally the gang start to look into the case and help price Ty's innocence.

I wouldn't put it up there with the original books but it's a good light read.

[The Kawaii Slartibartfast · Rating 2 out of 5]

When updates are bad.
Okay so I adore the original series but I totally get there are some things that just wouldn't make sense as the guys aged.

But they threw out the stuff that actually made the guys interesting. Jupe is no longer an embarrassed former child star which actually was a thing his character dealt with all the time.

Bob and Pete are also just there?

They updated the security in the junkyard which makes sense for the late 80s to me

The case was okay. A cousin of Jupes is accused of stealing a car and I did enjoy the way they went about solving the case but something is lacking here.

[cyberghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

as someone who never read the original books but instead listened to the audio books, this book was definitely right up my alley. I loved the whole book and I'm excited to see what the rest will be like 😋

[Kristiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iseng bongkar salah satu kardus. Rupanya isinya buku-buku detektif kanak-kanak yang dikumpulin sejak SMP. Yeay! Salah satunya buku-buku Trio Detektif ini :)

[Sina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich weiß nicht, wie lange ich Bob als Mädchenschwarm noch durchhalte...

2.5/5

[Janssen Ewaldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perancangan misteri yang di luar nalar

[JBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOTTOM-LINE:
Same series, somewhat similar concept, different characters
.
PLOT OR PREMISE:
The Three Investigators series that I loved as a kid was transformed some years ago into this new Crimebusters series that I could never find in stores. The stories are aimed at young adults, but I was expecting the stories to have relatively the same type stories that I fell in love with as a kid. Wrong. Instead, they have updated their ages from 14 to 17, updated their lifestyles from chores and bicycles to part-time jobs and cars. And thrown in lots of women to entice their hormonally-charged bodies. In short, the characters have grown up but not necessarily in keeping with the personalities they had originally. In this story, the 3Is are helping their cousin who has been charged with grand theft auto.
.
WHAT I LIKED:
Jupe, Bob and Pete juggle the case, their jobs, and their social life to stay on top of things. In the old series, most of the time the characters were all together, or were working on different parts at the same time. In the new update, lots of other things interfere in their lives (a little more realistic, but less enjoyable). Yet Jupiter Jones is still the leader who relies on his brains more than his brawn.
.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The biggest fault is that the authors have added an action element to the series. Kind of like some of the false notes that appear in other series, the characters in this series have increased their physical fitness with karate and judo. So, eventually, there is a fight scene complete with big thugs and guns.
.
DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the authors, nor do I follow them on social media.

[Christopher Rush · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this with my son. I read it myself many years ago, but it was fun to read it with my son, especially since he wasn't too keen on it at the beginning as it doesn't have any pictures. Still, he got into the characters and the smidgeon of tension a bit and seemed to have a good time. Many people seem to think the Crimebusters series is an abomination to all that is pure and good and right in the world, since they grew up on the "real" Three Investigators books. Well, bully for you. And I do mean "bully." Maybe if those books were in print today and readily available and not 125 dollars each in back alley used bookstore speakeasies, I'd be glad to get ahold of them and read those with my son. Until then, the light, fluffy, admittedly not-superbly-well written Crimebusters series it is.

At least this series has the guys a bit older and thus less dependent on older folk to take them around and help them investigate. This time around the guys are helping a long-lost cousin of Jupiter's from some cops who think he is a car thief. I said earlier it was fun to read with my son, but I will admit I glossed over the rather embarrassing racial comments and such especially toward the end of the book. Oh, those insensitive '90s. So my three stars are more for the experience of reading a real book with my son, a reminder of reading it as a young (naïve) boy myself long ago, and, well, it's the Three Investigators, even if it's not the "real" Three Investigators.

[MCF · Rating 2 out of 5]

• Autodiebstähle häufen sich – und auffällig oft rund um Auftritte von El Tiburón und den Piranhas; gleichzeitig steht Ty (und ein roter Mercedes) im Fokus.
• Justus findet das Muster: In Jake Hatchs Agentur hängen Tour-/Terminpläne – fast überall, wo Bands spielen, verschwinden auch Autos.
• Der Trick der Täter: Gestohlene Wagen werden komplett mit Graffiti überzogen, damit sie wie die knalligen Band-Lowrider wirken; dadurch schaut niemand genau hin.
• Köderfalle: Die drei ??? leihen Kellys Jaguar, verstecken Justus+Ty im Kofferraum, lassen Bob den Wagen zu Torres bringen und folgen bis ins Parkhaus.
• Im Parkhaus: eine versteckte Werkstatt hinter einer verschiebbaren Wand (Schiebetor) – Hatch zieht eine Waffe, Kelly bekommt sie unter Kontrolle.
• Lösung: Boss ist Jake Hatch; Torres/Mechaniker zerlegen, Tiburón & Band transportieren. Tiburón kippt (Bezahlung/Respekt) und sagt aus; er gesteht außerdem, Tys Mercedes selbst geklaut zu haben.

[Op · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mmm.. gimana ya. 2.5 sih

Pertama kali baca Trio Detektif dan gak nyangka mereka ternyata berumur 17 tahun. Untuk buku pertama, buku ini nggak ada preambule atau apa yang biasa ada di cerita2 berseri lawas. Pokoknya tiba-tiba kita udah kenal aja sama si trio ini.

Ceritanya sih lumayan menarik. Aku gak ngerti soal mobil-mobilan dan pencuriannya sih jadi ya nggak ngerti detilnya tapi ini nggak detil sih jadi masih oke lah ya *mbulet*. Yang bikin bingung justru jurus2 karate (pake bhs.jepang) suka muncul dan aku kan gak tau itu gerakannya gimana :)) Endingnya yang ttg kebut2an kurang. Eh sebenarnya aku menikmati bagian awalnya tapi tengah dan akhirnya emang kurang sih IMO.

Penerjemahannya mmm mungkin bahasa yang dipakai kasual ya. Kayaknya kata "nongol" muncul berkali2. Yah nggak papa daripada pakai "mecungul" *ya itu juga bukan Bahasa Indonesia kali, Pat*

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this and Funny Business (The Three Investigators Crimebusters, Book 4) at a dollar store at the local mall ages ago. I remember I liked them enough to reread them, but I barely remember anything about them now. I think I preferred Funny Business though.

[Rosalina Suhartono · Rating 2 out of 5]

I prefer the character of Jupe, Pete, and Bob when they were younger. When they were older (as in the crimebuster series, like in this volume, the characters of the trio seems changing drastically and not natural). Well, I know as The Three Investigators series are written by some different authors. But the crimebuster series are such flop I guess.

[Mick]

I first read this books when I was a kid. As food for a developing mind it was interesting enough, opening my eyes to things like car thieves, chop shops, cars (alternator vs converter anyone?), american dating culture amd more. Cant speak objectively about it as I can remember much of it now, but im glad i read it.

[Muspitta · Rating 4 out of 5]

serial crime buster menurut aku sih jauh lebih keren daripada yang lama. karakter disini tampak nyata dan casenya juga lebih ke yang rasional.
komplotan pencuri mobil mewah ini cerita akhirnya bener2 gak ketebak, kasian juga sih lihat Jupe kehilangan mobilnya gitu

[Mia Yunita · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sama aja. Ga gitu rame

[Vimal · Rating 3 out of 5]

super supence

[Literavy · Rating 3 out of 5]

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