- Title: The Mystery of the Singing Serpent
- wiki: link
Throwback Thursday takes us back to a mystery involving the Three Investigators whose mantra of “We Investigate Everything” leads them to uncover a secret cult who worship a singing serpent. The case comes to Jupiter, Pete, and Bob by way of neighbor Allie Jamison, who would later reappear in one other novel in the series. Blackmailing the trio by threatening to reveal their clubhouse to Jupiter’s Aunt Matilda, Allie wants the Three Investigators to look into her own aunt’s creepy house guest which slowly reveals her aunt’s role in The Fellowship of the Lower Circle that promises each member’s wishes will be answered by an evil spirit… for a price.
The title and memorable cover of the novel both come from the Fellowship’s secret meetings and a singing snake which appears when summoned by the head of the group. The entire enterprise is nothing more than an elaborate con to bilk some wealthy locals, but the fear Aunt Pat fears when someone she wanted otherwise occupied on a specific date is physically attacked, that is quite real.
Most of the novel involves first understanding what the Fellowship is, which includes the trio sneaking into one of their meetings allowing them to see the snake for themselves. After that point, the goal is how to protect both Allie and Aunt Pat from the villainous con men who grow impatient with Pat not offering tribute to the group. Complicating things is the household’s new housekeeper who knows far more about what’s going on as the novel’s red herring who will help settle things in the end with a bit of mystical misdirection of his own. Despite the limits of technology involving the con, the novel has aged quite well as the Three Investigators are able to close another unusual case.