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Skeleton Key (novel)
Encyclopedia
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.
at Wimbledon
. There, he finds that the Chinese Triad gang "Big Circle" is fixing matches. He foils the plot, but soon becomes a target and barely survives an attempt on his life while surfing on vacation with a friend, Sabina Pleasure. For his safety, both MI6 and the CIA send him with CIA agents Tom Turner (Glen Carver in the US version) and Belinda Troy to the Cuba
n island of "Cayo Esqueleto" (Spanish for "Skeleton Key") to investigate General Alexei Sarov. Alex learns that Sarov recently purchased nuclear material, and the CIA is concerned about what will happen next.
To enter Sarov's mansion, Turner and Troy go scuba diving
. When they do not return, Alex dives as well and is captured by Sarov's henchman, Conrad. Sarov tells Alex that he plans to detonate the nuclear bomb at Murmansk
(Мурманск in Russian), in an abandoned shipyard of nuclear submarines. The nuclear fallout will force President of Russia Boris Kiriyenko out of power and lead to Russia reclaiming glory lost during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Sarov also wishes to adopt Alex as his son, as he reminds Sarov of his own son who was killed in action
in Afghanistan
whilst serving in the Soviet army.
When the plane they are traveling in stops at Edinburgh Airport
, Alex uses a stun grenade (courtesy of Smithers at MI6) to distract Conrad. A security guard called George Prescott, however, grabs Alex's phone as he tries to call the police. Sarov quickly recaptures Alex and kills Prescott. At Murmansk, Sarov plants the bomb and ties Alex up due to his earlier escape attempt. Alex escapes; Conrad tries to kill him, but Alex avoids Conrad and kills him with a giant magnetic crane used to lift the bomb. (Conrad had numerous pieces of metal inside his body, which were powerfully attracted to the magnet.) He then removes the detonation card from the bomb. The Russian army
arrives and starts fighting Sarov's men. When Alex tells Sarov that he would rather die than become Sarov's son, Sarov commits suicide
.
In the final chapter of the novel, it is told that when Alex explained his predicament to George Prescott, Prescott took the phone from Alex but he never hung up. As a result, the police hear the conversation but don't believe Alex. When Prescott's body is found, the police are notified. The police then alerted MI6 and the Russians. Alex is depressed after having seen Sarov shoot himself. Alex's friend from Wimbledon, Sabina Pleasure, visits Alex and invites him on holiday with her family in France
for a couple of weeks, cheering Alex up.
Alex Rider
Alex Rider is a series of spy novels by British author Anthony Horowitz about a 14-15 year old spy named Alex Rider. The series is aimed primarily at young adults. Nine novels have been published to date, as well as three graphic novels, three short stories and a supplementary book...
written by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
. The book was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on July 8, 2002 and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on April 28, 2003.
Plot
At the request of MI6 agent John Crawley, Alex becomes a ball boyBall Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
. There, he finds that the Chinese Triad gang "Big Circle" is fixing matches. He foils the plot, but soon becomes a target and barely survives an attempt on his life while surfing on vacation with a friend, Sabina Pleasure. For his safety, both MI6 and the CIA send him with CIA agents Tom Turner (Glen Carver in the US version) and Belinda Troy to the Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n island of "Cayo Esqueleto" (Spanish for "Skeleton Key") to investigate General Alexei Sarov. Alex learns that Sarov recently purchased nuclear material, and the CIA is concerned about what will happen next.
To enter Sarov's mansion, Turner and Troy go scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
. When they do not return, Alex dives as well and is captured by Sarov's henchman, Conrad. Sarov tells Alex that he plans to detonate the nuclear bomb at Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
(Мурманск in Russian), in an abandoned shipyard of nuclear submarines. The nuclear fallout will force President of Russia Boris Kiriyenko out of power and lead to Russia reclaiming glory lost during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Sarov also wishes to adopt Alex as his son, as he reminds Sarov of his own son who was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
whilst serving in the Soviet army.
When the plane they are traveling in stops at Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is located at Turnhouse in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, and was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2010, handling just under 8.6 million passengers in that year. It was also the sixth busiest airport in the UK by passengers and the fifth busiest by aircraft movements...
, Alex uses a stun grenade (courtesy of Smithers at MI6) to distract Conrad. A security guard called George Prescott, however, grabs Alex's phone as he tries to call the police. Sarov quickly recaptures Alex and kills Prescott. At Murmansk, Sarov plants the bomb and ties Alex up due to his earlier escape attempt. Alex escapes; Conrad tries to kill him, but Alex avoids Conrad and kills him with a giant magnetic crane used to lift the bomb. (Conrad had numerous pieces of metal inside his body, which were powerfully attracted to the magnet.) He then removes the detonation card from the bomb. The Russian army
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are the military services of Russia, established after the break-up of the Soviet Union. On 7 May 1992 Boris Yeltsin signed a decree establishing the Russian Ministry of Defence and placing all Soviet Armed Forces troops on the territory of the RSFSR...
arrives and starts fighting Sarov's men. When Alex tells Sarov that he would rather die than become Sarov's son, Sarov commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
In the final chapter of the novel, it is told that when Alex explained his predicament to George Prescott, Prescott took the phone from Alex but he never hung up. As a result, the police hear the conversation but don't believe Alex. When Prescott's body is found, the police are notified. The police then alerted MI6 and the Russians. Alex is depressed after having seen Sarov shoot himself. Alex's friend from Wimbledon, Sabina Pleasure, visits Alex and invites him on holiday with her family in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for a couple of weeks, cheering Alex up.