Reviews (8)

Great Story, But Gives Rise To Concerns For Chet
The original edition of this book was a great teen mystery story involving a holiday outing and a stolen stamp collection. However this (and several other of the Hardy series) give rise to concern for Chet Morton's health. Repeatedly described as "plump," Chet had great affection for "good food and plenty of it." Chet avoided exercise (unlike boxer Biff Hooper), and this and his propensity to consume were the formula for serious health problems. During the era in which this story was set (and this is also true of the 1956 edition, which wasn't as good as the original), health consciousness was not robust in the Barmet Bay and other areas. Fat and sugar consumption were high, with liberal use of butter and rich fatty sauces. The meals Chet (who appointed himself cook, on the Cabin Island holiday outing) prepared were loaded with cholesterol, as it appears the Hardys and their friends only ate for taste, pleasure and convenience -- not for health. It's sad to contemplate how Chet ended up in later life, given the atrocious eating and dietary habits he exhibited throughout the Hardy series. Let's hope he woke up before it was too late, and he had advanced into irreparable heart disease from his eating. And Iola too.

One Of The Better Revisions
This review concerns the revised 1966 edition. Frank, Joe, Chet and Biff receive permission from Elroy Jefferson to spend their Christmas holiday at his cabin on Cabin Island. Mr. Jefferson also asks for the boys' help in finding his missing grandson. While staying at the cabin, the boys find clues which lead them to believe that a valuable medal collection, stolen from Mr. Jefferson two years ago, is located somewhere on the island. However, before they can find the medals, they must deal with an unscrupulous criminal intent on finding the collection himself and a strange ghost inhabiting the island. This is probably one of the better revisions (I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, if they gave half star ratings); the story closely follows that of the original volume and, while the excellent writing of the original is gone, the book still wasn't written badly. The mystery isn't bad; although, the whole ghost part wasn't very interesting and could have been easily left out. I would recommend reading the original, if possible, but the revision wasn't bad either.

Perhaps The Best Written Of The Books
This review concerns the original 1929 edition. While spending the Christmas holiday on Cabin Island with their chums, Chet and Biff, Frank and Joe Hardy stumble upon a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a valuable stamp collection. The mystery related in this book, though interesting, is average. It is the writing that makes this book a joy to read. The scenes are so well described that one could almost picture oneself there at that time and the language used hasn't been dumbed down like in many of the recent volumes. The action is well-paced and it didn't feel as though the mystery was solved too quickly. This was a great book, definately worth reading.

Mystery Of Cabin Island
This was my 3rd book and my best. I like the plot, and it's hard to tell the outcome of the ending, even though I found out. I got this book from Boise's library, and it was dirty, old, but terrific. No wonder so many people liked it if the book's the way it is now. The ghost part is the least exciting, I'd have to say. But there are so many good parts it's hard to choose which one is the best!!! So if you want a good mystery and action book, this beats all other mystery and action stuff, guaranteed!!!

One of the best Hardy Boys stories
It's Christmas time in Bayport and the Boys and their chums are enjoying themselves iceboating out on Barmet Bay. They decide to explore lonely s Cabin Island but are chased away by a surly stranger (Hanliegh). On the way back, they nearly come to ruin in an accident with another iceboat manned by Tad Carson and Ike Nash, a pair of obnoxious bullies.

Heading home from this near disaster, they find a message from Elroy Jefferson (who's car they recovered in The Shore Road Mystery). They head over to Jefferson's posh digs to collect a reward and obtain permission to camp out on Jefferson's Cabin Island retreat over the Christmas school holiday.

The Boys along with Chet and Biff head out to the island on their iceboats and have an unpleasant encounter with Ike and Tad, who are in cahoots with Hanliegh. They chase Hanliegh off the island and settle in for some rousing winter adventures. Soon, they find their supplies stolen and head to the nearest town to get more from elderly storekeeper, Amos Grice, and, incidentally, discover from him that Jefferson had a valuable stamp collection stolen many years ago.

Back at the island, they have more adventures, discover a notebook dropped by Hanliegh indicating that the stolen stamps are hidden in the chimney of the cabin. They make a search and, surprise, find nothing.

Later, during a howling blizzard, they are forced to rescue Hanliegh who has come to grief in an iceboat accident. The storm increases in intensity, finally blowing down the chimney of the old cabin. Searching through the rubble, the Boys discover the stamp collection which miraculously has escaped any damage whatsoever despite being walled into a chimney over a huge fireplace for more than twenty years. They return the stamps to Jefferson and pick up yet another reward and Jefferson's offer to let them use his Cabin Island retreat any time they want.

Comments: This tale appears on almost everyone's list of favorite Hardy Boys stories and with good reason. The story is well written and paced and the prose is charmingly evocative and descriptive. One can almost picture oneself ice-boating and camping along with the Boys and their chums.

The mystery is, as usual, solved pretty much by dumb luck (aided by the infamous foul weather that seems to plague Bayport) but this doesn't take away from the excitement and mystery presented here.

The action is not too far removed from that which a teenage detective could accomplish. The villians are bad but not too bad and the mystery not too difficult to solve.

As in a few other of the earlier stories, the Boys arm themselves in this book (this time with rifles) and, although they threaten to use them, no shootings take place (except for a hapless fox who meets his demise in a totally extraneous sequence.)

Apparently the accident with the iceboat shook up Frank more than he cared to admit because the suggestion to go camping had to be made twice to him! When the suggestion was made the second time, Frank acts like he never heard of such a thing before - oh well!

I'm glad to note that, for once, the Boys' chums got a share of the reward but sadly there was no lip-smacking feast to cap off the Boys triumph in this case!

The revised version of this story by Andrew Svenson sticks close to the plot of the original and although the charm of McFarlane's prose is completely lost, it still ranks among the best of the revisions. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Worst Book Of The First Ten
This review concerns the original 1929 edition. An elderly lady seeks Fenton Hardy's assistence in locating her twin brother who disappeared shortly after an accident. Meanwhile, Frank, Joe, Chet and Biff travel up the coast to camp at some caves where mysterious things are occuring. This book is easily the worst of books 1-10. The writing (language used, descriptive scenes, etc.) is excellent, like in all of the early originals; however the writing is the only saving grace of this book and the only real reason to read it. The plot is weak and their is no real mystery. There is only one criminal in the book. He is captured on page 139 and the manner in which he is captured was the second most pathetic way that I have seen in all of the Hardy Boys books that I have read; the worst being the criminal in #76 "Game plan For Disaster" that the Hardy's find already tied up on a motel room floor. Unfortunately for Frank and joe they had to tie the guy up this time, but; otherwise, it was somewhat similar. The book contains too many ridiculous coincidences. The Hardys are supposed to be miles from Bayport, yet when they look for a passing motorist to take the criminal to the police station in Bayport, not only is the very first car they stop going to Bayport, the driver is someone the Hardy's know. If that wasn't enough, a similar situation happens later in the book. The reader is left to figure out the explanation of the strange happenings at the caves because it is never explained. This book is worth reading for the writing, but that's about it.

What Was The Author Thinking?
This review concerns the revised 1964 edition. A young girl asks Mr. Hardy, Frank and Joe to find her brother, a young university professor, who recently disappeared. A clue left by the professor leads Frank, Joe, Chet and Biff to the Honeycomb Caves, not far from Bayport, where the boys discover a connection to Mr Hardy's other case involving sabotage at a new radar station in Bayport. I don't know what the author of the revised edition was thinking; he/she took the original edition, that was already not very good, largely rewrote it, stripped away the only really good thing about the original (its rich language and descriptiveness) and made an already dull book even worse. This is a bad book with a boring mystery and not much action. If you're determined to read this title, read the original if you can, neither one is very good, but at least the original was well written.

The cave collapsed.
I think this book is the worst Hardy Boys book ever.This book is so poor I think it wasn't even made by Franklin W. Dixon.I would give it one star but I have to give it some credit.Listen to me and don't get this book.

My Hardy Boys #7 Review
I think this book is a great read for everybody, young and old.I especially liked the part where they meet the retired sea captain in the cave,and at first he is cool with Chet, Biff, Joe and Frank, then they return and he gets all aggressive with them.To sum it up, this book, The Secret Of The Caves is an awesome book.
Go read it!

Fine
This review refers to the original text. The book did not live up to its appealing title and is over rated. While it ranks as one of the best volumes in the set, it ranks among the worst of the early volumes. There is actually one criminal Carl Schaum, captured on page 59. Outside of the brothers going through the caves during the middle chapters the book was rather medicore. The revision (1964) was horrible. Still the book is a definite read as are all the early volumes. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Better Than The Original Edition
This review concerns the revised 1967 edition. Mr. Hardy asks Frank and Joe to "break into" the house of a neighbour and retrieve a secret invention to prevent it from being stolen by a gang of thieves he is currently investigating. Later, at a party at Chet's home, Joe is kidnapped at the stroke of midnight. Frank, along with some friends, must find Joe and learn why he was kidnapped; as well, the Hardy's have to keep the gang from stealing the invention. Personally, I preferred this edition to the original. The original edition was better written; although, that is true in most cases. However, I found that revised edition had a more interesting mystery and it had a lot more action. I don't consider this book to be one of the best of the series, but it is far from being one of the worst.

An Average Book
This review concerns the original 1931 edition. At the stroke of midnight, Joe is kidnapped from a party at the Morton farm and Frank and his chums set out, not only to find Joe, but to discover why he was kidnapped. I'd more accurately give the book a rating of 3.5 stars. The writing, like with all previous volumes, is excellent and the mystery is alright, but the book doesn't quite live up to the intriguing title. Mr. Hardy does not make an appearance in the book as he is said to be on a case out West and, in my opinion, his omission only hurts the story. Most readers would probably not rate this book as one of their favorites in the set, but they probably wouldn't rate it as one of their least favorites either.

the amazing book
This book is about a secret invention that has to be taken good care of while Mr.Hardy and the inventor are out of town. While the hardy boys are protecting it throughout the book ,many things happen and happen to them. Then finally near the end they arest people of the smuggler/kidnapper gang and get a clue as they go along.Read it and find out what happens in the end.my opinion about the book is that it is very interesting and entertaining. I like it because as you go along it gives you a clue and makes you think like a investagator. Then in the end it all comes together and you get the whole meaning of everything.

The best Hardy Boys book I've ever read!
Okay, so I only read The Tower Treasure, Hunting for Hidden Gold, Tthe Mystery of Cabin Island and The Clue of the Broken Blade, bu this is the best book I have read so far! They must get into their neighbor's house to take an invetion before thieves get it, then they have to find Joe (one of the Hardys) that the theives captured! When Joe was kidnapped in the car, he heared one of the gang's name was Chris. They follow chris through NYC, then they meet up with Keith, the investigator. Frank plays the role of "Youngster", a fake name, by pretending he is part opf the gang, to visit Shorty, one of the gang memebers, and make him spill the beans! This a a great book! Here are my ratings for the hardy series I have read:

Best to Least...

What Happened at Midnight
The Clue of the Broken Blade
Hunting for Hidden Gold
The Tower Treasure
The Mystery of Cabin Island

You may also like Nancy Drew because Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew are extremely similar, with the "look" of the books, except different colors, of course. Too bad there isn't a Hardy Boys software game!

A Twisted and Awesome Book
In this book Frank & Joe Are told by thier father to break into a house and get something before a group of thieves steal it Unfortunately while the Hardys are trying to get the object the thieves come and the Hardys are forced to knock them one. They find more and more suspects until they find the head leader named Taffy Marr.In about the middle Joe gets kidnapped and is left in a cave across a body of water from Bayport. And to gather evidence they somehow always run into a suspect and shadow them. ... Read more

Book Description

In this book, originally published in 1934, the search for a stolen boat leads the Hardy Boys to Mexico where they become involved with a band of Indians and a strange smuggling operation. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Mexican Adventure With The Hardy Boys
This review refers to the original 1934 version written by Leslie McFarlane.
The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe, along with their dad, Fenton, travel to Mexico to locate a missing witness in oil stock swindle.
Along the way, they rescue a kidnapped Mexican boy and get invited to his father's hacienda, where they meet a mysterious Yaqui Indian who aids them on their quest.
All the threads come together as the Boys and their father are captured by the murderous Vincenzo and his band of cut-throats.

There's plenty of action and adventure here as the Hardy Boys battle their way free and solve the case!

Danger South of the Border
Frank and Joe are out in their motor boat when they have a run in with a man in another boat driving recklessly. Searching for him again, they find the boat abandoned and spot what looks like a submarine. Meanwhile, there father has started a new case. A bookkeeper, the star witness in a stock [problem] case, has disappeared, and Mr. Hardy must find him. Soon, the trails lead the Hardys down to Mexico, where they must use all their skills to track the men into the wilderness. But what will they find when they get there?

I always wanted to read this book as a kid (something about the name attracted me), but never got around to it. Finally reading it as an adult, I enjoyed being back in the Hardys' presence. Frank and Joe are still able to entertain, although I must admit they couldn't quite mystify as much as they did when I was a kid. Still, their fans will love this adventure with plenty of danger, excitement, and close calls. Not to mention a wonderful escape scene near the end.

These books have captured the imagination of generations of boys for a reason - the adventure. This book will keep readers glued to the page to find out what happens next to their heroes.

Above Average
This review concerns the revised 1967 edition. The Hardys and Chet go to Mexico to search for a missing witness in a stock-fraud case on which Mr. Hardy is working. Their search takes them to the desert and mountain regions of Baja California; where they come upon a village terrorized by a mysterious symbol carved into the doors of peoples homes and a ruthless criminal who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Much of the beginning of this book is similar to the original; however, the ending has been completely rewritten. The book is rather good and I would actually give it 3 1/2 stars. There is a moderate amount of action and the plot is interesting. I found the book made good use its mexican setting and the writing was fairly descriptive. It was a good book that is definately worth reading.

An Entertaining Adventure
This review concerns the original 1934 edition. The search for a missing witness leads Frank, Joe and Mr. Hardy to Mexico. I'd more accurately give the book 3.5 stars. The book; although not quite as well written as earlier volumes, was loaded with action and adventure. Chapters 15-23 were very good; however the final two chapters were a major letdown, as the mystery was resolved much too soon. One thing that I did not like about the book was that after the first few of chapters, none of the Hardy's friends were included in the mystery. But still, it was a good book; definately worth reading.

A scary adventure!
Frank and Joe try to help stop the kidnapping in this mystery. Every time someone got kidnapped there was a strange mark on the door of there house. Then the Hardy Boys find out what the sign means and solves the mystery!I think you should buy this book if you like adveture, mystery, and a little vilonce. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Another Good Hardy Boys Book
This review concerns the original 1930 edition. Frank and Joe are arrested following the theft of valuable mail bags from the airport and must track down the real thieves in order to clear their names. While there is nothing spectacular about this book to make it stand out from the rest, it is by no means a bad book. The mystery is interesting and there is a decent amount of action. One thing that I did like about this book was that the criminals were featured prominently thoughout the book, unlike in some other volumes where Frank and Joe don't come across the criminals until the last few pages. Many readers will find it odd that the Hardys and their friends graduate from high school in this book (especially since in #10, they are back in high school), apparently, with the beginning of the Great Depression, the author must have been unsure as to whether or not the series would continue. This is an above average book any Hardy Boys fan would enjoy reading.

An Interesting Book
This review concerns the revised 1965 edition. Mr. Hardy asks Frank and Joe to help him on a case concerning the theft of platinum containing electronic parts from company called Stanwide. Frank and Joe go undercover at the company to find out who is behind the thefts and soon find a number of suspects. They also find another mystery about the ghost of Clint Hill, Stanwide's chief pilot, who died in a plane crash at sea, who has been harassing one of the company's employees. This was a rather interesting book; I thought that it had one of the better plots of the books in the series. The book had plenty of action and the Hardys came into contact with the criminals quite often. I liked the part where the Hardys went undercover at Stanwide; unfortunately, it was much too short. I was a little disappointed with the ending. I found it to be rather quick and I thought that the Hardys were able to find the criminals too easily. Also, the "surprise" at the end of the book wasn't much of a surprise. Mostly; however, I enjoyed the book and I think that any Hardy Boys fan would like it.

A must read!
I came upon this book when I was doing a book report for Language Arts class. The book is called The Great Airport Mystery. In the book valuable eletronic parts containing Platinum are being stolen from shipments from Sanwide Mining Eqipment Companys cargo planes. Frank and Joe Hardy are called to take the case. They become suspicous because there is a ghost lurking around of Clint Hill. They end up at a mountain top in Montana. With a danger filled showdown. Frank And Joe walked down the hill towards the cabin. Joe looked through a hole in the cabin and saw.....you will have to read the book to find out what happens o.k. . I hope you will read this book it is very funny,intruiging,and adventures.

Hardy Boys Strike Again!
The Hardy Boys and their father are involved in a wreck with an airplane.All of the Hardy family is knocked out.When they awaken they are off on another adventure.Yhe Hardy family wind up being accused of robbong an airport.They dodge arrest and put
their investigative skills to work.They turn the tables on the forces of evil by catching the bad guys in the act of robbing another airport.The Hardy Boys prevail again.In the Hardy Boys
books the good guys always win.I plan to buy the Hardy Boys books for my new grandson.

CLINT HILL MYSTERY
The Hardy Boys The Great Plane Mystery
Franklin W. Dixon
Reviewed by S. Teran
Period 5

In the beginning of this book, the Hardy boys and their father were trying to get to their house in Bayport after they accidentally took a wrong turn. As they were going through a field, they heard a low pitched droning. They decided to ignore it. A few seconds later, out of no where, a plane came flying at them. They tried to dodge it but the wheel of the plane hit the roof of the car. The car flipped and everyone was knocked out cold. After about 10 minutes or so, they woke up unhurt but their car was almost totaled. Since the Hardys were used to the unexpected, they just went on. The next day, the Hardys flew a helicopter back to the area where they got hit by the plane. They found a shack that would normally be hidden to the naked eye in the forest. Just as they found it, a weird voice came over the radio speakers. It eerily said, "You can not escape the dead person, you know who this is, this is Clint Hill." The next day the Hardys got jobs at Stanwide, a computer/plane/helicopter industry, where Clint Hill last worked. Their jobs were to deliver notes and packages to other parts of the plant. After work and with permission, the Hardys took a helicopter out to the same location. Just as they were about to land, a tornado came towards the helicopter. The winds were too strong and forced them to crash land. No one was hurt but the helicopter was damaged beyond repair. The boys looked for clues until they saw a camouflage tarp covering a cave. Behind it, they found Clint Hill's plane. The Hardys flew to an island off the shores of a lake in Montana. There they found barrels of aviation fuel. They also found a shack like the one at Bayport. At the shack, they saw two people, Anchor and Barney. They were pilots for Stanwell. These two men were up to no good. Before they knew it, the Hardys were captured and thrown into a shack. Once the trap door opened, sleeping gas filed the room which knocked out the Hardy boys. Anchor called all the other pilots who were involved in the smuggling to come to this Island. The pilot, who flew the Hardy boys to this island, got worried and went looking for them. He found the shack and he also fell into the trap door. He was only stunned by the gas. He was able to get the boys out and call for help. He called Mr. Allen, the president of Stanwell, to come to the island. Upon arriving, Mr. Allen was shocked to see platinum and Clint Hill's crashed plane. This plane had crashed off the Cuban shores about 10 years ago. Meanwhile, the police were chasing Anchor, Peterson, and Rodax. The police eventually caught them and interrogated them for 3 days. They told the police of their hide out, the platinum and of the rest of the people who were involved in the smuggling. Mr. Allen had congratulated the Hardys on their findings and was told that someone wanted to talk to them back at Stanwell. They walked into the office and saw Clint Hill. He told the Hardys that 10 years ago, Peterson, who was the command pilot, left him stranded after the plane crashed. He was stranded in Cuba all this time. He explained that the eerie message over the radio wasn't him. It was just Peterson trying to scare people.
I liked this book so much is because it is a Mystery book. I really like Mystery books because the authors always keep you on the edge of your seat. For example, when the mysterious voice came over the radio, it said, "You can not escape the person you have killed." That part crept me out so much. I also liked this book because once I started to reading it, I couldn't stop. Before I knew about Mystery books, I never wanted to have anything to do with reading a book. The only time I would read a book is when one of my teachers would make us read or if they were instructional books on how to play Nintendo games. Franklin W. Dixon, the author of these Hardy boys mysteries, always seems to write amazing storylines.
There really was nothing that I didn't like about this book. If anything, it was just too short of a book.
My favorite part of this book is right in the beginning. It all started when the Hardys were taking a short cut through the plains when they heard a low pitch sound off in the distance. They decided to ignore it and continue as usual. The low pitched sound kept on getting louder as if it was getting closer, but of course, they still ignored it. Finally, Mr. Hardy got scared and turned off his headlights only to find another pair of lights going overhead. Something hit the top of the car to make it flip. Then the headlights mysteriously vanished. ... Read more

Book Description

Reader t.b.a.
approx. 3 hours
2 cassettes

Afer a dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stashed "in the tower" the Hardy Boys make an astonishing discover. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Suspense, Mystery
This was a fairly good Hardy Boys book. Can't say it is the best though because other books have more suspense, mystery. However, this book was the first and therefore did not need to be the best. Frank and Joe Hardy are the sons of celebrated detective Fenton Hardy. Apparently even though it does not go into details, they just helped them on a case. They hear that the Tower Mansion, one of the bigges houses in town has been robbed. They find out that the suspected is one of their best friend's dad Henry Robinson. Using a lot of brainwork because of a deficit of details they figure out the solution of the mystery. To find out what it is, read it.

Who stole Chet's hot rod?
This review is of the 1959 Revised Version of "The Tower Treasure". The first 38 titles in the series were revised over the course of 15 years (some with minor changes, others were completely re-written). "The Tower Treasure" is the first Hardy Boys mystery.

Starting out with Frank and Joe trying to track down the thief who stole the beloved yellow "hot rod" of their friend Chet Morton, the Hardy brothers find themselves in the midst of their first real mystery to investigate. The brothers discover the disguise the thief must have used. This leads them to seek help from their father, the famous investigator Fenton Hardy. Fenton and the boys suspect that there may be a connection to the recent robbery at the Tower mansion where the only suspect is the father of their friend, Slim. Neither Frank nor Joe believes that Slim's father could have possibly committed the crime and they are committed to clear his name before Slim's family is ruined.

I remember when I was much younger and was the age of the target audience of this novel. I could not get enough of the Hardy Boys and read each of the books several times over. Reading them a decade and a half later, I can still easily understand my obsession with the stories. "The Tower Treasure" is fast paced, interesting, and has a mystery that is begging to be solved (though this is one that can't necessarily be solved by the reader before the brothers solve it). It is fun to read through the Hardy Boys, and this is a good, clean, young adult adventure story (the series is more adventure than young adult). I can only hope that when I have children that they will enjoy the Hardy Boys as much as I did.

-Joe Sherry

Adventure books for kids
I read these books as a kid, they were written starting from the nineteen twenties. Our twelve year son old enjoys them now, and I expect that our eight year old will enjoy them in the future. They're a good alternative to Harry Potter, where magic and power over grownups plays the dominant role (the Hardy Boys more or less compete in skill with their father as detectives, although parents rarely appear in the stories). The Carolyn Keene mystery stories (Nancy Drew) are also equally good for both boys and girls, and could have been written by the same author! Even better, if you can find them: Ellery Queen Jr.'s mysteries (The Brown Fox Mystery, The Red Chipmunk Mystery, and three others).

How I got onto these books: my mother ordered and sold them from our office equipment business in a small Kentucky town in the fifties.

Start of a Legacy
The Series: In 1927, Franklin W. Dixon launched the "Hardy Boys" books, a series of books telling of the exploits of Frank and Joe Hardy, the sons of a big-city detective. The Hardy boys lived out in the country and, with their friends, loved following in their father's sleuthing footsteps. The result was a set of wonderful amateur detective stories that I read as fast I could find when I was a kid. The Hardy Boys helped launch me on my lifelong reading binge.

This book: This was the first of the Hardy Boys mysteries. We get introduced to all the characters and are quickly thrown into a mystery involving a dying man's confession and buried treasure. Well-written, fast-paced, and just plain likable, this is a great book-gift for the young reader.

What a Treasure!
I choose Tower Treasure because my teacher recommended it because I told her I was interested in mystery books,and it was a good choice.
This book is about two young teenage boys who want to be detectives like their father.They are out to solve a mystery of stolen jewels.This is a mystery they want to solve quick to clear a friend's father who is innocent.During their journey they find many clues,but to find out the amazing ending you'll have to read it.
I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy mystery books.It is exciting as you near the end,but you have to give it a chance in the beginning.I'm sure you'll enjoy this mystery book. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Bill Irwin
approx. 3 hours
2 cassettes

Determined to learn the secret of the old mill, Frank and Joe employ a clever use to gain entrance and become trapped.There they unravel two mysteries, one involving a counterfeiting case and the other, a national security case their father is working on. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The Best Hardy Boys Book
My favorite Hardy Boys book is the Secret of the Old Mill. I loved the part when Ken Blake fell into the river and Frank and Joe jumped into the river to save Ken Blake. I also loved the part when Frank, Joe, and Chet were in the Sleuth and Frank pulled the wires from the engine to stop the boat. I think that the Secret of the Old Mill is the best Hardy Boys book I have read.

the action story
Hi my name is Ryan.The Secret of the Old Mill is a really good book.In the story Frank and Joe descover conterfeit $20 dollar bills and a company called Eleckton is making them.The hardys drive over in the Queen and Frank and Joe descover a secret door.Will Frank and Joe solve the conterfeit mystery? Read the book to find out.I recomend this book for people who like stories with a lot of excitement.

Can the counterfeiters be stopped before they fleece Bayport
This review is of the 1962 Revised Version of "The Secret of the Old Mill". The first 38 titles in the series were revised over the course of 15 years (some with minor changes, others were completely re-written). "The Secret of the Old Mill" is the third Hardy Boys mystery.

Counterfeit money is being passed around Bayport. Chet Morton, the best friend of the Hardys, makes change of twenty dollars for a stranger and when he tries to purchase a microscope he learns that the bill is counterfeit. When the boys bring the bill into the police station, they learn that the chief has known about the counterfeits being passed but is keeping it quiet so as to not alert the criminals. The Hardys start some investigating on their own. Threats are made to the Hardys telling them to get off the case; but are the threats about the counterfeit case or the secret mystery that their father, Fenton Hardy, is investigating?

Reading the Hardy Boys as an adult is a nostalgic pleasure. I loved these books as a child and remember so much from when I read them years ago. What makes these books special is that I can enjoy them almost as much now as I did back then. "The Secret of the Old Mill" remains a good Hardy Boys mystery and a great story. It is fast paced and always interesting. I remember that after I read this book as a child, I started checking all of my money (such as it was) to see if it was counterfeit. That's the mark of a good story, that it can make a child interested in what is around him and comparing it to what was learned in the book.

-Joe Sherry

The Heart Pounding action Packed book!
On a scale from one star to five stars, I would rate this book a four star. It had a lot of action-packed chapters but it ended too soon. An action packed story should have a sequel to it. This book just drops the subject like all of the other Hardy Boy books and goes to the next book. For instance, this book goes onto "The Missing Chums". Even though the Hardy Boys books have a separate mystery, it would be nice if each book had at least one sequel to it. Overall, this book is really great to read. I recommend this book for early readers and for book reports. The reading level of this book is not hard to read, but it isn't too easy either. It's all evened out. Franklin W. Dixon knows how to write action.

Heart Poundin' Action Packed Book!
This book is a really suspensefull book though but overall, it is very good! I recommend it for kids who are starting to read. Franklin W. Dixon really knows how to write good novels. ... Read more

Book Description

... Read more

Reviews (10)

[my] Opinion
This is the first Hardy Boys book that I ever read. It was very enjoyable to read. Some parts of the book are more exciting than others. Like when they Hardy Boys went to South America to look for a spy.
I would recommend this book to kids my age and older that likes adventure and mystery.
This book was good enough to make me want to check out the rest of the series.

Exciting Mystery
Frank and Joe Hardy are driving by the MicroEye plant in Bayport when they spot someone trying to break in. Foiling that only leads them to more questions. Who is trying to steal secrets from the plant? Then they rescue a man who jumped overboard from a ship, only to have him run off when they reach land with a mysterious warning about "footprints." Mr. Hardy is out of reach on a case of his own, but important papers of his are stolen from the house. The Hardys have few clues, but they follow them doggedly on a trail that leads them to South America and brings them plenty of danger.

I remembered enjoying this book as a kid, and rereading it, I found I enjoyed it again. There is so much happening here, it's almost hard to keep it all straight. And it's certainly hard to figure out how all the pieces will fit together. Yet everything is skillfully woven together in the end for a breathtaking and logical climax.

The Hardys are always good for some exciting escapist fun, and this book is no exception.

CAUTION: Chinese Racial Stereotypes!
This review is for the Applewood 1930's text reprint. This story is probably not for the young, it should be read with the understanding that it was written in the 1930's. It is a decent mystery, but if you are offended by Charlie Chan movies you will want to read the revised re-written version from Grosset & Dunlap.

Not Much Better Than The Original
This review concerns the revised 1965 edition. Frank and Joe help the U.S. government foil a plot by a small South American island dictatorship to steal a top-secret spy camera. Anybody who read the summary to this book would think that the book was going to be really good, but; unfortunately, the summary was probably the most exciting part of the book. The plot sounds good on paper; however, I thought that the book lacked action and excitement and many of the events that sounded so good in the summary do not end up to be much at all. The revised edition is better than the original, which was a complete snore, but it isn't a good book either.

While The Clock Ticked
In all of those mystery books I had read, The Hardy Boys is the only kind I really interesting in, and in those Hardy Boys books the one I really love is While The Clock Ticked because I had it...^wink wink^...! ...
It was starting with a mysterious stranger apparently steals some of Mr. Hardy's papers from the Hardy home, suspicious events are occurring at the local Chinese laundry and one of Mr. Hardy's clients demands that his name be cleared of rumors that he is involved in smuggling Chinese immigrants. And there is going to be more action and interesting then what I just wrote. So I suggest you should check you this book. But the whole idea of the book is it focused heavily on the title that I liked and presented a fairly good mystery.
It is really good in the beginning, and terribly good at the end. All people like to read mystery books should check out this book but do not forget to check out all other Hardy Boys books, though. Because I know author Franklin W. Dixon did not write just one book but many of them. I heard others Hardy Boys from him are really good, too. And in a minute I am going to look for them online. So anyway, I recommend you should check them out and save them for your summer reading books. Enjoy reading them and have a fun summer, students from Mrs. Lenhardt's class. ... Read more

Book Description

Originally published in 1936, the 15th book in the Hardy Boys series continues the Applewood program of reissuing these nostalgic classics in facsimile editions.

Reviews (8)

Very Exciting
This review concerns the revised 1968 edition. Mr. Hardy, Frank and Joe are hired by Mr. Alden,the president of a company that makes experimental race cars and motors. Three of their drivers have had accidents while on test drives because the windshields of their cars suddenly went white and blocked their vision. Alden is afraid that someone is trying to sabotage his company and steal a top-secret experimental motor. The theft of Alden's race horse, Topnotch, further complicates the mystery. This book is quite good; it is packed with action, mystery and suspence. The plot is interesting and would probably appeal to most young readers and even older fans of the series. However, I am disappointed with the manner in which the criminals were captured. It was purely by dumb luck and reminded me of something that would have happened in an episode of Inspector Gadget. Also, I didn't like it that the Hardy's friends were largely ignored in this book; Chet is the only one used to any extent and even he isn't really involved in the mystery. Despite this, I did enjoy the book and I would recommend it to other fans.

AN OUTSTANDING PREFORMANCE
This book was terrific! I don't know about you but this was superb. Its was when a orange dragster bumps into the Hardy Boy's convertable. This leaves the Hardys mystified. Mr. Hardy talks to his sons about a mystery and wants his sons to help him solve his mystery. This is an enjoyable book.

One Of The Best
This review concerns the original 1936 edition. Suspicious events at a home in Bayport and the disappearance of a valuable race horse combine to make one of the most interesting and exciting Hardy Boys books. This book was great; well-written, well-paced, and the mystery was highly intriguing. This book has one of the best endings of all of the Hardy Boys books that I have read and is especially good from page 172 on. It's an excellent book that I would recommend to all Hardy Boys fans.

The Sinister Signpost: One of the most books of action
The plot of this book, (or even every page) is teriffic. I like racing cars, I like the fighting parts, and the adventure of finding the stolen horse, Topnotch. The most weird part of the book is the ability of creating Vilno's inventions. I can't believe that they could have such an extrordinary laser in those days, and I thought you could only make that today, or on some shows like Star Trek. But I really liked the sonic force. I just can't say how good this book was. Definetly read this terrific 15th book in Franklin W. Dixon's Hardy Boys series.

Hardy Boys The Sinister Signpost
The Hardy Boys The Sinister Signpost is about a person named Alden who thinks someone is stealing secrets about a motor. All of a sudden his horse Topnotch gets stolen and the criminal wants a ransom. Who is the criminal? Do the Hardy's catch him. Read the book to find out. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Average
Published in 1950, the was a fairly decent swift paced book. The volume had a decent plot and good mystery and there was considerable interaction between the criminals. This volume for some reason often reminds me of The Secret of Pirates Hill. The brothers try to find a family treasure lost during the Civil War. One of the more funny chapters Atomic Crackers appear around page 130. I find this an average volume perhaps leaning slightly on the better than average side. Certainly worth reading. RATED B-

A Pretty Good Mystery
This review concerns the original 1950 edition. Frank, Joe and Chet travel to the southern U.S. to help a retired general find a fortune lost during the civil war. This was a really good book; it was well written and had a lot of action. Two things that I liked about this book were that unlike some books where Frank and Joe have little contact with the criminals until the last chapters, in this book they were constantly running into the crooks, also, there was actually a mystery to solve in this book (the location of the treasure), instead of some other volumes where Frank and Joe are merely trying to capture a certain gang. This is a great book all Hardy Boys fans will enjoy.

The Secret of the Lost Tunnel
This oddly enough one of my favorite Hardy Boys book because of the post civil war connection and the southern stereotypes that are laughable at best. Obviously the writer had a limited at best knowlege of the south and this makes the book almost as comical to a true southerner as a fake southern accent in a movie or television. This oddly enough is the rule and not the exception in most of the hardy boys series. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

No Better Than The Original
This review concerns the revised 1965 edition. Frank and Joe are drawn into a new mystery when a blind peddler gives them a glass eye and a warning. Through the course of the mystery they are confronted with the theft of the Jeweled Siva, a valuable Oriental idol; an innovative hydrofoil speedboat; a terrified wealthy businessman and a health farm run by a mysterious doctor. You would think that all of this would make an interesting book, but it doesn't. This book rarely held my interest and many of the chapter endings did not make me want to read more. The book is completely different from the original written in the 1930s, but neither book is very good and it is obvious the author of the revised edition had to force the story to fit the title by dropping the line "a figure in hiding" in various places in the book, even though it sounds awkward everytime. The very end of the book is particularly bad. Without spoiling it for anyone who decides to read the book, you go from the criminals having the upper hand to them being caught in a matter of three short paragraphs. This is definately not one of the better Hardy Boys mysteries.

A 10 year old reader
Mr. DIXON died. I think people shoudn't critisize what he worked on so hard. But it doesn't have any mystery....but at least its good.

A Below Average Book
This review concerns the original 1937 edition. Frank and Joe aid their father in rounding up an unscrupulous, phony surgeon, who dupes his victims by promising miracle cures for their eyesight problems. The book is well-written and the action level isn't bad, but there is no real mystery to solve. Frank and Joe aren't trying to find out who did what, or where something is hidden or what this gang is up to; they are just trying to get evidence that this surgeon is a crook. For this reason, I found that the book never really made me curious to find out what was coming next. The book is really good from pages 192-204, but unfortunately that isn't enough to make this a great book. I'd only recoomend this one to true Hardy Boys fans.

CRAZY!!
THIS BOOK IS VERY WEIRD INDEED! HOW ANY SURGERIES CAN YOU DO ON YOUR FACE?!?!?

O.K.
This book was all right, but I would rate it below average compared to other volumes in the set. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Original Flickering Torch
After a brief absence, Leslie McFarlane returns for his second stint with "The Hardy Boys". He begins with a bang. The brothers are asked to investigate strange happenings at an Experimental Farm in Bayport. The majority of this book takes place at night and in part in underground tunnels. Unknown figures roaming about the farm hidden beneath black cloaks add an element of suspense. This book has a spooky feel and one that draws the reader from page to page. This book ranks among the series elite. RATED A

REVISION: The 1971 totally altered revision of this book with a completely new story was excellent, packed with pure suspense and a tough case to crack about two murders. Even the revision of this book ranks among my favorites and one of the best revisions in the series.

Don't Judge This One By It's Cover
This review concerns the revised 1971 edition. Frank and Joe investigate the deaths of two pilots after the planes that they were flying crashed into the cliffs at a nearby airport. This is a very interesting book with a really good plot. I enjoyed learning what the flickering torch really is and how it was connected to the rest of the case. This book is loaded with action and it kept me interested from the first page to the last. Ignore the awful cover on this book and read it anyway; you won't be disappointed.

An Average Hardy Boys Book
This review concerns the original 1943 edition. An elderly scientist comes to the Hardy home to seek Mr. Hardy's help in finding out who is stealing valuable silkworms from his lab. Mr. Hardy is busy on a case of government supplies being stolen from road construction sites, so Frank and Joe tackle the case for the scientist. Of course, the Experimental Farm where Frank and Joe had summer jobs is near the scientists home, and, oddly enough, a road construction site is also nearby. The book was a little slow going to start and I imagine many readers, after reading the first couple of chapters, would feel like giving up on the book, but it ended well. There is a moderate amount of action and the writing is good. One thing I didn't like about this book was that, aside from Aunt Gertrude and Mr. Hardy, none of the other main characters of the series played a prominent role in this book. This isn't the most thrilling book, but most readers would probably not feel like they wasted their time reading it.

Great Book
This is one of the greatest Hardy boy bnooks. It is about a scientist who comes to the Hardy's house and wants Fenton to find his stolen silkworms. Fenton however has tpo got away on another case and so Grable reluctantly lets the boys on the case. The boys are also working at the Experimental Farm where they meet some suspicoous characters. Then the Hardy's chum Dick Ames (who does appear in the Secret of Skull Mtn.) may come under suspiciion for a crime he didn't do. Read the rest to find out!!!!

Don't judge a book by it's cover
I loved this one. Don't judge it by it's cover. It sounds not very interesting, but it is one of the few volumes that has sort of a murder mystery at the heart of it's plot. The whole book keeps you in suspense trying to figure out what happened to two pilots killed in a plane crash from the first chapter on. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hardy Boys Forever....!!!!
Bayport is suffering a water shortage due to water from a newly constructed reservoir mysteriously disappearing at night. Deciding to take on this 'mystery' for a bit of fun, Frank and Joe Hardy along with their best friend Chet, soon find themselves the target of a sequence of deadly attacks to get them off the case.

You might find the writing style of the book a bit dated due to the age of the novel, but you will soon get 'sucked in' to the story disregarding the 'cornyness' of the style. It follows the basic layout of a Hardy Boy story, the most noticable being the case they are working on has something to do with the case their famous detective father, Fenton Hardy, is also working on in Chicago. Great for young readers and nostalgic value. RECOMMENDED TO ALL!!!

A mysterious book!
I enjoyed reading this book. It was pretty fun, adventurous, and mysterious. Like many of the other Hardy Boys books, it is fun and exciting and it is hard to put the book down after a few chapters.There is always something suprising at the end of each chapter. When I tell myself to read just one chapter, I end up reading the whole book instead! I think this book may be one of my favorite books in the whole Hardy Boys Series.I enjoyed this book mostly because it is pretty humorous in some parts when Frank and Joe trick Chet. Overall, I really enjoyed reading the book.

The Secret of Skull Mountain
This book was the best in the series. I have most of the hardy boys books. I love reading them. They are so exciting to read. I read one chapter a night before I went to bed and I couldn't put it down it's so exciting to read these books. My favorite part in the book was when they kept finding skulls on the ground, and in caverns and crevices. I would recomend this book to a person who likes mystery.

A Great Book
This review concerns the original 1948 edition and the revised 1966 edition. The revised edition follows the plot of the original and only had some events cut to eliminate some pages. Bayport is facing a water shortage when the newly constructed reservoir on Skull Mountain will not fill with water. The funny thing is that the water level in the reservoir rises during the day, but then it falls again at night. Frank, Joe and Chet camp out on Skull Mountain with two engineers to try to solve the mystery. Both editions are really great books; the original is well-written (the revised edition lost much of the rich language of the original, for that reason I'd rate it 4 stars), both have lots of interesting characters, a lot of action and an intriguing mystery. This book is what the series needed to get back on track following the extremely disappointing "The Phantom Freighter". Both books are really good; although, if possible, I'd recommend reading the original. I can't think that any Hardy Boys fan would find either of these books boring.

An A+ Hardy Boys Mystery
This is by far one of the best Hardy Boy mysteries! Frank and Joe team up with two ecologists, investigating as to why the water supply of Bayport is draining at night. Think you can figure out why and how the water drains at night, but not during the day? I couldn't! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

the wailing siren mystery
I think that you should really read the book because of all the interesting and funny parts.Also it is filled with sad and terarivig parts

Full of Adventure
Originally published in 1951, the biggest flaw with this volume was the absolutely horrible cover art drawn by Bill Gillies in 1951. Nappi's 1968 revision was a vast improvement on the original cover and fishing trawler of a Sleuth portrayed on the front cover. The book itself opens with a bang as the Hardys find a wallet full of money while out in Barmet Bay during a storm. Personally I now think the Sleuth has a voodoo doll that has been hanging beneath somebody's shower head as everytime it seems they take out that boat it rains!! This is a well written suspenseful adventure that takes place for the most part in the "North Woods" near Bayport. Very delightful reading throughout the entire book until perhaps the final chapter which tended to lack creativity. I was somewhat let down with Chapter 25. But the first 24 were excellent. This was in fact one of my more favorite volumes. RATED A-

Another Great Book
This review concerns the original 1951 edition. Frank and Joe are plunged into another mystery when they are out in the Sleuth during a storm and they find a wallet full of money and when they track down some rifles and camping equipment stolen from Chet to the North Woods. This book has one of the best opening chapters of any in the series and it gets you into the mystery very quickly. The pages from about 60-130 when the Hardys and their friends go camping in the North Woods are the best, but the whole book is really good. One thing I liked about this book was that it actually remembered that Frank and Joe have other friends besides Chet and they were given more than just a passing mention. It's a great book any Hardy Boys fan would want to read.

It was a GREAT book!
A sharp voice cut the air."Stay where you are!"
Frank and Joe wheeled. A tall man, his hat pulled low, stood before them, a gun in his hand. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent
This book is a must-read. It is almost a whole different story from the blue cover edition. It uses 1930s words.

A Masterpiece!!!... by David House
The whole thing in this mystery is just terrific! The plot was made and planed very well. Plus I admitt one part gave me a little bit of the chills, like the part when unexpectingly the ticking of the clock that made Frank and Joe still. I hope that you'll read this book in 30 minutes like I did.(if you can) Please beg your mom and dad to get this book for you.

While The Clock Ticked
In all of those mystery books I had read, The Hardy Boys is the only kind I really interesting in, and in those Hardy Boys books the one I really love is While The Clock Ticked because I had it...^wink wink^...! Beside, I am a fan of The Hardy Boys after I had read this book from a friend. ... And it worth it, it was really.
It was starting with a mysterious stranger apparently steals some of Mr. Hardy's papers from the Hardy home, suspicious events are occurring at the local Chinese laundry and one of Mr. Hardy's clients demands that his name be cleared of rumors that he is involved in smuggling Chinese immigrants. And there is going to be more action and interesting then what I just wrote. So I suggest you should check you this book. But the whole idea of the book is it focused heavily on the title that I liked and presented a fairly good mystery.
It is really good in the beginning, and terribly good at the end. All people like to read mystery books should check out this book but do not forget to check out all other Hardy Boys books, though. Because I know author Franklin W. Dixon did not write just one book but many of them. I heard others Hardy Boys from him are really good, too. And in a minute I am going to look for them online. So anyway, I recommend you should check them out and save them for your summer reading books. Enjoy reading them and have a fun summer student from Mrs. Lenhardt's class.

An Intriguing Mystery
This review concerns the original 1932 edition and the revised 1961 edition. The revised edition closely follows the plot of the original and the two books are only different in that the revised edition is shorter than the original and some events have been added, eliminated or altered from one book to the other. A man from a neighboring town is receiving death threats, left in the secret room of a mansion that he recently purchased, and upon learning that Fenton Hardy is out of town, reluctantly allows Frank and Joe to investigate. As with all of the low volumes of the original set, this book gets high marks for the writing, in terms of the language used and the level of description applied to the scenes. The mystery is highly intriguing; however, the book is a little light (just a little) on action and this keeps it from ranking as truly one of the best Hardy Boys books.

The Hardy Boys and another spooky old mansion.
First published in 1932 and written by the great Leslie McFarlane. Revised in 1962 by James Buechler. The Plot: Raymond Dalrymple has been receiving death threats left in the secret locked room of the spooky old Purdy mansion on the Shore Road, which he recently purchased. He seeks Fenton Hardy's aid but Fenton's conveniently out of town, so Dalrymple reluctantly allows Frank & Joe to investigate the mystery. Rating: Original text: B+ Revised text: C+ ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Hardy Boys Head South
This review concerns the original 1935 edition.
The Hardy Boys and their pal Chet head to the deep South and become involved in an old fued between the Rand and Blackstone families.
Modern readers are likely to have their sensibilities offended by the racial sterotypes in this book which cast African-Americans and Southerners in a particularly negative light.
Stereotypes aside, this isn't a bad adventure although it certainly doesn't rank among the best in the series.

An Average, But Interesting Book
This review concerns the revised 1961 edition. The owner of a newspaper based in a southern town asks Frank and Joe to prove his innocence in a libel case brought against him after his paper accused the ancestors of one of the towns leading families of having made their money through piracy. This isn't a bad book; there certainly are many different mysteries for Frank and Joe to solve: the libel case, a long-lost treasure and a strange "monster" which inhabits a pond not far from where the Hardys and Chet camp out. Mostly, the book was pretty good; although, the ending was a little disappointing as the criminals were caught without much trouble, but I think that most fans would enjoy "The Hidden Harbor Mystery".

A GREAT MYSTERY!
This is a book filled with adventure. I don't like Joe because he's very impolsive. And Frank he thinks about things before he does things and I like that and plus I'm dark-haired too like him. Anyway this book was completely thrilling. How would you like to walk in a hurricane? Well here's your answer in a realistic way. Be part of the fun and treasure this book forever.

A Highly Entertaining Book
This review concerns the original 1935 edition. Frank, Joe and Chet become involved in an old-time Southern feud when they come to the aid of an elderly man and he later accuses them of robbing him. This book actually reminds me more of something that I would read in the Nancy Drew series, but for people who aren't fans of Nancy Drew, don't let that keep you from reading this book, because I really enjoyed it. The book is very well-written and is very interesting. I'd recommend this one to any Hardy Boys fan.

Oh my God!
I liked it because it was action paced. I liked it when they discover theirs a family treasure to find and when they get trapped on a island, they run out of food and someone takes there boat. They also discover theres something mysterious in the pond. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Diamond In The Ruff
Published in 1942 - Although I rate this book a three star which denotes an average book, I cannot slander this book for any particular reason. In fact I cannot find anything wrong with it to any degree - except for this: There are other books in the series that are better and it would be unfair to them to give this volume the same high rating as them. Broken Blade was less breath taking, less action packed and less exciting than several other HB volumes, but I still regard this as a very good volume. The plot is about a search for part of a sword and a race against time as the Hardys and unscrupulous characters hunt for the same sword simultaneously. Their objectives are the same but the goals are different. Who will find the blade first? Broken Blade is one of the least talked about HB books. People rarely list it among their best or worst and it tends to go unnoticed by comparison. RATED B-

REVISION: The 1970 revision was not as good as the first but I still regard it as a pretty good book in its own right and definitely worth reading.