Final Cut

The Hardy Boys Casefiles #34

by Franklin W. Dixon

When a giant new movie and television complex is built in Bayport, it provides further opportunities for Frank and Joe to employ their sleuthing skills, as the two investigate the murder of a screenwriter

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Young Adult, Detective

Paperback

First published December 1, 1989

About the author

Franklin W. Dixon is the pen name used by a variety of different authors who were part of a team that wrote The Hardy Boys novels for the Stratemeyer Syndicate (now owned by Simon & Schuster). Dixon was also the writer attributed for the Ted Scott Flying Stories series, published by Grosset & Dunlap.
Canadian author Leslie McFarlane is believed to have written the first sixteen Hardy Boys books, but worked to a detailed plot and character outline for each story. The outlines are believed to have originated with Edward Stratemeyer, with later books outlined by his daughters Edna C. Squier and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams. Edward and Harriet also edited all books in the series through the mid-1960s. Other writers of the original books include MacFarlane's wife Amy, John Button, Andrew E. Svenson, and Adams herself; most of the outlines were done by Adams and Svenson. A number of other writers and editors were recruited to revise the outlines and update the texts in line with a more modern sensibility, starting in the late 1950s.
The principal author for the Ted Scott books was John W. Duffield.

Reviews

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A television show plans to film in Bayport, and Fenton Hardy is hired by the lead actor's high-strung manager. Frank and Joe work at the sound stage where they find a body. They are nearly killed in several deadly accidents. And when filming moves to a location in downtown Bayport a sniper attempts to take out Frank and Joe. As they try to solve the mystery and figure out who wants them dead - a PA is kidnapped, followed by Joe, Frank, Callie, and the actor. Frank and Joe are nearly killed but the sound engineer and special effects technician use a few tricks to confuse the bad guys and rescue Frank, Callie, Joe, Trish, and Addison.
I loved this story. Lots of action, a great background with the film crew, interesting bad guys, and Frank and Joe in constant deadly danger. Well done!

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first read Hardy Boys, I think I was in class 5, I had such a crush on Frank Hardy. I liked the brainy one over the brawny one and that sums up my first impression of Hardy Boys.
In their late teens, Frank and Joe Hardy take after their detective father Fenton Hardy. Frank is the older of the two and has more breakthroughs in the cases because he is the brainy one. Joe is the younger brother who more often than not is useful when things get hot and they need to fight their way out.
Like Nancy Drew, the books in the The Hardy Boys series re written by ghostwriters under the collective pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon. And yes, the earlier books were better than the latter ones.

[G. Salter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been at least a decade since I read this and I've read better crime thrillers in the meantime, but this one will always have a special place in my mind. Easier to understand than some of the others, clunky but thrilling in a very 80s thriller kind of way.

[Dannuel Delizo · Rating 3 out of 5]

To murder a screenwriter is the most awful murder case ever. Of course Im kidding ahah

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast read, fairly typical of the series. I am wondering where Laura is, since Fenton and Aunt Gertrude were both present...