Extreme Danger

Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers #1

by Franklin W. Dixon

ATAC BRIEFING FOR AGENTS FRANK AND JOE HARDY

MISSION: To find the mastermind behind a possible attack at the Big Air Games.
LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA.
POTENTIAL VICTIMS: Top extreme athletes in the country. Thousands of spectators.
SUSPECTS: There may be a group of extremists working together. There may be just one.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Young Adult, Adventure, Crime

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2005

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

[aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Woahhhh! That clifhanger tho😵
What an amazing book! Must read for the thriller genres lovers and the 'Omg! Hadn't expected that one!' type of peeps.

[Taryn]

Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but I prefer the original Hardy Boys Mysteries, as well as the Casefiles from the 80s.

This seems somewhat watered down. It's very simple and almost too easy. Frank and Joe's style of investigating is to ask questions and end up being found out by the criminal before they figure out whodunnit (although, to be fair, this was the case in the older stuff, as well).

I also don't know what kind of organization would hire teens to investigate and make them constantly lie to their parents. Their dad knows because he founded ATAC (which is such a dumb name and when I said it out loud I groaned. Very not clever, guys), but they lie to their mom and aunt about their whereabouts. Like, wow.

I don't know why they decided to break up Frank and Callie for this series when they've been together since forever. Normally I wouldn't be disappointed, as Frank Hardy was my first book crush ever and I didn't like his girlfriend (still don't, yay), but turning him into a blathering idiot around girls he likes... nope.

This is getting way too long for a review of a kid's book. 🤣 Let's just say I wasn't enraptured as I still get when I read the Casefiles books.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extreme Danger is the first book in The Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers series by Franklin W. Dixon.

There is a mysterious person—known as Mr. X—who tries to sabotage the Big Air Games. The victims are top extreme athletes in the country, as well as thousands of spectators. And there may be a group of extremists working together. Or there may only be one. Frank and Joe, who work for the A.T.A.C. (American Teens Against Crime), must work out the person who is trying to sabotage this event.

Despite being aimed towards younger audience, this was an enjoyable read.

[Shreyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Extreme Danger' (The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers #1) by Franklin W. Dixon.

I stopped packing. “What is it, Frank?” I asked. “Why are you staring at that disk?”

Frank paused. “I don’t know,” he answered. “You’re probably right about everything. But I wonder. If this mission is nothing but fun and games, why is it called ‘Extreme Danger’?”

Rating: 4.25/5.





Disclaimer:
The Hardy Boys books are a nostalgic affair. Had it not been for these books, it would have been difficult for me to cultivate my interest in reading and to later expand my reading preferences to include the fantasy and sci-fi genres. So, yeah, that's the main reason why you would rarely find me giving a rating of fewer than 3.5 stars (out of 5) to these Hardy Boys books.




Review:
Since I recently completed my paperback collection of the Undercover Brothers series, I decided to give them a read in chronological order. I acquired some of these titles in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and after setting up my home library a few weeks ago, I decided to collect the remaining copies in this series to finally complete the entire collection. Extreme Danger, the first book in the refurbished Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series was one of the first copies I acquired in my recent streak of impulse book buying. Suffice it to say, it means that I hadn't read this book previously during my school days, and it meant I was going into the book with a completely blank slate.

After publishing around 190 volumes in the original Hardy Boys continuity, the main series was discontinued. The publishers came out with a new idea of a reboot featuring the Hardy Boys in a modern setting using modern tools for solving crimes. The original continuity is merely alluded to in this book as the Hardys mention those times when they were doing "amateur work". The two siblings now work for a top-secret agency – ATAC (American Teens Against Crime) – that was partly established by their semi-retired father, Fenton Hardy. In this first volume, the Hardys are assigned a case to track down Mr X who might be sabotaging the big Extreme Sports events being hosted in Philadelphia.

As mentioned earlier, Extreme Danger wasn't my first rodeo into the Undercover Brothers continuity. I had read a few volumes in this series back during my school days, but unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to read the first-ever volume in this new series. Now that I have just finished reading this book, it explains a lot of stuff that I found puzzling enough during those days. This story, like most of the Undercover Brothers books, starts with the conclusion of one of the Hardy Boys' cases, which eventually leads to their newest case. And that's how we are first introduced to Playback, the newest pet parrot of the Hardys that appears in several of the later Undercover Brothers books.

The book felt a little watered down from the original and Casefiles continuities, but it still was a thrilling ride it promised to be. I greatly enjoyed the interaction between the two siblings, and I loved how the writer portrayed the family dynamics in the Hardy household. Some fun and endearing moments added a slice-of-life aspect to this fast-paced adventure. It was also great to see Fenton Hardy being worried about the safety of his kids and other teen ATAC operatives during their missions. His concerns added a somewhat realistic element to a story that features a secret agency putting teenage operatives on various dangerous missions.

Throughout the original and Casefiles continuity, Frank Hardy and Callie Shaw's relationship has remained constant. I was weirded out by the writing team's decision to break them up just to pair Frank with some new love interest in this newest continuity. I also didn't enjoy the particular aspect of this series where the two siblings are relegated to stereotypical personalities, with Frank being the dork who gets clumsy around girls and Joe being the stud and the impulsive one among the two. However, it was fun to see Chet Morton play a significant role in this story. I was almost missing my favourite Hardy pal when he made his appearance – that too, with a bang! It was also refreshing to see another ATAC agent featured in Frank and Joe's mission for once.

Overall, Extreme Danger is a fresh start to the Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series that transports the two siblings and the reader to a modern setting. It is quite different from the original series, both in quality and the writing style (especially with the first-person narration alternating between Frank and Joe Hardy), and may not appeal to the fans of the original Hardy Boys continuity. But, I had a great time reading this action-packed, fast-paced adventure. I had a hunch about who the mastermind behind the sabotage might be and was proven right by the end, but just like the Hardys, I had a hard time figuring out his motives and gathering enough evidence to prove him guilty of his crimes. It transported me back to the times when I was a little kid and used to solve these fictional cases with the Hardys by being an invisible part of their team. Well, I guess you guys do get it – I had a great time reading this Hardy Boys mystery!

“Everyone in the medical profession is a hero. I was just getting the recognition I deserved.”

“Maybe,” I said. “But real heroes don’t do it for the recognition. Real heroes do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. They don’t plan ‘accidents’ … like you did at the Big Air Games.”

[Annabeth Chase (hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty okay book. Honestly, there was more dialogue than descriptive writing, and for me personally, that's a huge bummer since a bit of setting and scenery would help catch onto the mood. The plot was predictable and the book overall didn't really make much sense to me. It may be nostalgic to others, but it isn't really my type.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the start of the Hardy Boys reboot of the early 2000s. The brothers belong to a top-secret organization of teen spies. Their dad started it but their mom and aunt don’t know about it. The book opens with the end of one case and jumps into another, which is the focus of the book:





The book is pretty short, lacking any real subplots, but does give you a list of suspects, which I guessed somewhere around the middle. It is not quite honest with the reader, though, as it will say the boys find a clue but the information is not shared with the reader.

Language: Clean
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: Murder (off-page) and attempted murder; not graphic
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: injuries (mostly teens), danger
Other (Triggers): bullying

[Ashish Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is a great bokk and one must read it because it is the best

[Brianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good mystery series and the Hardy Boys are some of the best classic detectives :)

[Alex Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series was a favorite as a kid. I grew up on the originals, but these started coming out when I was eleven, so I was the perfect age. A lot of my rating is probably nostalgia based because (at least in this first book) the writing isn't great and the characters are a bit flat. It's also a bit too simple and obvious at points. But at the end of the day, it's fun. I'd definitely give this one to kids, even if it's a bit dated. Reading it reminds me so much of my childhood and the fun I used to have, even if I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to most people.

I think if you're a Hardy Boys fan or if you have kids who are, definitely give these a try. They're a bit sillier and even more unrealistic than the originals, but I really loved returning to it.

[Blake B · Rating 4 out of 5]

the story is about two boys who are undercover brothers who have heard threats of the Big Air Games in Philadelphia.
i didn't like how the climax was at the end of the book so i thought there was a lot of cliff hangers. i liked the book because at the start of a new chapter they changed the view point of the Joe or Frank (the undercover brothers)
i would recommend the book to people who are in to mystery or fiction, also because it is a nail biter at the climax of the story.

[Avery Talks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always tell people that they're missing out if they think all kids books (especially Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys) are boring but dude...I forgot how absolutely unhinged this particular series is. I love it!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always enjoyed this series, and these books never fail to entertain. I like the dual POVs of both Frank and Joe, and the narration style is quite funny. A solid, action-packed and entertaining read.

[RunedBust · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this was book 1. I read it after Boardwalk Bust, which was my introduction to the series. I remember the mohawk on the younger brother and his wink-statement to mom. I remember the bike racing round the circle. (?)

Well, I don't remember so much else of the story.

[Rachael Covington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was awesome! It is packed with adventure and mystery, surprise twists at every corner. I had to get the second one!

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok ig

[Bettyb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read the first few chapters, I just couldn't get into it. It did seem geared for boys.

[Saqlain · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was EPIC. Joe and frank are awesome !

[Doris Ware · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good mystery

[Mirel · Rating 2 out of 5]

A big disappointment. Perhaps my memory fails me, but this does not hold a candle to the series I read as a child. The writing and the characters all seemed very superficial.

[Jarrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent introduction to the series. Slightly predictable.

[Fatimah Bass · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an original that's hard to put down. Hardy boys once again had me immersed in a mystery that had a plot twist that is worth the wait.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to go back and read a Hardy Boys adventure. The stories are updated, but the fun and adventures remain.

[lavanyaaa]

Don't mind me, I'm only here because of Mommy Mabel

[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.

[Neel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extreme Danger
by Franklin W. Dixon
Mystery
165 pages

Extreme Danger is a story of two brothers named Frank and Joe Hardy. They are part of an organization called ATAC which stands for American Teens Against Crime. They go to Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia because a person is threatening to hurt the athletes competeing in the X Games. They both trsvel to Philadelphia on their motorcycles. They meet a girl who is competeing in the X Games named Jenna. She shows them around Philadelphia. While she was practicing, 2 of her friends get shot. Their is a really annoying reporter who wants to know everything. They meet the victims who got shot. The meet a skateboard shop owner who used to be a very famous skateboarder. He gets murderer at the end of the book. The go to the X Games and suprisingly meet their friend Chet. They get a note from Mr.X and fight him to the end. The police put Carter in jail.

I really liked this book for several reasons. First of all, the author started the book of with a good beginning. Joe and Frank are falling through the air with broken parachutes. They both grap a hold of the bad guy and climb to the top of him so he breaks their fall. Another reason is that their are high tech equipment. Their dad bought both Frank and Joe motorcycles with polished chrome controls, high grade leather seats, stainless steel exhaust pipes, hydraullic clutch, optimized suspension, CD player, security tracking device and a GPS. Another reason that I liked the book was that it was full of action from the beginning of the book to the end. At the end of the book, Frank and Joe fight Mr.X. The fight was really intense because Mr.X was good at fighting. Mr.X was right about to give the finishing blow when suddenly WHAM!!!. Mr.X was knocked of his feet by one of Jenna's friend, Eddie Mundy. It turned out that Eddie was also an ATAC agent just like Joe and Frank. When the first met, the suspected Eddie of hurting the athletes but after what happened at the end of the book, they are all friends. I love the whole Hardy Boys series and I hope Franklin W. Dixon writes some more really good books.

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this was an interesting thing to read. I have some nostalgia for the Hardy Boys themselves, but as a kid I only ever read the originals. I was a bit too old when this came out and I don't think I even realized it existed. The basic concept is a bit silly - Frank and Joe have gone from amateur detectives to secret agents for a group that uses teenagers to fight crime. I can kinda accept that, since the 2000s had a bunch of stories about teen spies, and honestly the Hardys aren't facing that much of an increase in danger. The thing that doesn't quite work for me is this is implied to be at least sort of a follow-on from the original series, since there are references to the Hardys having been amateur detectives previously. Which kinda completely ruins the idea of them going undercover - shouldn't everybody already know who they are? Still, the story itself is kinda fun, if also pretty goofy, and reading a bit too much like what the committee that came up with this thinks kids like. The mystery actually has a somewhat clever twist to it, and I liked having little info files on suspects spread throughout the text. I am a bit bugged that the characters are a bit flat, especially the boys' mom and aunt, who get stuck with the sexist worrying mother trope. Still, I imagine this would probably be a hit with the target audience, but as an adult, it isn't anything more than an amusing and somewhat dorky reimagining of two classic characters.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ;OVELOVELOVELOVELOVE this book this was the first hardy boys book I ever finished but the first one I read was speed times 5 (also there is some similarities between this and that) this is a reboot of the franchise but never takes it to the level where old time fans wont like it so the story is that some one is sabotaging the Big Air Games and two teenager boy Joe and Frank Hardy(as Frank and Joe put it Frank is the logical Hardy and Joe is hardly logical) gets sent by the agency they work for A-T-A-C (American Teenagers Agenst Crime) which was started bye there father a retried cop (note how much detail and backstory into this witch makes it all the more interesting) the dialog between Joe and Frank is some of the best writing I ever seen they are beautifully written side characters great cliff hangers on different chapters great the reveal of the bad guy great(what's even greater is how frank catch's him that is genius writing just SO MUCH GREATNESS the ONLY bad thing was the constant use of the word dude I swear its like each chapter has it ever 2 seconds so ya I advise everyone to pick it you'll be shocked, laugh everything

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to start reading this series in order for a while now, and I'm finally getting around to it. This book was read in its entirety on a day-long bus trip, and like any good book, it was a great way to pass the time.

I'm still a little confused as to how the culprit's motive was supposed to work. Not to mention a little surprised at the culprit himself. But I guess that's how it works, and it does make sense when I think about it.

Anyway, great book. I already read number two, so I'm skipping that and heading to number three: Boardwalk Bust

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. X turned out to be Carter Bean, a paramedic who it said saved Ollie when Ollie had a career-ending injury. Frank and Joe with help from Eddie Mundy, someone who Frank and Joe thought to be suspicious who turned out to be a member of ATAC, Frank and Joe's secret mission group defeated Mr. X and after that, Mr. X was arrested. The next day, Frank, Joe, and Chet, their best friend back at home, went back home.

This book was amazing! Wished that there was another chapter from Frank's POV because there are 7 chapters from his POV and 8 chapters from Joe's POV. Besides from that, awesome book!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank and Joe go undercover for ATAC at an extreme games competition. Sabotage is happening and a creepy reporter keeps showing up just when someone is injured. An annoying guy who runs the best skateboard shop ends up dead. Things are getting worse until Frank and Joe finally realize who the real bad guy is.To make it more confusing, there is even another undercover ATAC agent who's also on the case, that Frank and Joe don't know about. Good mystery.