What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hardy Boys Casefiles #20
WITNESS TO MURDER HARDY BOYS #20
Fatal charm
While trying to help Annie Shea, the pretty new girl in town, Joe accidentally runs down her old boyfriend, Phil. Joe's in a tight spot, but Annie seems afraid to help. Then the Hardys learn that Phil is the prime suspect in a million-dollar diamond robbery and Annie may be involved.
But when Annie is kidnapped the brother detectives swing into action. They follow her to the liar of America's most infamous gem thief, Cutter. Outnumbered, the Hardys take on the diamond man's gang in an all-out effort to save Annie -- and clear Joe of murder.
While trying to help Annie Shea, the pretty new girl in town, Joe accidentally runs down her old boyfriend, Phil. Joe's in a tight spot, but Annie seems afraid to help. Then the Hardys learn that Phil is the prime suspect in a million-dollar diamond robbery and Annie may be involved.
But when Annie is kidnapped the brother detectives swing into action. They follow her to the liar of America's most infamous gem thief, Cutter. Outnumbered, the Hardys take on the diamond man's gang in an all-out effort to save Annie -- and clear Joe of murder.
153 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1988
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
808 books1,005 followersFranklin 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 24, 2024
In this installment of the Hardy Boys Casefiles, Joe gets accused of murder - vehicular homicide. I loved how Frank would go length to prove his brother's innocence.
The mystery in #20 Witness to Murder was fishy. Phil Sidler, Annie Shea's boyfriend, is involved in a robbery gang, and she might be involved too...
Full review @ My Blog
The mystery in #20 Witness to Murder was fishy. Phil Sidler, Annie Shea's boyfriend, is involved in a robbery gang, and she might be involved too...
Full review @ My Blog
September 22, 2010
Just an OK story. Didn't care for the female character at all. One of the Hardy Boys didn't figure out something which was pretty obvious. That was annoying. This is my first HB book, wanted to read it so I could donate it to my library. Even though this is a contemporary mystery following in the steps of the original Hardy Boys books without flowery language and all, I'm not sure I'll read another.
December 12, 2012
I could clearly remember the girl being bad at the end even though it had been like 20 years since I had last read this book. Joe gets sucked in by a girl deperately in need of help but it ends up getting Joe framed for murder.
September 30, 2025
Joe Hardy falls in love, gets accused of murder, and just has a rough time in this novel. Joe meets a girl named Annie, a new waitress at Tony's pizza place, and starts going out with her. Frank doesn't trust Annie but is he just being an over protective big brother or is there something to it?
When Joe accidentally hits and kills Annie's ex-boyfriend (she says he was) a new Bayport cop accuses Joe of murder. Mind you, it's clearly an accident so at most Joe could be charged with vehicular manslaughter but that's not the only way this story doesn't make sense.
Frank, Joe, and Annie get drawn into a previous heist of uncut raw diamonds. Mobsters want their diamonds back. The question is - is Annie an innocent victim or does she know more than she's saying to Joe about the heist.
Joe investigates on his own, despite being out on bail, and even tries to hide Annie at an upstate fishing cabin. Joe also goes to New York City to investigate with Frank. All while ON BAIL - he shouldn't have been able to legally leave Bayport.
In the end, the Hardy follow a kidnapped Annie to Cutter and his goons. Annie promises to lead Cutter to the diamonds. They end up at Tony's Pizza, where Cutter and his goons are arrested. Annie shows her true colors and takes Joe hostage, having him pull the diamonds out of a flour barrel. Annie tries to use Joe as a hostage to get to the airport but Frank and the police stop her in the parking lot. It also turns out that Phil, the guy Joe hit with his van, was already dead - Annie killed him.
When Joe accidentally hits and kills Annie's ex-boyfriend (she says he was) a new Bayport cop accuses Joe of murder. Mind you, it's clearly an accident so at most Joe could be charged with vehicular manslaughter but that's not the only way this story doesn't make sense.
Frank, Joe, and Annie get drawn into a previous heist of uncut raw diamonds. Mobsters want their diamonds back. The question is - is Annie an innocent victim or does she know more than she's saying to Joe about the heist.
Joe investigates on his own, despite being out on bail, and even tries to hide Annie at an upstate fishing cabin. Joe also goes to New York City to investigate with Frank. All while ON BAIL - he shouldn't have been able to legally leave Bayport.
In the end, the Hardy follow a kidnapped Annie to Cutter and his goons. Annie promises to lead Cutter to the diamonds. They end up at Tony's Pizza, where Cutter and his goons are arrested. Annie shows her true colors and takes Joe hostage, having him pull the diamonds out of a flour barrel. Annie tries to use Joe as a hostage to get to the airport but Frank and the police stop her in the parking lot. It also turns out that Phil, the guy Joe hit with his van, was already dead - Annie killed him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2019
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.
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.
December 19, 2018
When Frank and Joe learn that a new girl at school may be involved in a diamond robbery with her boyfriend, they must follow clues as quick as possible before the possibly criminal duo turn on them! Dixon will have readers excited the whole way through with this entry!
July 19, 2014
Of course, The Hardys always helped the pretty girls. Hahaha and Annie Shea was one of em.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews