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The Hardy Boys Casefiles #111
Competitive Edge
With someone out to sabotage the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta by turning the competition fields into a terrorist battleground, the Hardy boys chase after them in a deadly race to catch a dangerous saboteur. Original.
- GenresYoung AdultMystery
Paperback
First published May 1, 1996
2 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
760 books994 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
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 1, 2024
'Competitive Edge' (The Hardy Boys Casefiles #111) by Franklin W. Dixon.
Rating: 5/5.
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:
As mentioned earlier in my review of Sabotage at Sports City, after having recently watched the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, I had a sudden urge to read old-school Hardy Boys stories that had a sabotage plot with the Olympic games as the backdrop. I had a great time reading Sabotage at Sports City, and thus decided to continue my current spree of reading Olympic-themed Hardy Boys mysteries with Competitive Edge.
It was an action-packed, thrilling joyride that succeeded in keeping me on the edge of my seat until the last page. Featuring guns, attempted murders, abductions, and an international terrorist plot, it offered a perfect contrast to the plot of Sabotage at Sports City which had a plot that had much lower stakes than this book. There were moments when I was scared for the well-being of the two brothers and Joe's girlfriend, Vanessa. It was, thus, a truly engaging plot despite it not being a high literature.
Although the story was filled with action-packed moments up to the brim, the climax takes it to another level with a fight sequence on the roof of a moving cable car that was four hundred feet above ground level. It was a thrilling finale, and unfortunately, I had to leave for work with just the last ten pages left to read. I couldn't wait until late at night to get back to the book and finish it, so I had to resort to smuggling the book at my workplace and gobble up the ending as soon as I found some free time!
In the end, the Hardy siblings get the recognition they deserve for their heroics – a medal of honor from the nation of Cyrena as well as being made honorary team members of the Olympic squads of the USA and Cyrena. Sweet endings like these make me prefer the HB Classics and the HB Casefiles continuities over the HB Undercover Brother continuity. In the HB Undercover Brothers series, the brothers have to work undercover and, thus, don't get recognized at the end by the general public for all the hard work they have put in to solve the case. It isn't so for the HB Classics and HB Casefiles — you can see the Hardy Boys bask in the glory at the end, and after reading all about their trials and tribulations while solving the mystery, we as readers get a great deal of satisfaction by such an ending as well.
As you can see, I had a great time reading Competitive Edge. I shall be continuing my spree of reading the Olympic-themed Hardy Boys book over the coming weekend with the fourth book in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys '07 Super Mystery series, Gold Medal Murder.
Then Joe heard a sickening sound — a brittle snap.
Instinctively, Joe rushed toward the pit. But by the time he got there, he realized he was helpless.
Chuck's pole had snapped in two, leaving the star vaulter upside down and unsupported fifteen feet above the ground.
Rating: 5/5.
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:
As mentioned earlier in my review of Sabotage at Sports City, after having recently watched the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, I had a sudden urge to read old-school Hardy Boys stories that had a sabotage plot with the Olympic games as the backdrop. I had a great time reading Sabotage at Sports City, and thus decided to continue my current spree of reading Olympic-themed Hardy Boys mysteries with Competitive Edge.
It was an action-packed, thrilling joyride that succeeded in keeping me on the edge of my seat until the last page. Featuring guns, attempted murders, abductions, and an international terrorist plot, it offered a perfect contrast to the plot of Sabotage at Sports City which had a plot that had much lower stakes than this book. There were moments when I was scared for the well-being of the two brothers and Joe's girlfriend, Vanessa. It was, thus, a truly engaging plot despite it not being a high literature.
Although the story was filled with action-packed moments up to the brim, the climax takes it to another level with a fight sequence on the roof of a moving cable car that was four hundred feet above ground level. It was a thrilling finale, and unfortunately, I had to leave for work with just the last ten pages left to read. I couldn't wait until late at night to get back to the book and finish it, so I had to resort to smuggling the book at my workplace and gobble up the ending as soon as I found some free time!
In the end, the Hardy siblings get the recognition they deserve for their heroics – a medal of honor from the nation of Cyrena as well as being made honorary team members of the Olympic squads of the USA and Cyrena. Sweet endings like these make me prefer the HB Classics and the HB Casefiles continuities over the HB Undercover Brother continuity. In the HB Undercover Brothers series, the brothers have to work undercover and, thus, don't get recognized at the end by the general public for all the hard work they have put in to solve the case. It isn't so for the HB Classics and HB Casefiles — you can see the Hardy Boys bask in the glory at the end, and after reading all about their trials and tribulations while solving the mystery, we as readers get a great deal of satisfaction by such an ending as well.
As you can see, I had a great time reading Competitive Edge. I shall be continuing my spree of reading the Olympic-themed Hardy Boys book over the coming weekend with the fourth book in the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys '07 Super Mystery series, Gold Medal Murder.
April 1, 2022
This book was soooo interesting…..it is just awesome like we r just lost in it until we find the real suspect….it’s just so mysterious and interesting….mystery lovers u have got to read this one!!!
December 12, 2014
Dunno if I was just tired when I read this or this sucked.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews