Daredevils

The Hardy Boys #159

by Franklin W. Dixon

Stunt work is dangerous enough, but someone is looking to really push stuntman McCauley over the edge. So when Mr. Hardy agrees to look into Terrence's odd string of accidents, Frank and Joe decide to make it a family affair. Things get really interesting when Joe poses as Terrence to protect him -- and when the culprit captures the Hardy boys' parents to use as bait.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Childrens, Adventure, Thriller, Young Adult, Detective

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

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

[Taz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one better than The Caribbean Cruise Caper.. But I might just be getting used to this style of writing again. Some of the lines are still pretty cheesy, but I'd expect nothing less from books meant for kids. :) No matter what, though, the Hardy Boys will always hold a special place in my heart! (Joe was one of my first fictional boyfriends ;D )

On to the last book!

[Jebin]

Loved it.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is how the Hardy Boys should be :)

[PenNPaper52 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I have read a Hardy Boys book and I was excited to read the adventure but being an avid fan of The Hardy Boys I did find inconsistence within the story. Number one wasn't Mrs. Hardy supposedly dead and suddenly in this book she is alive and this book is #159 so felt weird. Also there was the internet but no mobile phones. You might argue Nokia was still developing the mobile phone but then why and how does Frank have a laptop. Putting all this aside, the story was different but the ending I felt was short and even the culprit I felt suddenly was introduced just so he could become the villain. Another thing that I missed which is the norm is the ending always has this warm fuzzy justice done now relax vibe which I felt wasn't present in the final chapter.

[Ethan Hulbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid Hardy Boys Digest, tough to choose between 3 and 4 stars. I think this is the first time the brothers came to LA, which is my current turf, so it was fun to read that... but they didn't really go anywhere recognizable so it was sorta wasted. The stunt competition and sabotage was fun but very standard at this point, nothing really new. Villain was more or less predictable but not bad.

[David Drums · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the culprit could have been written a little better to make his reason for going after T better.

Otherwise, easy to read book with good pacing!