Screamers

The Hardy Boys: Casefiles #72

by Franklin W. Dixon

While attending a meeting of computer experts at Chicago's Evanco building, Frank and Joe Hardy must put their detective skills to the test when a gang of gunmen bursts in and kidnaps the daughter of Evanco's owner

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult

Hardcover

First published February 1, 1993

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

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The amount of technology that has been invented since Screamers was written in 1993 is staggering. And since the book is focused on computer technology and sabotage (a "screamer" being a type of scareware), it was an interesting reminder of how far we've come in 30 years. Screamers follows the Hardy boys (brothers Joe and Frank) to a computer security conference where their father is presenting. When the daughter of CEO of the host company is kidnapped at the reception the first night, the brothers spring into action to rescue her. What unfolds is a plot involving computer viruses, lots of explosions and a series of faked identities. Throw in a boat, a helocopter and a recreated mine shaft, and you've got the usual amount of excitement you'd expect in one of the Casefiles stories. But I wasn't invested in the story as much as I remember with some of the other Casefiles books I've read in the past.

[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.

[Lydia Brosey · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a good little book, but I was not invested at all.

[Dannuel Delizo · Rating 3 out of 5]

SCREEAAMEERS! HAHA, funny twist! When crime rises to new heights, you'd better be ready to rise to the challenge!

[Wes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barely remember anything of this one except that the baddies used thin latex masks to impersonate people and that the title "Screamers" refers to the affect the virus has on computers.

[Kaylyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's cool