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The Hardy Boys #28
The Sign of the Crooked Arrow
Frank and Joe Hardy help their widowed cousin solve the perplexing disappearance of the cowboys on her cattle ranch
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1949
34 people are currently reading
789 people want to read
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
761 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
November 6, 2017
Good for what it is...but definitely not one of my favorites of the series.
November 7, 2024
The Sign of the Crooked Arrow, the 28th novel in the original Hardy Boys series, was produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1949. It was the first of several novels in the series that were written by Andrew E. Svenson, though it of course appeared under the house pseudonym of Franklin W. Dixon. I thought that Svenson didn't yet have a good feel for the characters, compared to Leslie MacFarlane who wrote most of the better, earlier books in the series. Stratemeyer's daughter oversaw a program of revision and updating the first 38 books from 1959-1973, and an abridged version of The Sign of the Crooked Arrow appeared in 1970. Many of the titles were completely replaced by new stories, though they still had the same title and frequently the same cover, but this one was simply shortened. The editing was done by Priscilla Baker-Carr. The original had 214 pages and 25 chapters, and the new iteration was 178 pages in 20 chapters. I read the original and then the newer version back-to-back to compare. The story is the same, but descriptions and character developments and a few secondary events were trimmed. The idea was to make it more appealing to younger readers more familiar with the action/adventure pace of television. There are a few unfortunate ethnic stereotypes, mostly concerning cowboys and Indians (did you know Indians smell like corn? Oh dear...), and some dated references such as restaurants so thick with cigarette smoke that you can't see across them. In the original version a pony is drowned in a river, but luckily in 1970 it just ran away and will find its way home. Curiously, a drugged cigarette in 1949 cost ten dollars, but only five in 1970. There are some silly coincidences, such as a dead lamb falling out of the sky just when they need something to distract a pack of wolves (or maybe they're wild dogs), and the Boys are investigating a series of robberies in Bayport that are carried out by criminals gassing their victims with drugged cigarettes and all of a sudden they're called away to help out their cousin in New Mexico and low and behold the problem she needs help with is that the factory that makes the deadly smokes is hidden on her ranch. They apparently assume that only Indians can shoot bows and arrows, and when they ask their pal Police Chief Collig he knows right away that there are four Indians who live in Bayport. And I was bemused that no one lives in the state of New Mexico with the initials C.B.M. who has a driver's license... But now I'm nitpicking. It's a fine kids' book for its time, more Western than mystery, but fun and interesting. I will give the original version three stars and the abridgement a two.
November 7, 2024
The Sign of the Crooked Arrow, the 28th novel in the original Hardy Boys series, was produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1949. It was the first of several novels in the series that were written by Andrew E. Svenson, though it of course appeared under the house pseudonym of Franklin W. Dixon. I thought that Svenson didn't yet have a good feel for the characters, compared to Leslie MacFarlane who wrote most of the better, earlier books in the series. Stratemeyer's daughter oversaw a program of revision and updating the first 38 books from 1959-1973, and an abridged version of The Sign of the Crooked Arrow appeared in 1970. Many of the titles were completely replaced by new stories, though they still had the same title and frequently the same cover, but this one was simply shortened. The editing was done by Priscilla Baker-Carr. The original had 214 pages and 25 chapters, and the new iteration was 178 pages in 20 chapters. I read the original and then the newer version back-to-back to compare. The story is the same, but descriptions and character developments and a few secondary events were trimmed. The idea was to make it more appealing to younger readers more familiar with the action/adventure pace of television. There are a few unfortunate ethnic stereotypes, mostly concerning cowboys and Indians (did you know Indians smell like corn? Oh dear...), and some dated references such as restaurants so thick with cigarette smoke that you can't see across them. In the original version a pony is drowned in a river, but luckily in 1970 it just ran away and will find its way home. Curiously, a drugged cigarette in 1949 cost ten dollars, but only five in 1970. There are some silly coincidences, such as a dead lamb falling out of the sky just when they need something to distract a pack of wolves (or maybe they're wild dogs), and the Boys are investigating a series of robberies in Bayport that are carried out by criminals gassing their victims with drugged cigarettes and all of a sudden they're called away to help out their cousin in New Mexico and low and behold the problem she needs help with is that the factory that makes the deadly smokes is hidden on her ranch. They apparently assume that only Indians can shoot bows and arrows, and when they ask their pal Police Chief Collig he knows right away that there are four Indians who live in Bayport. And I was bemused that no one lives in the state of New Mexico with the initials C.B.M. who has a driver's license... But now I'm nitpicking. It's a fine kids' book for its time, more Western than mystery, but fun and interesting. I will give the original version three stars and the abridgement a two.
March 7, 2012
Yet another fun addition to the Hardy Boys mystery book series.
February 4, 2025
I too could body three full grown ranch hands/ gang members at 17. Good detective work.
October 31, 2013
The story had some exciting plot twists, nothing too major or over the top, but things that kept it interesting. The author used some impressive foreshadowing that you wouldn't have expected, and things you learned about at the start of the book came back towards the end in a totally different fashion.
This was much more on an entertaining read than I was planning, there was alot going on, but never too much to comprehend at once. It wasn't as easy of a read as I would've thought, there were some bigger words and higher level language.
The book overall was a good read, and would be enticing to anyone at all really. I don't think that there'd be an age limit.
This was much more on an entertaining read than I was planning, there was alot going on, but never too much to comprehend at once. It wasn't as easy of a read as I would've thought, there were some bigger words and higher level language.
The book overall was a good read, and would be enticing to anyone at all really. I don't think that there'd be an age limit.
April 27, 2014
Abby says: This book was very adventurous, interesting and exciting. The crooked arrow was one of my favourite Hardy Boys books so far!
October 15, 2020
When Fenton Hardy is shot by a mysterious arrow while searching for bandits, Frank and Joe enlist Chest to help find the culprit, taking them out to the west and in pursuit of a criminal gang that has found a way to knock out victims without touching them! Dixon will keep young readers mystified with another adventure chalk full of thrills and twists. Can the Hardy Boys figure out who attacked their father, or will they end up on the wrong end of the crooked arrow?
October 29, 2025
I had nothing against this book but it just wasn’t my kind of mystery. It was too easy. Give me the characters that make you think they’re good then turn out to be bad. These bad guys were so easy to spot from the very beginning. Everything was also so coincidental. But it is a middle school grade book and I’m not in middle school so of course it was all going to be too easy for me.
September 9, 2025
#Binge Reviewing My Past Reads:
Hardy Boys (Read between 1990 and 1996 in M.P. Birla School library and punctiliously collected and read thereafter.)
There’s something about a “crooked arrow” that immediately signals misdirection—a guide pointing the wrong way, a clue that demands interpretation. For a 12-year-old me in the early ’90s, it promised cunning villains, cryptic messages, and the thrill of decoding hidden signs. This title felt like a riddle in itself, teasing my curiosity before I even turned the first page.
The story takes the Hardy Boys into a mix of adventure, hidden threats, and deceptive symbols, blending outdoor thrills with intellectual challenge. Reading it in a Calcutta library, I remember tracing the arrow in my imagination, imagining how easily a misstep could lead to danger. But beyond the chase, it left me thinking about guidance, trust, and perception. Crooked arrows, after all, aren’t inherently evil—they just demand careful attention and insight to interpret.
Metaphorically, the novel resonates with adolescence. Life itself often presents crooked arrows: expectations from school, peer pressure, and the uncertainty of growing up. Like Frank and Joe, we must learn to follow the clues carefully, distinguish illusion from reality, and navigate toward understanding despite misdirection.
Culturally, the story reflects mid-century America’s fascination with symbols, secret societies, and outdoor adventure—an Americanized moral universe where cleverness and courage triumph. For a boy in India, it was both a window into that world and a mirror for the puzzles of my own daily life: hidden challenges, tests of observation, and the thrill of discovery.
What endures is the blend of suspense and strategy. The Sign of the Crooked Arrow reminds me that even misdirection carries lessons: the crooked path often reveals more about the traveler than the destination itself.
Hardy Boys (Read between 1990 and 1996 in M.P. Birla School library and punctiliously collected and read thereafter.)
There’s something about a “crooked arrow” that immediately signals misdirection—a guide pointing the wrong way, a clue that demands interpretation. For a 12-year-old me in the early ’90s, it promised cunning villains, cryptic messages, and the thrill of decoding hidden signs. This title felt like a riddle in itself, teasing my curiosity before I even turned the first page.
The story takes the Hardy Boys into a mix of adventure, hidden threats, and deceptive symbols, blending outdoor thrills with intellectual challenge. Reading it in a Calcutta library, I remember tracing the arrow in my imagination, imagining how easily a misstep could lead to danger. But beyond the chase, it left me thinking about guidance, trust, and perception. Crooked arrows, after all, aren’t inherently evil—they just demand careful attention and insight to interpret.
Metaphorically, the novel resonates with adolescence. Life itself often presents crooked arrows: expectations from school, peer pressure, and the uncertainty of growing up. Like Frank and Joe, we must learn to follow the clues carefully, distinguish illusion from reality, and navigate toward understanding despite misdirection.
Culturally, the story reflects mid-century America’s fascination with symbols, secret societies, and outdoor adventure—an Americanized moral universe where cleverness and courage triumph. For a boy in India, it was both a window into that world and a mirror for the puzzles of my own daily life: hidden challenges, tests of observation, and the thrill of discovery.
What endures is the blend of suspense and strategy. The Sign of the Crooked Arrow reminds me that even misdirection carries lessons: the crooked path often reveals more about the traveler than the destination itself.
January 5, 2023
Een ietwat verrassende cover voor een boek uit de de Hardy Boys-serie. toch zijn de 3 cowboys zeer relevant voor dit verhaal.
Inderdaad, het verhaal verplaatst zich van Bayport naar een ranch met koeien, paarden en cowboys.
Tante Gertrude speelt een kleine rol maar Chet Morton, de gezellige dikkerd die houdt van lekker eten, speelt een veel belangrijkere rol wanneer hij de twee broers vergezelt op hun reis naar de ranch van tante Ruth Hardy. En daarmee is een flinke portie humor verzekerd.
Cowboys, goeie en minder goeie, en uiteraard bandieten, maar ook indianen stelen de show.
Een niet opgehaalde auto en overvallen met gifgas vormen het onderwerp van een onderzoek door Fenton Hardy waarbij het loopwerk door Joe en Frank wordt gedaan. Als er een aanslag op Fenton wordt gepleegd gaan de broers er vol tegenaan om kost wat kost de dader te vinden.
Als vanouds rijden ze veel rond in hun auto maar ze verplaatsen zich nu ook met het vliegtuig, te paard en als het niet anders kan te voet.
Geheimzinnige rotsen, een duister woud en een "gifitige spleet" vormen de gevaarlijke achtergrond bij dit avontuur. Het optreden van de politie varieert van gevaarlijk en competent tot blaaskaak vol gebakken lucht.
Samengevat betekent dat opnieuw de bekende mix van gevaar, avontuur, humor, spanning, kortom detectivewerk.
Inderdaad, het verhaal verplaatst zich van Bayport naar een ranch met koeien, paarden en cowboys.
Tante Gertrude speelt een kleine rol maar Chet Morton, de gezellige dikkerd die houdt van lekker eten, speelt een veel belangrijkere rol wanneer hij de twee broers vergezelt op hun reis naar de ranch van tante Ruth Hardy. En daarmee is een flinke portie humor verzekerd.
Cowboys, goeie en minder goeie, en uiteraard bandieten, maar ook indianen stelen de show.
Een niet opgehaalde auto en overvallen met gifgas vormen het onderwerp van een onderzoek door Fenton Hardy waarbij het loopwerk door Joe en Frank wordt gedaan. Als er een aanslag op Fenton wordt gepleegd gaan de broers er vol tegenaan om kost wat kost de dader te vinden.
Als vanouds rijden ze veel rond in hun auto maar ze verplaatsen zich nu ook met het vliegtuig, te paard en als het niet anders kan te voet.
Geheimzinnige rotsen, een duister woud en een "gifitige spleet" vormen de gevaarlijke achtergrond bij dit avontuur. Het optreden van de politie varieert van gevaarlijk en competent tot blaaskaak vol gebakken lucht.
Samengevat betekent dat opnieuw de bekende mix van gevaar, avontuur, humor, spanning, kortom detectivewerk.
December 1, 2024
When I was around 8, my Aunt Rose gave me a box of Hardy Boys and Rick Brant books. I loved the Rick Brant books, while the Hardy Boys, though clearly inferior, still satisfied the need for what my friend David Black would call of his own guilty pleasures, a "narrative fix."
I was pleased to find this book in a little free library, with its cheaply printed lurid cover mostly intact. It's the original 1947 edition; a few decades later the series would be rewritten. As with all Hardy Boys books, the case is first revealed and later solved by a series of extremely unlikely coincidences: the Hardys or their friends just happen to be at the right place at the right time. In fact, there are initially two cases, a couple thousand miles apart, which just happen to be the same case, though this surprises no one. The Hardys are excellent horseback riders. There are a few fights, but fortunately, the Hardys just learned judo and so they hold their own -- and then some. The bad guys look mean and speak rudely and roughly. Fenton Hardy, their famous detective father, looks on admiringly. Chet Morton eats two stacks of pancakes and then doesn't feel so good.
I was pleased to find this book in a little free library, with its cheaply printed lurid cover mostly intact. It's the original 1947 edition; a few decades later the series would be rewritten. As with all Hardy Boys books, the case is first revealed and later solved by a series of extremely unlikely coincidences: the Hardys or their friends just happen to be at the right place at the right time. In fact, there are initially two cases, a couple thousand miles apart, which just happen to be the same case, though this surprises no one. The Hardys are excellent horseback riders. There are a few fights, but fortunately, the Hardys just learned judo and so they hold their own -- and then some. The bad guys look mean and speak rudely and roughly. Fenton Hardy, their famous detective father, looks on admiringly. Chet Morton eats two stacks of pancakes and then doesn't feel so good.
January 11, 2021
The Hardy Boys are in deep trying to find clues while their father is in the hospital after a strange attack. It starts with trying to trace an abandoned car at a local gas station and leads to thefts and Indians. The boys find the first clue, a pin with a crooked arrow on it and part of a leather watch band, in the car....then suspicious characters start popping up everywhere. Chet joins Frank and Joe when they head to their aunt Ruth's ranch in New Mexico for another mystery....her ranch hands are disappearing. Frank and Joe do a good job finding clues, deciding who to trust and who might be involved in the mystery. When they notice a strange "arrow" just outside the ranch the boys figure the mysteries are related. Arrows fly and trouble follows the boys as they ride horses over the plains trying to stay one step in front of the men who are trying to stop them from solving the mystery.
June 18, 2018
A chain of jewelry heists lead by robbers who use an elaborate method to cover their tracks. They came up with the idea to use sleeping gas into cigarettes and trick their targets into inhaling the gas using casual methods right before stealing their personal stuff.
Negative Highlights
With my innocent child-eyes, Frank and Joe's playful jabbing at Chet about his weight and eating habits were just that. But after a life-time of hearing about fat-shaming and body-shaming, it has created a little voice that says maybe the writers of days gone by were a little mean. Idk maybe I'm overthinking, it after all, Chet never seemed to mind them anyway
Negative Highlights
With my innocent child-eyes, Frank and Joe's playful jabbing at Chet about his weight and eating habits were just that. But after a life-time of hearing about fat-shaming and body-shaming, it has created a little voice that says maybe the writers of days gone by were a little mean. Idk maybe I'm overthinking, it after all, Chet never seemed to mind them anyway
April 4, 2023
This entry has the Boys travelling out West to help a relative who is having trouble with her ranch. Ranch hands keep disappearing without a reason why. At the same time, they are seeking a group of thieves who use cigarettes with knock out gas to rob people.
I love the bit character Slo Mo, as he lives up to his name.
The story is a bit interesting and there are some twists. However, the language is a bit dated and the portrayal of the Pye wouldn't stand today's scrutiny as it is very stereotypical and not respectful.
But other than that, the story may be a good read for a child 10-14.
I love the bit character Slo Mo, as he lives up to his name.
The story is a bit interesting and there are some twists. However, the language is a bit dated and the portrayal of the Pye wouldn't stand today's scrutiny as it is very stereotypical and not respectful.
But other than that, the story may be a good read for a child 10-14.
September 19, 2022
A good entry in the series. The brothers start a mystery in Bayport and finish it at their cousin's ranch out West. Many of the travel stories seem to come up short, but this one held up to the end.
One note, whoever came up with the phony western accent probably never traveled farther west than Erie, Pennsylvania. It is truly awful, but easy to laugh at. Less amusing are some of the comments about Indians. If this type of thing throws you out of a story, then you might want to look elsewhere.
Still better than much of what is new on the shelves today.
Find it. Buy it. Read it!
One note, whoever came up with the phony western accent probably never traveled farther west than Erie, Pennsylvania. It is truly awful, but easy to laugh at. Less amusing are some of the comments about Indians. If this type of thing throws you out of a story, then you might want to look elsewhere.
Still better than much of what is new on the shelves today.
Find it. Buy it. Read it!
January 21, 2024
Some troubling stereotypes that did not age well including Indigenous people of the US and an overweight friend. Though there is quite a bit of violence in this book no one is seriously injured: arrows, knives, drugged, machine guns, revolvers, and martial arts. That in itself is weird. There are better options for middle school students. My child paid attention to the book as a read aloud but has zero interest in any other books in the series.
July 19, 2017
These books give role models to young boys from every angle. The father character, Fenton Hardy is an awesome character, and shares a healthy, loving relationship with his wife, their mother. The two boys model thinking through problems, handling emotions, courage in the face of danger, wisdom to ask for help, and so much more.
May 10, 2022
The big bad manufactures cigarettes that expel a knock-out gas, allowing the victim to be robbed. Coincidently, the big bad has his hideout next a cousin's ranch. So the boys and Chet go out west to save the day.
Everyone gets roughed up, and Fenton even gets shot with an arrow. However, no one gets KO'ed. So the count remains at 33.
Everyone gets roughed up, and Fenton even gets shot with an arrow. However, no one gets KO'ed. So the count remains at 33.
June 5, 2018
Ate these up as a kid and usually got them as gifts for birthdays, Christmas and other events. This edition would be quite dated now and I believe they have updated the books. The author was a pseudonym for a plethora of writers who contributed to this series.
September 8, 2018
This book was an immediate favorite of mine. Great characters and I love how the mystery took them outside of Bayport to a new fun location. Chet’s hobby in this book happens to be judo so GET READY!!!
September 14, 2018
I loved these books as an early teen, and when I saw this in an OpShop, I bought it for nostalgia's sake. However, it was not quite as good as I remembered! Obviously my tastes have matured over the years!
October 7, 2018
A most wonderful book that makes a part of a great series.
I love it, 5 stars totally, as an early teenager it is very inspiring!! It is a really western book with some well-made suspense.
I love it, 5 stars totally, as an early teenager it is very inspiring!! It is a really western book with some well-made suspense.
June 25, 2021
This one started off well, without the racist stuff that plagues the older versions of these stories . . . until the boys go to their cousin's ranch in New Mexico, where the Native American stereotypes (and cowboy stereotypes) abound. Sigh.
November 21, 2023
Kind of weird - a less-than-plausible plotline, as typical of Hardy Boys - but I still enjoyed it.
February 16, 2018
The actual sign of the crooked arrow played a smaller part here and wasn't really all that interesting. But overall, still a good Hardy Boys story.
October 18, 2018
The storyline is dated. This was an easy read that required no thinking - good escapism for an hour or so.
February 27, 2020
Exciting book! The plot is a little complicated, which didn’t make it extraordinary. I would recommend.
March 22, 2020
Great book found it hard to put down once I got into the mystery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews