The Secret of the Caves

The Hardy Boys #7

by Franklin W. Dixon

There's something very strange happening in and around Bayport and the Hardy Boys are doing their best to get to the bottom of it.

It's all triggered by the disappearance of a brilliant young professor. The mystery takes the boys first to Kenworthy College where they find a puzzling message on an examination paper. But then, a new clue is unearthed that sends the young detectives to the Honeycomb Caves. After many dangerous encounters, Frank and Joe discover a powerful searchlight in one of the craggy caverns along the seacoast. In its brilliant white glare, the startling secret of the caves is dramatically revealed.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Adventure, Classics, Middle Grade

175 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1929

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

[Jessaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was 1 of the more enjoyable hardy boys books They decide to go fishing and explore the honeycomb caves. It is here that they meet a strange fishermen that lives in 1 of the caves. 1 moment he is friendly towards them, The next moment he doesn't know them and his chasing them off. Then they explore the caves and learn that something strange is going on inside them.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Secret of the Caves was the seventh novel in The Hardy Boys mystery stories series. It was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Leslie McFarlane and published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1929 under the Franklin W. Dixon house name. From 1959-1973 Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Adams, oversaw the revision of the first thirty-eight books in the series, some of which were simply shortened and simplified and sometimes updated, and some of which were completely replaced with entirely new novels, resulting in entirely different books with identical titles, authors, and covers. This one falls somewhere between those two extremes. McFarlane's original has 25 chapters and in 210 pages long, and the revision written by Andrew E. Svenson that appeared in 1965 is 175 pages in 20 chapters. I've just read both back-to-back to compare. Many of the characters are the same, as are a few of the events and place names. (Spoilers...spoilers...) The Hardy's go on a camping trip to explore some caves in both books, they're warned about strange lights and sounds but don't let that stop them, Joe falls off of a cliff and has to be rescued, they're shot by a shotgun filled with flour, their camping supplies are stolen, etc. In the original book Frank falls in a hole shortly after Joe's tumble off the cliff, but in 1965 it's Biff who takes the fall. In the original the Boys carry guns (and Prohibition is mentioned), but not in the more modern version despite the fact that they're both a year older. One of the biggest differences I noticed was the role that their girlfriends, Callie Shaw and Iola Morton, played. On page 43 of the original, Callie and Iola (who's described as "plump"?!) wish that they were boys so that they could go along and share in the adventure, but girls always have to stay at home because they're girls. In the more modern story, they're encouraged to go undercover as waitresses at the restaurant that's suspected as being the spy gang hide-out to gather information. The original story isn't among McFarlane's best plot-wise, though it is a little more interesting and seems to have been written for an older audience. It hinges on a pair of coincidences that seem silly, and there are a couple of silly things that detract from the story. For example, they capture one of the gangsters (who happens to be an escaped criminal from the previous book, The Shore Road Mystery), tie him up, and then flag down a random passing motorist on the road and ask him to deliver him to jail so they can continue their cave investigation without interruption. On the other hand, the newer book throws in a needlessly convoluted trek to a local college where they're kidnapped and tied to a railroad track, Chet getting a new metal detector (which later explodes), and Dad working to uncover saboteurs at a new radar site complete with an enemy submarine encounter. There's a better sense of humor and character in the original, though the newer is faster paced with more action. I usually find that I prefer the older books by a wide margin, but both of these were fun (but not outstanding) reads.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Secret of the Caves was the seventh novel in The Hardy Boys mystery stories series. It was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Leslie McFarlane and published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1929 under the Franklin W. Dixon house name. From 1959-1973 Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet Adams, oversaw the revision of the first thirty-eight books in the series, some of which were simply shortened and simplified and sometimes updated, and some of which were completely replaced with entirely new novels, resulting in entirely different books with identical titles, authors, and covers. This one falls somewhere between those two extremes. McFarlane's original has 25 chapters and in 210 pages long, and the revision written by Andrew E. Svenson that appeared in 1965 is 175 pages in 20 chapters. I've just read both back-to-back to compare. Many of the characters are the same, as are a few of the events and place names. (Spoilers...spoilers...) The Hardy's go on a camping trip to explore some caves in both books, they're warned about strange lights and sounds but don't let that stop them, Joe falls off of a cliff and has to be rescued, they're shot by a shotgun filled with flour, their camping supplies are stolen, etc. In the original book Frank falls in a hole shortly after Joe's tumble off the cliff, but in 1965 it's Biff who takes the fall. In the original the Boys carry guns (and Prohibition is mentioned), but not in the more modern version despite the fact that they're both a year older. One of the biggest differences I noticed was the role that their girlfriends, Callie Shaw and Iola Morton, played. On page 43 of the original, Callie and Iola (who's described as "plump"?!) wish that they were boys so that they could go along and share in the adventure, but girls always have to stay at home because they're girls. In the more modern story, they're encouraged to go undercover as waitresses at the restaurant that's suspected as being the spy gang hide-out to gather information. The original story isn't among McFarlane's best plot-wise, though it is a little more interesting and seems to have been written for an older audience. It hinges on a pair of coincidences that seem silly, and there are a couple of silly things that detract from the story. For example, they capture one of the gangsters (who happens to be an escaped criminal from the previous book, The Shore Road Mystery), tie him up, and then flag down a random passing motorist on the road and ask him to deliver him to jail so they can continue their cave investigation without interruption. On the other hand, the newer book throws in a needlessly convoluted trek to a local college where they're kidnapped and tied to a railroad track, Chet getting a new metal detector (which later explodes), and Dad working to uncover saboteurs at a new radar site complete with an enemy submarine encounter. There's a better sense of humor and character in the original, though the newer is faster paced with more action. I usually find that I prefer the older books by a wide margin, but both of these were fun (but not outstanding) reads.

[Jack Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars. Not bad, but not as engaging as one or two of the earlier ones. "The House on the Cliff" for example - #2 in the series. My trying to figure out what was the root cause of the commotion was enjoyable however. No help with an early clue. Frank and Joe plus their father Fenton, a private investigator, are at home in Bayport when a distraught young woman visits. Mary Todd's older brother Morgan, a professor at Kenworthy College in upstate New York where she is also a 1st year student, has disappeared. Her deceased father had spoken highly of Mr. Hardy. Thus her visit. She thinks Morgan's been kidnapped. Because the senior Hardy is busy on a major case, the boys agree to visit Kenworthy and investigate. Mary's suspicions seem far-fetched until Frank and Joe are first, roughed-up by a group from a local fraternity and second, mislead by one of Morgan's colleagues at the college, Cadmus Quill. He claims that Mary's brother has gone to Europe to get married! But the two find an indicator at the college pointing to the notorious and dangerous sea caves near Rockaway south of Bayport. It's adventure and high stakes on the Atlantic. (October 2023)

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The copy that I own and read was the original text published in 1929. I must admit that I have read few Hardy Boys books, although I own them all. The story was good. I can ignore the coincidences that are rampant in juvenile series books but in this one the author actually forgot what had been written- or maybe editing didn't follow through. When Joe falls off a cliff they apparently have no rope (who wouldn't bring along ropes when exploring cliffs?) because Frank had to use his body as a rope. But when Frank fell into a deep crevice in the cave, the boys ran to get the rope. Also, their provisions are stolen, leaving them with a loaf of bread and a can of sardines (interesting to bring on a camping trip). Several pages later they tell someone that all the thief took everything except a loaf of bread, cans of beans, and coffee.

I think that I will read the updated text of this title and see if the story improves.

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another classic Hardy's adventure. I think that the first 6 are the really essential ones. This 7th one had some of the same tropes as the others and was annoying advertising Tome 6 over and over again ad nauseum every few pages. That being said, it was still exciting and watching Frank and Joe work together is always fun. One technical point, we never really found out of Chet and Biff caught any fish while Frank and Joe were tussling with the bad guys did we? Nor whether the prison escapee was put away for good...

[Richard T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annie gave me this because I read them as a kid. A fun read. Took me back to 1978…

[Jennifer S. Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When there we no new Nancy Drew books in the library, I often chose one of the Hardy Boys mysteries. Lots of fun and adventure; highly recommended for pre-teens and young adults.

[Magnus]

Ahh, Hardyguttene, just like old times. Ikkje like bra som eg huska, men gøy å lese igjen! Får håpe det blir et par te av disse før sommeren e omme. Leste altså på norsk, men ser ut som Goodreads kun har rundt 40 (!!) av Hardyguttene på norsk registrert. Skjerpings.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Quickie Review

If you've followed the series up to this point--or even if you haven't--you know what to expect from this series, and that's just what you'll get. More mystery, more suspense, more old-school fun; what's not to like?

Content Concerns:

Sex: None. 5/5
Nudity: None. 5/5
Language: None. 5/5
Violence: Some "PG"-level action. 4/5
Drugs: None.
Frightening/Intense Sequences: Some "PG"-level peril. 4/5

Score: 4/5

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hardys are dealing with two cases. While their father works on sabotage at a local security station, Frank and Joe head to a college to try to find a missing professor. But the trail leads them to some caves south of Bayport. What exactly will they find there?

This was actually the first Hardy Boys books I picked up many years ago, and it was fun to revisit. I didn’t remember much about the mystery, so it kept me guessing until the end. I did find the ending very rushed and the characters flat, but I still had fun revisiting them.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Rasika · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book dealt with 3 mysteries-missing of Todd, accidents at Radar site and the strange happenings at Honeycomb caves. I especially appreciated the detailing done!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average Hardy Boys, but enjoyed listening to in one go on the way home on a road trip.

[Jason Pettus · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 reads, #15 and 16. The latest two public-domain Hardy Boys books have recently been released by StandardEbooks.org, a great organization that takes plain-text files from Project Gutenberg and lays them out as beautiful looking ebooks, so as usual I took them on in the spirit of one day being a completist of all the Hardy Boys books as they all slowly pass into the public domain over the second half of my (hopefully) long life. (I’m 56 this year, so with a little luck, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be around to read the last of the original run, 1979’s The Sting of the Scorpion, when its copyright expires in 2074, when I’m 105.) Today’s books, however, are numbers 7 and 8 from 1929, still back near the beginning of the series; so as such, they’re not much different than the six books that came before them, so you should probably just read my review of the first book to see what I’ve thought of all eight books so far.

That said, completists like me will be relieved to see that The Mystery of Cabin Island is finally the first book in the series to present an actual mystery (the “mystery” of most of them so far has turned out to be “a group of fugitives are hiding out at [that book’s particular abandoned structure at the edge of town]”), which like book #6, Hunting for Hidden Gold, can clearly be seen as a sign that ghostwriter Leslie McFarlane was finally starting to have some fun with these. (McFarlane notoriously hated writing these books, and only did so to pay his family’s bills; you can clearly see his displeasure in the fact that the first five books of the series have the exact same plot, namely the aforementioned “group of fugitives are hiding out in an abandoned mansion or an abandoned factory or an abandoned clock tower, before they’re accidentally discovered by our teen heroes while they’re out on their motorbikes one day.”) That’s making these more and more enjoyable with each new title, so we’ll see what happens with next year’s book, The Great Airport Mystery (which, given that it was published in 1930, I suspect will likely involve propeller planes and lots of derring-do). I hope you’ll join me here again for that one!

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 3 out of 5]

This writing is better than I have ever seen, a fulfilling surprise. A few copies are from my Dad, or bought in this brown style. The blue 1960s rewrites, same as Nancy Drew's yellow re-releases, entailed contrived, hollow danger. Herein we absorb scenery, camaraderie, and a lot of previously unseen normalcy; before the next time Frank or Joe nearly fall off a cliff, or something is swiped. There is more of Chet Morton and Laura Hardy. The best surprise is that we reference the previous mystery case at length!

I wonder if it is a coincidence, since a culprit appears from the last novel, or if these original stories really do contain much more descriptive writing and flow. I seldom see the originals without a politically unacceptable chunk removed by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, the founder's daughter. The only iffy phrase was "He doesn't have a Chinaman's chance". I presume it harks to Chinese checking a mine's safety. The girls staying home from the adventure was lame too but 1929 girls did not sleep co-ed.

My favourite aspect was definitely soaking up the aftermath of case #6, learning how the cast is doing thereafter. It was thrilling to consider five stars. I can't deny breezing along avidly, getting more out of the writing than Leslie McFarlane put into it before. I heard this was a job, not a passion at first. Edward Stratemeyer granted his authors autonomy, with sparse outlines to mould. I chose three stars because there was no anthropological wonder or trek meriting a title “The Secret Of The Caves”. It is merely where the quartet camped and where both targets they sought scurried in and out. Caves lend infinitely superior possibilities than this, for stimulating quests. Nonetheless, I am increasingly enthusiastic about the sequels and won't pause long.

[Hayley Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read with the kids, entertaining but not as good as Nancy Drew obv

[Rikard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Hardy boys adventure from 1929.

[itchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

eponymous sentence:
p99: Commander Wilson was a fraud, a cover-up for some sort of gang receiving supplies and men by secret submarine at the Honeycomb Caves.

spaces:
p32: "I'm itching for Honeycomb Caves," Chet ban tered.

p76: "Made moiselles," he said, rising from his desk, "do you understand that you wish to work as waitresses at the Palais Paris?"

p83: "Well, I can't remember tak ing it from the car, but I couldn't say for sure," Chet said.

p84: "...We need the police and an ambu lancel" Frank commanded.

p99: The magnitude of the mystery they had uncov ered hit Frank and Joe like a stunning blow.

p104: "And your friend Todd, who'd been imprisoned on the sub, is aboard one of our de stroyers this moment, safe and sound."

ocr:
p32: Suddenly, above the sound of the starting motor, Chet let out an Indian war whoop and yelled, "On to Rockawayl"

p34: When they hit the turnpike, Frank spelled his brother at the wheeL Now, with greater speed, the miles melted past.

p38: The chief thanked him and promised to call the Hardys back after he had interrogated QuilL
Later, just as the family was sitting down to breakfast, the phone rang.

p40: The three detectives were perplexed about Biff and Chet's brush with Cadmus QuilL "Why would he pick on them?" Joe mused.

p47: He wondered whether either of these men was Cadmus QuilL The boy described the college assistant to the old fellow and asked if he had seen such a man.

p80: When the woman shopkeeper saw the Hardys she frowned, hastened into the back room, and reappeared with MarceL Frank gave the girls a questioning glance.

p90: "Jumpin' catnsh!" Joe exclaimed.

As I switch to a different author, there are eerie instances where the subject matter of the next book would somehow match that of the last author's.

[Jerimy Stoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must love the Hardy Boys mysteries. So many unrealistic situations. Still, the books are full of action and innocent thinking. Two young adults taking after their father and solving crimes that would be best left to real police officers. The villains are a combination of skilled and stupid, which is a strange dichotomy really. In some ways, that makes them human, and in other ways they function robotically. Still, I have a fondness for these old mysteries, because Frank Dixon and Carolyn Keen wrote these stories that really appeal to a younger audience. My kids, when they were very young liked to be read to, but they didn't seem too interested in picking up the habit for themselves. I had some success drawing them into the world of reading with superhero comic books, but they soon wanted something more engaging like television, and I worried that the spark of reading interest would be squashed by the ever-present and annoying boob tube. I was in a dusty old second-hand bookstore when I came across the Hardy Boys and saw some Nancy Drew mysteries. I thought, "what the heck, it's worth a try." and I picked up a few books and brought them home. My kids devoured them, and I was hard pressed to find more of the collections. I ended up with most of the books from each series and my kids read all of them. I owe a lot to these two writers, and my kids (adults now) still like to read, and my son looks forward to sharing these stories with his son when he's old enough to kindle an interest.

[Kevin Findley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cut above the already high average for the first year of the Hardy Boys stories, The Secret of The Caves ties in a missing Professor with a gang of saboteurs. How the cases linked together made more sense than Frank and Joe just stumbling into the middle of the problem. Fans and casual readers both will appreciate that.

Biff and Chet put in appearances that give them a bit more to do than just play hostage. Both are important to the story, and even Callie and Iola get in on the fun at one point. Better still, no one in the group gets kidnapped and only one person gets cracked on the head. Must be a record!

Fun aside, the mystery is pretty good and the situation is fairly realistic for when the book was written. Everyone should enjoy it and this tale is a good jumping on point for parents who want to introduce the series to younger kids.

Find it! Buy it! READ IT!

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book for young boys - most modern readers will find some of the dialogue a bit corny.

Some interesting features: a memorable character (Commander Wilson the hermit), an interesting locale (the Palais Paris restaurant, and the caves at Rockaway).

The Cadwill Quill character could have been quite cool, but the book barely used him.

Main drawback of the book - the resolution takes place in about 4.5 pages, including wrapping up all the various loose ends. I'd like to read the original, longer version, as this version is the shorter, revised one, and perhaps that's the main reason it seems chopped off at the end.

Worth a buck at a yard sale if you've know a younger boy who might want to read this.

[Chloe Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was dads book when he was a kid and gma donna found it and gave it back right after the flood, and he gave it to me. i liked it more than i thought i would, hoping to read more of the series sometime. lowkey looked up to the boys cuz they were such cool teenagers and now i’m one of them

going thru my bookcase and getting nostalgic can you tell

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4
My first Hardy Boys adventure (needed for a challenge) and it was quite enjoyable. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. May read other books in the series.

[Harold Cheetham · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great Hardy Boys adventure.

[David Allen Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the oldest Hardy Boys books, having originally been written in 1929, and later "modernized" although the modernization is now quite dated! Nonetheless, it is one of the best of the classic Hardy Boys books. I remember enjoying it when young, and I much enjoyed it now, almost 40 years later. The Hardys, along with their friend Chet, set out to find a missing professor, while assisting Mr. Hardy, who is investigating attacks against a local radar site. They end up in seaside caves, stymied by a weird hermit who is not what he seems. This book is a solid story, with one adventure after another at a fast pace. Despite the age of the story, this is still a tale that holds up well in the modern era. Because of the age of the book and its updating, there are passages that are obviously from the older book, and some gaps--for example, at the end of the story the Hardys leave in a police car, yet arrive home in a limousine! But this is still one of the best of the Hardy Boys books, and I in fact am planning to seek out a copy of the original 1929 version to see how the story was originally. Very much recommended for anyone who enjoys the Hardy Boys!

[Dan Kelly]

The Hardy Boys delve into William S. Burroughs' "cut-up" technique…the only possible explanation for this choppy, dream-logic seventh installment of the 132,283 volume series. Part spy novel, part boy adventurer yarn, and part series of wadded up scrap paper notes covered with half-baked ideas ("Boys meet crazy/ex-Royal Navy hobo?" "Joe and Frank buy aunt spinning wheel…" Wait, maybe it's "Joe and Frank buy haunt(ed) spinning wheel"?) fished out of the writer's pocket, in The Secret of the Caves, the Hardy brothers (or ARE they? SPOILER!: Yes. they are.) discover a plot by saboteurs from an unknown "unfriendly" (presumably, pinko) country that may be French, Russian, or a similar salad dressing name nation to destroy a radar station. Unlike most Hardy Boys series antagonists, the bad guys are surprisingly competent, and achieve their primary goal of knocking over the radar tower within the first few chapters, without tipping their hands as the villains by wearing black hats, mustaches, or acting "gay" (though the boys do foil a somewhat queeny college professor without addressing their own excessive neatness, fondness for sweaters, arms-length relationships with their supposed girlfriends, and ongoing obsession with stripping down with their buddies whenever they encounter a body of water). The saboteurs' triumph is ignored for the rest of the novel, with their new plans involving the creation/operation of an electronic interference doohickey to play hob with the military's radar, and the opening of an antique store/French restaurant with shoddy merchandise and a thuggish Gaul who forces the boys to buy a flimsy spinning wheel. I swear to God I am not making that part up.

Meanwhile, endomorphic pal Chet prepares for a lonely retirement by buying a metal detector, and asks the Hardys and friend Biff Loman to join him in a search for pirate doubloons, engagement rings, or whateverthehell he's looking for down at Honeycomb Caves near Rockaway Beach (the town of Bayport provides all manner of geological anomalies to climb, fall into, and almost die in). And almost die they do indeed. While we're used to Hardy Boy chapters ending on cliffhanger by now, author/pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon—who vamp-hypnotized real-life writer Leslie McFarlane into writing his books for him—seemed intent on near-killing the living crap out of Frank, Joe, Chet, Biff, Tony, and any other friends still fool enough to hang out with the two danger-magnets.

The boys even manage to involve their beards, Iola and… Flopsy? Bitzer? (I can't remember their names since they have less personality than Joe and Frank) in the investigation, telling them to seek employment as waitresses at the French restaurant/antique store...just because. It's a plan so dumbfoundingly purposeless and obvious, it not only immediately comes to naught, it allows the French commernists (already tipped off that two idiot teenage boys are investigating their criminal organization) to stick a bomb into Chet's metal detector, blowing the Hardy Boys' wheels all to hell. Joe and Frank may have a death wish, and their parents remain remarkably cool about involving them in investigations of weapons dealers, smugglers, and the Mob, but there's no need to blow hilariously chunky Chet into stringy nuggets. At least he gets some female attention from potential Girlfriend #3, because girls always make excellent nurses.

Series tropes abound: Surprisingly, the suggestion of swimming in one's skivvies is addressed but once. However, approaching, hanging out, and breaking bread with filthy/possibly criminally insane hobos/beachcombers is still encouraged. The Hardy Boys approach new levels of brain damaged behavior as they befriend the Captain, who is plainly a person to be trusted with his labyrinthine meanderings about serving in the Royal Navy and his trusty shotgun. Joe and Frank try to investigate Captain Kook's cave and rifle through his possessions not once but twice, leading to them being near-blasted to kingdom come. Likewise, loving life no more, the Hardys and their friends repeatedly enter Honeycomb Caves, despite the threat of gun play, terrorists, food-stealing tramps, and hidden holes to hell, one of which Joe falls into, concussing himself unto unconsciousness (it's all right, they find him hours later and he walks it off). Biff, their two-fisted fighting buddy also gets his ass handed to him in the parking lot, again knocked unconscious (just a tad) shortly before the previously mentioned bomb goes boom.

I'm reminded of the Far Side cartoon with the bear holding up two skulls, making them talk like puppets for the enjoyment of her cubs: "Say, Bob, think there are any bears in this cave?" "I don't know, Dave, let's take a look."

The Hardy boys are, naturally, triumphant, subverting the saboteurs through a cunning plan of running into and then out of a cave, then sealing the entrance, leaving the authorities to round them up on the other side (or possibly to cut off their air supply. Y'never know.). Oh, and they find Morton Todd, whom I forgot to mention, since he and his weepy sister are more plot devices than characters. The vile restauranteurs/antiquarians are rounded up as well, protecting Bayport once again from foreign/French/Communist/potentially pink menace. The book ends with the hysterical revelation that Aunt Gertrude—despite her frigidity, virginity, and status as the only person in the Hardy household to recognize that the brothers will probably be dead before they reach drinking age—managed to fix the spinning wheel. At this moment, Hardy dad Fenton says to his wife, "Well, Laura. Looks like its time for our William Tell act." The scene closes with the boy's mom balancing a glass on her head and Fenton taking aim with his Webley revolver as the boys ask Aunt Gertrude what's for dinner. No, not really, but it would have made just as much sense in this mess.

[Nathan Milos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rare to see a book that takes such care at the sentence level (crafting some truly lovely and active sentences) and still somehow makes no sense. Chat GPT would be hard pressed to develop a more confused plot. Yet at the same time it makes perfect sense as an indictment of American policing. The Hardy's are reckless, incompetent, jingoistic, and totally confident in their accusations despite having the thinnest shreds of evidence (or sometimes no evidence at all). Harrowing.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one seemed a little off-the author seemed to be phoning it in in parts. Still an enjoyable romp through the small towns on the Atlantic with the Hardy Boys and their group of friends as they piece together the common thread between a new radar station, a hermit, a french restaurant and an antique spinning wheel!

[JTSB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the famed Hardy Boy Detectives as they sleuth around for the cause of top secret government satellites that have been sabotaged by a treacherous gang threatening the US government plans!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hardys aren’t the greatest of friends. Poor Biff Hooper probably has brain damage from the many times in the book he’s knocked unconscious and he’s never taken to a hospital but Chet Morton gets his hair slightly singed and he gets a fruit basket. Poor Biff.

The passage in this book that makes me giggle. “Then Joe turned on the record player. Chet, usually bashful with girls, asked Mary Todd to dance and soon the living room was a blur of motion as the young people gyrated to the latest steps.”

An average Hardy boys adventure….they still pale compared to Nancy.