The Children of the Lost

The Lost Mystery Trilogy #1

by Franklin W. Dixon

The boys go on a chilling mission—camping in the woods where children have suddenly begun to disappear. Every time a child disappears, the word "LOST" has appeared outside their tent…and they are never heard from again. The boys think they’ve got things covered; they’re ATAC agents after all. But when an "L" appears outside their tent their first night in the woods, things take a turn for the creepy.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Adventure, Childrens, Young Adult, Middle Grade

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

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

[Curtis Cronn]

Best part is hearing one of the Hardy Boys exclaim "He tased my bro!"

[rORYHINSOn]

Children of the Lost, book one in Franklin W. Dixon’s mystery trilogy, is an awesome book. It’s a riveting, scary, creepy novel in which Frank and Joe Hardy, ATAC detectives, investigate the disappearances of 8 kids from the same state park over a span of 12 years. At first everything is normal. Then someone, or something starts scrawling letters in the dirt outside Frank and Joes’ tent L-O-S... Can they figure out what happened before it’s too late, then they will become, LOST.

[Maryam]

In this book the Hardy boys are undercover again this time as student tring to find more about the missing kid (8 )who disappered at the same camping stop and where missing in the last 12 years. So they camped at the sight where it was confined that each child went missing .Each boys were to take wacht for 3 hours each so the other will be able to sleep.Will they find what is happing on before on of them go missing.Found out by readong this really good book The children of the lost!!!!!!!!!!

[Hope]

I went through a phase where I was addicted to the Hardy Boys books. I checked out dozens from the library. I read the OG ones, the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys super mysteries (which were always a trip), and these.

Let me tell you, there are tons of different versions of the Hardy Boys with tons of different feels. (That 70s TV show version with Parker Stevenson and Sean Cassidy may be my favorite version, though. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go look it up. It's quite a time. Sometimes they team up with Nancy and it's always a fun time.)

This version of our favorite crime-fighting brothers is a bit different. First of all, the boys are basically secret agents. They have all the tech and smarts and training. For me, this kinda takes away a bit of the Hardy Boys' charm. These are just two dudes who get kidnapped a bit more often than the average high schoolers. The only training they're supposed to have is from watching their dad. And they always have to come up with a cover story as to why they're gallivanting off into the night instead of working on homework. Plus, the relationship between Frank and Joe and the police chief is pretty much the funniest thing. In other words, Frank and Joe and supposed to be some meddling kids who outsmart the entire police force in like three days. In these books, that's not exactly what happens.

Also, this version brings Frank and Joe into the 21st century. Which, as a kid, was great. I want sassy Joe who always has a joke for each situation and brainy Frank who's a little bit geeky and a lot awkward with girls. I love them. But if you're a purist, you'll need to come to terms with that.

And another thing, this book is a dual, first-person POV. And getting inside Joe's head can be quite a time. He's hilarious. And always trying to set Frank up. Like hello?

All in all, these books are a trip down memory lane. They're super fast-paced and will keep you engaged from the start. So, if you need a light-hearted mystery with fast-paced action (and kidnappings galore) I would totally recommend these books.

[Sagarika]

As a child I was an avid reader of Enid Blyton's books and the Goosebumps series. Hardy Boys rarely made my to-read list. So I was quite hesitant and skeptical if this book will interest me now. But boy was I wrong!
This book is a captivating read for ALL ages! One would expect children's detective stories to be monotonous and predictable. On the contrary, I have found detective stories intended for younger readers are often more creative and unique. It is quite sad as most of the detective novels for adults are often revolving around the same idea of a mysterious murder and a detective protagonist solving it somehow. This book of Hardy boys had much more adventure packed into 160 pages than the 400 or so pages of detective stories for older readers. It was exciting, the story revolved around a good number of intriguing elements - memory loss, murder, abduction, family relations, camping in the forest at night and even bears! The story was complete with little twists that I did not see coming and surprises and the end left me wanting to complete the trilogy!

All in all, this book will entertain anyone who has a taste for adventure and mystery. 4/5 rating for Book #1 in The Lost Children series of Hardy Boys!

[The Curious Reader]

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.

[Alicia]

This one was so much more intense and creepy than I thought it would be! The premise is so intriguing, and all the disappearances are strange. This mystery felt different from some of the others, but I really liked how this first book set it up. It was unsettling and had me on the edge of my seat.

[James E. Smith]

Great Book

Great story with twists and turns and suspects in different angles.
Can;t wait to read Lost Brother! Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!!

[Aslam]

It was a really scary story to read but it was good at the same time I say this book is outstanding

[Jaz]

Obviously its only first book in a series of Three books but i really loved it. cant Wait to Read number 2

[Bradley Pan]

fuyjfyjf

[Elise]

Hot garbage -- utter trash. Literally cannot wait to read the next one 😂

[Marsha]

I enjoyed going back to read a Hardy Boys book. I remember always enjoying them when I was young. They don't disappoint for our young readers.

[V. Arrow]

Ugh the Hardys are so lame.

[Lari]

The ending of this one left me absolutely frantic to find the sequel.

[Sandy]

This book is rated for boys age 8-10. My son is 9 so he picked it up to read on vacation. I decided I would read it too, just for fun! I think it is very well written and fun to read, but it's a bit scary! There's even a murder scene. My son says he really likes the book, but he just can't read it right before bedtime!!
We unfortunately only bought #1 of the trilogy, so now we need to go buy #2 and #3 so we can both find out what happens! :)

[Keys2k]

This was a very suspensful book- the best Hardy Boys series I've read yet!!! Frank and Joe go to a wildlife park type area, where many children have been kidnapped over the years. The police have found one of the children who was kidnapped, Justin, who is now in his late teens. Through questioning Justin, the Hardy boys get closer to the kidnappers- but loose ends come up, and Frank goes missing! Amazing book; definately a must read!

[Glenn]

Of course the story is ridiculous (it's the reinvented Hardy Boys) and the brothers are able to nose their way into everywhere somehow, but it's a fun three-part read. Even the secondary characters are allowed to do whatever they want -- a hospital candy striper who administers sedatives to a patient? Really? A little longer and repetitive than it needed to be, but so what. It's a contemporary young adult popcorn novel, and nothing more.

[David]

The Children of the Lost is book one of a three part series. This time the mystery is set in a large state park in Idaho. Over a period of twelve years, children have been disappearing from the campground. And, now one of them has turned up...and remembers nothing. Frank and Joe set up camp and find some weird stuff going on.

Pretty good story.

[Ayesha Ahmed]

i have this book on hold