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The Hardy Boys Casefiles #69
Mayhem in Motion
Vanessa Bender received a rude welcome to Bayport High--her car's tires were slashed. But vandalism is the least of the new girl's worries. Her mother has opened an animation studio and a controversial new project sets off a deadly chain of events--including arson and murder. The Hardys hope to draw the culprit out of hiding--but the killer's already got a bead on them.
- GenresMysteryYoung Adult
154 pages
First published January 1, 1992
5 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
762 books997 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 29, 2020
My first ever Hardy boys series
September 5, 2025
As kids, my brother and I were given a bunch of used hardback Hardy Boys books. I was an avid reader back then but I never managed to finish any of them or maybe even start too many (or any) of them. I just had no interest.
I picked up a coverless paperback version of this somewhere sometime as an adult and it has been on my shelf for who knows how long. 35+ years after I should have been reading this, I'm going to give it a shot.
So it turns out that the book wasn't a reissue from the 50s or 60s, but a then current book from 1992. The Hardy's have a car phone and Frank uses a modem on his computer to log into another computer thousands of miles away. The time machine back to cutting edge early 1990s technology was a hoot. The book I read before, Quick Change, was from 1981. It was also fun to contrast how far technology had advanced in the 11 years between these books being published.
This book was on our shelf and I'm reading every book we own. To be honest, I thought I would read a few dozen pages of this book and then give up. Whoever they hired to ghostwrite this one as Franklin Dixon did a really great job. Sure it's formulaic but it's well constructed and masterfully paced with good cliffhanging ends to most chapters. The characters feel real too; the characters also felt fresh. Quite an achievement for characters that have been teenagers for 50 years.
This is a book that adults as well as teens can enjoy. It was a very pleasant surprise.
I will be giving this to my niece and nephew. They are still a few years from being ready to read it, but my sister will have it for them when they are ready.
I picked up a coverless paperback version of this somewhere sometime as an adult and it has been on my shelf for who knows how long. 35+ years after I should have been reading this, I'm going to give it a shot.
So it turns out that the book wasn't a reissue from the 50s or 60s, but a then current book from 1992. The Hardy's have a car phone and Frank uses a modem on his computer to log into another computer thousands of miles away. The time machine back to cutting edge early 1990s technology was a hoot. The book I read before, Quick Change, was from 1981. It was also fun to contrast how far technology had advanced in the 11 years between these books being published.
This book was on our shelf and I'm reading every book we own. To be honest, I thought I would read a few dozen pages of this book and then give up. Whoever they hired to ghostwrite this one as Franklin Dixon did a really great job. Sure it's formulaic but it's well constructed and masterfully paced with good cliffhanging ends to most chapters. The characters feel real too; the characters also felt fresh. Quite an achievement for characters that have been teenagers for 50 years.
This is a book that adults as well as teens can enjoy. It was a very pleasant surprise.
I will be giving this to my niece and nephew. They are still a few years from being ready to read it, but my sister will have it for them when they are ready.
July 12, 2019
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.
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.
July 29, 2013
As kids, my brother and I were given a bunch of used hardback Hardy Boys books. I was an avid reader back then but I never managed to finish any of them or maybe even start too many (or any) of them. I just had no interest.
I picked up a coverless paperback version of this somewhere sometime as an adult and it has been on my shelf for who knows how long. 35+ years after I should have been reading this, I'm going to give it a shot.
So it turns out that the book wasn't a reissue from the 50s or 60s, but a then current book from 1992. The Hardy's have a car phone and Frank uses a modem on his computer to log into another computer thousands of miles away. The time machine back to cutting edge early 1990s technology was a hoot. The book I read before, Quick Change, was from 1981. It was also fun to contrast how far technology had advanced in the 11 years between these books being published.
This book was on our shelf and I'm reading every book we own. To be honest, I thought I would read a few dozen pages of this book and then give up. Whoever they hired to ghostwrite this one as Franklin Dixon did a really great job. Sure it's formulaic but it's well constructed and masterfully paced with good cliffhanging ends to most chapters. The characters feel real too; the characters also felt fresh. Quite an achievement for characters that have been teenagers for 50 years.
This is a book that adults as well as teens can enjoy. It was a very pleasant surprise.
I will be giving this to my niece and nephew. They are still a few years from being ready to read it, but my sister will have it for them when they are ready.
I picked up a coverless paperback version of this somewhere sometime as an adult and it has been on my shelf for who knows how long. 35+ years after I should have been reading this, I'm going to give it a shot.
So it turns out that the book wasn't a reissue from the 50s or 60s, but a then current book from 1992. The Hardy's have a car phone and Frank uses a modem on his computer to log into another computer thousands of miles away. The time machine back to cutting edge early 1990s technology was a hoot. The book I read before, Quick Change, was from 1981. It was also fun to contrast how far technology had advanced in the 11 years between these books being published.
This book was on our shelf and I'm reading every book we own. To be honest, I thought I would read a few dozen pages of this book and then give up. Whoever they hired to ghostwrite this one as Franklin Dixon did a really great job. Sure it's formulaic but it's well constructed and masterfully paced with good cliffhanging ends to most chapters. The characters feel real too; the characters also felt fresh. Quite an achievement for characters that have been teenagers for 50 years.
This is a book that adults as well as teens can enjoy. It was a very pleasant surprise.
I will be giving this to my niece and nephew. They are still a few years from being ready to read it, but my sister will have it for them when they are ready.
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June 18, 2011Loved it.
July 19, 2014
"Draw the line against crime and you're sure to find plenty of live-action danger."
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews