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The Hardy Boys #74
Tic-Tac-Terror
The two young detectives solve a mystery involving a top secret government agency and a world-famous spy who wishes to defect to America.
201 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1984
7 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
810 books1,006 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 15, 2023
'Tic-Tac-Terror' (The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories #74) by Franklin W. Dixon.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Disclaimer:
It was my first time reading this book. I have, probably, read the first 63 Hardy Boys books multiple times, but the same can not be said for the subsequent books in the series. It isn't because I'm partial to the Originals, but more so because the latter books were hard to find growing up. However, with the advent of digital books in recent times, I'm eager to pursue my childhood ambition of reading all 190 Hardy Boys books at least once.
The Hardy Boys books are a nostalgic affair. Had it not been for these books, it would have been difficult for me to cultivate my interest in reading and to later expand my reading preferences to include the fantasy and sci-fi genres. So, yeah, that's the main reason why you would rarely find me giving a rating of fewer than 3.5 stars (out of 5) to these Hardy Boys books.
Review:
This book was way more explosive than I expected! Considering the book deals with a secret government organization, an international terrorist syndicate, bombs, and drugs, this felt more like a story that would have suited to be in the Casefiles universe rather than the main continuity. But I'm not complaining about it at all!
The book does require some suspension of disbelief than others. Why would an international terrorist syndicate be afraid of some amateur teenage detectives? And if so, why would they fool around with fake bombs and threats instead of taking them out of the scenario once and for all? Why would a top-secret government organization dealing with terrorist threats be so open with a bunch of teenagers irrespective of who their father is?
But anyway, when I started this read of the Hardy Boys books, I pledged I would judge it only through the lens of a kid as those books were intended to appeal to. And I must confess, as a school kid, I would have loved this story! It is an action-packed and gripping affair that was a thrill to read from the start to the end. The brothers did a great job investigating this case. And, for once, I was happy that they were smart enough to listen to their mother and aunt about having backups when they attempted to contact the enemies in person. And yes, any book that features the old pals of the Hardy Boys is always a delight to read (that's what has been missing from recent iterations of the Hardy Boys)!
Overall, 'Tic-Tac-Terror' was another good entry in the Hardy Boys Mystery series. It required some suspension of disbelief than other books in this series, but it was a thoroughly entertaining story that I devoured in a single sitting.
"Well, I just remembered that threat and the way he looked at me when he said it. He wasn't fooling, Frank. He's a tough guy, and he meant business!"
The words sent a chill through Iola's listeners.
"I knew it all along," Chet muttered. You guys must've gotten yourselves on some criminal mastermind's hit list! This is what comes from solving so many mystery cases!"
Rating: 4.0/5.
Disclaimer:
It was my first time reading this book. I have, probably, read the first 63 Hardy Boys books multiple times, but the same can not be said for the subsequent books in the series. It isn't because I'm partial to the Originals, but more so because the latter books were hard to find growing up. However, with the advent of digital books in recent times, I'm eager to pursue my childhood ambition of reading all 190 Hardy Boys books at least once.
The Hardy Boys books are a nostalgic affair. Had it not been for these books, it would have been difficult for me to cultivate my interest in reading and to later expand my reading preferences to include the fantasy and sci-fi genres. So, yeah, that's the main reason why you would rarely find me giving a rating of fewer than 3.5 stars (out of 5) to these Hardy Boys books.
Review:
This book was way more explosive than I expected! Considering the book deals with a secret government organization, an international terrorist syndicate, bombs, and drugs, this felt more like a story that would have suited to be in the Casefiles universe rather than the main continuity. But I'm not complaining about it at all!
The book does require some suspension of disbelief than others. Why would an international terrorist syndicate be afraid of some amateur teenage detectives? And if so, why would they fool around with fake bombs and threats instead of taking them out of the scenario once and for all? Why would a top-secret government organization dealing with terrorist threats be so open with a bunch of teenagers irrespective of who their father is?
But anyway, when I started this read of the Hardy Boys books, I pledged I would judge it only through the lens of a kid as those books were intended to appeal to. And I must confess, as a school kid, I would have loved this story! It is an action-packed and gripping affair that was a thrill to read from the start to the end. The brothers did a great job investigating this case. And, for once, I was happy that they were smart enough to listen to their mother and aunt about having backups when they attempted to contact the enemies in person. And yes, any book that features the old pals of the Hardy Boys is always a delight to read (that's what has been missing from recent iterations of the Hardy Boys)!
Overall, 'Tic-Tac-Terror' was another good entry in the Hardy Boys Mystery series. It required some suspension of disbelief than other books in this series, but it was a thoroughly entertaining story that I devoured in a single sitting.
February 24, 2019
2 1/2 stars. This is one of the books that calls for more suspension of disbelief than others. Really, an organization that deals with terrorists, etc. is going to be so open with a bunch of teenagers, no matter who their father is? Is an international criminal gang going to be afraid of teenagers? And if so, why would they fool around with fake bombs?
If you get beyond that, it is action packed and the Hardy Boys do a good job investigating this mystery. They are actually smart enough to listen to their mother about having someone--several someones--as backup when they go into New York to meet with HAVOC. So often they don't take simple steps like this when it is obvious they are going into danger. They still end up in danger, but they took basic actions to protect themselves and to have some backup. Yeah for intelligence. They also acted as teenagers: going to the beach and going fishing. Even one of their friends played a practical joke on Chet which was appropriate.
I thought the book was longer than many of the paper backs at 200 pages.
If you get beyond that, it is action packed and the Hardy Boys do a good job investigating this mystery. They are actually smart enough to listen to their mother about having someone--several someones--as backup when they go into New York to meet with HAVOC. So often they don't take simple steps like this when it is obvious they are going into danger. They still end up in danger, but they took basic actions to protect themselves and to have some backup. Yeah for intelligence. They also acted as teenagers: going to the beach and going fishing. Even one of their friends played a practical joke on Chet which was appropriate.
I thought the book was longer than many of the paper backs at 200 pages.
August 8, 2024
Seperti biasa, Frank dan Jo tanpa sengaja terseret dalam urusan terkait agen rahasia. Walau sudah sering menghadapi bahaya, namun tetap saja mereka harus selalu siaga menghadapi musuh. Apa lagi jika tak ada yang tahu bagaimana wajah asli musuh mereka yang jago menyamar.
February 16, 2018
That's right... a deadly game of tic-tac-toe! It sounds like something a writer got dared to do. Exactly as horrifying as it sounds (not that horrifying at all).
August 18, 2024
Best beach read ever
May 24, 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.
Read
January 21, 2009JMAR5-Dix
May 23, 2012
read when I was 10 through 13
August 31, 2015
Good book, fast and easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews