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The Hardy Boys #24
The Short-Wave Mystery
When thieves hijack a collection of stuffed animals from a country auction, Frank and Joe Hardy pursue the getaway car and are drawn into a thrilling mystery. At the same time, the young detectives' father--famed private investigator Fenton Hardy--is tracking down an industrial spy ring. This suspense-filled story of pursuit and detection will keep the reader breathlessly following the chain of unexpected developments that lead Frank and Joe to the spine-tingling climax in the wilds of Northern Canada.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 1945
63 people are currently reading
857 people want to read
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
736 books991 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 85 reviews
January 25, 2024
The Short-Wave Mystery was the 24th novel in the Hardy Boys series of adventures for young readers. It was published in 1945 by Grosset & Dunlap under the Franklin W. Dixon house pseudonym and was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Leslie McFarlane. It was the 20th and last of the stories that he wrote for the series. His style and humor helped establish the Hardys among the best and most popular of the many series books produced for kids of the time, in those pre-television, pre-internet days. Stratemeyer's daughter oversaw a program of revisions of the first 38 books in the series from 1959-'73, and a somewhat similar story written by David Grambs appeared in 1966 with the same title and cover, also, of course, attributed to Dixon. (I believe I first read the Grambs version, either in 1966 or '67.) The newer books are shorter, with less characterization and humor, have somewhat simpler plots, and seem directed to readers a few years younger than the originals. McFarlane's original novel has 25 chapters and is 217 pages long, whereas Grambs' has 20 chapters in 176 pages. I read both versions back-to-back to compare them. Laura Hardy, the Boys' mother, is absent in both stories, so we have more presence of the amusing Aunt Gertrude. Chet is also a major participant, and he has taken up taxidermy as a hobby which figures in both stories. He's frequently labeled "fat" in the original, more often as "stout" in the revision. There are young, poor, neglected street boys taken under the wing of the Hardy family in both books, though they play less of a role in the new one. Both books end with the capture of the lead crook in Canada, though the original also sees the rescue of a party of missing scientists. There's one silly point in the original that makes the new one better in a way; the gang of crooks steal radio components from various factories and distribution centers, then assemble and sell them. Why not just steal completed radios? The newer book just has cases of industrial espionage as the McGuffin. Short-wave radio was a popular hobby at the time of publication, and that and several other things that were taken as common at the time might have to be explained to contemporary youngsters. I enjoyed both versions, but much preferred McFarlane's. I'll give it a four and the revision a three.
January 25, 2024
The Short-Wave Mystery was the 24th novel in the Hardy Boys series of adventures for young readers. It was published in 1945 by Grosset & Dunlap under the Franklin W. Dixon house pseudonym and was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Leslie McFarlane. It was the 20th and last of the stories that he wrote for the series. His style and humor helped establish the Hardys among the best and most popular of the many series books produced for kids of the time, in those pre-television, pre-internet days. Stratemeyer's daughter oversaw a program of revisions of the first 38 books in the series from 1959-'73, and a somewhat similar story written by David Grambs appeared in 1966 with the same title and cover, also, of course, attributed to Dixon. (I believe I first read the Grambs version, either in 1966 or '67.) The newer books are shorter, with less characterization and humor, have somewhat simpler plots, and seem directed to readers a few years younger than the originals. McFarlane's original novel has 25 chapters and is 217 pages long, whereas Grambs' has 20 chapters in 176 pages. I read both versions back-to-back to compare them. Laura Hardy, the Boys' mother, is absent in both stories, so we have more presence of the amusing Aunt Gertrude. Chet is also a major participant, and he has taken up taxidermy as a hobby which figures in both stories. He's frequently labeled "fat" in the original, more often as "stout" in the revision. There are young, poor, neglected street boys taken under the wing of the Hardy family in both books, though they play less of a role in the new one. Both books end with the capture of the lead crook in Canada, though the original also sees the rescue of a party of missing scientists. There's one silly point in the original that makes the new one better in a way; the gang of crooks steal radio components from various factories and distribution centers, then assemble and sell them. Why not just steal completed radios? The newer book just has cases of industrial espionage as the McGuffin. Short-wave radio was a popular hobby at the time of publication, and that and several other things that were taken as common at the time might have to be explained to contemporary youngsters. I enjoyed both versions, but much preferred McFarlane's. I'll give it a four and the revision a three.
November 22, 2022
Another day, another Hardy Boys mystery.
December 26, 2024
I spent a few hours rereading the OT of The Short-Wave Mystery. This is one of the few Hardy Boys stories where I actually remembered some of the details from when I first read it as a kid in the 1960s - I remembered that Chet's hobby in this one was taxidermy and also that the mystery had something to do with Hudson's Bay.
Well I would rate this one as just average based on my reread. The plot had to do with the theft of radio parts by a gang led by Spike Hudson. There were several warehouses in and around Bayport that were robbed by the gang. The gang would then assemble the parts into radios for sale. This whole premise seemed a little preposterous to me -- why steal radio parts instead of already assembled radios or electronic equipment? These crooks must have had degrees in electrical engineering to be able to assemble radios from parts! Then there was the usual coincidences - the crooks were also stealing stuffed animals -- some to conceal radios inside, others to scare off intruders from Hudson's hideout -- and of course since Chet was doing taxidermy some of the stuffed animals were stolen from him. Also, a subplot was about a group of missing scientists who crashed their plane in Canada. Of course they crashed just over a hill from where Spike Hudson had his hideout on Hudson's Bay so the Hardys were able to rescue them and nab the crook at the same time!
I think when I originally read this, I was really intrigued by Chet's hobby of taxidermy and his workshop over the Hardy garage. This is probably why this detail stuck with me. The book also refers back to the "Old Mill" on Willow River. Not many of the stories refer to earlier volumes as part of the storyline. One other thing I wondered about was how big of a town is Bayport supposed to be? In this story, there are several electronics warehouses there and it also talks about tenements where a young group of boys live and get into trouble. I always pictured Bayport as a small town but from this story it appears to be a middle-sized city.
Well I would rate this one as just average based on my reread. The plot had to do with the theft of radio parts by a gang led by Spike Hudson. There were several warehouses in and around Bayport that were robbed by the gang. The gang would then assemble the parts into radios for sale. This whole premise seemed a little preposterous to me -- why steal radio parts instead of already assembled radios or electronic equipment? These crooks must have had degrees in electrical engineering to be able to assemble radios from parts! Then there was the usual coincidences - the crooks were also stealing stuffed animals -- some to conceal radios inside, others to scare off intruders from Hudson's hideout -- and of course since Chet was doing taxidermy some of the stuffed animals were stolen from him. Also, a subplot was about a group of missing scientists who crashed their plane in Canada. Of course they crashed just over a hill from where Spike Hudson had his hideout on Hudson's Bay so the Hardys were able to rescue them and nab the crook at the same time!
I think when I originally read this, I was really intrigued by Chet's hobby of taxidermy and his workshop over the Hardy garage. This is probably why this detail stuck with me. The book also refers back to the "Old Mill" on Willow River. Not many of the stories refer to earlier volumes as part of the storyline. One other thing I wondered about was how big of a town is Bayport supposed to be? In this story, there are several electronics warehouses there and it also talks about tenements where a young group of boys live and get into trouble. I always pictured Bayport as a small town but from this story it appears to be a middle-sized city.
May 11, 2017
I read all the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Tom Swift books as a kid. These series are the reason I became a life long reader. So I just got a hankering to read one for nostalgia sake. Fun!
March 12, 2021
3.5 stars for the plot but it gets an extra half star because we get to see a lot of Chet and Aunt Gertrude. Chet especially provides good comic relief.
February 9, 2021
Again Chet’s new hobby, this time taxidermy, becomes pivotal in the Hardy’s solving a crime.
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December 1, 2010Pulled this off the shelf at Grandma's. Fine plot involving taxidermy and short-wave radios, whatever. What stands out in this particular book (perhaps all Hardy Boys books?) is how often they call Chet (the boys' best chum) "fat." Or "stout." As in, "By the time the two brothers had reached their fat friend's side..." or "The fat boy sat on the sidelines..." or "we've certainly left our fat friend in the lurch for a long time..." (all actual quotes). The best one? A ransom note from the bad guys: "HARDYS YOUR FAT FRIEND WILL NOT RETURN UNTIL YOU LAY OFF YOUR DETECTIVE WORK."
Ha! Also multiple references to him being lazy or bumbling. Then this irrelevant-to-the-story paragraph: Chet brightened up and hastened back inside the shop. There he purchased, progressively, a handful of chocolate bars, a bottle of lemon soda, half a pound of fig crackers, three oranges, two ice cream cones and a small bottle of pickles. He ate all of these in the course of an hour.
I can only assume that Franklin W. Dixon, circa 1945, wanted young boys to find fat Chet repulsive and want to be good, in-shape citizens like Frank & Joe.
Ha! Also multiple references to him being lazy or bumbling. Then this irrelevant-to-the-story paragraph: Chet brightened up and hastened back inside the shop. There he purchased, progressively, a handful of chocolate bars, a bottle of lemon soda, half a pound of fig crackers, three oranges, two ice cream cones and a small bottle of pickles. He ate all of these in the course of an hour.
I can only assume that Franklin W. Dixon, circa 1945, wanted young boys to find fat Chet repulsive and want to be good, in-shape citizens like Frank & Joe.
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.)
Radio waves, signals unseen, messages bouncing invisibly across space—The Short-Wave Mystery was a fascinating leap into technology for a schoolboy in the early ’90s. I had only just begun to understand transistor radios, and here were Frank and Joe unraveling a crime using invisible frequencies, secret messages, and coded transmissions. It made the invisible world feel tactile, urgent, and thrilling.
The plot revolves around sabotage, stolen signals, and cryptic short-wave broadcasts, which the Hardy Boys must decode before disaster strikes. As a reader, I was instantly drawn into the invisible webs that tie people together—an early lesson in systems thinking disguised as pulp adventure. The story emphasizes logic, observation, and persistence: even when the mechanism of communication is unseen, clarity and determination uncover the truth.
Looking back, the novel strikes me as oddly prophetic. The 1990s were the cusp of India’s digital awakening: telephones were still scarce, computers were a novelty, and the internet was just arriving. Reading about secret transmissions on short-wave radio hinted at a world increasingly mediated by invisible networks—a world I would soon inhabit fully. In that sense, the book was a primer in decoding systems, whether criminal or technological.
Adolescent metaphor, too, is unavoidable. Hidden messages, invisible waves, and signals only a trained eye can detect echo the early teen experience: emotions, intentions, and possibilities are all present but not yet visible. Frank and Joe’s skill in uncovering the truth mirrors the growing ability to read between social and emotional lines in school and life.
Above all, the thrill remains—the low hum of danger, the chase across towns, the triumph of revelation. The Short-Wave Mystery isn’t just a story about radios; it’s about the excitement of discovery, of seeing the invisible and making sense of it. For a young reader in Calcutta, the frequency of adventure had never been higher.
Hardy Boys (Read between 1990 and 1996 in M.P. Birla School library and punctiliously collected and read thereafter.)
Radio waves, signals unseen, messages bouncing invisibly across space—The Short-Wave Mystery was a fascinating leap into technology for a schoolboy in the early ’90s. I had only just begun to understand transistor radios, and here were Frank and Joe unraveling a crime using invisible frequencies, secret messages, and coded transmissions. It made the invisible world feel tactile, urgent, and thrilling.
The plot revolves around sabotage, stolen signals, and cryptic short-wave broadcasts, which the Hardy Boys must decode before disaster strikes. As a reader, I was instantly drawn into the invisible webs that tie people together—an early lesson in systems thinking disguised as pulp adventure. The story emphasizes logic, observation, and persistence: even when the mechanism of communication is unseen, clarity and determination uncover the truth.
Looking back, the novel strikes me as oddly prophetic. The 1990s were the cusp of India’s digital awakening: telephones were still scarce, computers were a novelty, and the internet was just arriving. Reading about secret transmissions on short-wave radio hinted at a world increasingly mediated by invisible networks—a world I would soon inhabit fully. In that sense, the book was a primer in decoding systems, whether criminal or technological.
Adolescent metaphor, too, is unavoidable. Hidden messages, invisible waves, and signals only a trained eye can detect echo the early teen experience: emotions, intentions, and possibilities are all present but not yet visible. Frank and Joe’s skill in uncovering the truth mirrors the growing ability to read between social and emotional lines in school and life.
Above all, the thrill remains—the low hum of danger, the chase across towns, the triumph of revelation. The Short-Wave Mystery isn’t just a story about radios; it’s about the excitement of discovery, of seeing the invisible and making sense of it. For a young reader in Calcutta, the frequency of adventure had never been higher.
February 22, 2023
Right after finishing The Melted Coins, partly for research, for something I’m writing, I decided to go onto the next Hardy Boy book, The Short-Wave Mystery (original text), because it was the last one written by Leslie McFarlane, supposedly, and I was curious if it would be even half as weird at the previous one. Also, it’s now winter, and on the picture-cover copy I have, the Hardys are out in the snow. Well, this one started out odd, as well, almost like a formal experiment in being distracted. Frank and Joe are into the short-wave radio thing, but Chet’s new hobby is taxidermy, so they move onto that. Then they chase some thief from an auction, until they come upon a dead deer in the road. They contact the game warden, then later ask for the hide and head of the animal for Chet. They’re supposed to be helping their dad with a mystery using the short-wave radio, when they find their skis in the attic and start polishing them… until they find out a guy told Chet the deer was his pet, and swindled him—and when the Hardys go after that guy, they run into some poor, city kids who they take home to have a nice dinner. Helping the poor kids becomes an enduring theme in this book—and it’s actually pretty heartwarming. The other side plot is the Hardy’s want to help this scientist find his colleagues who have gone missing in the Hudson Bay region (which is, if you haven’t looked at map lately, a “bay” about the size of India). Hardy Boy stories are renowned for their coincidences, but it wouldn’t happen that the unrelated missing scientists and the short-wave gang are not only in the same region, but on either side of a hill. No! Well, it’s not a winter book, but they do spend some time in the snow, up north. Anyway, for all that, it’s still not close to being as outlandish as The Melted Coins.
April 30, 2020
This is a great classic Hardy Boys adventure. The Hardys and their friend Chet, who has taken up taxidermy as his most recent hobby, are asked to investigate the theft of stolen stuffed specimens from a local estate of a dubious character, but the estate benefits a local woman and her son who need the money. Meanwhile, Mr. Hardy is on the case of industrial spies. The story includes the use of "short-wave" or "ham" radio, and clues heard over it, thus the title. While overall, this story has aged well and is believable even today, I think most younger readers today will not be familiar with short-wave radio, which is a shame, because in this era of almost exclusive cellphone communication, short-wave is still there as a valuable communication tool especially in an emergency when the "networks" may crash! This is a well-paced, interesting, and believable story that comes together well, and which any fan of the series will enjoy. Even the cover artwork and old line illustrations inside are well done.
January 22, 2023
Recognizing that this is a mystery book aimed at boys, I have some experience with shortwave radio, and I was disappointed at how inaccurate the portrayal of shortwave radio was. This probably should have been entitled "The County Band Mystery" instead, but even that would be overselling the role that radio actually plays in the mystery. Overall, it was fun to read one of the old Hardy Boys mysteries again, this time in my late thirties.
That said, linguistic nuances can be fun, and I enjoyed one particular example that's worth sharing:
"The Morton farmhouse was aglow with light, and gay dance music from Iola's hi-fi came throbbing out on the crisp night air."
In 1945, that meant contemporary hits from Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, while it might currently entail offerings from Donna Summer and Lady Gaga. Also, I suspect that if one were to mention "hi-fi" to a majority of Americans, they'd likely ask, "Do you mean wifi?" (They'd probably be unfamiliar with shortwave radio as well.)
That said, linguistic nuances can be fun, and I enjoyed one particular example that's worth sharing:
"The Morton farmhouse was aglow with light, and gay dance music from Iola's hi-fi came throbbing out on the crisp night air."
In 1945, that meant contemporary hits from Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, while it might currently entail offerings from Donna Summer and Lady Gaga. Also, I suspect that if one were to mention "hi-fi" to a majority of Americans, they'd likely ask, "Do you mean wifi?" (They'd probably be unfamiliar with shortwave radio as well.)
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October 13, 2017This story is good story by Franklin W. Dixon. This story has a lexile of 760. If you don't know what these books are about, they basically two brothers and their fat friend Chet. This story is about 2 brothers who get drawn to a mystery when thieves steal stuffed animals at an estate sale. Then they see a car carrying stuffed animals...
The central idea of the book is that they're trying to find who took the stuffed animals because the person who made them hid treasure in one of them before he died. He put the treasure in there for his grandson Jimmy Gordon. The plot affects the setting and makes frank more wise when he gets captured.
It wasn't my favorite of the hardy boys but it was good. I would give it a 3 out of a 5 star rating, just because a read other hardy boy books and they were a lot better. The picture on the front for me was kinda confusing until you read the book.
The central idea of the book is that they're trying to find who took the stuffed animals because the person who made them hid treasure in one of them before he died. He put the treasure in there for his grandson Jimmy Gordon. The plot affects the setting and makes frank more wise when he gets captured.
It wasn't my favorite of the hardy boys but it was good. I would give it a 3 out of a 5 star rating, just because a read other hardy boy books and they were a lot better. The picture on the front for me was kinda confusing until you read the book.
November 15, 2020
Mr. Hardy is on a case involving corporate espionage. Chet Morton has begun a new hobby, taxidermy. When the Hardy boys are at an estate auction with Chet a load of stuffed animals is stolen. The widow of the man who did the taxidermy on the animals asks the boys to recover the items. Following leads brings the boys to the plant where their father has been hired by the owner....are the corporate robberies linked to the stuffed animal robbery? Luckily Frank and Joe have a short-wave set up in the garage and overhear a coded message. If they can uncover the code they may be able to solve the case. It seems like everywhere they turn more stuffed animals turn up. Why are these animals so interesting to robbers? Do they contain a secret? The boys use their reasoning to figure it out.
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November 1, 2022I always love reading about the adventures of Frank and Joe and all of the secondary characters as well. Although I read the original 1945 version of this book, I had to say it sometimes upset me as to how many times the author referred to Chet as fat. It almost became distracting. By the third chapter, we obviously caught on that Chet was a bit on the heavy side but the constant references to it would now be considered fat shaming. I am reading the series in order and hope that as I move forward, these references to Chet become less insulting and more focused on how much he helps the two brothers.
March 10, 2023
As the last few Hardy Boys books that I have read were printed in the 1940s, reading a 1966 version was a bit refreshing. The language was better and the atmosphere more contemporary.
The books are starting to blur together, but I recall they both got knocked out again in this one. That makes about seven times across 24 books.
An interesting point in this book was that on page 165 they were at risk of freezing to death, but by pae 176, they were safe, had solved the mystery and were on to the next one. Talk about a rapid conclusion!
Overall, the story wasn't bad. Short-wave radio is dated, but the premise still works.
The books are starting to blur together, but I recall they both got knocked out again in this one. That makes about seven times across 24 books.
An interesting point in this book was that on page 165 they were at risk of freezing to death, but by pae 176, they were safe, had solved the mystery and were on to the next one. Talk about a rapid conclusion!
Overall, the story wasn't bad. Short-wave radio is dated, but the premise still works.
November 2, 2017
This is a very solid entry in the Hardy Boys series, but it is definitely dated. Skype and other internet communication platforms have overtaken short-wave radio in popularity, so anyone under the age of about 40 is going to have to look up a few words.
Sidenote: Short-wave is still used around the world, and I was amazed at just how much equipment is available out there at a very reasonable cost.
That said, the mystery is pretty solid and tracking down the crooks took Frank and Joe international this time. It is a lot of fun, and definitely one to share with your kids.
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Sidenote: Short-wave is still used around the world, and I was amazed at just how much equipment is available out there at a very reasonable cost.
That said, the mystery is pretty solid and tracking down the crooks took Frank and Joe international this time. It is a lot of fun, and definitely one to share with your kids.
Read It!
July 26, 2018
I used to read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books all the time when I was a kid and I decided to pick this up when I was visiting a used book store just for old times' sake. It was pretty good, I wouldn't say it was one of the best books of the old series of Hardy Boys, but it was enjoyable and the mystery made sense. Something not all mysteries manage to accomplish these days. I also picked up a couple of the books from the 80's series and I was thinking that I might read a book from each iteration of the Hardy Boys, and maybe do the same thing with Nancy Drew later on.
August 31, 2022
An enjoyable end to the Leslie McFarlane years. Fascinating to read this after reading his autobiography and discovering how little he cared about the Hardy Boys. In part, this was because he was a legitimately solid author and this was slumming, still he did have a knack for adventure and mystery that many of the other ghosts lacked. Thanks for the memories.
The hobbies of shortwave radio and taxidermy made for an enjoyable read. The added attraction of a sort of Baker Street Irregulars, the Bayport Town Irregulars, made for extra smiles. One of the better books in the series.
The hobbies of shortwave radio and taxidermy made for an enjoyable read. The added attraction of a sort of Baker Street Irregulars, the Bayport Town Irregulars, made for extra smiles. One of the better books in the series.
November 12, 2020
The Boys break up an industrial spy ring that gets secrets by using taxidermy animals with electronic listening devices inside of them.
Reversing the non-violent trend of the past three books, Frank and Joe get beaten on quite frequently. Joe gets only one KO, but Frank must the favorite because he gets 2 KOs. Even Biff Hooper gets into the act, though he is chloroformed, not cold cocked.
So the count now stands at:
This book: 3
The series: 30
Reversing the non-violent trend of the past three books, Frank and Joe get beaten on quite frequently. Joe gets only one KO, but Frank must the favorite because he gets 2 KOs. Even Biff Hooper gets into the act, though he is chloroformed, not cold cocked.
So the count now stands at:
This book: 3
The series: 30
March 21, 2021
This one has a lot of taxidermy in it, plus a quick trip to Canada. My copy is the original version, before the books were re-edited to make them shorter and less offensive. This on is okay. The plot is less random than some of the others, and there's no overt racism. Chet is described as "fat" instead of "hefty," so it's not totally PC.
May 19, 2023
I'm putting five stars not because it was the one of the best books but because part of the story takes place very close from where I live and I thought I was really really cool. It was really important that that had different animals that were taxidermied and really importent to the story. It was really good.
February 12, 2024
It actually mixed sci-fi (short wave radios, estimating distance and directions, taxidermy) with a thrilling mystery. The clues baffled Hardy boys and till the last chapter, characters were introduced, pieces of puzzle revealed, making it exciting to read.
The mystery was not evident from the first chapter or the earlier chapters but carried on till the last! That was interesting!
The mystery was not evident from the first chapter or the earlier chapters but carried on till the last! That was interesting!
February 1, 2017
it was a good book but Nancy drew rocks. i love reading detective novels they bring a wide era of views to one. i liked the way everything was explained . i loved the brother bonding and a message for crime against poaching . it was thrilling .
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.
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April 14, 2022When I read this, my very first Hardy Boys, five years ago it was because I had nothing better to read. And look where it got me! It was so much fun seeing all that I did (and did NOT) remember. But I've learned my lesson just the same: never go on a trip without books!
November 20, 2017
I really liked how the hardy boys take on the case with skill, it is really exiting to find out the other part of the story like what where the crooks really up to?
December 8, 2017
A bit above par, with the code deciphering and the action near the end.
February 16, 2018
Loved the wintery snowy setting of this one. Also loved the short-wave stuff! I love old tech. Radio parts, huh? This is another story that McFarlane had a lot of issues with, but I like it.
July 31, 2018
Great one! Some highlights are the boys trying to decode messages over the short wave, the trip to Canada, and Aunt Gertrude yelling about an ape in the yard.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews