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The Hardy Boys #1-6
The Hardy Boys Starter Set
A special treat for Hardy Boys fans! The first six books in the classic mystery series are packaged together in a collectible box set featuring a newly redesigned slipcover. Titles included are "#1 The Tower Treasure," "#2 The House on the Cliff," "#3 The Secret of the Old Mill," "#4 The Missing Chums," "#5 Hunting for Hidden Gold," and "#6 The Shore Road Mystery."
Hardcover
First published November 12, 1996
43 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
736 books992 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 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 28, 2018
I've read this collection before. A long time ago. And I was still able to remember some of the details! So the mystery wasn't as much of a mystery to me. I still enjoyed it though and was thoroughly entertained.
The Hardy Boys are great. Frank and Joe are like the dynamic duo. They have fun and have a penchant for solving mysteries. And this love seems to stem from their retired cop father and loving mother. Love it.
The Caribbean Cruise Caper (#154)
The Hardy Boys are invited by a teen magazine to be advisors in an amateur detective contest they are sponsoring. The contest is being held aboard a yacht traveling through the caribbean. From the onset, problems arise. It seems that someone is trying to bring the contest to an abrupt end. With each antic getting more dangerous. Luckily, the Hardy Boys are on the case.
What I particularly like about this story was the mystery within a mystery. The other teen detectives were able to see firsthand how the Hardy Boys work together. The dynamic duo bounce ideas off of one another, they tackle different aspects of the case, effectively working together.
An entertaining trip!
Daredevils (#159)
The Hardy Boys and their family are helping an old family friend, Terrence McCauley. Terrence is a young stuntman working in Hollywood, California. And someone seems to have it out for him. Danger is lurking everywhere, not just on the sets. Who is trying to hurt him and why is what the Hardy Boys have to figure out.
This is a fast-moving, action-heavy mystery. The Hardy Boys have to work hard to keep Terrence safe. But doing so puts their own lives at risk, as they quickly find out. An exhilarating story, for sure. Although, the discovery of the who and why is a bit anticlimatic, in my opinion.
There was a line in this book that made me laugh. Frank Hardy has just confronted a suspect. As he's getting ready to leave, he says: "Then you'd have to start looking for a new job... I hear they need ghostwriters for kids books." Ha! Don't you just love that self-awareness? Kudos to the writer! :D
Skin and Bones (#164)
The Hardy Boys are vacationing in San Francisco. They're staying with Sergeant Chang, a friend of their father's. The boys are quickly involved in a mystery when Cody, Sergeant Chang's son, confides that he needs their help. His store Skin and Bones, which specializes in exotic animal specimens, has been robbed and ransacked multiple times. Cody has also been receiving threatening emails. He's hesitant to tell his father, so he wants the Hardy's to uncover what they can.
This was an interesting little mystery. From the onset the boys have a likely suspect. Although, certain things don't add up. And before they know it, the real culprit is unmasked. But not before everyone's life is put in danger.
While the story was entertaining, I didn't really like how the case was resolved. I mean, they figured out who the real criminal was after he took a gambit and showed his hand. Which is probably why criminals always get caught. Taking unnecessary risks. Hm.
The Hardy Boys are great. Frank and Joe are like the dynamic duo. They have fun and have a penchant for solving mysteries. And this love seems to stem from their retired cop father and loving mother. Love it.
The Caribbean Cruise Caper (#154)
The Hardy Boys are invited by a teen magazine to be advisors in an amateur detective contest they are sponsoring. The contest is being held aboard a yacht traveling through the caribbean. From the onset, problems arise. It seems that someone is trying to bring the contest to an abrupt end. With each antic getting more dangerous. Luckily, the Hardy Boys are on the case.
What I particularly like about this story was the mystery within a mystery. The other teen detectives were able to see firsthand how the Hardy Boys work together. The dynamic duo bounce ideas off of one another, they tackle different aspects of the case, effectively working together.
An entertaining trip!
Daredevils (#159)
The Hardy Boys and their family are helping an old family friend, Terrence McCauley. Terrence is a young stuntman working in Hollywood, California. And someone seems to have it out for him. Danger is lurking everywhere, not just on the sets. Who is trying to hurt him and why is what the Hardy Boys have to figure out.
This is a fast-moving, action-heavy mystery. The Hardy Boys have to work hard to keep Terrence safe. But doing so puts their own lives at risk, as they quickly find out. An exhilarating story, for sure. Although, the discovery of the who and why is a bit anticlimatic, in my opinion.
There was a line in this book that made me laugh. Frank Hardy has just confronted a suspect. As he's getting ready to leave, he says: "Then you'd have to start looking for a new job... I hear they need ghostwriters for kids books." Ha! Don't you just love that self-awareness? Kudos to the writer! :D
Skin and Bones (#164)
The Hardy Boys are vacationing in San Francisco. They're staying with Sergeant Chang, a friend of their father's. The boys are quickly involved in a mystery when Cody, Sergeant Chang's son, confides that he needs their help. His store Skin and Bones, which specializes in exotic animal specimens, has been robbed and ransacked multiple times. Cody has also been receiving threatening emails. He's hesitant to tell his father, so he wants the Hardy's to uncover what they can.
This was an interesting little mystery. From the onset the boys have a likely suspect. Although, certain things don't add up. And before they know it, the real culprit is unmasked. But not before everyone's life is put in danger.
While the story was entertaining, I didn't really like how the case was resolved. I mean, they figured out who the real criminal was after he took a gambit and showed his hand. Which is probably why criminals always get caught. Taking unnecessary risks. Hm.
August 18, 2010
During Summers of my elementary school days, My mom would always take us to the library. I was addicted to these classic Mystery series set in the 50's, both Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. As a kid, I was probably very close to have read almost all of them. I love the characters and admire them for they were daring and very witty! A fun Mystery series to read, you develop a sense of adventure and critical thinking skills by trying to solve clues or the crime before these legendary teen sleuths do. It keeps you at the edge of your seat, a thrill, every new mystery is full of adventure, intelligence, secrets are revealed, the bad are punished, the good prevail, and justice is served! This began my love for Mystery. It can help you discover the inner sleuth in you and teaches you the importance of being resourceful. I even thought I was a spy and for my birthday, I was given real binoculars and a spy kit!
June 15, 2021
Nancy Drew is better.
September 13, 2022
Great mystery series good for starters.
February 16, 2025
audio
January 9, 2020
Got me reading mystery novels, (especially 1,5(and 8, not included))
November 26, 2019
It's hard to rate this period it was written so very long ago that the cultural norms are completely different from what we would have now. Detective fiction come or even for children, has come a long way. For instance, nobody would write about a police chief asking to teenage boys to go undercover in a fairly dangerous situation. But over all, I have to say that the book was fun, and it brought me back to my early reading. I enjoyed it, but I'm not going to go search out the rest of the old Hardy boys books. May be Nancy Drew…
December 17, 2014
In the The Shore Road Mystery you are excited at every little move that the Hardy boys do. Every time they run into a problem they some how figure it out. In the book they figured out a big mystery. They figured out who was stealing the cars, how they were stealing them, and where they were storing them. The book is also written very well. It uses good language, descriptive information, and a mysterious tone.
July 31, 2010
I don't know why I haven't added these before. I read the Hardy Boys books at the same age I read all the Nancy Drew books (between 8-12) and I enjoyed them just as much. Obviously, as with Nancy Drew, I read a lot more than just six out of the series. But this addition to my shelf will have to stand for all of them.
January 20, 2008
All through my childhood and teenage years I would digest these books moving from the kids version to the teenage version (where the brothers had cars and girlfriends and jobs and an endless supply of cash). Did I only read mysteries? Man...
January 11, 2008
From the mist of memory... I read tons of Hardy Boys fiction as a kid. These probably cover many of them. ANd mine were the editions printed in the 1930s. My cousin Richard gave me his hand-me-downs.
October 27, 2014
I read 50+ of these things, they were what got me started into books!
July 5, 2011
An amazing series filled with thrill, action, and adventure as well as puzzles yet to be solved which could be shocking you continue the series non-stop!
March 1, 2020
Good, though I prefer the older stories. The third one was definitely the best of the three in this book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews