The Twisted Claw

The Hardy Boys #18

by Franklin W. Dixon

A series of museum thefts launch the Hardy Boys on this baffling mystery. Rare collections of ancient pirate treasure are being stolen, so Frank and Joe are asked to stake out the Black Parrot, a suspicious freighter docked in Bayport Harbor. This whirlwind chase after a self-styled pirate king in the Caribbean stronghold of the Empire of the Twisted Claw makes a gripping tale of suspense and high adventure.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens, Adventure, Detective, Classics

214 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1939

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

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Twisted Claw was the eighteenth book in the original Hardy Boys series of mystery novels for boys and was the first that was published without the input of the great Leslie McFarlane, who wrote the majority and the best volumes in the early days of the series. This one was written by John Button for the Stratemeyer Syndicate and was published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1939. The first 38 books in the series were revised (sometimes just lightly edited, sometimes completely replaced or rewritten) under the direction of one of Stratemeyer's daughters between 1959 and 1973, and the newer volumes were shorter and simpler to appeal to a younger audience, and to update them to modern times and sensibilities. Tom Mulvey wrote a new novel with the same title that was published in 1969, with just a few names and events carried forward from the original. (It goes without saying that both novels were, of course, published under the house pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon.) (Why is it that when you say something goes without saying it's traditional to say it anyway?) I have been reading and comparing the original and the newer versions of the series back-to-back. The 1939 novel had 25 chapters and was 217 pages long, and the 1969 had 20 and 177. The newer book is simpler than the original, but in quite a few ways is a superior read. There are a few racial stereotypes in the original that are removed (I should note that I don't think any of the McFarlane books I've re-read recently had any such blemishes), and several other updates that improve the story. For example, a silly and confusing "code" is removed, and some plot problems like the Boys randomly go to Canada to look for Dad and almost immediately bump into the ne'er-do-wells who broke into their house in Bayport. The odds were against them; Canada looks big on a map... In the first story, there's a fleet of wooden schooners operated by pirates with a base on a hidden island, which would have been great in a 19th-century pirate adventure but was silly for the Hardy Boys. They're replaced by a simpler gang who operate a pair of tramp steamers in 1969, and it's an altogether much more plausible story, though the characterizations and intrigue are designed for a television-era attention span. I decided to reverse my usual ratings by giving the first story a two and the newer one a four, which will average to a nice average three here.

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Twisted Claw was the eighteenth book in the original Hardy Boys series of mystery novels for boys and was the first that was published without the input of the great Leslie McFarlane, who wrote the majority and the best volumes in the early days of the series. This one was written by John Button for the Stratemeyer Syndicate and was published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1939. The first 38 books in the series were revised (sometimes just lightly edited, sometimes completely replaced or rewritten) under the direction of one of Stratemeyer's daughters between 1959 and 1973, and the newer volumes were shorter and simpler to appeal to a younger audience, and to update them to modern times and sensibilities. Tom Mulvey wrote a new novel with the same title that was published in 1969, with just a few names and events carried forward from the original. (It goes without saying that both novels were, of course, published under the house pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon.) (Why is it that when you say something goes without saying it's traditional to say it anyway?) I have been reading and comparing the original and the newer versions of the series back-to-back. The 1939 novel had 25 chapters and was 217 pages long, and the 1969 had 20 and 177. The newer book is simpler than the original, but in quite a few ways is a superior read. There are a few racial stereotypes in the original that are removed (I should note that I don't think any of the McFarlane books I've re-read recently had any such blemishes), and several other updates that improve the story. For example, a silly and confusing "code" is removed, and some plot problems like the Boys randomly go to Canada to look for Dad and almost immediately bump into the ne'er-do-wells who broke into their house in Bayport. The odds were against them; Canada looks big on a map... In the first story, there's a fleet of wooden schooners operated by pirates with a base on a hidden island, which would have been great in a 19th-century pirate adventure but was silly for the Hardy Boys. They're replaced by a simpler gang who operate a pair of tramp steamers in 1969, and it's an altogether much more plausible story, though the characterizations and intrigue are designed for a television-era attention span. I decided to reverse my usual ratings by giving the first story a two and the newer one a four, which will average to a nice average three here.

[Andrew Muetzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hardy Boys: Twisted Claw Mystery



The Twisted Claw Mystery is written by Franklin W. Dixon. It is a fantastic mystery novel about the two Hardy Brothers. Franklin W. Dixon does an amazing job at making the mystery take place in many different cities, and continents. He also does a great job at making it somewhat realistic, even if some parts aren’t. This was a compelling case about a group of people robbing rare collections of ancient pirate treasures. Franklin researched a lot for this book, he even figured out how some museums keep their items, and how some alarms work. All in all he did a great job on this book.
I have read quite a bit of Hardy Boy Books, but I have to say this one was one of my favorites. It had a compelling mystery, a ton of foreshadowing that kept me on the edge of my chair. From the boys being locked up so they couldn't escape the ship, to the guards at the museum being gassed. It was like lighting a firework, and waiting for that long string to reach the actual firework and blow up. The intensity of the book was real, and every time the Hardy Boys managed to escape any situation they happen to be in. It is really cool to see them escape and the hundreds of ways they do.
I would definitely recommend this for 12-14 year olds looking for an adventure. It had many fabulous scenes and quite a bit of action. I am 13 years old and it was perfect level for me. Throughout the book it all made sense. It was great.

[David Allen Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing my goal of re-reading all 190 Hardy Boys books of my youth, I turned eagerly to my old, well-worn copy of The Twisted Claw. Always my favorite Hardys tale in my youth, I had read and re-read this book and indeed my copy today shows wear and tear. And I still like this story the best! It has a combination of a great story, interesting criminal mystery and fast-paced action as the Hardys investigate thefts of old armor and jewels from a number of museums. They encounter shipboard action, a mysterious old manuscript, stories about an old pirate kingdom, and plenty of adventure. Anyone who likes the Hardy Boys will love The Twisted Claw! Still my favorite!

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the very first mystery novels that I ever read, and purely because the cover of the book looked so awesome!

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful read. My son and daughter read it to me in stages and we all really enjoyed it. On to the next one !!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this Hardy Boys book up to read next because it had on the front what I thought was a knight in a suit of armor. I love medieval castle mysteries! Alas, this book was not about castles or knights. It all began with a coincidence- one of the boys found an ancient memoir sort of very old book in a dusty old bookshop. It was written by a pirate long ago. This led the Hardy Boys into the Canadian woods following smugglers and eventually on a pirate ship that docked on a forbidden island where if someone ever sees the island, they must stay forever. What I thought was a knight in armor was a guard on the island.

There was a lot of action but the story sort of hopped around and the boys covered a lot of territory.

[Brentman99 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I believe this is the first time I've read a 1939 version of a Hardy Boys and I have to say that I didn't like it. The language was quite dated, with parts of the dialogue of supposed Canadians sounding like someone from the deep South of the US. It was almost offensive. This book was a bit of a departure from the earlier books which were almost always no more than 176 pages. Instead, this was was 217 pages.

The story was quite different from the others as the boys were given quite a bit of lattitude that they would not have had. Signing up to sail on a schooner for over a week would have had most parents quite upset. Also, Aunt Gertrude was portrayed as an elderly lady and quite crachity compared to later novels.

Overall, I don't think that this one is really well suited for children around 10 years old and would recommend skipping it.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! It's very excited how they board the smuggling ships without the crew knowing, and the whole Twisted Claw Empire idea was great! Recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries on ships, and to mystery fans in general!

[JTSB · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of mysterious museum thefts occur leading the Hardy Boys to solve one of their craziest cases yet, taking them all over the country!

[Janet Womack · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Twisted Claw was the first Hardy boys book I have read. It was a nice break from more modern stories. It reminded me of the Trixy Beldon books I read as a kid.

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This mystery was not my least favorite of the series so far, but it was a close second. The plot was uninteresting, the writing was poor, and the scenes did not fit together well.

[☮ morgan ☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ahoy, mates! Make way for a real seaman!"

I really enjoyed this one :)

[Happy Super Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book I recommend this book to good yes the is when 👍

[itchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

eponymous sentence:
p18: The boys stared at an old volume entitled Empire of the Twisted Claw.

These nautical escapades in succession are starting to wear me down.

[Emily V · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a great book for anyone and everyone to read!

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action-packed read as the boys race from one adventure to another. Fun enough, even if there’s no way any of this could really happen. First edition 1939.

[David Ballesteros · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Twisted Claw by Frank Dixon was a heavy fighting and traveling adventure story. The Hardy brothers get suspicious about a heist for smuggling museum items. The bros decide to "join" the heist to inspect what's happening. Soon they get trapped in a boat for days because everyone found out they were spying. Eventually the brothers met a secret helper on the boat to help them escape. When they escaped the ended up on an abandoned island with Indians. The hardy's found a hermit who told the hardy's everything that was happening in the heist, and the heist started years ago. The hermit and the hardy's came up with a plan to stop this heist and went to sink the boats. This ended very well with all the museum items on a boat with the heists mastermind. He got arrested and the Hardy's continued on life.

[Edward Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another silly Hardy Boys mystery where breaking the law by stowing away in ships is overlooked because the boys find some hollow logs. Madness!

[Bailey Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank and Joe get held up in a boat, get stuck on an almost deserted island, and stop a fake artifact from being put on display at a museum.

Recommeded 10+ for some scary situations and near death.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Please see my review of House on the Cliff. Same comments apply.)

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Binge Reviewing My Past Reads:

Hardy Boys (Read between 1990 and 1996 in M.P. Birla School library and punctiliously collected and read thereafter.)

Now this was pulp at its most deliciously lurid—the very phrase "twisted claw" evoked pirate relics, cursed talismans, and something almost gothic. As a boy leafing through this volume in the mid-’90s, I didn’t care whether the claw was metaphorical or literal; all I knew was that Frank and Joe were once again chasing shadows that smelt of salt, secrecy, and menace.

The story plunges into a world of smugglers and secret societies, with the claw serving as both clue and symbol. Reading it in Calcutta back then, it felt like pure escapism—sitting in a concrete library hall while my mind stowed away on a schooner chasing treasure across storm-tossed seas. But even then, I sensed that the “twisted claw” was not just an object; it was a sign of how greed and violence distort human ambition.

Looking back, I see more layers. The Twisted Claw fits into that lineage of pulp that made crime international, conspiratorial, and almost mythic. There’s an echo of colonial anxieties here too—the claw as an exotic relic, the smugglers as cross-border threats.

For me as a teenager, it foreshadowed the realisation that stories of treasure and contraband were never just about adventure; they were about contested ownership, about who gets to hold history’s relics and who is branded a pirate.

But beyond the politics, what lingers is the atmosphere: the sense of coded brotherhoods, nighttime raids, and that eerie claw—twisted, unnatural, both clue and curse. It was a perfect bridge between childhood adventure tales and the darker thrillers I would one day read.

For the boy I was, The Twisted Claw was proof that danger didn’t just come with guns or knives—it came with symbols, with emblems of power that could command fear by their very shape. The Hardy Boys cracked the case, of course, but for me, the claw still grips memory with its crooked fingers.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, the Hardys. My goal with goodreads was to track every book I've ever read, from Curious George forward. I've forgotten many, of course. The Hardys were a big part of my reading for a few years, but I've forgotten just which ones I've actually read, so I'll try to eventually read them all, up to around, say, #55, as that's the last title that's even vaguely familiar to me. As usual, this finds the boys in adventure after episodic adventure. To refer to these as "mystery" stories really stretches the definition, and the loopholes are rather staggering. In this specific case, the book gets so ridiculous near the end that it's nearly surreal. You really have to wonder whether the people who wrote these things sat back with a feeling of pride when they'd finished one. Still and all, I rather enjoyed the whole mess, and I have no doubt that the 10-year-old me would've eaten it right up, hence the 3 stars.

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 5 out of 5]

De cover doet eerder denken aan Arendsoog dan aan de Hardy's maar blijkt toch te kloppen met de inhoud van het boek. Een groot deel speelt zich af bij de houthakkers in Canada, een wild gebied.
De schrijver achter Dixon (1 van de vele) hervalt weer in zijn oude fout: te veel. Drie locaties waar de aktie zich afspeelt, Bayport, Canada en het pirateneiland. Piraten, bandieten, ontvoering, houthakkers, bosbrand, ....
Wie daar niet over nadenkt en gewoon wil genieten van een vlot geschreven avonturenboek komt wel aan zijn trekken. De lezer valt van de ene belevenis in de andere zonder tijd om even op adem te komen. Het is dan ook een combinatie van detective, wild-west en vooral avonturenverhaal.
Pas wanneer je er over nadenkt is de geloofwaardigheid zoek, wie gewoon doorleest kan wel meeleven met de gebeurtenissen. Opvallend is natuurlijk hoe de naam Fenton Hardy klinkt tot in Ontario...

[Rex Libris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A madman wants to create a pirate kingdom on a Caribbean Island. To institute his kingdom he steals all the artifacts from this former kingdom from the various museums holding them. After robbing the museums, the henchmen ship the artifacts out of the country on a couple of freighters.

Frank and Joe spend most of the book trying to infiltrate the various freighters and find out what is going on.

What is most interesting about this book is it is the second book in a row where Frank and Joe do not get concussed. Is this a trend to a kinder, more gentle Hardy Boys adventure series? There is still some physical beating going on, and they get knocked out by being gassed. Maybe the bad guys have decided to move from head to lung injuries?


The beat down count:

This book: 0
Series total: 25

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank and Joe are back, this time looking into a ship called The Black Parrot, which may be connected to a series of museum robberies. All the robberies are of parts of a collection of artifacts connected to a short-lived pirate kingdom called The Empire of the Twisted Claw. Most of the chapters are dedicated to efforts to get on the The Black Parrot or its sister ship and figure out what criminal activity they are involved in. Mostly the boys get discovered and thrown off or locked up on the ship.

There are a couple of spots where uncovering elements of the mystery gets very good. When the boys figure out how the stolen artifacts are being smuggled out of the U.S. and Canada, and when the finally reach the island at the heart of the historic pirate empire. The actual solution to the problem is pretty obvious from early on, but that doesn’t make the book any less enjoyable.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The DeGraw collection, treasure taken from a sunken galleon years ago, is being stolen one after the other from museums across the states and Fenton Hardy asks for the boys' help on the case. First they investigate a ship at Bayport harbor, the Black Parrot and notice a strange symbol on one of the crew members' ring. They find an old book that tells the story of the Empire of the Twisted Claw with the same symbol. It's also the symbol on the suit of armor in the DeGraw collection which ties the ship to the robberies. The mystery is how the thieves are getting in the museum. Alarms don't seem to be hampered with and the areas are guarded well. The Hardys end up flying back and forth between museums and ports chasing clues in this story of pirates and stolen treasure.

[Saffron Mavros · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical angle to the book elevated the story. There were so many plots and sub plots, neatly tied together.

One new thing was Fenton Hardy having his own plane, and his sons using it to go to New York to buy a book!!! Seems a bit farfetched and wasteful.

Ships are generally on open seas for days, the Parrot ships docked every alternate day! Making it easy for the Hardy boys to escape. Their father is always there, on time, everytime! Amazing luck.

But remove the plotholes, and the story is well worth reading!

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew are the first series that I remember reading. I was still in elementary school, but I remember thinking I was reading more grown up books because these were long (more than 20 pages, lol) and there was more than one book you could read with the same main characters! The innocence of these mysteries and recalling my own innocence just makes me happy. All parents should give their kids Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew when they're young - only good things can come of it.

[Griffin E · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Twisted Claw by Franklin W. Dixon is about the Hardy Boys trying to find the criminals that are stealing the dewclaw collection in the museum.
They could never find them in tell the end. They found some of the collection in a log on a truck. The truck was going to Canada. They tracked the the people that hired the truck driver.
I recommend this book because there is always adventure. I like the book there was some confusing parts but you have to read the other books. The book was not hard you just had to read some of the parts again. One connection I had with other books they always steal something.