Rocky Road

Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers #5

by Franklin W. Dixon

ATAC BRIEFING FOR AGENTS FRANK AND JOE HARDY

MISSION:
Someone is suspected of planning the destruction of Niagara Falls. Find and detain the culprit before any damage is done.
LOCATION:
Niagara Falls, Canada
POTENTIAL VICTIMS:
Tourism in the area. Tourists.
SUSPECTS:
No further information at this time.
THIS MISSION REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
THIS MESSAGE WILL BE ERASED IN FIVE SECONDS.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Childrens, Young Adult, Detective

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

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

[aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of all the Hardy Boys books (that I've read so far), this was quite a let down. Infact, I was pretty surprised myself! I predicted the culprit from the start (it was pretty dang obvious) and it turned out to be the Captain Creamy, alright. I'm currently hogging The Rocky road😋
Overall, it was good. Both the ice cream and the book.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hardy Boys dumbed down...I hate to say it. In fact I've been avoiding saying it. But this one is just...well....that.

Not only are the storylines made simpler and the reading lines made simpler, the boys also lost several IQ points in the transition. I don't like how Mom and Aunt Gertrude have become completely clueless about everything. If you ask me, they were a lot cooler back when they knew what was going on with the boys, and were actually supporting their crime solving habits.

But this?

Sorry, no. I saw the ending of this one coming from the first time I met the guy the SHOULD have been suspecting of vandalizing the entire school system. The Chief and even their father are hand-wringing morons, and honestly their supporting characters are just flat cardboard cutouts.

Sigh. I'd had such high hopes for this series...

[Melmo2610 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one wasn’t a fun read for me. I wanted to read it because it said it was set at Niagara Falls. As it turns out, that’s only a very small part of the story and the not the actual case for the book. The case itself wasn’t bad if I had only known going in, what was the mystery. I didn’t like some of what happened during the mystery either. Overall, this one was a disappointment.

[Brayden]

It was good

[Gabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book a 4 because it was good and would recommend it to anyone who likes crime or mystery. Two brothers that are under cover go on a mission to find out who is vandalising and breaking school property in their town right before the end of summer and school starts.I liked this book because the ending is very unsuspecting.

[Drupath.A · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good read but predictable also theirs not much niagra falls like said in the back of the book

[Kriti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Blake B · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is about two boys, Joe and Frank Hardy, who are in a secret agency, ATAC, who has to stop a threat to block the Niagara falls in Canada.
i like how the details in the book are good, how realistic the book felt.
i didn't really not like anything about the book
i would recommend this book to people who like mystery and fiction

[Daksh Ramteke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review / Loopholes in hardy boys #5 Rocky Road (Undercover brothers).
1. When the boys ask their father to investigate about captain creamy he just checked and replied that he is indeed a part of ATAC. Now this shows how vulnerable ATAC system is to hack plus ATAC was founded by the father and he probably knows each and every aspect of the agency. Why wasn't he suspicious about his boys getting fake missions.
2. Also if the Mission disc turns into a normal one after the message why do they need further processing of recycling ♻️
3. The name peter nutt was way too obvious. It's like a florist names lily.
4. The thing that that i loved the most was the in depth storytelling of BRIAN CONRAD.
5. Overall the action sequences were quite good.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have volunteered in a library for years and am always looking to see the popular books available for the younger group. Frank and Joe Hardy books have been around for many generations to enjoy. This series, Undercover Brothers, has the boys still solving crimes but with a modern twist. In this story, after many diversionary side trips, the boys help solve a crime in their hometown..in fact at their own school. I do prefer the original Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. However, if this type of book gets a child to read and to enjoy reading, I am happy to recommend it.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it seems I figured it out before the Hardy brothers again. Go me! Personally, I thought it was really obvious and I can't figure out how they didn't notice who it was sooner, but who cares?

The ending made me laugh pretty hard. Not sure why, but I found it hilarious.

Not much else to say about this book, so I guess I'll move on to the next one.

[Captain Awesome · Rating 5 out of 5]

This One is awesome!!! In the end I couldn't believe who did it! I would Definitely read this book again and I suggest that everyone does too!

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardy boys are still in high school and they are sent on missions that are not real but get then away from their home town where bad things are happening.

[Govhini Sumathi]

Never fails to help me find out who's committed crime in my Life hehehe

[Seema M. Fazil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haha, nice! :D

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Returning to this series after a long hiatus makes me sad...because I wish I had read this one sooner; it's a blast!

[Smileyfaceme.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a very fun (short) book. I think that the escalating murder mystery was very interesting. I would recommend it to audiences that like a quick fun read.

[Meg N]

Very thrilling! A must-read!