What do you think?
Rate this book
Hardy Boys Adventures #16
Stolen Identity
A criminal that seems to be straight out of a Sherlock Holmes novel is out to get brother detectives Frank and Joe in the sixteenth book in the thrilling Hardy Boys Adventures series.
An original Sherlock Holmes manuscript was stolen from the Bayport Museum and now pages keep showing up in Frank and Joe’s their lockers, menus, even the backseat of their car. It’s clear someone is out to frame them. But who could it be?
The boys try their usual means of deduction, but everything leads to a dead end. They just keep finding unsuspecting people who were paid to hide the pages by a mysterious third party. Frank recognizes this tactic—it’s exactly what Moriarty would do to throw off Sherlock Holmes. So the brothers decide to use one of Sherlock’s signature The Baker Street Irregulars. Though instead of street kids, Frank and Joe use a group of skateboarding tweens to keep their eyes and ears open around town.
It’s a battle of wits as the brother detectives try to clear their name. But this Moriarty wannabe always seems to be one step ahead. Can the Hardy boys find the real culprit before it’s too late?
An original Sherlock Holmes manuscript was stolen from the Bayport Museum and now pages keep showing up in Frank and Joe’s their lockers, menus, even the backseat of their car. It’s clear someone is out to frame them. But who could it be?
The boys try their usual means of deduction, but everything leads to a dead end. They just keep finding unsuspecting people who were paid to hide the pages by a mysterious third party. Frank recognizes this tactic—it’s exactly what Moriarty would do to throw off Sherlock Holmes. So the brothers decide to use one of Sherlock’s signature The Baker Street Irregulars. Though instead of street kids, Frank and Joe use a group of skateboarding tweens to keep their eyes and ears open around town.
It’s a battle of wits as the brother detectives try to clear their name. But this Moriarty wannabe always seems to be one step ahead. Can the Hardy boys find the real culprit before it’s too late?
138 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2018
About the author
Franklin W. Dixon
817 books1,008 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 6, 2019
Lovely mystery with good twists. I saw one surprise coming, but the rest kept me guessing. I like how the boys’ friends were so involved in the mystery. It was a wonderful ensemble of supporting characters.
July 22, 2018
The new Hardy Boys installment!
Finally got a chance to pick it up. With the amazing cover, I was looking forward to reading it.
It was a great HB read, but there were some parts where I felt that the writer didn't quite get the characters of Frank and Joe Hardy right.
Somewhere near the beginning of the book, like in chapter 2, Joe mentions something like,
I sent a silent wish to the stars that nothing out of the ordinary would happen this evening.
The Hardys I know wouldn't pray to any false god or wish to the useless stars. Instead, the author should've used,
I prayed that nothing out of the ordinary would happen this evening.
I don't know if it is just me or not... but also, somewhere in the middle of the book, whenever Frank and Joe don't get anywhere in the case, they get frustrated.
Maybe it's just me, I don't know.
About the mystery- it was quite predictable, to be honest. But at the same time, it was surprising.
I can say that it was predictable and surprising, haha.
Once,
"...tall, thin."
and
"...a couple years older than us."
was mentioned describing the suspect, I right away knew who it was.
Overall, I really enjoyed this HB mystery.
I loved how our favorite brother detectives were determined to solve the case even though they were told to back-off by the police. It was really intriguing!
That's the Hardys we all know and love!
Okay, I will shut up now.
Not going to say anymore as not to spoil it.
Finally got a chance to pick it up. With the amazing cover, I was looking forward to reading it.
It was a great HB read, but there were some parts where I felt that the writer didn't quite get the characters of Frank and Joe Hardy right.
Somewhere near the beginning of the book, like in chapter 2, Joe mentions something like,
I sent a silent wish to the stars that nothing out of the ordinary would happen this evening.
The Hardys I know wouldn't pray to any false god or wish to the useless stars. Instead, the author should've used,
I prayed that nothing out of the ordinary would happen this evening.
I don't know if it is just me or not... but also, somewhere in the middle of the book, whenever Frank and Joe don't get anywhere in the case, they get frustrated.
Maybe it's just me, I don't know.
About the mystery- it was quite predictable, to be honest. But at the same time, it was surprising.
I can say that it was predictable and surprising, haha.
Once,
"...tall, thin."
and
"...a couple years older than us."
was mentioned describing the suspect, I right away knew who it was.
Overall, I really enjoyed this HB mystery.
I loved how our favorite brother detectives were determined to solve the case even though they were told to back-off by the police. It was really intriguing!
That's the Hardys we all know and love!
Okay, I will shut up now.
Not going to say anymore as not to spoil it.
July 27, 2025
im on like the 16th hardy boy book and this one was crazy... i think this series needs more cartoon villains
September 2, 2025
After their French escapades in Hardy Boys Adventures, Book 15: A Con Artist in Paris, Hardy Boys Adventures, Book 16: Stolen Identity finds Frank and Joe back home stateside in Bayport. But there was still a sort of international touch to this book. Because the thing the brothers are looking for is a missing Sherlock Holmes manuscript. I'd technically call this a Hardy Boys/Sherlock Holmes crossover of sorts, even though, obviously, the boy sleuths and pop culture's most famous detective never actually meet. This case forces Frank and Joe to think like Sherlock. I would have rated it 5 stars, but I took 1 off, because it ties into one of the brother's previous cases, which must have been detailed in one the older Hardy Boys series. And that confused me a bit. However, this book was still quite interesting. And I really liked it.
Read
November 30, 2022This book is about two brothers that are really good at solving crimes. The boys are told not to participate in this specific crime that was committed but they decide to anyways. This turns into someone trying to frame them for committing the crime itself. They find parts of this stolen manuscript all around in their stuff as they are being framed.
I liked this book. I thought that it was interesting and it got me curious as to who was framing the boys. I would recommend this book to young readers. It doesn't have any bad parts in it. It is a very wholesome book. And it isn't very long which is good for those who cannot read very much in short periods of time.
I liked this book. I thought that it was interesting and it got me curious as to who was framing the boys. I would recommend this book to young readers. It doesn't have any bad parts in it. It is a very wholesome book. And it isn't very long which is good for those who cannot read very much in short periods of time.
April 5, 2022
This was an interesting Hardy Boys installment in that it brought up former cases as well. I didn’t realize how many of their cases I had forgotten about until I was reminded of them.
I loved the way this case tied into Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty! While I haven’t read many Holmes books, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the series. Also, I love when books reference other works of literature.
This was another great book that sweeps you up and keeps you entertained while listening!
I loved the way this case tied into Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty! While I haven’t read many Holmes books, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the series. Also, I love when books reference other works of literature.
This was another great book that sweeps you up and keeps you entertained while listening!
October 2, 2018
I enjoyed the parallels that kept popping up between this book and the Sherlock Holmes stories. Although like most of the Hardy Boys mysteries, the identity of the culprits becomes apparent as the story moves along, it is still fun to read, and the small twists that occur make them enjoyable reads.
April 11, 2019
I think that this is a really good book I like the way that they have linked it with Sherlock Holmes.
October 5, 2019
Nice job tying together several of the original stories with this new one.
July 30, 2021
Fun quick listen. Narration is excellent.
Listened using Chirpbooks.com.
Listened using Chirpbooks.com.
September 26, 2021
I liked this book because it was based on a Sherlock Holmes manuscript and the Brothers are also detectives.
July 12, 2022
Damn this book was awesomeeeeeeee!!
Read
January 3, 2024Stolen Identity
March 2, 2025
This was one in which the Hardy Boys were ESPECIALLY dumb. If you're big Sherlock Holmes fans, why in the world would you follow your Moriarty to a waterfall?!
July 6, 2025
Skateboarding, identity theft reminded me of another one of their book series where they did something similar but were part of a spy agency pretty good notheless.
April 1, 2026
Really good
April 16, 2026
Tried this one out to see if the boys would like the hardy boys. Skate board on the cover convinced me to pick this one. Keep kids occupied on the car trip. I hope to try another with them.
Read
October 17, 2018A small improvement from the vanishing game , and I would reccomend it.
May 25, 2018
BEST BOOK EVER IN THE HARDY BOY SERIES
Awesome it's full of suspense and it turns out the way nobody would think of sooooooo cool and the book even comes with a sneak peek at the next book
Awesome it's full of suspense and it turns out the way nobody would think of sooooooo cool and the book even comes with a sneak peek at the next book
May 28, 2019
A Sherlock Holmes manuscript pages are stolen and frank and joe are the main suspects due to the fact they keep turning upon their locker car and menus
July 4, 2021
I'm really enjoying this series. It's fun.
July 30, 2021
Fun quick listen. Narration is excellent.
Listened using Chirpbooks.com.
Listened using Chirpbooks.com.
November 28, 2018
This was overall a good book, though somewhat predictable. I did like it though, and it had me intrigued the whole way through. I did listen to it on audiobook, and that may be one of the reasons i enjoyed it so much. Hearing the characters voices and emotions bring the story to life for me. I did really enjoy the book, though, and it is one of my favorite in the series.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews