The Tower Treasure / The House On The Cliff

by Franklin W. Dixon

In two separate cases Joe and Frank Hardy search for stolen jewels to prove a man's innocence and attempt to catch a gang of drug smugglers.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Childrens, Kids, Adventure

180 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

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

[Brandy Wilcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone steals Chet’s car, but for what purpose? A man in a red wig is found trying to rob a bank. Could there be a connection? After the gang tracks down the car, more turmoil appears around the corner. The Tower Treasure has been robbed, but by whom? Trouble comes to a man who is thought to be guilty, but is really innocent. No one will hire him. He and his family live in the poorest part of town. If he does not get a job, his son, Slim, will have to quit school to find a job to help support the family. Will Frank and Joe be able to clear this innocent man’s name and find the real culprit and the loot?

Fenton is a private investigator and the boys’ father. He is married to Laura.
Frank Hardy is Joe’s older brother. He is more mature than his brother and is always taking the lead in an investigation. Joe Hardy is always coming up with the brilliant ideas. Chet Morrison is their friend and will often tag along with Frank and Joe in a case. He also loves to eat. Iola Morrison is Chet’s sister, and she is really sweet. She also happens to be Joe’s girlfriend. Mr. Snuff is a detective who will annoy you. He believes you should pay him in order to get information. Mr. Robinson has the strange hobby of collecting rare seeds from all over the world. Slim is Mr. Robinson’s son and a friend of Frank and Joe.

The story is set in Bayport, New York, in the 1920s. If you think about it, the most logical setting for this book about two detectives is this time period, because the richest clients lived then. The south shore would give the boys many opportunities for adventure with a bay, ocean, islands, rivers, farms, and hills to the north.

I would recommend the book to early teens who love a mystery.

[Lauren]

I really enjoyed this book and though it was a very easy read. It is all about a theft and it ends different than you would expect it to. This book was a classic and a lot of people aren't crazy for them, so this book is a great way to get a classic in.

[Emma Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book The Tower Treasure because of my interest in mysteries and enjoyment of the changing plot. The author did a great job making the characters thoughts seem real and painted a clear picture of what the characters look like. My favorite part of the book is when the brothers Frank and Joe Hardy show how much they want to be like their father and look up to their father by eagerly helping him solve clues to the mystery. The younger brother, Joe is the ambitious brother that is a little more adventurous than Frank. Frank, prefers to think about things before putting them into action. The fact that time after time the clues lead to be false added to the characters seeming real. In real life not every clue leads to the treasure, sometimes they fail and that's what happened in the book. Overall, I really enjoyed the suspense of weather the criminal is still nearby, or weather he will be caught, who will he be caught by? This was a great book in my opinion and I can't wait to read more of this series.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hardy boys are still so much fun to read. My 8 year old boy loves this action-packed series.
The Tower Treasure and the House on the Cliff are the first two books in the series, and the boy-detectives are figuring things out. Their father has a larger role than he does in later books, when the boys are solving mysteries on their own.

[Samantha Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of this one and it was good

[Windy2go · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I was a big a Nancy Drew fan growing up (and an even bigger Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators fan), therefore, I was happy to have the chance to get a stack of Hardy Boys mysteries for my eight-year-old son. He definitely enjoyed episode one, but I cannot lie, I was disappointed by the incongruencies. Examples: why would any thief hide the loot he just stole in the same building where he just stole it and why would any detective worth his salt consider that a logical possibility?... or why would a mortally wounded thief come out of his coma just long enough to reveal a vital clue and everyone would take that clue as 100 percent accurate and literal?

While the writing style and logic of the story were disappointing, the really stilted gender stereotype was the more annoying characteristic of Hardy Boys mystery number one. I occasionally couldn't help ad-libbing extra dialogue, like Mrs. Hardy saying archly how she'd love to stick around at the mystery solving party "with her boys" but she needed to get back to clean the kitchen.....

I am torn whether the overall upstanding moral values of the two Hardy boys, ever respectful and obedient toward their parents and educators, kind to their friends, and good citizens to the core, outshine the stilted gender portrayals. Will my eight-year-old think after reading these stories that mom should be busy darning socks by the fire while dad-the-manly-man travels about freely, runs his business, and gain social importance in his community? My son might not even notice.... but might he? Or subsconsciously? I do hope he notices the Hardy boys' good qualities and gosh, I hope he notices the clean language and admirable self control (verbal and otherwise) ever used by the Hardy's and their friends. So I guess it's worth giving the next book a try.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that the Hardy boys were really helpful because they helped their father which is called Fenton Hardy and I also think that the Hardy boys have really strong minds and really amazing observation skills because in the start there was only one clue, but after thinking a lot they have a ton of very useful clues. Also, the Hardy boys know that the tower treasure is in any kind of tower, so they first searched Hurd Applegate’s mansion and garden no matter if it is the old tower or the new one. Later, they went out for a picnic and try to find some clues, and they noticed another tower, old and new. And they even have the fact from their dad that the thief is actually Red Jackley and he worked here, so the Hardy boys went in to search, they found the treasure, but a man called Hobo Johnny locked them in and tried to take the treasure, but the Hardy boys was smart so they escaped by their own. Now they got the prize of finding and handing the treasure to the police, which is one thousand dollars, and they also helped to clear Mr.Robinson from everybody thinking he is the thief but he is actually not. I feel so happy for the Hardy boys. I wish I could see Oscar Smuffs face that time.

[Clara Ellen]

My son and I enjoyed both of these mystery stories as read-alouds.

[Daniel M · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Tower Treasure: The 1950's rewrite. This felt like a very watered down version of the 1927 edition. The police are respected, the bomb threat was omitted, the sentences shortened. Read the older text if possible.

The House on the Cliff: Another great book that was dumbed down for inexplicable reasons. Everyone was made stupider and the plot made far less sense. Add to that the insertion of uninteresting new characters to infodump and you have yourself a stinker.

[Jeremy Hetzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't read this since I was 13 or 14. Fun to re-read. Easy read.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the Nancy Drew books, which I devoured as a kid, I never read all that many Hardy Boys mysteries. I don't remember if it was because I didn't like them or if it had to do with the fact the library I used didn't have as many. I'm thinking it's the former, because I don't see how I didn't like these as a kid. Especially when I loved this book so much as an adult.

I had this one sitting around for a few weeks now, sitting unread. I had already read the Nancy Drew book that I bought at the same time, but since I wasn't feeling the same sense of nostalgia, I wasn't in a hurry to read it. The other night though, Father's Day actually, I was missing Aidan and none of the other books were keeping my attention. I know him spending time with his great-grandparents for the summer is a great thing, but it takes me a while to get used to not having him around. Anyway, I picked it up on the off chance it would do more for me, and it did.

It grabbed and held my attention from the start when the boys are forced off their motorcycles when a speeding car almost takes them out. That is followed quickly by a stolen car, a holdup, stolen jewels and a crazy hobo. What made it even better though was I knew two different things. First, this book was aimed at young people so I knew that despite whatever action was taking place, nobody was in any actual danger. Secondly, there are 58 books in the original series. That means I have a lot of fun ahead of me. I'll be waiting for Aidan to come home so I can sucker him into reading these with me.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one that started it all...Rereading this version as an adult, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up. The characters are timeless, even if the slang and some of the writing is a bit dated. I had forgotten about there being a barn on the Hardy property - I think in the Casefiles series, which I read far more of than the blue spine variants of the original series - had it in the basement. And Aunt Gertrude isn't around yet.

The pacing is quick, though you do get breathers now and then. There's humor, too. What a great way to - as an adult - really indulge in nostalgia for a few hours.

[Audrey C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very suspenseful book:)

[Mama K · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. thin plot line, but I can see why young readers would go for it. never read Hardy Boys in my youth and I think I'll stick with Nancy Drew if I ever regress again.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this 1st Hardy Boys to my 4yr old Son.
We read a Chapter or Two a day & he said he wants me to get the next one to read too. ;-}

[Matt Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Franklin W. Dixon's Realistic fictional novel, The Tower Treasure, explores how challenging mysteries are solved, as a slight clue can change these investigations. This book shows how two young boys use their connections to find this mastermind criminal.
This book presents an investigation after a flying car drove past the two hardy boys. Later in that day, a car was stolen, and the boys assumed it was the maniac driver. A friend’s father of the Hardy’s was the main suspect of this case, so the Hardy’s knew they had to do everything they could to clear his name. The two Hardy’s, Frank and Joe, help connect the dots to find the criminal, starting with simple clues such as the suspect's red hair. This criminal continued mischevy, as the famous Tower mansion was robbed later in the story. The clever Hardy Boys discovered who the criminal was, but the job isn't finished. The Hardy Boys' life is put in danger, as identifying this suspect can lead to many results. This book presents realistic examples of how much one would do for another.
This book is very versatile, as one that loves mysteries or one that despises mysteries would both love this book. This book goes very in depth with several investigations while still being entertaining. This book will catch any reader’s attention, as it uses suspense throughout the whole story. An example of suspense states,”The reckless driver suddenly pulled his car hard to the right and turned into a side road on two wheels. The boys expected the car to turn over, but it held the dusty ground and sped off out of sight”. This example from the text reveals details of the scene without showing what may happen next.
The author, Franklin W. Dixon, establishes suspense right off the bat, which sets a mysterious tone for the rest of the story. Although this book isn’t the longest(180 pages), Dixon still does a wonderful job of setting a suspenseful plot.
This book may be read by kids or adults, as it always makes the reader wonder what will happen next. This book has a realistic plot that is still very entertaining for most.

[Wesley]

I recently read the book Tower Treasure by Franklin Dixon. The book is fiction. This book is about two boys named Frank and Joe that are always trying to find a mystery to crack. Their friend's car got stolen at the beginning of the book and they solved that mystery. After they solved the car mystery there was a robbery at the tower. The boys and their dad would be rewarded one thousand dollars if they found who did it. The book shows many brave acts and very dangerous people.
My favorite part in the book was when Frank and Joe's friends found the stolen car. On page 78 it says, “ Everybody was jumping up and down with so much excitement and everyone was so happy.” I liked this part of the book because they have worked so hard to find the car and it made me happy that they finally found it. I feel like a lot of people that read the book can relate to the happiness. A part of the book that confused me was when frank and joe were in New York but then the next line showed them already back to Bayport. On page 121 it says, “ We need to tell dad that Ronny never made the red wig and that it was frem 5 years ago. At Johnny's house, we ate dinner and told him all of our clues.” This confused me because it jumped straight back to the town without saying that they left. I think that the author could have either made a new chapter or said something about their trip going back to Bayport.
I just finished the book and I would recommend this book to other middle schoolers that are adventures and like mysteries. I think that there are so many things middle schoolers would think are cool and they would want to do. Also, there are some things that you can relate to like how short the weekends feel and how things don't always go your way. Lastly, there are a lot of funny parts like when Joe pulled down the robber's pants and the robber tripped on himself.

[Isaac Wahlberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, The Tower Treasure, written by Leslie McFarlane under the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon, is the tale of two teen brothers who work together to solve the mystery of a recent robbery. Still, they must do it before their rival does.

Looking past the plot, The Tower Treasure shows teamwork and communication's importance in life. Without teamwork, they would have never figured out so many of the details they did. Often, people around them would help them out by giving them insights about things they saw.

This book wasn’t super impactful; however, if I were forced to choose something, I would say the writing style. I don’t read older books that often, but after reading this one, I got a new perspective on the timeline of writing styles. This book uses an older-fashioned writing style because it was written in the 20s.

My favorite quote in the book was, “There is no such thing as a clever crook.” The reason this is my favorite quote is because, in a nutshell, One who is a crook isn’t clever in the first place; they chose to do something that is quite dumb.”
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes shorter reads, novels, and unconventional writing styles, at least from modern writing styles.

[Jesse Hertstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

What fun! I read most of this series when I was a kid, and these books were the root of a lot of my interest in reading and writing early on.

Interesting to experience them as an adult. Some bad writing habits with the overuse of adjectives and exclamations. And it’s certainly a white, male world, the idealized version of that era with all the stereotypes. But the plot twists are clever. The characters all have their roles. And they start with a dramatic question and end with all the loose ends tied up.

Surprised, actually, that Hollywood hasn’t tried to bring them back with a more modern spin.

[Dr. Thomas Wasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long story short is that I'm 60 years old and recently moved and found all of my old Hardy Boy books sealed in a box down in the basement. When I got to the new house I unpacked them and put them in my library and I pulled the Tower Treasure off and read it again. I give it five stars for the memories it brought back and although I couldn't remember the story it was just wonderful to relive it.
Its a throw back for sure. Children that went to school, respected their parents, worked hard... Just a very refreshing read. Happy to read it again.

[LaceyGoodBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two boys named Frank and Joe Hardy are a detective son. They got a mystery of there dad is A detective . They didn’t know who stole the car, but out of on A farmland in the woods near a park they thought it was kind of weird, but they also figured out the Tower mansion mystery that the stolen poverty was in a water tower meeting the two Harley boys get over $1000 but the old man gave a give both of the boys of 500 for to hide the property bring it back. They had a great supper of sandwiches could drinks and cake and their parents were so proud of them.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love these wholesome mysteries. Frank, Joe, their "chums" and their girlfriends and family are good-natured, neighborly and fun. This mystery was pretty straightforward, and Frank and Joe's father did a significant amount of legwork, but this was still an entertaining read. I'm hoping they're more independent next time.

I recommend to fans of the series, fans of mysteries targeted to young readers, or a mystery famous in culture and the canon.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

CAWPILE 3.86

As a child I read all the Nancy Drew books I could get my hands on. However this was my first time reading a Hardy Boys novel and it will possibly be my last. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with the book I thought it was generally a pretty so so book. The characters felt flat to me, the plot was a little boring and I overall just wasn't a fan of my reading experience.

[Mattine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great first book in the Hardy Boys Series. The kids love the old terminology thrown out in this book. We had a great time reading it with its many twists and plots and turns!

[Anita Burkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.

[Zachary Rightler · Rating 3 out of 5]

IT WAS OK I GUESS

[Donnie]

reread enjoyed again

[Justin Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just a cozy little mystery that all ages can enjoy. Perfect for reading on a lazy afternoon.

[Cognatious Thunk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Hardy Boy mysteries were/are geared towards young male readers, I devoured them when I was in elementary school. For some reason, back then I thought Nancy Drew and Bess were pretty lame compared to the boys. After I finish rereading this one, I may take a trip down memory lane to see if that still holds true for me. I also liked books like Hatchet more than ones like Island of the Blue Dolphins when I was younger, so if my feelings swapped on the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew novels, I will have a lot of adventure books to reassess.

[Brian Dominguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

For there first investigation it was good