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''The Hardy Boys'' is a popular Series of detective/adventure books for boys chronicling the fictional adventures of teenage brothers Frank and Joe Hardy. The original ''Hardy Boys'' series was produced between 1927 and 1979 under the Pen Name Franklin W. Dixon .


SERIES HISTORY

''The Hardy Boys'' is a creation of the Stratemeyer Syndicate , the creators of dozens of successful book series such as the '' Rover Boys '', the '' Bobbsey Twins '' and '' Tom Swift '', and later, '' Nancy Drew ''. Edward Stratemeyer conceived of the Hardy Boys in 1926 with the creation of plot outlines that would become the first volumes of the series. Various Ghostwriter s were employed, under contract of secrecy, to pen the actual stories. The first author was Leslie McFarlane , whose writing defined the literary style of the series, as well as the personalities and nuances of its characters. McFarlane authored volumes 1-16 and 22-24, which are generally regarded as the best works of the series.

Substantial revisions to the first 38 titles began in 1959 . Over the course of 15 years the series was revised to modernize outdated Vernacular , reduce story length, age the characters and remove the Racial Stereotypes prolific in many of the early books (although the series was unusually inclusive for the era in having two non- WASP Hardy sidekicks who were portrayed as normal, fully assimilated teenagers -- Tony Prito and Phil Cohen). The result of this process varied from one book to another. In some cases only minor changes resulted, while in others the entire plot and storyline were thrown out, resulting in an entirely new book bearing no resemblance to the original.

In 1979, after 52 years and 58 titles (which included the non-fiction ''Hardy Boys' Detective Handbook''), '', was started. The ''Undercover Brothers'' series is supplemented by a series of Graphic Novels and, initially, a now-discontinued series of Comic Books . Also in 2005 Grosset & Dunlap gained permission to continue publishing more titles in hardcover, starting with Digest volumes 59 to 66.

''The Hardy Boys'' also appeared in several spin-off series: ''The Casefiles '' (127 volumes), the '' Clues Brothers '' (17 volumes), with Tom Swift in the 2 volume '' Ultra-Thriller '' series and with Nancy Drew in the 36 volume '' Supermystery '' series.

''Hardy Boys'' books have been issued in over 25 languages, including Spanish , Dutch , French , German , Sinhala , Japanese , Russian , Malay , and Afrikaans .


STORY BACKGROUND


The Hardy Boys are brother amateur detectives. Frank is the elder of the two, and Joe is the younger brother. The stories are an Unageing series as, despite their hundreds of adventures totalling far more than a year, they are always 17 and 18 years old, (originally, they were 15 and 16 years old, but this was changed in later printings) and it is always, approximately, the present day.

The two boys live in Bayport with their father Fenton Hardy, a private detective formerly with the NYPD , their mother Laura, and their Aunt Gertrude , a character often used for comic relief. Frank's longtime girlfriend is Callie Shaw, while Joe is often linked with Iola Morton, the sister of the duo's good friend Chet Morton , another comic relief character. Other friends who assist the brothers include Phil Cohen, Biff Hooper, Jerry Gilroy and Tony Prito. The Bayport Police Department is represented by Chief Ezra (in one book Clint) Collig, and Patrolman Con Riley. 'Detective' Oscar Smuff is often seen in cases as he comically blunders trying to solve a mystery. In the older stories, the Hardy Boys' cases often are linked to the confidential cases their detective father is currently working on. He sometimes asks them for help, while at other times they stumble upon villains and incidents that are connected to his cases.

In 1987, the series was revised with the ''Hardy Boy Casefiles'' series. Consisting of 127 volumes, these stories were much darker in tone and featured plots involving Espionage , Governmental Conspiracies , Cult s, Militia Groups , and Organized Crime . They also featured a level of violence unseen in previous Hardy Boys stories, a fact that became evident to readers in the opening pages of the first "Hardy Boys Casefile" novel as longtime supporting cast member Iola Morton was Murdered by a Terrorist Bomb planted in the Hardys' car.


HARDY BOYS CANON BOOKS


The Hardy Boys canon books are the original books. Below are the names of the canon books:

# The Tower Treasure , #1]]
# The House On The Cliff
# The Secret Of The Old Mill
# The Missing Chums
# Hunting For Hidden Gold
# The Shore Road Mystery
# The Secret Of The Caves
# The Mystery Of Cabin Island
# The Great Airport Mystery
# What Happened At Midnight
# While The Clock Ticked
# Footprints Under The Window
# The Mark On The Door
# The Hidden Harbor Mystery
# The Sinister Signpost
# A Figure In Hiding
# The Secret Warning
# The Twisted Claw
# The Disappearing Floor
# The Mystery Of The Flying Express
# The Clue Of The Broken Blade
# The Flickering Torch Mystery
# The Melted Coins
# The Short-Wave Mystery
# The Secret Panel
# The Phantom Freighter
# The Secret Of Skull Mountain
# The Sign Of The Crooked Arrow
# The Secret Of The Lost Tunnel
# The Wailing Siren Mystery
# The Secret Of Wildcat Swamp
# The Crisscross Shadow
# The Yellow Feather Mystery
# The Hooded Hawk Mystery
# The Clue In The Embers
# The Secret Of Pirate's Hill
# The Ghost At Skeleton Rock
# The Mystery At Devil's Paw
# The Mystery Of The Chinese Junk
# The Mystery Of The Desert Giant
# The Clue Of The Screeching Owl
# The Viking Symbol Mystery
# The Mystery Of The Aztec Warrior
# The Haunted Fort
# The Mystery Of The Spiral Bridge
# The Secret Agent On Flight 101
# The Mystery Of The Whale Tattoo
# The Arctic Patrol Mystery
# The Bombay Boomerang
# Danger On Vampire Trail
# The Masked Monkey
# The Shattered Helmet
# The Clue Of The Hissing Serpent
# The Mysterious Caravan
# The Witchmaster's Key
# The Jungle Pyramid
# The Firebird Rocket
# The Sting Of The Scorpion


THE NEWER HARDY BOYS MYSTERIES ("DIGESTS")


This series was cancelled in 2005 with volume 190. The series has branched off into others (Casefiles, Clues Brothers, et.al.). The main Hardy Boys series today is the Undercover Brothers (2005-present).

# Night Of The Werewolf
# Mystery Of The Samurai Sword
# The Pentagon Spy
# The Apeman's Secret
# The Mummy Case
# Mystery Of Smugglers Cove
# The Stone Idol
# The Vanishing Thieves
# The Outlaw's Silver
# Submarine Caper — Retitled " Deadly Chase "
# The Four-Headed Dragon
# The Infinity Clue
# Track Of The Zombie
# The Voodoo Plot
# The Billion Dollar Ransom
# Tic-Tac-Terror
# Trapped At Sea
# Game Plan For Disaster
# The Crimson Flame
# Cave-In!
# Sky Sabotage
# The Roaring River Mystery
# The Demon's Den
# The Blackwing Puzzle
# The Swamp Monster
# Revenge Of The Desert Phantom
# The Skyfire Puzzle
# The Mystery Of The Silver Star
# Program For Destruction
# Tricky Business
# Sky Blue Frame
# Danger On The Diamond
# Shield Of Fear
# The Shadow Killers
# The Serpent's Tooth Mystery
# Breakdown In Axeblade
# Danger On The Air
# Wipeout
# Cast Of Criminals
# Spark Of Suspicion
# Dungeon Of Doom
# The Secret Of The Island Treasure
# The Money Hunt
# Terminal Shock
# The Million-Dollar Nightmare
# Tricks Of The Trade
# The Smoke Screen Mystery
# Attack Of The Video Villians
# Panic On Gull Island
# Fear On Wheels
# The Prime-Time Crime
# Secret Of Sigma Seven
# Three-Ring Terror
# The Demolition Mission
# Radical Moves
# The Case Of The Counterfeit Criminals
# Sabotage At Sports City
# Rock N Roll Renegades
# Baseball Card Conspiracy
# Danger In The Fourth Dimension
# Trouble At Coyote Canyon
# The Case Of The Cosmic Kidnapping
# The Mystery In The Old Mine
# Carnival Of Crime
# The Robot's Revenge
# Mystery With A Dangerous Beat
# Mystery On Makatunk Island
# Racing To Disaster
# Reel Thrills
# Day Of The Dinosaur
# The Treasure At Dolphin Bay
# Sidetracked To Danger
# Crusade Of The Flaming Sword
# Maximum Challenge
# Crime In The Kennel
# Cross-Country Crime
# The Hypersonic Secret
# The Cold Cash Caper
# High-Speed Showdown
# The Alaskan Adventure
# The Search For The Snow Leopard
# Slam Dunk Sabotage
# The Desert Thieves
# Lost In The Gator Swamp
# The Giant Rat Of Sumatra
# The Secret Of Skeleton Reef
# Terror At High Tide
# The Mark Of The Blue Tattoo
# Trial And Terror
# The Ice-Cold Case
# The Chase For The Mystery Twister
# The Crisscross Crime
# The Rocky Road To Revenge
# Danger In The Extreme
# Eye On Crime
# The Caribbean Cruise Caper
# A Will To Survive
# The Lure Of The Italian Treasure
# The London Deception
# Daredevils
# A Game Called Chaos
# Training For Trouble
# The End Of The Trail
# The Spy That Never Lies
# Skin And Bones
# Crime In The Cards
# Past And Present Danger
# Trouble Times Two
# The Castle Conundrum
# Ghost Of A Chance
# Kickoff To Danger
# The Test Case
# Trouble In Warp Space
# Speed Times Five
# Hide And Sneak
# Trick Or Trouble
# In Plane Sight
# The Case Of The Psychic's Vision
# The Mystery Of The Black Rhino
# Passport To Danger
# Typhoon Island
# Double Jeopardy
# The Secret Of The Soldier's Gold
# Warehouse Rumble
# The Dangerous Transmission
# Wreck 'n' Roll
# Hidden Mountain
# No Way Out
# Farming Fear
# One False Step
# Motocross Madness


THE CLUES BROTHERS

These books were aimed younger readers, particularly in third and fourth grades. The series was introduced in 1997 and was cancelled in 2000 for lack of popularity.

This book had some big differences from the other Hardy Boys books, such as:

  • The Hardy Boys don't solve big, illegal crimes as they do the others

  • In these books, Frank and Joe are only 8 and 9, unlike the other books where they are 17 and 18.

  • They go to Bayport Elementary School , in the others, they go to Bayport High School .


# The Gross Ghost Mystery
# The Karate Clue
# First Day, Worst Day
# Jump-Shot Detectives
# Dinosaur Disaster
# Who Took The Book?
# The Abracadabra Case
# The Dog-Gone Detectives
# The Pumped-Up Pizza Problem
# The Walking Snowman
# The Monster In The Lake
# King For A Day
# Pirates Ahoy!
# All Eyes On First Prize
# Slip, Slide, And Slap Shot
# The Fish-Faced Mask Of Mystery
# The Bike Race Ruckus


THE HARDY BOYS CASEFILES

The Casefiles series, aimed at older readers, was published by Archway Paperbacks (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) between 1987 and 1998. The Casefiles were a drastic change from the established Hardy Boys world. Some of their major features:

  • Iola Morton is killed by a Terrorist Car Bomb in the first volume.

  • The books become more grisly. Frank and Joe use Firearms and investigate murders.

  • The glamourous aspects of international intrigue are played up.

  • Frank and Joe take a more serious interest in girls.

  • The boys embrace high-tech gadgetry, and Frank becomes a Computer whiz.

  • Chapters no longer have titles, and there are no illustrations.

  • The boys collaborate with the Grey Man, who represents a Cloak -and- Dagger crimefighting unit.

  • Joe curses.


The list of Casefiles is below:

#
# Evil, Inc.
# Cult Of Crime
# The Lazarus Plot
# Edge Of Destruction
# The Crowning Terror
# Deathgame
# See No Evil
# The Genius Thieves
# Hostages Of Hate
# Brother Against Brother
# Perfect Getaway
# The Borgia Dagger
# Too Many Traitors
# Blood Relations
# Line Of Fire
# The Number File
# A Killing In The Market
# Nightmare In Angel City
# Witness To Murder
# Street Spies
# Double Exposure
# Disaster For Hire
# Scene Of The Crime
# The Borderline Case
# Trouble In The Pipeline
# Nowhere To Run
# Countdown To Terror
# Thick As Thieves
# The Deadliest Dare
# Without A Trace
# Blood Money
# Collision Course
# Final Cut
# The Dead Season
# Running On Empty
# Danger Zone
# Diplomatic Deceit
# Flesh And Blood
# Fright Wave
# Highway Robbery
# The Last Laugh
# Strategic Moves
# Castle Fear
# In Self-Defense
# Foul Play
# Flight Into Danger
# Rock 'n' Revenge
# Dirty Deeds
# Power Play
# Choke Hold
# Uncivil War
# Web Of Horror
# Deep Trouble
# Beyond The Law
# Height Of Danger
# Terror On Track
# Spiked!
# Open Season
# Deadfall
# Grave Danger
# Final Gambit
# Cold Sweat
# Endangered Species
# No Mercy
# The Phoenix Equation
# Lethal Cargo
# Rough Riding
# Mayhem In Motion
# Rigged For Revenge
# Real Horror
# Screamers
# Bad Rap
# Road Pirates
# No Way Out
# Tagged For Terror
# Survival Run
# The Pacific Conspiracy
# Danger Unlimited
# Dead Of Night
# Sheer Terror
# Poisoned Paradise
# Toxic Revenge
# False Alarm
# Winner Take All
# Virtual Villainy
# Dead Man In Deadwood
# Inferno Of Fear
# Darkness Falls
# Deadly Engagement
# Hot Wheels
# Sabotage At Sea
#
# A Taste For Terror
# Illegal Procedure
# Against All Odds
# Pure Evil
# Murder By Magic
# Frame-up
# True Thriller
# Peak Of Danger
# Wrong Side Of The Law
# Campaign Of Crime
# Wild Wheels
# Law Of The Jungle
# Shock Jock
# Fast Break
# Blown Away
# Moment Of Truth
# Bad Chemistry
# Competitive Edge
# Cliff-Hanger
# Sky High
# Clean Sweep
# Cave Trap
# Acting Up
# Blood Sport
# The Last Leap
# The Emperor's Shield
# Survival Of The Fittest
# Absolute Zero
# River Rats
# High Wire Act
# The Viking's Revenge
# Stress Point
# Fire In The Sky
# Dead In The Water


THE HARDY BOYS: UNDERCOVER BROTHERS


"The Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers" is a series of paperback books which replaced the Digest paperbacks in early 2005.

The Hardy Boys are now agents of A.T.A.C. (American Teens Against Crime ) and are solving more realistic and/or violent crimes.

This series is written in first-person narrative style with Frank and Joe alternating chapters.

# Extreme Danger
# Running On Fumes
# Boardwalk Bust
# Thrill Ride
# Rocky Road
# Burned
#
# Top Ten Ways To Die
# Martial Law
# Blown Away
# Hurricane Joe


TV APPEARANCES

The Hardy Boys have appeared five times on Television , including programs on The Mickey Mouse Club in 1956 and 1957 starring Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk . In 1967 , NBC aired a Pilot called ''"The Mystery Of The Chinese Junk"'' starring Tim Matthieson (later Matheson) as Joe Hardy and Rick Gates as Frank. Two years later, in 1969 , ABC ran a Saturday Morning Cartoon series (produced by Filmation ) and later an ABC Prime Time series starring Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy from 1977 - 1979 . There was also a syndicated 13 episode Canadian series in 1995 with Paul Popowich .

The Mickey Mouse Club series, the animated series and the 1970's ABC-TV series were responsible for the creation of many items of Hardy Boys Memorabilia such as Board Games , Comic Books , Jigsaw Puzzles , Dolls and other items. The teen heartthrob Shaun Cassidy was featured on many of the 1970s items of memorabilia.


OTHER

The Hardy Boys, popular as ever, are still being reinvented in new ideas and products. September 2005 saw the release of the first ever Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew "Supermystery" PC Game. In 2002-3, Random House issued the first seven volumes on Audio Cassette .


SEE ALSO



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