The Hardy Boys: The Billion Dollar Ransom - Franklin W. Dixon

The Hardy Boys are the teenage sons of famous private detective Fenton Hardy. Together they investigate all sorts of crimes, often assisted by one or more of their circle of friends. The Billion Dollar Ransom, published in the US in 1982, was the seventy second book in the Hardy Boys series. First appearing in the UK in 1983, it was numbered 70 when it was published by Armada. This book opens with Mr. Heifitz telling the Hardys that he's hosting a tournament of magicians at his theatre. The event, staged over four days, will see half of the magicians eliminated after each round until a winner is declared. Mr. Heifitz is worried, not only ...  Read the complete review

We get a bit serious for this, the 73rd Hardy Boys adventure, as the heroes, brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, find themselves embroiled in a kidnapping involving a magician, the President and a ridiculous sun of money demanded as a ransom. This is one of those Hardy Boys books that you really have to look past the ludicrous nature of the plot and examine the fact that this is meant for pure fictional entertainment and nothing else. This book is the 15th Hardy Boys book published by Simon & Schuster after they took over the publishing rights in 1979. As such, you may see it tagged as the 15th book, but not to confuse it with The Sinister Signpost, which was ...  Read the complete review