A hidden gem! (The Hardy Boys: The Crimson Flame - Franklin W. Dixon)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	The Hardy Boys: The Crimson Flame - Franklin W. Dixon
Date:	06/04/09 (81 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well written and good plot

Disadvantages: None really

So, along comes another gem in the reams and reams of average Hardy Boys novels. One of the 'digests' of the series, The Crimson Flame is the 77th Hardy Boys book written, and the 19th to be released by publishers Simon & Schuster. It was first published in 1983.

This one has its roots in a believable plot, as the heroes of the piece, brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, fall into the adventure as opposed to being sought out. They prevent the mugging of a wealthy ranch owner, whose attacker was trying to get hold of an expensive ruby called the Crimson Flame. Frank and Joe, along with their friends Chet and Biff, agree to go and work at the ranch to find out who is trying to get their hands on the ruby and whether a number of strange events at the ranch are related to it.

The Hardy Boys books usually involve the brothers going off around the world, and this one is no exception, as we get taken off to Thailand before coming back to the ranch for the final showdown, as it were. The books are all published under the pseudonym Franklin W Dixon, although they are actually written by ghost writers who follow plot outlines given to them. This author has done a decent job of balancing characterisation and plot and keeping everything flowing quite well.

I enjoyed the story, and it is always interesting when a couple of the brothers' friends become involved in the mysteries. Chet and Biff aren't really involved all that much, but they do provide a little change from the intense action as the comedy comes in with them trying to learn to be ranch hands!

The villains crop up randomly throughout the book, and it is no real secret who they are, as the brothers are threatened on a regular basis, verbally and physically, by similar thugs. The big villain, of course, is revealed towards the end, but again, no real surprises there, and it's not really hidden too much during the book, either.

The books are intended for teenage boys, and fit the mold quite well, providing enough action and adventure to pique interest while not going overboard and being inappropriately violent or graphic. The writing style is very easy to read and the pages flow quite nicely. There are no parts where the story drags, which is a welcome relief in comparison to some of the Hardy Boys books.

Overall, a thumbs up. There isn't really anything negative here. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. As with all of the Simon & Schuster Hardy Boys books, it's hard to get this over here in the UK, but it is available from amazon.com (the US site) for a low price.

Summary: A very welcome gem in the Hardy Boys series