The Hardy Boys: The Roaring River Mystery - Franklin W. Dixon

Frank and Joe Hardy are the teenage sons of famous private detective Fenton Hardy and his wife Laura. Together, (and sometimes from help with family and friends) they investigate all sorts of crimes & strange occurrences.... The Roaring River Mystery was published in the US in 1984 & was the eightieth in the series. The book first appeared in the UK in 1985 and was numbered 78 when it was published by Armada. This particular tale opens with Frank and Joe enjoying some time in their canoe. Who would have thought that across the lake a fellow canoeist is being pursued by a couple of men wearing ski masks? The canoe overturned, the two men ...  Read the complete review

Quite often, with books aimed at teenage boys, you find that plot and characterisation are often given over to a bit of action and adventure. Of late, teenage fiction has started to up its game and extend its tales, focusing a lot more on plot, particularly when we look at such books as the Twilight Saga from Stephenie Meyer. The Hardy Boys remain one of the longest running teenage fiction series, but one thing they often sacrifice is their plots. The Roaring River Mystery pokes its head up above the majority of its fellow Hardys books and gives us a decent plot with convincing villains. Yes, it's predictable, but it's also enjoyable and has a little more ...  Read the complete review