Customer Reviews

Hardy Boys 37: The Ghost at Skeleton Rock GB

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This review concerns the original 1957 edition and the revised 1966 edition. The original and revised editions are essentially identical, the plot and the events are the same and the only differences are in the phrasing of a few sentences. Frank and Joe become involved in Mr. Hardy's top secret case when he sends them a note to look for "Hugo Purple Turban" which turns out to be a ventriloquist's dummy that has diamonds hidden in it's eyes. Eventually, Mr. Hardy asks Frank, Joe, Chet and Tony to go to Puerto Rico to assist him, but when they arrive, Mr. Hardy is missing. Personally, I think that the author tried too hard to make this book action packed and exciting, but alot of it is too coincidental and doesn't make sense. First of all, when Frank and Joe are first trying to find "Hugo Purple Turban", they go to see a fortuneteller named Hugo that Aunt Gertrude told them about and this man just happens to be a part of the gang they are after. Second, of all the shops in the U.S. that would carry ventriloquist's dummies "Hugo Purple Turban" just happens to get sent to a shop in Bayport. My biggest problem with this book is its title. The ghost and even Skeleton Rock play a very small part in this book and could easily have been eliminated without altering the story. The ghost isn't even mentioned until chapter 18. Some fans may love this book, but I didn't and any fan who reads this book expecting a story about a ghost is going to be sadly disappointed.