Customer Reviews

The Hidden Harbor Mystery (Hardy Boys #14)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This review concerns the original 1935 edition.
The Hardy Boys and their pal Chet head to the deep South and become involved in an old fued between the Rand and Blackstone families.
Modern readers are likely to have their sensibilities offended by the racial sterotypes in this book which cast African-Americans and Southerners in a particularly negative light.
Stereotypes aside, this isn't a bad adventure although it certainly doesn't rank among the best in the series.

The fourteenth Hardy Boys mystery has a more classic flavor to it. This mystery is set in and around the coastal town of Larchmont, Georgia. The boys start out trying to help a man accused of libel, and end up getting involved in a hidden treasure, secret passages, mysterious characters, and a monster. Of course, there is also the central mystery of the hidden harbor.

Bart Worth is the publisher of the Larchmont Record, a newspaper. Bart wrote a story about Samuel Blackstone. The story was carefully written and completely factual. However, after the story was set in type, remembering that this story was updated in 1961 and computer publishing was many years in future, someone added a rumor that the Blackstone fortune was obtained from smuggling. Samuel Blackstone was in the process of suing Bart for libel, and Bart was requesting help from the Hardys to either find the person responsible for changing the article, or find information about the Blackstone family to prove that they had started their fortune based on smuggling.

The boys once again have jumped into the thick of a complicated mystery. Samuel Blackstone's brother, Ruel Rand, lives on property adjacent to Samuel's. It appears to the boys that either Samuel or Ruel is out to hurt the other brother as each is attacked. Added to the mystery is the disappearance of a seamstress and a butler. The boys also learn that the pond between the Blackstone and the Rand estates is rumored to have a treasure associated with it, a treasure that can be found at the hidden harbor.

As the boys continue their investigation, they learn that others are involved in the apparent plot between Blackstone and Rand. It seems these other characters may be working for Blackstone, trying to keep the boys away from any information related to the impending lawsuit, the disappearing people, the pond, the treasure, and the brother's estates. However, these other characters are vicious, attempting to harm the boys more than once, including leaving them stranded on a deserted island, and knocking them out.

As the boys unravel the clues to the various mysteries, they encounter a long-unused secret entrance and rooms related to the entrance. The entrance and the secret rooms may be related to at least some parts of the mysteries. Most unusual of all, the boys encounter a monster in the pond.

Join the boys in a classically styled mystery that reminded me of 30s-styled mysteries. Spooky mansions, secret passages and rooms, mysterious characters and a monster provide an enjoyable atmosphere to this Hardy Boys mystery.

I have one minor complaint about this book. The cover of the book features a reptile. The reptile should be an alligator to match the novel. However, the reptile on the cover appears to be a crocodile, not an alligator. Also, the boys refer to the cold water, and alligators and crocodiles are very sluggish in cold water. Minor complaints about an otherwise enjoyable mystery.

Though the Hardy Boys series is written in a relatively archaic fashion, as reading material for an increasingly younger audience they are excellent. The stories were once recommended for children ages 10 to 14. As children are exposed to more violence and seem to require greater levels of stimulation, the recommended age range has move to 9 to 12. I think any child capable of reading some of the challenging words in these books will enjoy them, regardless of how tame most of the action may be. Once a child has reached age 12 or so the stories may be of less interest, but given the combination of mystery and action, these books remain good safe choices for parents who want to know what their children are reading.

This review concerns the original 1935 edition. Frank, Joe and Chet become involved in an old-time Southern feud when they come to the aid of an elderly man and he later accuses them of robbing him. This book actually reminds me more of something that I would read in the Nancy Drew series, but for people who aren't fans of Nancy Drew, don't let that keep you from reading this book, because I really enjoyed it. The book is very well-written and is very interesting. I'd recommend this one to any Hardy Boys fan.

Be aware that there are two very different books marketed under this title and Amazon is not distinguishing between them. The cover on the main page is of the reissued 1930's version but the pages offered by the "Look Inside" feature are quite different and appear to be from the revised, 1960's version. It isn't clear which one they're selling!

I got the original one from the library and, allowing for, yes, offensive stereotypes it is a good book with a fast-moving plot. The new one seems to be an entirely different storyline, starting off with a libel suit. The original begins with a steamship wreck.

Before buying this book, it would be best to find out which one Amazon is selling!

Sneaking around, discovering what other teens or adults were up to, solving crimes, ahh, I loved this series.
I read the entire series as a kid, and loved it. It chronicles two brothers and their friends adventures as they solve mysteries of all imaginable kinds. I only learned as an adult that Franklin W Dixon was a pen name used by several different authors, but the series had some great stories. I still enjoy a good mystery.

Paul Buckner,

author of "From Broke to Broker, and other stories of finding financial freedom."

A little confusing reading both versions at the same time.
The original 1940s printing seems to be better than the 1960s revision, and I'm not even finished reading it yet!

As a sixth grader, I thought it was an interesting mystery. What I didn't like about it was I think it needed more action,but it is still worth reading.

Excellent book for people of all ages. Good reading & fast paced without any gimics.

This is an excellent book! It is one of my favorite books in the Hardy Boys series. The story takes place in Georgia with a man named Bart Worth asking Joe and Frank Hardy for help. Mr. Worth is going to court with a man named Samuel Blackstone. Mr. Blackstone is suing Mr. Worth for a story included in the newspaper owned by Mr. Worth. The story accused Mr. Blackstone's ancestors of getting rich by smuggling and piracy. Mr. Worth needs Joe and Frank to find proof that Mr. Blackstone's descendents did get their money this way.

The Hardy boys decide to camp outside the Blackstone property and spy. Mr. Blackstone's house is on a very large piece of land belonging to the Blackstone family. Half of the land belongs to Mr. Blackstone and half belongs to Mr. Ruel Rand. There is a pond on the land, but no one knows who owns it. When the original owner died, the will was not clear about the boundary line. One night, Joe and Frank hear Mr. Blackstone and Mr. Rand arguing loudly about who owns the pond. They saw, through the window, Mr. Blackstone hit Mr. Rand over the head with a vase. They quickly go to the door of the house and ask to talk to Mr. Blackstone. His servant lets the boys inside.

Mr. Blackstone is sitting in his room reading a book. When asked what happened, he says Mr. Rand is not there and there have been no other visitors. The Hardy boys call the police anyway to report what they saw. When the police arrive, Mr. Blackstone says Mr. Rand is on a trip to Storm Island.

The Hardy boys decide to explore the pond because they want to know why the pond is so special. While they are swimming in the pond, they see a weird creature similar to an alligator, but bigger. They escape and decide to figure out what it is, later.

Frank wonders if Mr. Rand is really on Storm Island, so they rent a boat and go to Storm Island to find Mr. Rand. While they are exploring the island, someone cuts the rope which tied their ship to the rocks. When they discover what had happened, the ship was out of swimming reach so now they are marooned on the island. In the distance they see a speed boat speeding off.

Will the Hardy boys be able to get off the island? Who cut the rope? Who was on that speed boat? What was that creature in the pond? Where is Mr. Rand? Is it true that Mr. Blackstone's wealth came from piracy?

Read the book to find out the answers. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop! Every chapter is full of action and surprise.

This review concerns the revised 1961 edition. The owner of a newspaper based in a southern town asks Frank and Joe to prove his innocence in a libel case brought against him after his paper accused the ancestors of one of the towns leading families of having made their money through piracy. This isn't a bad book; there certainly are many different mysteries for Frank and Joe to solve: the libel case, a long-lost treasure and a strange "monster" which inhabits a pond not far from where the Hardys and Chet camp out. Mostly, the book was pretty good; although, the ending was a little disappointing as the criminals were caught without much trouble, but I think that most fans would enjoy "The Hidden Harbor Mystery".