Customer Reviews

Missing Chums (Hardy boys mystery stories / Franklin W Dixon)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This review concerns the original 1928 edition. Chet and Biff take Biff's new motorboat, the Envoy, on a trip down the coast, but when they fail to return, Frank and Joe try to find their missing chums. The book is slow to start and it isn't until chapter 11 that it really starts to get interesting; however, from that point on, this book probably has one of the best endings of any in the series with lots of suspence and excitement. Unfortunately, as with the previous volume, at the end of the book, the criminals are caught without much of an incident which detracts from an otherwise terrific ending

Thus far each of the first three books in the Hardy Boys series has increased the drama and complexity of the stories. The fourth book raises the ante once again by having at least four, apparently different, mysteries.

At the beginning of the book the boys take their new boat, the Sleuth, out on the bay. While they are cruising on the bay another boat nearly rams them. They would have chased the boat but the steering on the Sleuth broke, and the boys ended up going around in circles. It turns out that the boat that nearly rammed them had a purpose for doing so, that we do not discover until the end of the book.

Soon after, the boys prepare to go to Callie Shaw's costume party. Frank likes Callie romantically and she is a recurring character in the Hardy Boys stories. They encounter another mystery as it appears that men in Mr. French's costume shop appear to be threatening Mr. French.

Returning home the boys frighten their Aunt Gertrude with their costumes. Aunt Gertrude is yet another recurring character in the series. Soon the boys are off to the costume party on their motor cycles. On the way they realize that the bank is being robbed. They follow the criminals until they lose them at the docks, where they hop into a boat and escape into the fog.

After notifying the Coast Guard, the boys gain permission from Chief Collig to search for the criminals in the Sleuth, but the boys discover the Sleuth has been stolen! The boys search for the bank robbers in Tony Prito's boat, the Napoli, but are unable to find them in the thickening fog. The boys return home, explain to their father everything they saw at the bank and during the chase, and then head out to the costume party.

The next day the boys awaken to learn that Chet Morton and Biff Hooper never made it home from the party. The boys not only have to learn who stole the Sleuth, but where their missing friends went, and who robbed the bank. As the story develops the boys learn that expensive radios that may have been stolen are turning up. Lastly, a hermit on a tiny island with a shotgun threatens the boys.

The Hardy Boys face many mysteries and yet the author managed to clearly explain how the mysteries did or did not relate to each other. Each of the first four Hardy Boys mysteries were quick, enjoyable reads, and I would recommend them for children in the age range of about eight through whatever age the series holds their interest. 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 revised 1962 edition. Frank and Joe are asked to investigate a series of fights occuring in Shantytown, a beach settlement on the outskirts of Bayport, but, soon become involved in a bigger mystery when a local bank is robbed and their friends, Chet Morton and Biff Hooper, disappear. This book was quite good; lots of action with an interesting plot. The beginning of the revised edition is much more exciting than that of the original; however, the second half of the original far exceeds that of the revised edition in terms of excitement and suspence. The original and the revised editions are essentially two different stories, as they are only similar in their basic plot (Frank and Joe's search for Chet and Biff); therefore, I would recommend reading them both.

Written in 1928, Aunt Gertrude makes her debut in this volume. The plot is an excellent one, never quite equaled by the other volumes. The book begins in innocence and coasts through the first 10 chapters. From page 110 onward it is difficult to put it down if you are reading it for the first time. The Sleuth plays a prominent role and the mood is tense throughout the latter chapters. The revision in my mind was excellent. I truly loved both books and although the revisions lost the appeal and liesurly pace that the originals had, the revision of this book excedes the early chapters of the original. The latter chapters of the original were better than the revision. Both were excellent. Original: Rated A. Revision: Rated A

I think this Hardy Boy book (in its original version) was the first of the series to feature the ever-visiting Aunt Gertrude, who shone like an absoloute gem. At the point where Biff and Tony have disappeared, and Frank and Joe announce they want to pursue their two friends, Aunt Gertrude chimes up and puts her foot down. Two boys have gone missing, she says. Now two more boys want to go searching for them -- and likely will end up missing themselves. So then, two more boys will have to go seeking the Hardys, and then two more, and so on... until there are no longer any boys at all left in Bayport.

I hope the Hardys had a large house, because a little bit of Aunt Gertrude certainly would go a long way. Mrs. Hardy must have been a genuine angel, to tolerate her husband's know-it-all, overbearing sister just showing up and dropping in all the time, to stay for visits of indefinite duration.

These books are absolutely delightful on audio tape. I grew up reading all the Nancy Drew books but, true to stereotype, never read any of The Hardy Boys. As the mother of two little boys (first and third grade) I began exploring these in our read-aloud time every evening. The boys LOVE them but the whole series (50+ books) is a bit more than I want read as an adult and a daunting quantity of material even for very advanced readers so I was delighted to come across these audio tapes. Bill Irwin does an excellent job of reading the books, treating their slightly dated language and manners with complete respect. The tapes are unabridged although still only two tapes long. My only gripe is the wait for the series as the publisher appears to be releasing only two books every six months or so!

While the book was very enjoyable it did not keep my attention as the other books in the series have. Chet and Biff, mistakenly identified as Joe and Frank Hardy, have been abducted. The Hardy Boys spend the book searching for them, but their searches are very repetitive. They begin in Northport, then to Shantytown, then home to Bayport, back to Shantytown, another clue leads them to Northport, they run back to talk to the sheriff in Bayport who in turn sends them looking for more clues in Shantytown, not to mention a couple of runs out to "hermit island." The mysteries they solve along the way are minimal and the supporting cast of friends, including their relatives, take on a very minor role compared to previous novels.

I think that The Missing Chums is one of Franklin W. Dixons best books ever. I wouldn't rate it 10 but it really does deserve an eight. The hermit is a good idea and so is Hermit Island. The Hardy Boys Mystery Series is one of my favourite collection of books and detective books are GREAT

This book really deserves 4 1/2 stars but I'm nice so that's why I gave it 5 stars. This book always has a twist or turn. It starts off that Frank and Joe are assigned by Chief Collig to find out why their's trouble in Shantytown which is a town of shacks( wooden broken down houses). So then there's a bank robbery and then their best friends Biff and Chet are kidnapped. They meet Alf at Shantytown. It's action pace with danger at every turn. One minute they jump overboard a ship to helping their friend after he fractures his ankle sliding down a steep hill. They have to trust their instincts in this suspenseful mystery. Can't say more or I'll reveal the end. Read The Great Airport Mystery( Hardy Boys #9) or The House on the Cliff( Hardy Boys #2). Also read the Harry Potter series. This book was a very suspenseful book. It's very adventurious and a very good book.

I liked this book because every page was interesting. I also liked that there was no confusing part in the story. Then I liked how the Hardy Boys help people with there problems. I also liked how every mystery they solve is very interesting