Customer Reviews

The Secret Panel (The Hardy Boys, No. 25)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read an article that said Franklin W. Dixon died thinking he was a failure. He was miserable and disappointed that he never wrote a best-selling novel. What he didn't realize is how important he was to boys that religiously read every Hardy Boys book. "The Secret Panel" is possibly Dixon's best story in the series. The Hardy Boys almost have a car accident with a mysterious man named John Meade and Joe finds a unique key with a weird symbol after he leaves. Later, they discover Mead owned a mansion in Bayport and he has been dead for five years. Things get even stranger when Chet Morton's beat up boat sinks for no apparent reason.

I may be somewhat biased with this volume. I absolutely loved it. Secret Panel is one of the few volumes that revolved around a solid structure - that of a "spooky" mansion right in Bayport. Aside from While The Clock Ticked no other volume deals with such a thing. The book was swift paced from beginning to end and had some pretty creative cliff hangers that dealt with a revelation rather than predictable violence as was the case with The Arctic Patrol Mystery. The criminals are elusive in this one and the brothers actually rely on sleuthing to figure this one out. Great book RATED B+

I read the book Hardy Boys the Secret panel for a book report and it was really good. I liked the part when John Mead and his car become out of control and almost hit the Hardy boys car with his wheel. But John Mead died five years ago in a car crash. When they find the dead Mead's mansion there with no keyholes or doorknobs. one time Frank got shocked and almost died from the powerful shock. The next day a burgular comes and robes Mr.Hardy of his fingerprint record. Problems never end for the Hardy boys. One problem is when the burgular leaves he kidnaps Mrs.Johnson for a fellow gang member who is shot.He also kidnaps another doctor for the leg in the end they find out who shot the bullets and they found Lenny. I think the Hardy boys are good people and I hope they have many more mysteries to come.I would recommend this book to anybody who can read. it was very good.

A dazzling mystery full of excitment,and suspence. I thank my friend (Isaac Bease) who got me into the Hardy boys. Otherwise I wouldn't be writing this review right now. This is a realistic story which I call "a masterpiece!", "a real triumph!", " an action -packed thriller!",and "one great mystery full of fun!" If you don't like this book you got all wrong. The Hardy Boys are a great series of mystery books. Go! An have fun reading the most greatest series ever!

This reveiw concerns the original 1946 edition and the revised 1969 edition. A stranger nearly crashes into Frank and Joe's car due to poor repair work. He introduces himself as John Mead and later asks Frank and Joe to go to his house to turn off a light he left on; however, Frank and Joe learn that the man they talked to has been dead for five years and the doors of his mansion have no visible doorknobs or keyholes. Also, a woman seeks Mr. Hardy's help in locating her son, Lenny, who got mixed up with a group of criminals, was shot during a robbery and is now being hidden behind a secret panel. The original and revised editions are nearly identical. One of the few differences that I noticed was that, in the revised edition, John Mead drops his key and Joe finds it after Mead has left. This was an action packed mystery with many different angles that all tied together in the end (don't they always). Although, it didn't take much thought to figure out where Lenny was hidden, the book is well written and interesting. It may not be the best Hardy Boys book, but I'd be surprised if any Hardy Boys fan thought this one was bad.

The secret panel by Franklin W. Dixon was a great book. It was about two boys that have to find a kid napped nurse and boy. the Hardy boys always solve their mysteries well.
The message of this story is that you should never give up because the Hardy boys never give up. I follow this theme by never giving up. I think this is agood theme.
I think that the author really made the characters seem real. Ialso like how he doveloped the mystery.
Ireally liked this book. I would recommend it to anybody. If someone asked me I would tell them that it is a great book.




Sean of pacifica

This was the second Hardy Boys' book I read, and it is still one of my favorites. I love the whole idea of a house with secret panels, and I think you will too.

This story is about another of Frank & Joe's adventures. They help a stranded man on the road who leaves a strange key behind. When the boys go home and ask Aunt Gertrude about him she says that he died five years ago. Frank and Joe go to his deserted house and find that it has no doors, windows or locks. In place of a front door there is a fish symbol. Read this action packed book to find out how this strange house helps Frank & Joe solve the television burglaries. It's great.

I would have titled this review "Ho Hum," but I did that for another Hardy Boys book review recently. The review for this book required a title that meant something similar. The teaser for this book promises thrills and suspense, but it does not deliver.

Frank and Joe Hardy meet John Mead when his car has an accident. Soon the Hardys learn that John Mead was killed five years earlier. The boys also discover that the late Mr. Mead had no will and no heirs. The boys take a key, which they found after the man calling himself John Mead left the accident scene, and visit the Mead mansion. The mansion has four doors and no keyholes.

The theme of this book is locks. The late John Mead was a locksmith, and he built a house apparently devoid of locks because he no longer wanted to see locks after he retired. The boys also encounter a group of burglars and learn that a boy named Lenny Stryker may have inadvertently become involved with the burglars. Frank and Joe also learn that Lenny may have been shot. Lenny was able to call his mother, but the only words she could make out were "secret panel."

Eventually Frank and Joe find the secret panel. They also find Lenny and capture the crooks, learning the relationship between the man calling himself John Mead with the late John Mead.

The mansion without locks is one of the most interesting plot devices devised for the Hardy Boys series. Unfortunately, the plot drags and the level of excitement stays low. I was more interested in the story ending than I was in the mystery, which is never a good sign. The only thing I found fascinating was the house with no apparent locks, including the locks inside the house. This story is definitely one that can be left as a later read for collectors or can be left altogether for those interested in only the best of the Hardy Boys. However, consider the uniqueness of the Mead mansion before dismissing this book completely.

The Hardy Boys series is recommended for ages 8 to 12 because the series is relatively tame for the previous target audience of ages 10 to 14. However, the series still contains some interesting moments and will keep most readers guessing the answers to the mysteries until the final solution is revealed.

Hiding sercret panels is a lot harder than it used to be. For one thing, a gypsum-board wall does not often show many seams, so it's hard to see how that all fits together, for one thing.

For another, though, we are nonplused to learn here that there are innovative and unusual locks used to secure this secret panel. A point well made.

Locks are designed to prevent unauthorized entry into places we wish left alone. But think of this, especially as regards non-electronic locks: if your nose went on strike, would you picket?