The Wailing Siren Mystery (Hardy Boys, No. 30) [Hardcover]

Franklin W. Dixon (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Hardy Boys # 30 The Wailing Siren

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap (January 1, 1951)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0448089300
• ISBN-13: 978-0448089300
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Series > Mystery & Detective > Hardy Boys
  • #53 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( D ) > Dixon, Franklin W.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Adventure, February 4, 2003

By 

Scott Thiel (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wailing Siren Mystery (Hardy Boys, No. 30) (Hardcover)

Originally published in 1951, the biggest flaw with this volume was the absolutely horrible cover art drawn by Bill Gillies in 1951. Nappi's 1968 revision was a vast improvement on the original cover and fishing trawler of a Sleuth portrayed on the front cover. The book itself opens with a bang as the Hardys find a wallet full of money while out in Barmet Bay during a storm. Personally I now think the Sleuth has a voodoo doll that has been hanging beneath somebody's shower head as everytime it seems they take out that boat it rains!! This is a well written suspenseful adventure that takes place for the most part in the "North Woods" near Bayport. Very delightful reading throughout the entire book until perhaps the final chapter which tended to lack creativity. I was somewhat let down with Chapter 25. But the first 24 were excellent. This was in fact one of my more favorite volumes. RATED A-

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wolves in the Woods, July 18, 2005

By 

Lonnie E. Holder "The Review's the Thing" (Columbus, Indiana, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Wailing Siren Mystery (Hardy Boys, No. 30) (Hardcover)

Rarely does money fall from the sky. But on dark and stormy afternoon Frank and Joe Hardy were caught outside Barmet Bay when the engine of the Sleuth died. The violence of the ocean prevented making any attempt at repairs. The boys spot a yacht, but are unable to make contact with it. Soon the boys hear a helicopter, and then a siren. The boys are able to glimpse the yacht and the helicopter for brief moments, but are unable to gain the attention of either. As the helicopter passes overhead a wallet full of money drops into the water next to the Sleuth, and the boys are plunged into another mystery.

Soon thereafter the Hardy boys' best friend Chet Morton has a truck with a shipment of high power rifles and camping equipment stolen while he is eating at a roadside restaurant; leaving the keys in the truck may have had something to do with the theft. The trail leads to the North Woods, where wild dogs have been reported to roam.

The mystery grows when Frank Hardy is kidnapped. Frank and Joe have stumbled into some kind of mystery, but they are unable to understand the nature of the mystery. Frank escapes by himself and halts payment of ransom just in time.

Soon, Fenton Hardy reveals that he is involved in investigating the theft of United States currency in Central and South America. Later, we learn that the money is being used to fund terrorists and to purchase arms for them.

All trails seem to lead to the North Woods, where Frank and Joe Hardy and their friends encounter a man raising wolves, including Saber, a killer wolf. The stakes are high as the brothers and their friends face death numerous times.

There are a couple of problems with this story that I found distracting. First, healthy wolves do not attack and kill people. In spite of numerous studies that confirm this observation, people persist in portraying wolves as people killers. Second, the criminals' preoccupation with $2,000 seems bizarre. The criminals have a yacht, a helicopter, and numerous henchmen. It seems strange that any criminal organization would be overly concerned with a mere $2,000.

Other than these two annoyances, this adventure is exciting and interesting. The teaser promised that this book would be one of the Hardy boys' most exciting adventures, and it appears that the book has fulfilled that promise.

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, this book in the series contains many interesting moments and will keep most readers guessing the answers to the mysteries until the author reveals the final solution.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good One!, October 27, 2005

By 

Gabriel Fernandez "Book Addict" (Canoga Park, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Wailing Siren Mystery (Hardy Boys, No. 30) (Hardcover)

When the Sleuth is caught in the storm, Frank and Joe are helpless. But they have another mystery on their hands, when they see a wallet containing two thousand dollars flying in the air. They also have to find the missing yatch.