Customer Reviews

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

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

 

 

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-

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.

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.

This review concerns the original 1951 edition. Frank and Joe are plunged into another mystery when they are out in the Sleuth during a storm and they find a wallet full of money and when they track down some rifles and camping equipment stolen from Chet to the North Woods. This book has one of the best opening chapters of any in the series and it gets you into the mystery very quickly. The pages from about 60-130 when the Hardys and their friends go camping in the North Woods are the best, but the whole book is really good. One thing I liked about this book was that it actually remembered that Frank and Joe have other friends besides Chet and they were given more than just a passing mention. It's a great book any Hardy Boys fan would want to read.

This is one of my favorite of the first series. It starts with Frank and Joe find a large sum of money while trapped at sea. Many strange events follow including a pack of wild dogs and Frank getting kidnapped. This is one that is a definite read for all fans.

I think that you should really read the book because of all the interesting and funny parts.Also it is filled with sad and terarivig parts

A sharp voice cut the air."Stay where you are!"
Frank and Joe wheeled. A tall man, his hat pulled low, stood before them, a gun in his hand.