I hadn't ever read any of the Hardy Boys books, but had grown to love the characters in Her Interactive's Nancy Drew PC Games. They are great mystery (point and click, for the most part) games starring Nancy with help from her friends with the Hardy Boys as occasional guest stars. They were so fun to play with/as and I found that I loved them as characters. I needed to read these books! So I picked it up for my son and I to read, though HB books for a six year old is maybe too young. *shrugs * I enjoyed it anyway.
The Tower Treasure is the HB's first mystery. It begins with them almost being run off the road when a crazy driver wizzes by a few times. They come to find out that robberies have been happening all over their little town and it seems to be done by the same man. When their friend's car is stolen they start their investigation off seriously to find the missing vehicle. They receive threats, find a few dead ends, get their "gang" to help as well as the police and their detective father. But it isn't only grand theft auto they are worrying about, the Applegate's--a very rich family in town--have also been burgled with jewels and other things missing from the family safe. Mr. Applegate suspects one of his employee's but the HB's are convinced the man is innocent. Can they find the crook? This is a real caper.
It was a nice mystery that I finished in two days. Clean, cut, ironed and pressed all with a sandwich for the road. Done in the late 1920's, it is simple and proper as expected and delivered.
There isn't really anything wrong with the books, especially because they are meant for a younger audience. There is the definite slang of the time: "swell," "rap" (as in knocking on the door which I guess is still technically okay, but who uses "rap" now a days?), "bucks" instead of dollars was considered rude ("not in this house"), and a few other ones I can't think of off the top of my head. It was funny and kind of shocking, though obviously not in a proverse or scared way. Just unexpected, though it was stupid of me not to.
The thing that I didn't like was the portrayal of girls and women here. The friends who are girls or who are presented here are always shocked and don't do anything. When their father gets arrested and they find out the girls dramatically clutch their throats and their mother faints needing her smelling salts and medicine. Even Mrs. Hardy is depicted as only cooking, constantly making sandwiches, and either worried or proud and the situation calls for it. Part of me, though, was surprised that Mrs. Hardy was around and mentioned. Even in Nancy Drew, Nancy's mom is dead. Though a lot of Mrs. Hardy's time was making sure her boys were fed. I guess that's what mom's do, feed the family, but I know that's not all I do. I wish she was given more of a personality than cook. Very much playing on stereotypes all around. Mom's, fainting girls, hobos, and other stereotypes. Those were very prominent.
Though, many of the characters were very simple, almost flat. There was very little difference between Frank and Joe where they could have been the same person, which was rather disappointing because in the PC games they were very different. This could be that this is the first story and it is a simple mystery focused on the mystery instead of the characters. The same thing could be said for the setting. There was very little description actually given as the story developed.
I'd be interested to read some of the other books, though I might not read then in the publication order. Just to see how far the boys develop.
Good book for younger kids, though maybe not a six year old. Lol.
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