SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS:
Frank and Joe Hardy are investigating a mysterious old house high on the cliffs above Barmet Bay when they are frightened off by a scream. The boys return to the apparently haunted house when they make a connection between the place and a smuggling case their father is working on. When their father goes missing, they have to investigate the caves beneath the house and confront the smugglers.MY TAKE:
After reading a couple of Hardy Boys mysteries, I've developed an appreciation for the Hardy boys and their friends.
In The House on the Cliff, Frank and Joe try to help out their dad who is working on a smuggling case. However, they might have gotten a little in too deep without even realizing it.
I liked that while Frank and Joe were the focus of the story, the two of them made a point of working not just with their dad but with their friends. There's strength and safety in numbers. It also allowed the audience to see more of what's going on. I have also started to like their friends a lot, even though here you don't really see a lot of their personalities.
The book makes use of slang that dates it a lot, but otherwise, it's still an interesting mystery to read. I'm not sure how likely it would be nowadays for teenagers like them to be taken seriously, but I guess it definitely helps that their father is who he is.
The mystery itself isn't my style. That is, I didn't really find the whole smuggling idea all that interesting. However, I did like that it allowed for plenty of heart-pounding action and that the Hardy boys relied on both brains and brawn to solve the mystery.
THE GOOD:
- There are definitely some exciting scenes.
- The slang is charming.
- The Hardy boys are good fighters.
THE BAD:
- The mystery may be too obvious for some.
READ IT IF:
- You're looking for a light, mystery read.
- You enjoyed the first book.
- You like heroes that rely on their wits and their brawn to survive.
RATING:
SOUNDS INTERESTING?
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