The Sign of the Crooked Arrow

Sign of the Crooked Arrow (1949)

The Hardy Boys start off investigating a mysterious car abandoned at a mechanic’s shop near their hometown of Bayport, and end up on the trail of a malicious robbery outfit headquartered in New Mexico.

Frank and Joe are commissioned by their father to investigate a case of a car abandoned at a mechanic’s shop, but it quickly becomes apparent that this seemingly trivial case is actually connected to Fenton Hardy’s own investigation of an organized criminal gang of thieves operating in Bayport and the surrounding environs. A little too coincidentally, both cases also end up being connected to a rash of serious problems plaguing their cousin, Ruth Hardy, at her ranch in rural New Mexico. Frank & Joe, show more along with their friend, Chet Morton, fly out west to help Ruth and to bring the villainous robbery gang to justice.

This story starts out all right with an intriguing case of a mysterious abandoned car and a string of brazen heists, but it quickly disintegrates into the farfetched and unbelievable. It just seems a little too coincidental that the Hardys should be investigating a major criminal enterprise that just so happens to be headquartered at their own cousin’s ranch in New Mexico of all places. And, overall, the criminals’ shenanigans are just a little too over-the-top to be taken seriously—even in a work of fiction.

The book’s unnecessary animal brutality is positively horrific. A horse, a lamb, and several dogs are killed. It’s all way too gruesome, especially for a children’s book!

And, speaking of gratuitous brutality, the ranch’s foreman Hank (& two of his sidekick thugs) actually physically attack Chet and threaten to kill him, but then face no consequences for the assault. I’m still shaking my head over that one.

All of that, combined with the never-ending fat jokes at Chet’s expense and the fact the storyline centers heavily around cigarettes, renders this a surprisingly repellent entry in the normally entertaining Hardy Boys series. show less

I absolutely loved Nancy Drew growing up. This was a series I latched on to for dear life and never let go. So after my obsession with Nancy Drew started to dwindle (mostly because I had read all the ones I could get my hands on), I moved on to The Hardy Boys because that was the natural next step, duh. Love the Hardy Boys (though they weren't quite as amazing and Nancy Drew and her friends).

With only the slender clue of an arrow-shaped tie clasp, Frank and Joe Hardy pick up the trail of a cunning gang of thieves responsible for a wave of jewelry-store holdups. But their investigations are interrupted when a desperate plea for help comes from their widowed cousin who lives on a cattle ranch in New Mexico. Frank, Joe, and their pal Chet fly there immediately, and manage to put an end to the trouble at the ranch and solve the jewelry-store robberies.

A lot of twist and turns. You do not know who is a enemy or a friend while reading this story. Very good.

Hardy Boys mystery #28

Near fine condition

Adventure