The Hardy brothers embark on a freighter trip under mysterious circumstances and find themselves involved with a smuggling ring.

Selected review:

I seem to be in the minority for this book, given that the majority of the reviews did not care for it. However, I was less than impressed with the previous book, “The Secret Panel.” I thought this book was an improvement. I will say that the mansion with no locks in the previous book was excellent, but the minimal action in the previous book made it a snoozer. This book, on the other hand, has more action, but it has the most obnoxious central character of any Hardy Boys book yet, Thaddeus McClintock.

Thaddeus McClintock is eccentric. He has tantrums and is fussy. He wants to take a long trip, but does not want to go by plane, train, or cruise ship. The boys quickly hit on the idea of taking a trip by freighter. However, Mr. Klack of Klack’s Agency seems to be able to find passage for everyone except McClintock and the Hardys.

Frank and Joe Hardy also become involved in a mystery involving their Aunt Gertrude. She was expecting an important package, which the delivery company mixed up with someone else’s package. The mystery deepens when the boys try to retrieve the package. The people at the house where the delivery company left the package had been gone for several days, and there is no clue as to what might have happened to the package except that the barn near the home is on fire when the Hardys arrive.

The mystery deepens as the boys encounter a ship that seems to disappear. I liked the plot device of a phantom ship. However, the supposed disappearing act of the ship is glossed over in the explanation, and every time this series attempts any sort of scientific explanation the explanations are nearly always weak. The explanation this time for how the phantom ship seems to disappear is even weaker than usual and I found the explanation a little insulting, which reduced my rating for this book.

As Frank and Joe Hardy continue their investigation they learn that packages were delivered to houses where the occupants have been away. What do the phantom freighter, the delivery of the packages, and Mr. Klack have in common? These are the mysteries the Hardy boys need to solve.

This mystery is more convoluted than some Hardy Boys mysteries, but it is also more interesting than some. As the number of weak mysteries in the series increased, I worried that the series was going to deteriorate. In some ways this book is weak, particularly with the character of McClintock and the explanations surrounding the ship. However, I also found the mystery itself to be more challenging than others in the books just previous. While the interesting mystery did not completely overcome the problems with the story, it did make the story more interesting to read. However, as with the previous story, this book may be passed over unless you want to read the entire series.

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, the series still contains some interesting moments and will keep most readers guessing the answers to the mysteries until the final solution is revealed.

People who bought this item also bought:

1. Footprints Under the Window (Hardy Boys #12)
2. The Mystery of the Flying Express (Hardy Boys #20)
3. The Secret Panel (Hardy Boys #25)
4. The Secret Warning (Hardy Boys #17)
5. What Happened at Midnight (Hardy Boys #10)