Number: 02Series: Original
Published: June 1, 1927
Pages: 212
Written by: Leslie McFarlane
Outline: Edward L. Stratemeyer
Cover art: Walter S. Rogers
Here's a gem: Read the book online for free on Project Gutenberg!
Story:
Together with their group of friends, Frank and Joe Hardy go on an outing to Polucca's place; an old house rumored to be haunted. And sure enough—while the boys are there, they hear both terrifying screams and a devilish laugh, and the roof collapses over them while they're inside the house.
Against Frank and Joe's wishes, the frightened boys flee the scene. But on their way home, the Hardy boys stumble upon a new mystery when they witness a man being shot in his boat on the Barmet Bay.
The boys manage to rescue the man and take him to a nearby farm. Half-conscious, the mysterious stranger mutters something about "Snackley"—one of the leaders of a ring of smugglers who bring in opium and other drugs from the Orient. Could he have moved his operations to the Bayport area?
The next day, the stranger is kidnapped from the farm, and Fenton Hardy decides to track him down. But the boys must spring into action once again—this time when their father vanishes without a trace.
It was then that they heard the laugh!
From the haunted house came a harsh, mocking laugh that rang out in peals of derisive merriment. It continued for several seconds, and could be heard quite plainly even above the noise of the engines and the drumming of the rain on the roof.
Then it stopped, abruptly.
The boys looked at one another.
"Did you hear someone laugh!" asked Frank, unable to believe his ears.
"You bet I did!" exclaimed Chet. "And that does settle it. I'm leaving here right away."
"That was the most nerve-racking laugh I ever heard in my life," declared Jerry. "Let's go out of here, quick."
"Somebody's playing a joke on us," Frank said angrily. "I'm going back."
Main characters:
Frank Hardy
Joe Hardy
Fenton Hardy
Regulars:
Laura Hardy | Chet Morton | Jerry Gilroy | Biff Hooper | Tony Prito | Phil Cohen | Callie Shaw | Iola Morton | Perry Robinson | Ezra Collig | Oscar Smuff
Guest characters:
Ganny Snackley | Felix Polucca (mentioned) | Jones | Bill Kane | Mabel Kane | Sam Bates | Klein | Redhead Blount | Burke | Malloy | Li Chang | Darst
Locations:
Bayport (Barmet bay, Polucca's place, The Shore Road)
Trivia:
// It is in this book that we first hear about Tony Prito’s boat, “Napoli,” which plays an important role in the discovery of the smugglers’ hideout.
// We learn that the story takes place during the summer; the boys' summer vacation begins shortly after Fenton Hardy is kidnapped.
Review:
This book is considered by many to be the best of all the Hardy Boys books ever written — and with good reason: from the very first page, the suspense is palpable. The opening at the Polucca place is chilling, and the intense pursuit of the kidnapped Fenton Hardy that follows is masterfully described by Leslie McFarlane. As a young boy, I read this book several times, and the escape from the underground caves was nerve-wracking every single time. A masterpiece!REVISED TEXT:
Published: 1959Pages: 180
Written by: Harriet S. Adams
Outline: Harriet S. Adams
Cover art: Rudy Nappi
Revision: Altered
Story:
The revised edition of the book was completely rewritten, but it essentially follows the same plot as the original — albeit with some changes.
Felix Polucca has been replaced by Felix Pollitt, while the smuggler Ganny Snackley is now named Felix Snattman. Instead of exploring the mysterious house with their friends, the boys are sent there by their father to use a telescope to observe smuggling activity in Barmet Bay.
When Fenton Hardy disappears without a trace, Frank and Joe receive help from an informant — Pretzel Pete — who offers clues as to what may have happened to their father.
The boys’ friends play a larger role in solving the mystery, and we even follow their side of the story through several chapters. And while the villain in the original edition appears to be sentenced to death, the villain in this version repents his sins and promises to establish a home for wayward boys — so they can be saved from the fate that befell him.
"Just where is this spot we're to use the telescope?" Frank asked eagerly.
"It's on the Pollitt place. You'll see the name at the entrance. An old man named Felix Pollitt lived there alone for many years. He was found dead in the house about a month ago, and the place has been vacant ever since."
"It sounds as if we could get a terrific range up and down the shore from there and many miles across the water," Frank remarked.
Mr. Hardy glanced at his wrist watch. "It's one-thirty now. You ought to be able to go out there, stay a fair amount of time, and still get home to supper."
"Oh, easily," Joe answered. "Our motorcycles can really burn up the road!"
His father smiled, but cautioned, "This telescope happens to be very valuable. The less jouncing it receives the better."
"I get the point," Joe conceded, then asked, "Dad, do you want us to keep the information about the smugglers to ourselves, or would it be all right to take a couple of the fellows along?"
"Of course I don't want the news broadcast," Mr. Hardy said, "but I know I can trust your special friends. Call them up."
Main characters:
Frank Hardy
Joe Hardy
Fenton Hardy
Regulars:
Chet Morton | Biff Hooper | Tony Prito | Phil Cohen | Jerry Gilroy | Laura Hardy | Iola Morton | Callie Shaw | Ezra Collig
Guest characters:
Felix Snattman | Felix Pollitt (mentioned) | Bill Kane | Mabel Kane | Bill Jones | Pretzel Pete | Sam Bates | Ali Singh | Red | Klein | Burke | Bud | Malloy | Captain Foster | Captain Ryder | Chief Robinson | Chief Brown | Chief Bertram | Sally Sanderson (mentioned)
Locations:
Bayport (Pollitt's place, Barmet Bay, The Docks, Hillcrest Road)
Review:
I initially gave this revised edition a four-star rating, but after reading it again, I've changed my mind. This version is true to the original; the suspense is intense throughout, and for a children's book, it's nearly impossible to put down. I still feel that the new elements—like Pretzel Pete and yet another old house near the one on the cliff—don’t make much sense, but they don’t ruin the experience of the book. In addition, we get to follow the boys' friends over several chapters, as they play an important role in the capture of the smuggling gang. Altogether, it’s a fantastic read—on a level the Hardy books have rarely reached before or since. Rock solid!Thoughts on 'The House on the Cliff'? Leave a comment!
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