A review by manwithanagenda
The Secret Panel by Franklin W. Dixon

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

'The Secret Panel' is the first Hardy Boys novel written entirely by Harrient Stratemeyer Adams, despite having provided many outlines for previous books. It ends up reading a lot like what someone would think boys would like. A mysterious puzzle box of a house, lots of gadgets, secret passages and the odd gunshot vicitm. It shouldn't add up to a great deal, except we have our now-standard Chet Morton hijinks (who buys a boat off a stranger while out for a walk?) and another instance of Electricity Can Do Anything.

The plot and the clues and the reveals all turn out to be so goofy I can't help but like it. I guess I should throw in the towel. I officially don't want a sensible mystery story. Give me macguffins and convoluted crooks and more of Aunt Gertrude's famous pie.

Hardy Boys

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