The House on the Cliff (Hardy Boys)

This is a great mystery-action-adventure story where the Hardy Boys stumble upon a ring of opium smugglers importing dope from a Chinese supplier named Li Chang through a hidden port.Make sure you read the uncensored version from 1927, not the ridiculous and absurd rewrite from 1959. Besides crude censorship, the rewrite is also incoherent since several chapters were ripped out. The '27 version is available used or in the reprint by Applewood Books.Although McFarlane's original version of the book takes a little less credulity to enjoy, it's still hardly "literature." Nevertheless, the action is just right for 8-10 year olds. This book keeps mine on the edges of their seats. Frankly, more sophisticated action-adventure might be confusing to persons their age.The book has some stereotypes and language that would be received with offense since the latter half of the 20th century, but it is an honest and benign vignette of American culture in its day. I'm glad some things have changed in the last 90 years, but I don't see any good coming from hiding the past.

The Plot: One day shortly before summer vacation, the Boys, along with Chet, Biff and Jerry, are out motorcycling along the Shore Road and decide to investigate the spooky old abandoned Polucca house, high on the cliffs overlooking Barmet Bay. Once inside, they hear a shriek which scares all but Frank and Joe out. The Boys investigate but find nothing. They leave but a storm forces them all back to the house. They hear more shrieks, get locked in and part of the house starts to collapse! They finally get out but have problems with their motorcycles and find their tool kits stolen.They are distracted by a boat chase out on the bay. There are shots from one boat and the other boat explodes! The Boys row out to save the pilot of the boat. Finding him injured, they bring him to a nearby farmhouse to recuperate. The man gives his name as "Jones" and claims "Snackley got me - the rat!" The Boys return home and Fenton tells them that Snackley is an infamous smuggler.The next day, the Boys return to the farmhouse only to find the farmer and his wife bound and gagged. "Jones" is missing and the Boys give chase but lose him. Returning home, they find that Fenton has disappeared and a forged note left behind. They start a search and a truck driver reports he saw Fenton walking out by the Polucca place.The next day, the Boys, accompanied by Chet, Biff, Tony and Phil, go out to the old home but find it's now occupied by some seedy characters. The occupants claim ignorance but Franks spots Fenton bloodied cap hanging inside the house!They report their findings to Chief Collig, the fat, pompous leader of the Bayport PD, and his moronic sidekick, Det. Smuff. The cops dither and the Boys have to shame them into making an investigation. Reluctantly, the Chief agrees to go the next day and, of course, discovers nothing.Fed up, the Boys take matters into their own hands and go out with Tony on his boat, "The Napoli", to explore the cliffs by the Polucca place. They find a hidden cove but are chased away at gunpoint by Snackley. Hanging around nearby till after dark, they overhear the smugglers. Frank and Joe go ashore and find a hidden cave entrance. They discover that it leads all the way to the cliff top and the smugglers are stashing their booty there.Overhearing Snackley threatening Fenton, they attempt a rescue and are captured. Snackley threatens to send the Boys out to a watery grave with his partner-in-crime, Li Chang.Later, Fenton overpowers the guard and they escape, only to be spotted and chased into the Polucca house. There's a running gun battle and Fenton and the Boys are recaptured. Suddenly, the state police show up and everything is thrown into turmoil. Fenton and Snackley have a life-and-death struggle and the gang is finally rounded up.The Boys and Fenton split a $5,000 reward, we find out that Snackley was Polucca's nephew and that he had murdered the old man. With some of that 5 grand, the Boys throw a big dinner party for their pals in the barn behind the Hardy home.Comments: The best story in the canon! A dark, violent tale of smuggling, drugs, kidnapping and murder! None of the other stories can match this one for sheer exciting adventure! I've always thought this tale would make a great Hardy Boys movie. The Boys show plenty of guts and good detective ability in this one. Fenton plays a major role here and he works well with his sons. The gun battle and fight at the climax is the most thrill-packed prose in any Hardy story. If you read only one Hardy Boys book, it should be this one. Rating: A+

This is a wonderful series of mystery stories meant for young boys to use their imagination. Gets them away from computer games and the garbage they show now on TV. I remember the TV series growing up which taught a lesson and they should bring back for todays youth. Where have our values gone ?...

I was given the whole series of these books when I was a young boy and read them non stop until I finished the series. When I saw they were available on Kindle I decided to read a couple of them for the nostalgia. They are good books for someone young and not yet into serious literature. The stores are adventurous with male type mysteries solved by two brothers and their friends. The brothers are the sons of a private detective but do their sleuthing on their own. The one draw back is the price. You can find these at local yard sales and buy them in groups of five or six for one dollar. Maybe not as convenient as Kindle but one heck of lot cheaper.

This particular digital edition has some typos. The story itself was formulaic and slow. I suppose the generation gap got me on this one. So swell.

I loved reading the Hardy Boys when I was a kid andnow I am trying to get my daughter interested inthem too. It's nice to have a series ofbooks without magic or disrespect of parents.This book is the first one in the series and ittells how the boys get involved in their very firstcase. My daughter is 10 and she is loving the book!Action, adventure, mystery and a bit of wit hereand there for added enjoyment. I'm so glad thesebooks are still available for purchase!

My son and I loved reading them together! The world back then was so much better than today! Kids out playing and not staying on screens all day! Haha.

Been reading these to my 6.5 year old son. Just enough danger for an adventurous boy! Very clean. Expands vocabulary!

The story is classic Hardy Boys. Absolutely ridiculous (obviously one of them owns a speed boat and they just happen to stumble across some smugglers) but so much fun to read.The length is short considering the price of £5.99 at time of purchase. This is definitely a series of books to wait for discounts. The bulk deal of £301 for 50 books isn't exactly a deal either... it's just the price of buying the books individually.There were a few layout issues in this book that weren't present in the first. Some of the image descriptions were enlarged to appear like chapter headings and fell onto the next page as a result. There were also some cut off sentences. The majority of it is clear and well migrated to digital form and these issues won't ruin your reading experience.

Loved these books as a child and loved it now. Read all of the hardy boys books when in junior school and was worried that after over 20 years the books would be showing their age but I was not disappointed. A very good read, and while some of the language used may have fallen out of favour it is still a great story for any age.

My son LOVED reading this. 😀

Produxt is nice.cPacking is not caring.

could not put my kindle down I would sit and read for ages in the garden.action packedand just terrific