The Secret of the Old Mill

Like the other early Hardy Boys books, this one is built for speed: short chapters, frequent cliffhangers and plenty of action. The counterfeit money plot is a good one for young readers, because it gives the brothers a series of concrete clues to follow, from suspicious shopkeepers to a stranger with too much cash.

Frank and Joe make a likeable team, with Frank the thoughtful planner and Joe the impulsive one, and their friend Chet provides comic relief, as usual with a new hobby and a big appetite. The old mill itself is an atmospheric setting, and the climax, when the boys are trapped inside, delivers real excitement.

The text in print today is the revised version from the early nineteen sixties, which is tighter than the original but still formulaic, and the villains are fairly cardboard. Readers who want subtle characters should look elsewhere. As an entertaining step up from early chapter books, it remains reliable, and it works well read out loud a chapter at a time. Its mix of detective work and outdoor adventure also makes it a good choice for children who usually prefer action to reading. About 174 pages in the Grosset & Dunlap hardcover.