Passage Publishing
The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure, The House on the Cliff, and the Secret of the Old Mill by Franklin W. Dixon
$55.95
$69.95
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The Hardy Boys series was originally conceived by publisher Edward Stratemeyer in 1926. Stratemeyer outlined the books and characters then hired Canadian author Charles Leslie McFarlane to serve as the initial ghostwriter for the series, working under the pen name Franklin W. Dixon. The first Hardy Boys book, The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure, was published in 1927.
The series was a massive success. Dozens of new Hardy Boys books were commissioned in the following decades, written by McFarlane and his successors. However, beginning in the late 1950s, long after Stratemeyer's death and McFarlane's departure from the series, the publisher began a concerted effort to rewrite the original Hardy Boys books and bring them in line with "modern" sensibilities. Politically incorrect content was removed, the writing was simplified, and the plots were given more of an action-theme.
These new editions from Passage Press restore the first three Hardy Boys books to their original form, as conceived by Stratemeyer and written by McFarlane. It is our hope that modern audiences will see what parents and children alike saw in these books for decades: The perfect introduction to reading for young people.
Box set includes:
- The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure, The Hardy Boys: The House on the Cliff, and The Hardy Boys: The Secret of the Old Mill as limited hardcover editions
- Sewn signatures, 55lb cream paper
- Slipcase
Free U.S. shipping on orders over $75. International shipping available. 30-day return policy for undamaged items.
Real Reviews
★★★★★
4.24 average (118 ratings)
★★★★★February 2026
Arrived in tact and promptly
★★★★★October 2025
The box was slightly bent, but the books were in great shape.
★★★★★September 2025
Great service! It arrived far ahead of schedule! Thank you.
★★★★★September 2025
Nicely packaged. I am excited to reread these and pass this along to the next generation.
★★★★★August 2025
Outstanding quality. Truly everything I’d hoped it would be. Will definitely purchase the next set.
★★★★★June 2025
A Classic Start to a Timeless Mystery Series
I recently read the first three Hardy Boys books—The Tower Treasure, The House on the Cliff, and The Secret of the Old Mill—and absolutely loved them! Each book is packed with mystery, action, and just the right amount of suspense to keep you turning the pages.
The Tower Treasure kicks things off with a stolen inheritance and a hidden treasure. It was fun to follow Frank and Joe as they pieced together clues and proved their detective skills. The story is fast-paced and had a very satisfying ending.
The House on the Cliff raises the stakes with smuggling, secret hideouts, and dangerous criminals. The boys get into some risky situations, but they never back down. This one had great atmosphere and a really spooky setting that kept me hooked.
The Secret of the Old Mill involves counterfeit money and some clever twists. I enjoyed how the plot unfolded and how the brothers worked together using logic and courage to solve the case.
What makes these books special is the bond between the Hardy brothers, their loyalty to friends and family, and their sense of justice. Even though they were written many decades ago, the stories still feel...
I recently read the first three Hardy Boys books—The Tower Treasure, The House on the Cliff, and The Secret of the Old Mill—and absolutely loved them! Each book is packed with mystery, action, and just the right amount of suspense to keep you turning the pages.
The Tower Treasure kicks things off with a stolen inheritance and a hidden treasure. It was fun to follow Frank and Joe as they pieced together clues and proved their detective skills. The story is fast-paced and had a very satisfying ending.
The House on the Cliff raises the stakes with smuggling, secret hideouts, and dangerous criminals. The boys get into some risky situations, but they never back down. This one had great atmosphere and a really spooky setting that kept me hooked.
The Secret of the Old Mill involves counterfeit money and some clever twists. I enjoyed how the plot unfolded and how the brothers worked together using logic and courage to solve the case.
What makes these books special is the bond between the Hardy brothers, their loyalty to friends and family, and their sense of justice. Even though they were written many decades ago, the stories still feel...
★★★★★January 2023
One of my favorite books mostly because the hardy boys is one of my favorite series.
★★★★★May 2007
I know, this book is not a great book, not by any stretch of the imagination--and the whole series is dated now but I give the book five stars because the Hardy Boys' books was the series that made me a voracious reader when I was in elementary school. How much do the Hardy Boys's books mean to me? One of the best days of my life was the last day of school at the end of the fifth grade. One of my friends was cleaning out his desk and he had a stack of seven or eight Hardy Boys' books that he didn't want to have to carry home. I said I'd take them and he gave them to me. I had to walk a mile to my house, and the books were uncomfortable. I remember I had to keep shifting them in my arms, and their hard corners hurt my wrists. . .but it was worth it because it meant I had a good series of books to read at the start of my summer vacation.
★★★★★October 2020
I wonder how many children of my generation began a lifetime love of reading with THE HARDY BOYS, NANCY DREW or TOM SWIFT?
★★★★★April 2017
Published in 1927, The Tower Treasure is the book that introduced the teenage heroes, Frank and Joe Hardy, and which also began the series that would introduce generations of young boys to the world of crime fiction. The series ran until 2005 and consists of one hundred and ninety volumes, although some purists insist that only the first fifty-eight novels constitute the real Hardy Boy Mysteries. The books were written by "Franklin W. Dixon," the pen name used by a stable of writers who worked for the publisher that produced the books. This first volume was written by a Canadian author, Leslie McFarlane.
As the book opens, Frank and Joe, sixteen and fifteen respectively, are riding their motorcycles down a narrow road, when a speeding car nearly runs them off the road. Later, the car is found wrecked and the driver has apparently stolen a yellow roadster belonging to one of the Hardy boys' chums. (There are a lot of "chums" and "lads" in these books.)
The first mystery to be resolved in the book then, involves finding the stolen car. But soon, another more serious crime is committed when the house of one of the town's wealthy families is robbed. the caretaker, who is the father...
As the book opens, Frank and Joe, sixteen and fifteen respectively, are riding their motorcycles down a narrow road, when a speeding car nearly runs them off the road. Later, the car is found wrecked and the driver has apparently stolen a yellow roadster belonging to one of the Hardy boys' chums. (There are a lot of "chums" and "lads" in these books.)
The first mystery to be resolved in the book then, involves finding the stolen car. But soon, another more serious crime is committed when the house of one of the town's wealthy families is robbed. the caretaker, who is the father...
★★★★★July 2016
The Secret of the Od Mill is a pivotal Hardy Boys mystery where we are re-introduced to their friend (and my son's favourite of the friends of the Hardys) Tony Prito and his boat the Napoli - but more importantly, it is the episode when they receive the infamous Sleuth as a gift from their father Fenton. This boat plays a large part in this story (and in many, many more!) of how the boys break up a counterfeit ring. With a mix of brio and brilliance, the boys take us breathlessly from clue to clue as they unmask the gang. A great Hardy Boys book!
★★★★★May 2022
Lots of action, adventure, and suspense as the brothers and friends work to rescue the Hardys' kidnapped father and uncover a smuggling ring.
★★★★★October 2021
Danger and intrigue bring a fast-paced start to the mystery that started the much beloved series. The plot twists help the action and suspense remain strong throughout and make a seemingly obvious conclusion incorrect. The cliffhangers also make this a real page-turner!
I can see the appeal for today's readers and the nostalgic affection of yesterday's readers. A classic read to introduce to the young readers in your life and enjoy again yourself.
I can see the appeal for today's readers and the nostalgic affection of yesterday's readers. A classic read to introduce to the young readers in your life and enjoy again yourself.
★★★★★December 2010
I read this book when I was 8 and it's what made me gay. Seriously, Biff's motorcycle is named "Queen" and when Joe "straddles" it and wraps his around Biff (or Chet) he "feels the throbbing engine between his legs." Then Frank and Joe get naked together after swimming in the ocean but that's okay because they're brothers even though they look nothing alike. Yeah right. Even "South Park" picked up on the subtext of the "Hardy Boys" in one episode. But you decide for yourself GoodReaders.
★★★★★July 2012
One of childhood's simple pleasures was reading these books about two brother detectives, their friends, and the adventures they had fighting criminals in their fictional hometown of Bayport and elsewhere in the world.
I have to give credit to the library in my grade school here in the Philippines for introducing me to their extensive Hardy Boys collection. I used to eagerly await the end of classes to get the chance to borrow a worn book at least once a week and read it at home.
However, as I grew up, I realized that the Hardy Boys series is a view of the US through rose-colored glasses. Anyway, it's just fiction. Pleasure reading you as a kid; not anymore.
I have to give credit to the library in my grade school here in the Philippines for introducing me to their extensive Hardy Boys collection. I used to eagerly await the end of classes to get the chance to borrow a worn book at least once a week and read it at home.
However, as I grew up, I realized that the Hardy Boys series is a view of the US through rose-colored glasses. Anyway, it's just fiction. Pleasure reading you as a kid; not anymore.
★★★★★July 2016
The Hardy Boys are legendary books for American boys. Well, perhaps for a certain generation anyway. Written by a collective behind the name Franklin Dixon (who also wrote the Nancy Drew mystery series), they are formulaic but abound with great cliff-hangers on nearly every chapter. In this adventure, there is a haunted house, adventures at sea and the ineffable Fenton Hardy as well as Frank, Joe, Biff and my kid's favourite Chet getting into the action. We have read 7 so far and this one is probably my #1 or #2 favourite. A quick and fun read for bedtime with your son that neither of you will regret.
★★★★★February 2016
[7/10]
✅Frank Hardy is eighteen, OK? He could definitely do well to handle a case which doesn't have the culprits leaving bread crumb trails, particularly keeping in mind to make sleuthing easy for the young detectives.
✅The older detective could do well to remember that his sons are capable of doing this dirty job all on their own and get off their case.
✅Famous Five adventures have more nail biting moments than this one and Famous Five is only a bunch of kids!
✅Frank Hardy is eighteen, OK? He could definitely do well to handle a case which doesn't have the culprits leaving bread crumb trails, particularly keeping in mind to make sleuthing easy for the young detectives.
✅The older detective could do well to remember that his sons are capable of doing this dirty job all on their own and get off their case.
✅Famous Five adventures have more nail biting moments than this one and Famous Five is only a bunch of kids!