Secret of the Red Arrow

... Is any of this supposed to be taken seriously?

The set up for the new Hardy Boys Adventures:

Frank and Joe, though still high school students, have ‘retired' from detective work. While sleuthing, they had neither a detectives license or insurance and, as such, kept getting sued. Last year, they were finally issued an ultimatum to either ‘retire' from all detective work, or go to a ‘reform school' that is described as basically a cross between Arkham and Alcatraz. (Student die each year trying to escape from the island to get away from the mysteriously named correctional programs.) (And apparently going there ruins your life as you cannot get a job or get married if this is on your record. (I'm assuming not literally, but that no one wants to hire or marry a ‘reform' student.))

Needless to say, they are only paying lip service to the ‘retire' aspect and are still happily meddling. (All while woe is me-ing over how terrible their life would be if they get caught sleuthing.) One of their co-students describe them as ‘Sherlock squared' and assume they are ‘packing heat'.

...

This is not rhetorical. Is any of this actually supposed to be taken seriously? Because this is not an adventure book. It's a farce. It would make an amusing screwball comedy from the 40's.

Considering the fact that the name of the local coffee shop and teen hangout/study spot is ‘the Meat Locker' - the actual legal name - I have my doubt that any of this is supposed to be taken seriously.

(I have many remarks that I could make here, and NONE of them are PG. Although, there is actual cursing in this book (and I do mean real cursing, not the people that think ‘sucks' is a bad word) so I'm not sure this book would disapprove.)

And that's not even getting into the case du jour. And how it's all based around a local urban legend that the brothers, who have lived there their whole lives, have never even heard about.

‘Neil was basically telling me about a criminal organization that had been operating right under our noses for our entire lives. Was it possible that the Red Arrow had always been part of Bayport and somehow escaped Frank's and my notice?'

And, later...

‘It's impossible to keep a secret in a town like Bayport where everybody knows everybody's business.'

(Except for the League of Assassins the Red Arrow that has been operating there for decades and our two super sleuths never even noticed. Even though now they notice the symbol on half a dozen houses and businesses and bicycles when they walk around town.)

It's just silly. Plain silly.

Was it enjoyable? Sort of, as long as you don't try to take it seriously.

I, however, am also disappointed at the ending. Besides the fact that, even before the case actually started, I had a strong suspicion as to who the ‘bad guy' would be (and was, unfortunately, right) our intrepid duo had to be rescued. I did like the fact that they were not infallible and made a stupid choice and then couldn't macho themselves out of it - HOWEVER, them having to be rescued is as sad as Nancy stumbling across the mystery solution in her new books and these are things that are just watering down the competency of the characters.

Finally, I grabbed a two pack audio download from my library with this book and the sequel. So I will be listening to it right quick. (Probably at work later this week.) Though I will admit, if the story doesn't change - pretty drastically - I will be stopping the series there.

(Side note: I'm slightly upset that while the new Nancy Drew series allows Nancy to keep her friends, Frank and Joe are breaking in a new set of pals and crushes.)