Hardy Boys Adventures, Book 22 - Trouble Island

While thus far, I have been finding the Hardy Boys Adventures series to be much better written stories and plots than the Nancy Drew Diaries series, I think the tide is starting to change (no pun intended).  The most recent Diaries book was actually well-written with an intriguing plot.  This latest Hardy Boys book, however, is not quite up to par with the books that have come before, and even more surprising, the story enters around a secluded island with a storm brewing that provides some very dangerous waters - which is somewhat similar to the previous book, A Treacherous Tide, which was set in the Florida Keys and featured, you guessed it - some very dangerous waters as part of the plot!  Not sure why Simon & Schuster decided to do two books with similar settings and plot elements, but I hope it is not a sign of things to come for this series...

Trouble Island does offer one surprising twist - Aunt Trudy plays a major part in the mystery.  While the boys' aunt shows up in the books from time to time, it is rarely to play any integral part to the story.  Usually, she is merely a background character.  This time, however, it is her cooking expertise that wins her an apprenticeship with a famous television chef (think Gordon Ramsey) named Colton Sparks and leads to the boys to their latest mystery.  Trudy is invited to a small island off the coast of Maine to work with Chef Sparks for a week at an exclusive resort.  Frank and Joe are on break from school, so she brings them along for the ride.  They quickly discover, though, that trouble is brewing on Rubble Island.

The author works overtime to make Colton Sparks an unlikable character, but sadly, it doesn't come across natural.  It reads very forced, and for all his nastiness towards his kitchen employees, volunteers, and others around him, whenever confronted by Frank or Joe, he suddenly becomes contrite - and, no offense to the author, but I can't imagine a world-famous, television chef would take to heart the admonitions of two teenage boys that he doesn't even know.  Thus, the entire premise of an island of people who hate the man who is threatening to change their whole way of life by bringing a hotel chain onto the island and opening one of his famous restaurants to make it a tourist destination falls rather flat.  However, that being said, I did rather enjoy Trudy's relationship with Chef Sparks - she is so in awe of him, that she looks past his gruff nature, and he slowly warms up to her and even turns to her when he is having difficulties with his kitchen help.  The series has never established Aunt Trudy's age, but in my mind, I see her as a just-beyond middle-aged woman who comes across soft-spoken and kind, but who knows how to reprimand and take charge when needed.  This book really allows Trudy to shine!

As far as the mystery goes, someone is after Chef Sparks (big surprise there, eh?).  A brick is thrown through his hotel room window, with a warning note that he tries to keep hidden from everyone (but who can keep anything hidden from the Hardy Boys?).  A fish dinner that he makes for the hotel owner, Trudy, and the boys is poisoned, leaving everyone sick (except Frank, who is not fond of fish and doesn't eat it).  Joe is pushed over the side of a cliff and literally left hanging on for dear life!  And the trophy that was to be awarded at the end of the week to the attending chefs is stolen.  Other than the cliff-hanging incident and a turbulent trip out on the ocean to pull up some lobster traps, there are no real "dangers" faced by the boys in this one - it is more of a "track down the person trying to sabotage Chef Sparks' visit to the island" kind of mystery.

One last comment on this book - the author makes a number of references to restrooms, and in one instance, the boys not only hit the bathroom, but they carry on a conversation while "going about [their] business" (p. 29-30).  Now, I'm no prude, but as far as I'm concerned, carrying on a conversation while standing at a urinal in the men's room is not standard fare for a children's mystery, and the fact that we get more than a one-line or even one-paragraph trip to the restroom, but instead read their conversation while they are "doing their business" and get descriptions of them washing their hands after is a but much (particularly since, and I don't know if I'm the only one who does this, but when I'm reading a book, I usually am envisioning everything in my head, like a movie or television show - so the idea of imagining these two teenage boys using a urinal and carrying on a conversation about the mystery while they relieve themselves is NOT something I want to picture in my head while reading!).

The next mystery, Mystery on the Mayhem Express, will hopefully offer up a change of pace and get the boys back on the right path, with great plots and well-written stories.

RATING:  6 buttered lobster rolls out of 10 for allowing Aunt Trudy to take the spotlight and giving her more than just a background, supporting role in the story.