The Secret of Wildcat Swamp

this book is great it has train robbers and cap the science teacher of the hardy boys looking for bones of an old old old prehistoric horse. P.S this book is great !!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally published in 1952 - Depending on what day you speak with me, more often than not I regard this book as the absolute best among the original 58. It is often difficult to compare those books written before The Mark on The Door with those composed after Footprints Under The Window. That being said this book opens with an introduction to a mystery when a friend of the Hardy's asks their assistance with a small mystery regarding fossil hunting in Wildcat Swamp. Thus the title plays a part in the opening. We learn of a trio of what I think are some of the more memorable Hardy crooks: Jessie Turk, Gerald Flint & Willie The Penman. For the next several chapters as the Hardys & Cap Bailey prepare to leave Bayport they frequently encounter Flint & Turk on their way to Wildcat Swamp. By page 45 or so, the trio of fossil hunters arrive in Wildcat Swamp and enter was is my favorite part of the book and what I often find is phase two of the volume. The book seems to be broken into three sub volumes within the volume. The opening to their arrival in the swamp and the third phase after Underground Ambush. During this second part of the book the trio initially encounter a wildcat which lets the reader know that the beasts are forever lurking throughout the swamp - but strangely after that one attack on Frank, no more wildcats appear. Before long they meet Harry Sanders, son of the owner of the swamp who reveals its true name and that men have been interested in purchasing the property. The Hardys then encouter 3 phony forest rangers Snake, Snide and Willie The Penman in a memorable scene and shortly afterward are caught eavesdropping by darkness on the rangers. Trying to communicate with their father is cut short when their radio balloon is shot out of the sy by the rangers. The memorable scenes in this book are endless - Frank's clue regarding "Three Odd Letters", the encouters with the rangers, Chet's arrival and he and Cap'ssubsequent ambush in the underground cavern. Enter the next phase in the book when the Hardys are ambushed themselves by the gang of outlaws. This book beckons back to the days of 1881 and the old west - not 1952, and draws parallels with "The Twisted Claw", another book seemingly written during another era. After their escape the brothers hop a train which eventually derails thanks to the gang and after a few more very well written chapters the Hardys assist in the capture of the gang. This volume was packed with adventure, action, a great mystery and plot. What young boy or grown man for that matter would not want to camp out in Wildcat Swamp and battle a gang of outlaws from the old west. This is "wish fulfillment" at its best. Again - I regard this as arguably the best book in the series. RATED A+

This review concerns the original 1952 edition and the revised 1969 edition, which is an editted, shorter version of the original. Frank and Joe must find out why the group of train robbers their father is after are determined to keep Frank, Joe and their science teacher from going to Wildcat Swamp to search for fossils. This book is excellent; it is one of the top three books of the series. The book is well-written and is loaded with action from the first chapter to the last. There is an interesting collection of memorable criminals and the Hardys frequently come into contact with them. Both editions are excellent, but I recommend reading the original, only because it prolongs your enjoyment. This is a great book that all Hardy Boys fans should read.

This review is based on the original version published in 1952 but it should be noted that the plot of the revision closely follows that of the original. It is at times difficult to compare the very early volumes with the latter volumes but I regard this story as one of the best overall in the canon. The opening two chapters might be regarded as a bit weak compared to other volumes in the set, since a mystery is dumped into the brothers laps when Cap Bailey pays them a visit at their home. After laying down a framework for the mystery before them, the brothers hope to gain some information by going to the local prison to see some unsavory men who are mixed up in the affair. We are introduced to three memorable criminals: Willie The Penman, Jessie Turk and Gerald Flint. Willie and Flint are already on the loose, Turk is in jail but stages a prison break by the end of chapter 1. The next several chapters are very eventful. The brothers make their way out of Bayport, heading west with the criminals hard on their heels. By Chapter 5, the brothers and Cap Bailey are in Wildcat Swamp, on horseback camping in the desert and the woods near and in the swamp. Immediately they are attacked by "an enormous wildcat", letting the reader know that the beasts are forever lurking through the swamp. Strangely though, no more appear throughout the remainder of the book. From this point onward the book is suspenseful, well written and adventurous with a fairly good mystery that is not solved by dumb luck. The trio spend the next few chapters dodging perils in the swamp while digging for fossils, which is the underlying plot throughout the book. By chapter 9 they are approached by Snake, Snide and Willie, who identify themselves as Forest Rangers and order them out of the swamp in a memorable scene. Later that night the boys eavesdrop on the Rangers in conversation, only to be shot at. The trio stand their ground and refuse to leave the swamp. These middle chapters are fascinating and one experiences that wish fulfillment that the Hardy Boys series is famous for, as we can envision ourselves camping by fire in just such a swamp. While further digging for fossils in the swamp, round about chapter 10, Frank finds a sign ending in "ERS", which fits a sign found in earlier chapters that read "Here lie the Bodies of Twenty Wildcat" Deducing that it was wildcatters, not wildcats, that were buried there suddenly leads to the speculation that oil lies on the property. This detective work blends in beautifully with the title of the book. The Boys visit Mrs. Sanders, the owner of the property, to alert her of their findings then return to their camp. Chet arrives quite unexpectedly and he remains with Cap at the camp while Frank and Joe are away alerting Sanders. Here the book takes its greatest turn as the Rangers, in yet another memorable and suspenseful scene right out of a movie, overwhelm Cap and Chet in a cave and tie them up until they are rescu

Its a toss between The Secret of Wildcat Swamp and Hunting For Hidden Gold, as to which book I liked the best in the entire set. Loved this one from start to finish. Good plot, good action, excellent twists throughout, especially in the middle chapters. Can't rave enough about it.