The tutor recommends Hardy Boys Mystery 45: Mystery of the Spiral Bridge.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, I love reading Hardy Boys mysteries to my family. The tradition started, I believe, before my kids joined school. I’ve read dozens aloud during mealtimes, stormy afternoons, car rides, or bedtime. While it’s taken a backseat to the children’s other activities, it continues. Number 45, Mystery of the Spiral Bridge, is our current Hardy Boys mystery.

During its early chapters, Mystery of the Spiral Bridge didn’t appeal to me as I’d hoped. While there was lots of action, the plot didn’t seem unified: there were just too many surprises. Chapter XI, however, marks a turning point: the action settles in one locale, and its unique characters (particular to Mystery of the Spiral Bridge) develop. At the same time, under cover amongst many ex-jailbirds, the boys learn and begin using prison lingo to gain acceptance.

The prison lingo, along with a few other events and suggestions, gives the novel a darker feel than most Hardy Boys mysteries. Sudden, wild events occur in a way I can’t recall from others in the series. Yet, the gritty, hillbilly setting of the novel’s second half hosts the developments with credibility: Mystery of the Spiral Bridge becomes a page-turner.

I highly recommend Mystery of the Spiral Bridge.

Source:

Dixon, Franklin W. Mystery of the Spiral Bridge. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1966.

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.