Hardy Boys mysteries have obviously stood the test of time. Despite recent innovations to the series by new publishers, the most popular books in the series are still the original fifty-eight volumes of adventures. There's still something unique about the stories after all these years.

So what is so special about these books? Well, a big reason for their success is the writing involved, the perfect blend of adventure, intrigue, and comic relief. No matter what challenges the Boys were facing, there was always Chet Morton around to add a few moments of levity.

Hardy Boys Books: The Real Writers

So to whom do we give credit for such expert storytelling? Well, although the books are all attributed to one "Frank W. Dixon," no person by that name ever contributed to a single one of the books. All of the writing was done by members of publisher Edward B. Stratemeyer's syndicate of wordsmiths.

The first of these was one Leslie McFarlane, who wrote the initial fifteen Hardy Boys books. Though other writers took over after that, they all made sure to follow McFarlane's delicately balanced formula. This recipe worked so well that the original books are still enjoyed today by adults and children alike.