Dead on Target (The Hardy Boys) facts for kids
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| Author | Franklin W. Dixon |
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| Cover artist | Morgan Kane |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Hardy Boys Casefiles |
| Publisher | Archway Paperback |
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Publication date
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April 1987 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 953 |
| ISBN | 0-671-62558-6 |
| OCLC | 15529282 |
| LC Class | CPB Box no. 1726 vol. 32 |
| Followed by | Evil, Inc. |
Dead on Target is the first book in The Hardy Boys Casefiles series. It was published in 1987. This book marks a big change for the famous detective brothers, Frank and Joe Hardy.
What Happens in the Story
The story begins with a sad event. Joe Hardy's girlfriend, Iola Morton, is hurt in a dangerous explosion involving a car. She dies from her injuries. Joe is very upset and finds it hard to believe.
Frank and Joe, the Hardy brothers, immediately start investigating. They want to find out who is responsible. They meet a mysterious person known as the "Gray Man." He works for a secret government group called "The Network." The brothers decide to work with him to find the person who caused the explosion.
Soon, they discover that it's not just one person. A group of dangerous people called "Assassins" are behind the attack. These Assassins are a group of criminals who cause trouble.
Joe is determined to bring them to justice. As the story continues, some Assassins are caught or stopped during fights. Others manage to get away. The brothers learn that a specific Assassin named Al-Rousasa was the one who hurt Iola.
Near the end of the book, Frank, Joe, Chet (who is Iola's brother), and their friends are searching a shopping mall. They find out that the Assassins plan to harm a presidential candidate who is giving a speech in Bayport. Joe and Frank confront Al-Rousasa on the top floor. Their fight ends with Al-Rousasa being defeated. Joe remembers a saying: "Nobody takes an Assassin alive."
Big Changes in Dead on Target
Dead on Target was the first book in the Casefiles series. It brought many new and different things to the world of the Hardy Boys.
- Iola Morton, a character who had been in many earlier books, is killed by a car bomb set by a terrorist group. This was a shocking change for readers.
- The stories become more serious and dangerous. Frank and Joe start dealing with murders and use firearms more often.
- Unlike earlier Hardy Boys books, the chapters in Dead on Target do not have titles. Also, there are no pictures or illustrations inside the book.
- The brothers work with the Gray Man. He is part of a secret crime-fighting group. This kind of secret agent help was new for the Hardy Boys.
