What Happened at Midnight facts for kids
Original edition
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| Author | Franklin W. Dixon |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Hardy Boys |
| Genre | Detective, mystery |
| Publisher | Grosset & Dunlap |
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Publication date
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May 1, 1931, revised edition 1967 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 173 |
| ISBN | 0-448-08910-6 |
| OCLC | 34771171 |
| Preceded by | The Great Airport Mystery |
| Followed by | While the Clock Ticked |
What Happened at Midnight is the tenth book in the exciting The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. It was first published by Grosset & Dunlap. This book follows the adventures of teenage detectives Frank and Joe Hardy as they solve a puzzling mystery.
Contents
About the Book
This mystery was written in 1931 by Leslie McFarlane for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. The Stratemeyer Syndicate was a group that created many popular book series, like the Hardy Boys.
Later, between 1959 and 1973, many of the early Hardy Boys books were updated. What Happened at Midnight was rewritten in 1967 by Tom Mulvey. This means there are actually two different versions of the story with the same title!
The Mystery Begins (Revised Edition)
In the updated story, Frank and Joe Hardy get a special request from their dad, Fenton Hardy. He's a famous detective! He asks them to sneak into a scientist's house. Their mission is to get a secret invention and keep it safe from thieves.
The brothers successfully get the device. They even stop a burglary attempt at the same time! The invention turns out to be a small radio with amazing reception. Their dad sends a message telling them to guard it carefully. So, they hide it in their car's trunk.
The next day, at an antique airplane show, their friend Chet Morton accidentally steps on a blond-haired man's foot. The man gets angry but quickly runs away when someone points out he was trying to listen in on their conversation. Later, the boys see the blond man again. He drops his briefcase while running from them.
Joe Disappears! (Revised Edition)
The story gets even more mysterious at a party at Chet's house. The boys notice someone snooping around their car. Joe goes to check it out. Suddenly, as the clock strikes midnight, Joe disappears!
Frank and Chet search everywhere for Joe. But the trail goes cold. Then, a surprising tip from their Aunt Gertrude leads them to some caves. These caves are along the bay off Shore Road. In this version of the story, the bad guys are involved in both jewel smuggling and stealing electronics.
Chasing Clues (Revised Edition)
The adventure continues in New York City, much like in the original story. However, in the 1967 version, the Hardys are not afraid to call their family for help. This means they don't have to hitchhike all the way back to Bayport after being robbed.
Once back in Bayport, they discover that the leader of the gang is working at a local jewelry store. Just like in the first book, they follow him to the airport. The original story featured old biplanes, and the new version keeps this exciting detail. The Hardys contact a friend with an antique plane to help them chase the villain, Taffy Marr. One of the most thrilling parts of the original book was a parachute escape from a falling biplane. This dramatic scene is kept in the new book too!
The story ends with Marr and his gang being caught late at night on the beach. They were trying to bring in a load of stolen diamonds.
The Original Adventure (1931)
The first version of the story starts with Chet Morton teaching the Hardy boys how to use a new automat. An automat was a restaurant where you got food from vending machines. While playing around, the boys bump into a blond-haired man. Later, Joe Hardy falls against the man again. This causes the man to drop a package, which turns out to contain smuggled diamonds.
That evening, the Hardy boys are at a party at the Mortons' farm. As the clock strikes midnight, Joe Hardy vanishes without a trace. Frank first thinks Joe is playing a trick. But when Joe doesn't reappear, Frank gets worried. Frank and his friends eventually find Joe. He had been kidnapped and held hostage in a cave along Shore Road.
The rest of the original story follows Frank and Joe to New York City. They want to solve the mystery of the blond man. In New York, they get pickpocketed. They even have to sleep in a park for a night, listening to the clock strike midnight. While hitchhiking back to Bayport, they meet two men from the Department of Justice. These men are investigating a diamond smuggling case.
Back in Bayport, the Hardy brothers find who they believe is Taffy Marr, the diamond smuggler. The Hardy boys chase him to the airport. They then hire a plane to continue the chase. However, the plane they hired has mechanical problems and crashes! After returning to Bayport again, they find Taffy Marr once more. They send a message for the Department of Justice men to come and help them. With the help of the Justice Department, the Hardy brothers manage to arrest Taffy Marr and his partners.
The original story ends with another informal party at the Mortons' farm. The boys tell their friends all about their adventures as the clock strikes midnight again.
