The Tower Treasure
Original 1927 edition
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| Author | Franklin W. Dixon |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Walter S. Rogers |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Hardy Boys |
| Genre | Children's literature/Young adult fiction |
| Publisher | Grosset & Dunlap |
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Publication date
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June 1, 1927, revised edition 1959 |
| Pages | Original edition 216, revised edition 180 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 26152526 |
| Followed by | The House on the Cliff |
The Tower Treasure is the first volume in the original The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap. The book ranks 55th on Publishers Weekly's All-Time Bestselling Children's Book List for the United States, with 2,209,774 copies sold as of 2001. (This number quite understates the sales. By 1977, the Stratemeyer Syndicate's own sales records show 2,132,677 copies sold, with at an average of 70,000 copies per year between 1973 and 1976.) This book is one of the "Original 10", generally considered by historians and critics of children's literature to be the best examples of all the Hardy Boys, and Stratemeyer Syndicate, writing.
This book was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Leslie McFarlane in 1927. Between 1959 and 1973 the first 38 volumes were systematically revised as part of a project directed by Harriet S. Adams, Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. While some volumes only had minor changes, the original version of this book had the plot significantly rewritten in 1959 by Adams.
The story begins with Frank and Joe Hardy barely avoiding being hit by a speeding driver, who they notice has bright red hair. Later, this same red-haired driver attempts a ferry boat ticket office robbery and successfully steals a yellow jalopy called Queen from the Hardys' friend, Chet Morton. Due to one witness reporting that the villain had dark hair, the Hardys assume he is using a red wig. It is learned that the thief returned to Chet's home to steal a tire, helping Frank and Joe to find Queen abandoned in a public wooded area.
The excitement of finding Queen is quickly gone when it is reported that there has been a robbery of forty thousand dollars in securities and jewels from the Tower Mansion owned by siblings Hurd and Adelia Applegate. Hurd Applegate is convinced that the Tower's caretaker, Henry Robinson, is the guilty party. The Hardys are especially concerned by this accusation, because Henry's son, Perry, is a friend of theirs who will have to quit school to work since his father can no longer get a job as a result of Applegate's accusation. The only "proof" of Henry Robinson's guilt is that he was suddenly able to pay off a debt, and refused to reveal where he got the money to do so.
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