Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers #19, Foul Play, is one of the best books in this series. In this volume Frank and Joe are written in character – a very important thing to me. 😎
Foul Play is a very cool and good read. I really enjoyed it and it’s an excellent example of why I like some of the Undercover Brothers books. It has an interesting mystery, fun humor, good action, a couple of fight scenes with bad guys with a dose of poetic justice included. The opening predicament where the brothers were facing Bengal tigers was great edge-of-the-seat stuff and it was exciting how they got out of it. I love how the author writes so you feel you are right in the scene. With the Hardy brothers and those huge Bengal tigers!
I particularly love the entire doughnut scene when the brothers got their assignment. Good writing – enjoyable fun! I love this kind of stuff. 😀
The banter was fun, the way it should be. Good-natured teasing is very enjoyable to read. Banter is an art, just like sarcasm and witty insults, as opposed to flat-out rude, obnoxious insults and there definitely is a difference! I haven’t read all of the UBs yet, but in the ones I have, sometimes the authors write it right and sometimes they miss it like the writer is trying way too hard so then it doesn’t sound real and doesn’t flow. The humor and good-natured affection has to be clear or it’s annoying and falls flat rather than cool and smooth, which is obviously preferable. This book got it right. 😎
There were a number of believable suspects and Frank and Joe had to figure out whom they could trust while keeping their cover safe on a college football team. Injuries, player superstitions, game fixing, sports betting were things they had to deal with while trying to keep anyone from being murdered – including themselves!
Plenty of great lines in this book and my favorite is this excellent one by Frank after fighting a jerk who was trying to bribe him:
“Sorry, dude,” I answered. “You threatened my brother. No amount of money makes up for that.”
My favorite Undercover Brothers books are from the graphic novels series by Papercutz, but this one was up there with them and I will definitely read it again. And I recommend it
Oh, I also really like their cool gadget that they each got – I love the gadgets in the UBs. 😀
I’m more into baseball, hockey, soccer, and X-Games, than football, without a doubt, but I think there is the right amount about the sport in Foul Play. In my opinion, the writer scored a touchdown with this book. Enjoyable. I even learned some interesting stuff! So a hearty recommendation for this Hardy Boys book #19 Foul Play. 😎
Hardy and Drew Mysteries 
Cool, fun book! 🙂 I need to read this one again soon. 🙂
Yep, it’s really good. 🙂 Cool! 🙂
Your recommendations are appreciated, Ann. 🙂 I enjoyed reading this review and agree with what you said about good banter. 😎 I enjoy good mystery stories featuring characters with strong morals; your review – and that admirable quote from the book – verifies that this book qualifies. 😎 Callie
Thank you, Callie. 🙂 Glad I can help. 🙂 Yep, good banter is cool, real, and enjoyable to read or watch on a good TV show (like Big Time Rush 😀 ). It has to come across right, the characters being witty and sounding like themselves. 😎 Yep, it definitely qualifies just like you said. 🙂 I love that quote, too. 🙂
You are welcome, Ann. 🙂 🙂 Yeah; exactly! 😀 (While on the subject of Big Time Rush: how about that big time rush James Maslow gave the world of dance on “Dancing with James” [what I’m calling the show – because he is the reason I’m watching that show 😉 ] last week? 😀 I voted for James; he is an excellent dancer. I know he has the ability and likeability to win the competition. There is no question about that; the only question I have when I think about the show is: will the numbers on the board reflect the truth? I hope so, because James is very competitive and altogether capable of waltzing his way to the trophy. 🙂 ) Yeah. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Callie
Whoa. James. 😀 I love your name for the show! I don’t usually watch that show, either, but when I saw that on the BTR site and the tweets – I knew I wanted to see James and root and vote for him! 😀 Yep, he’s definitely an excellent dancer, he will do an awesome job with all of the dances. 😎 Totally agree, Callie. 😎
Derek and Amy are also amazing. 😎 She has a true fighting spirit – very admirable. 😎
James does great and is so talented. 😎 It’s very clear, as always, that he’s not just good-looking. 😎
😀 Thank you. 🙂 Yeah! 😀
I agree; nice people. 😎
That is true. 😎 James will be dancing tonight; I’m looking forward to watching his grace and strength as he takes to the dance floor. 🙂 Callie
You’re welcome, Callie. 🙂
Yep! 🙂
James is an awesome dancer. Very athletic with fluid, crisp, strong moves. Love his dancing so much. 😎 😀 GO JAMES! I’m Team James throughout the competition. 😉
Agreed!! 😀 Callie
😎
Supercool review, Ann! 😀 😎 You know this is one of my favorite in the Undercover Brothers series. 😀 It was the first book I read in it. & I’m happy I got to start with a good one! 😀 😉
You named some of the coolest scenes! 😀 😎 & as Hardy Sleuth said – I need to read this one again soon! 😀 😎
Great review, Ann! 😀 😎
Appreciating the good things,
Lily
Hey supercool Lily! 🙂 Thank you! 🙂 Yep, yep, I know. 😀 Yep, that’s true, but knowing you, even if you hadn’t started with such a good one in the series, you wouldn’t have given up on it. 🙂 That was ideal, though. 😉
It’s great when a book has more than just one cool scene or line – although that would be better than none. 😛 This one definitely had a lot of great things. 🙂 You should! 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
Hey, supercool Ann! 😀 😎 You’re welcome! 😀 Yep – especially with knowing there are numerous authors throughout the series. 🙂 Yep! 😉
Yep! 😛 😀 Yep! 😀 😎 & yep! 😀
Welcome! 😀
Appreciating the good things,
Lily
😀
If you want, we can read Foul Play at the same time, Lily. That is, if it’s not right now, I’ve got too much to do at the moment, but since we both want to read it again, I thought that would be fun. 🙂
Hey, that’d be cool, Hardy Sleuth! 😀 😎 Works for me. 😎 Let me know when. 🙂 Yep, fun! 😀 😎 Thanks! 😀
Appreciating the good things,
Lily
Awesome! 🙂 Okay, I’ll post on this one again when I think it’ll work out and see if that’s a good time for you, also. 🙂
Frank is always levelheaded until someone threatens Joe. Good line. Looking forward to read it.
Also looking forward to read one of your new stories very soon.
Helena
True! 😎 They’re good brothers. 🙂 Yep! Hope you get to read Foul Play soon, because I’m pretty sure you’ll really enjoy the book. 🙂 I’m sorry it’s taking a little longer than planned – I’d hoped to have a new story on here by now, but unexpected situations kinda got in the way of me getting any of them done yet. That’s why the three most recent posts have been reviews that I’d already pretty much had typed up and ready to go. No worries, though, because hopefully I’ll have a multi-chapter story completed before long that you’ll like. I was actually able to work on it earlier – adding to what I’d already done. 🙂 Thanks so very much for your enthusiasm about my writing, Helena, means a lot to me. 🙂
Of course. How could anyone not love your stories. Just promise to keep Iola and Callie as their girlfriends/wife. 😉
🙂 🙂 Thanks so much, Helena! 🙂 🙂 Always – Iola and Joe are true loves and Frank and Callie are true loves, so anything else would be sad and unrealistic. They’re great couples and soul mates. 🙂
Ooh, that “tigers” scene and that doughnut scene! 😎 😀 I loved reading what little I could read of this book! I hope I get a chance to read this whole book someday. 🙂
Exactly! Great scenes! 😀 I sure hope you get to also, Ritu – and soon! 🙂 I know you’ll love it. 🙂
One of my favourite HB book! I should reread it someday.
Yes, isn’t it a great book? 😎 I love it and me, too – ready to read it again! 😀