What series did you read first?

[THartmann9374]

Shattered Helmet #52 and The Jungle Pyramid #56 from TOS were very first Hardy Boys books I read back in 1984. I then moved on the rest of TOS, then Digest and finally Casefiles.

[tomswift2002]

(Wow, has it been almost 10 years since this thread started?) As I mentioned earlier in this thread, my first book was the 1959 flashlight edition of "The Tower Treasure" that my mom bought for me on Tuesday March 15, 1994 and then that was followed up by the 1944 version of "The Melted Coins" that was at a friend's house.  Then I got #'s 2-5 my birthday.  Then in late May/early June my mom was out garage asking and came across a huge box of Hardy Boys for like $10 dollars that was mostly PC versions of the books, with one early 1987 edition of "Secret Of The Caves" in the flashlight format, plus there were a few DJ versions missing the DJ, and Wanderer/Minstrel paperbacks.

[CalvinKnox]

First book for me were revised House on the Cliff and Mark on the Door in 2004 when I was in grade 4.  I read the original Melted Coins that year as well since my friend had it in a 3-in-one book.  I also read a later Digest that had a rhino on the cover.  I had some Casefiles, but sold them to a friend in 2004.  First Casefiles I read were Deadliest Dare and Scene of the Crime.  The former is still one of my favorite Casefiles, and the later is one of my least favorites.

[tomswift2002]

I'm gonna assume that you read the OT Melted Coin in either the Armada or Diamond (both owned by HarperCollins)books omnibus that also contained the RT Of "Footprints Under The Window" and "The Sinister Signpost".  They were British issue, so are common in the UK.  S&S did allow the sale of the Diamond Edition in the US for a short while around 1993-94, possible to test the waters on omnibus editions in North America, without having to incur any publishing costs.  However it has been reported that they were soon found in remainder bins, and since then S&S has not had luck with omnibuses in North America.

[Bigfootman]

First book for me were revised House on the Cliff and Mark on the Door in 2004 when I was in grade 4.  I read the original Melted Coins that year as well since my friend had it in a 3-in-one book.  I also read a later Digest that had a rhino on the cover.  I had some Casefiles, but sold them to a friend in 2004.  First Casefiles I read were Deadliest Dare and Scene of the Crime.  The former is still one of my favorite Casefiles, and the later is one of my least favorites.

The digest with the Rhino on the cover was "The Mystery of the Black Rhino".

[CalvinKnox]

I'm gonna assume that you read the OT Melted Coin in either the Armada or Diamond (both owned by HarperCollins)books omnibus that also contained the RT Of "Footprints Under The Window" and "The Sinister Signpost".  They were British issue, so are common in the UK.  S&S did allow the sale of the Diamond Edition in the US for a short while around 1993-94, possible to test the waters on omnibus editions in North America, without having to incur any publishing costs.  However it has been reported that they were soon found in remainder bins, and since then S&S has not had luck with omnibuses in North America.

My friend's family was from the UK some time after WWII I believe. His father worked for the Canadian Federal government, and his Grandfather flew an Avro Lancaster during the war.  Were the Omnibuses available in Canada?  My friend had at least two.
I have zero recollection of the Mystery of the Black Rhino (save for the cover). 

[tomswift2002]

The first omnibus was printed in the early-70's.  That version not available in the US or Canada, but it was in the UK and other Commonwealth countries.  The second version (which was a reprint) was published in the 90's and was imported into North America as a test, but most copies ended up in remainder bins.

[MacGyver]

I remember the omnibuses. I recall reading The Mystery of the Disappearing Floor in one, I think. And for the record, if I haven't already mentioned it, the first Hardy Boys book I remember reading is The Mystery of the Chinese Junk.