Tropic Of Fear

[tomswift2002]

Tropic Of Fear
Published: November 1992

The Hardy's head to Hawaii to enter a surfing competition, while Nancy Drew, Bess Marvin and George Fayne accompany Carson Drew to Hawaii to visit an old Drew family friend and have some vacation.

I'm currently re-reading this SuperMystery'88 story, and I can't help but notice just how close this story is to the 1977 Hardy Boys episode Wipe Out.  A few things have been changed, specifically Joe is the surfer in the book, while Frank was the surfer in the episode, also Nancy Drew is apart of the story.

Overall, this is probably one of the Top 5 books of the series, and it's one that I've read multiple times since first reading it in the late-90's.

[MacGyver]

It's been a while since I've read this book, but from what I can recall of the book, I can see the similarities to the TV show episode.
I LOVE The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Supermysteries (1988) series. This is honestly one of my favorite series to read of any of The Hardy Boys and/or Nancy Drew books.

[tomswift2002]

Of course one major difference is that on the TV show the major criminal is arrested, whereas in the book Joe witnesses the criminal's death. 

[MacGyver]

whereas in the book Joe witnesses the criminal's death.

They wouldn't have had this happen on the TV show too often, unless maybe it was in the third season. There may be some instances I'm forgetting, but I don't think we saw death on the series too often- until the third season, of course.

[tomswift2002]

Well the TV show was inspired by the Original Series, which was the only series around at the time.  The Original Series did have a couple of deaths, one, right off the bat was Red Jackely in The Tower Treasure.  But in both Season's 1 & 2 of the Hardy Boys Nancy Drew Mysteries you had death in the first season episode The Mystery of the Solid Gold Kicker and in Season 2 Voodoo Doll Parts 1 & 2.

And I should clarify in Tropic Of Fear, but the only way that I could think of to type it was to say that Joe witnessed the death, however, the author had Joe chasing the bad guy through a lava tube, and then the bad guy turned a corner, and while Joe couldn't see him, Joe did hear a scream and a hissing sound from the same direction, and then Joe turned and ran to get away from the lava.

[MacGyver]

 Okay- yeah, there were those episodes. That's right. And the book handled it much like the TV series (and most shows) probably would- had the murder or death happen off camera. That's good then- I don't want to see all the gory details.

[tomswift2002]

Well, in Tropic Of Fear, had Joe seen the guy's death, then Joe probably would've been dead as well.

[MacGyver]

So there was a good logical and practical reason to it as well then.