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There is probably not a single pre-teen boy who is not
fascinated with the police and the work they do. So, in that
sense Randy Wilcox and his friends are not different from
many other eleven- and twelve-year-olds. What sets them
apart, though, is that they not only have acted on their
interest by forming the Hilton Park Road Detective Club but
had saved their money to buy an expensive police scanner.
The boys live in a town in Virginia, with a number of
caves in close proximity. Max Elliot Anderson’s action
packed thrill-a-minute page turner unfolds when the boys
hear about a bank robbery on their scanner. The robbers have
escaped with all the money and the police are unable to find
them. It so happens that the young detectives had earlier
planned a sojourn at one of the boys’ uncle’s place near
Abbotts Cave. So, not surprisingly, Randy Wilcox and his
friends encounter the thieves in the cave. What is
surprising, and more importantly, convincing, though, is the
nifty way in which the boys outmaneuver the thieves and
return the money to safety. The scenes at the cave are told
in fine detail, with the emphasis being on keeping the
action moving. It is likely, however, that these scenes are
a little too intense for the average young reader.
Anderson’s adventure series for young readers, this book
is one of several, resonates exceedingly well with its
intended audience primarily because the author keeps the
action moving. Sparse, albeit snappy dialog, is frequently
punctuated by action scenes that are well laid out. However,
there is also an interesting subtext in Anderson’s books.
The subtext has to do with everyday dilemmas faced by
pre-teens. Anderson adroitly weaves these dilemmas with the
narrative and the ending is usually a believable resolution
of the dilemma. For Randy and his friends, the dilemma has
to do with keeping the reward money or giving it to the
intrepid police officers and fire fighters who keep the town
safe. After much soul searching, the boys do the right thing
in this eminently readable adventure tale.
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Secret of Abbott’s Cave