Hardy Boys Adventures #7 Shadows at Predator Reef and #8 Deception on the Set

In Hardy Boys Adventures #7, Shadows at Predator Reef, Bayport Aquarium unveils its new exhibit, Predator Reef.  The crowd is shocked to discover that the star inhabitant, Captain Hook, is missing!  Captain Hook is a five-hundred pound sea turtle.  Frank and Joe search for the turtle.

The reader learns some interesting information about Bayport that I won't reveal since it spoils how the turtle was stolen.  This information is important in a later book.

Near the ending is a scene that is lacking information.  Without getting into specifics that spoil the plot, Frank and Joe are swimming after having not been in the water.  It's not clear whether they have scuba gear or whether they are wearing their regular clothing.

I enjoyed this book.

In Hardy Boys Adventures #8, Deception on the Set, a zombie film is being made in Bayport.  Frank and Joe have signed up to be extras so that they can investigate who is sabotaging the film.

On page 6, we learn that Frank and Joe have been working on cases since the ages of 8 and 9.

The story has way too much boring detail about zombie makeup.

Why are the other zombies random kids from Bayport High that have not appeared in this series?  The story would have been more meaningful if Neanderthal or Chet had been present.

Since this book lacks the recurring characters from the previous books, the story was likely an unused plot from the Undercover Brothers series, which would explain the excessive detail about zombie makeup.  A mainstay of the Undercover Brothers series is excessive detail about a bunch of nothing, always imparted in the most boring fashion possible.

At least this story has fewer characters than other similar movie set sabotage stories.

This story is weakly good.  It could also be considered not good.  And that's exactly how I described much of the Undercover Brothers series.  I bet this was supposed to be one of them.