Author: Larry Mike Garmon
Other Hardy Boys by Author: Casefiles #27 Nowhere To Run, #39 Flesh And Blood, #43 Strategic Moves, #46 Foul Play, #126 Fire In The Sky, SuperMystery''88 #7 Buried In Time (co-author with Peter Lerangis)
Published: February 1990
Publisher: Archway Paperbacks (1990-1997?)
Plot: It takes a cool Customer to put a hot car on ice.
Car chase crazy
Chet's borrowed Corvette has been hot-wired, and Chet is steamed. But when he tries to nab the crooks, he gets nabbed instead. Frank and Joe put the pedal to the metal, in pursuit of Chet's kidnappers.
The brothers go undercover to get the drop on a chopshop ring -- and find themselves riding with some pretty fast company. The hot Caddys, Camaros, and Corvettes are burning up the road, putting the Hardys on a crash course with danger. If they don't hit the curves just right, they'll be eating the care thieves' dust.
I think the author hit his alliteration goal well on the back cover. ;D
So I finished Running On Empty. Even after 30 years this book is still action-packed! If this book ever gets re-released, there are a few minor tech updates that would have to done, since a there are a few mentions of people using audio cassettes. Audio cassettes were fine in 1990, but in 2020, they are outdated (although I guess the Hardy's could have a Blue Tooth CD/Cassette deck in their van). And Larry Mike Garmon must be an Elvis fan as there are numerous references to Elvis in the book! It reminded me of how #55 Beyond The Law features nods to Elvis, so I wonder if Garmon wrote that and the other Bayport Corruption storyline.
Story wise, while it was action packed, I felt there was something missing, like the story could've been much bigger.
Rating: 8/10.
This book joins #3 Cult of Crime, #9 The Genius Thieves, and #13 The Borgia Dagger as stories where the romantic pairing is with Frank rather than Joe. How many other books is this the case for?