Hardy Boys sleuthing on PC

With the original Hardy Boys book released in 1927, the adventures of teenage brothers Frank and Joe Hardy stand as the longest-running children's book series. Now JoWood Productions and The Adventure Company want to turn the duo into a similarly enduring series of adventure games.

The games will all be released on the PC during the next five years, beginning with Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft (originally called The Tower Treasure) in autumn. Jesse McCartney (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Summerland) and Cody Linley (Hannah Montana, Cheaper by the Dozen) will provide the voices of the two brothers.

The story starts with a robbery at the vault of the Spencer Mansion, with the police calling on the crime-solving duo to help them out. From there, Frank and Joe travel all over their home city of Bayport, as well as the big smoke in New York City.

The Hardys aren't gaming's first adolescent detectives. The Nancy Drew series of novels about the girl detective have also been adapted to adventure games and released by Her Interactive. These include Secrets Can Kill, Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake, and Legend of the Crystal Skull. The Hardy Boys have also shown up in some of her adventures, including on The Creature of Kapu Cave and Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon.