Appendix VI – Timeline
1950s / 1960s / 1970s / 1980s / 1990s / 2000s
1950s
| Year: | Publisher: | Titles: | Notes: |
| 1950 | Harold Hill | Secret of The Lost Tunnel | The first British Hardy Boys edition. |
| 1951 | Harold Hill | Crooked Arrow Phantom Freighter The Tower Treasure House on the Cliff Old Mill Missing Chums Hidden Gold |
The Tower Treasure and all subsequent HH titles feature artwork by Frank Varty. |
| 1953 | Harold Hill | Shore Road Mystery Secret of the Caves Cabin Island Great Airport Mystery |
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| 1955 | Harold Hill | What Happened at Midnight While the Clock Ticked |
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| 1957 | Harold Hill | Footprints under the Window Mark on the Door Hidden Harbour Secret of The Lost Tunnel |
Lost Tunnel is reprinted with artwork by Frank Varty. |
| 1958 | - | - | The Walt Disney comics are published in Australia by W. G. Publications. |
| 1959 | Sampson Low | Sinister Sign Post Figure in Hiding Secret Warning Twisted Claw |
Sampson Low take over the series. |
1960s
| Year: | Publisher: | Titles: | Notes: |
| 1961 | Sampson Low | The Disappearing Floor Mystery Of The Flying Express |
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| 1962 | Sampson Low | Clue Of The Broken Blade Flickering Torch Mystery |
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| 1963 | Sampson Low | Mystery At Devil's Paw Mystery of the Chinese Junk Mystery of the Desert Giant Clue of the Screeching Owl |
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| 1964 | Sampson Low | Secret Of Pirates' Hill Ghost At Skeleton Rock Viking Symbol Mystery Mystery of the Aztec Warrior |
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| 1965 | Sampson Low | The Crisscross Shadow Yellow Feather Mystery Hooded Hawk Mystery Clue In The Embers |
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| 1966 | Sampson Low | The Haunted Fort Wailing Siren Mystery Secret of Wildcat Swamp Secret of Skull Mountain |
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| - | - | Disney serial The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure is broadcast in the UK by the BBC. | |
| 1967 | Sampson Low | Mystery of The Spiral Bridge The Secret Panel Short-Wave Mystery The Melted Coins |
The final four titles issued by Sampson Low. |
| 1968 | MacDonald | A Figure In Hiding The Secret Warning The Twisted Claw Clue of The Broken Blade |
MacDonald reprint four titles first issued by Sampson Low. |
| 1969 | MacDonald | Secret Agent On Flight 101 Secret of The Lost Tunnel Sinister Sign Post Clue of The Screeching Owl |
MacDonald end their brief tenure with two reprints and two 'new' editions (Lost Tunnel and Flight 101). |
1970s
| Year: | Publisher: | Titles: | Notes: |
| 1971 | Collins | #1 Aztec Warrior – #6 Desert Giant |
The first six titles in the new Collins number sequence. |
| 1972 | Collins | #7 The Melted Coins – #24 The Crisscross Shadow |
18 titles published by Collins in three batches of six. |
| 1973 | Collins | #25 Hunting for Hidden Gold – #30 Secret Agent On Flight 101 |
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| 1974 | Collins | #31 The Tower Treasure – #36 Ghost At Skeleton Rock |
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| Armada | #1 Aztec Warrior – #9 Screeching Owl, #11 Twisted Claw |
Armada release their first batch of Format A paperbacks. #10 While the Clock Ticked is curiously omitted. | |
| 1975 | Armada | #19 Crooked Arrow – #22 Sinister Signpost |
4 Format A paperbacks. |
| 1976 | Armada | #23 Footprints u/t Window – #26 Cabin Island |
4 Format A paperbacks. |
| 1977 | Collins | #37 Clue of The Broken Blade – #42 Danger On Vampire Trail |
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| Collins | Adventure Activity Book | The only paperback issued directly under the Collins label. | |
| Armada | #12 Wailing Siren Mystery | Format F TV Tie-in paperback (issued in both red and white). | |
| Armada | #12 Wailing Siren #13 Secret of the Caves #27 Mark on the Door #28 Yellow Feather |
4 Format A paperbacks. | |
| 1978 | - | - | In Australia, the first season of the TV series is broadcast, followed immediately by the second season. |
| 1979 | Collins | #43 Bombay Boomerang – #48 Firebird Rocket |
The last of the 48 British-produced Collins editions. |
| Collins | Detective Handbook | Produced for Collins by Grosset & Dunlap. | Armada | #10 While the Clock Ticked | Red Format F TV Tie-in paperback. |
| Armada | #14 Pirates' Hill #15 Flickering Torch |
2 Format A paperbacks. | |
| Armada | Meet Dracula (And Other Stories) | Collection of three TV episode novelisations. | |
| - | - | The TV series debuts on the BBC (18 episodes in total are broadcast this year). |
1980s
| Year: | Publisher: | Titles: | Notes: |
| 1980 | Collins | #49 Figure in Hiding – #56 Sting of the Scorpion |
Eight additional titles in the original series are issued by Collins in the form of rebranded Grosset & Dunlap picture cover editions. |
| Angus & Robertson |
#57 Night of the Werewolf #58 Samurai Sword |
Angus & Robertson gain the hardback-publishing rights. | |
| Armada | #16 Old Mill – #18 Great Airport Mystery, #29 Hooded Hawk |
4 Format A paperbacks. | |
| - | - | Season One of the TV series is broadcast in New Zealand. | |
| 1981 | Collins / Armada |
Survival Handbook | Published simultaneously in paperback and hardback editions. |
| Angus & Robertson |
#59 The Pentagon Spy – #62 Smugglers' Cove |
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| Armada | #30 Secret Agent on Flight 101, #57 Night of the Werewolf – #60 The Apeman's Secret |
5 Format A paperbacks. | |
| - | - | BBC begin showing the remainder of TV episodes from the first and second seasons, while New Zealand viewers see the first half of the second season. | |
| 1982 | Angus & Robertson |
#63 The Stone Idol – #66 The Submarine Caper, Supersleuths |
The Supersleuths collection of stories featuring the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew is published in hardback. |
| Armada | #31 The Tower Treasure, #32 Missing Friends, #61 The Mummy Case – #64 The Vanishing Thieves |
Last six Format A paperbacks are released. | |
| - | - | BBC show the last remaining TV episode: Death Surf. The rest of the second season is broadcast in New Zealand. | |
| 1983 | Angus & Robertson |
#67 Four-Headed Dragon – #72 The Tic-Tac-Terror |
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| Armada | #33 Viking Symbol Mystery, #34 Mystery of the Chinese Junk, #65 The Outlaw's Silver – #70 The Voodoo Plot |
8 Format B paperbacks (plus several reprints). | |
| Armada | Supersleuths | ||
| - | - | Season 3 of the TV series is shown in Australia. | |
| 1984 | Angus & Robertson |
#73 Trapped At Sea – #76 Cave-In |
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| Armada | #71 The Billion Dollar Ransom, #72 The Tic-Tac-Terror |
The brief Format B series comes to an end with 2 new paperbacks, plus a reprint of The Mystery of the Melted Coins. | |
| Armada | #35 Mystery At Devil's Paw, #36 Ghost At Skeleton Rock, #73 Trapped At Sea – #76 Cave-In |
The Format C cover design debuts, with 6 new releases, plus several reprints of older titles. | |
| Armada | Ghost Stories | This short-story collection goes straight to paperback. | |
| 1985 | Collins | 12 reprints. | Red spine editions, produced in Italy. |
| Angus & Robertson |
#79 The Demon's Den – #82 Desert Phantom |
For some reason, volumes #77 and #78 are not issued by Angus & Robertson. | |
| Armada | #37 Clue of the Broken Blade – #39 The Phantom Freighter, #77 Sky Sabotage, #78 The Roaring River Mystery |
5 Format C paperbacks, plus several reprints. | |
| Armada & Swift Books |
BAD #1 Knight's Sword, BAD #2 Danger on Ice, BAD #3 The Feathered Serpent, BAD #4 Secret Cargo |
The first four entries in the Be A Detective series are released simultaneously in paperback and hardback editions. | |
| 1986 | Angus & Robertson |
#83 The Skyfire Puzzle | The last title published by Angus & Robertson. |
| Armada | #40 The Secret of Skull Mountain, #79 The Demon's Den – #81 The Swamp Monster |
4 Format C paperbacks (plus several reprints). | |
| Armada | BAD #5 The Alaskan Mystery, BAD #6 Missing Money Mystery |
The last two entries in the Be A Detective series come out in paperback only. | |
| Swift Books | Supersleuths 2 Campfire Stories |
Hardback editions. | |
| 1987 | Armada | #82 Desert Phantom, #83 The Skyfire Puzzle |
The prolific Format C era ends, with two new titles and a few more reprints. |
| Armada | #41 The Mysterious Caravan – #44 The Masked Monkey |
The Format D cover design is introduced with 4 new novels and several reprints. | |
| 1988 | Armada | #45 The Shattered Helmet, #46 Clue of the Hissing Serpent |
2 Format D paperbacks, plus several reprints. |
| 1989 | Armada | #47 The Jungle Pyramid – #50 The Secret Warning |
4 Format D paperbacks, plus several reprints. |
| Armada | #1 Dead on Target – #6 Crowning Terror |
The spin-off Casefiles series arrives in the UK with the publication of the first 6 titles in paperback. |
1990s
| Year: | Publisher: | Titles: | Notes: |
| 1990 | Armada | #51 Flying Express – #54 Lost Tunnel |
4 Format D paperbacks. |
| Armada | #7 Deathgame – #10 Hostages of Hate |
4 Casefiles paperbacks. | |
| 1991 | Armada | #11 Brother Against Brother #12 Perfect Getaway |
Casefiles, but they are quickly withdrawn, and the rights to the series pass to Archway (UK) |
| Armada | #54 Lost Tunnel – #56 Sting of the Scorpion, #85 Programme For Destruction |
Format D era comes to an end, with 4 new paperbacks. | |
| 1992 | Armada | #86 The Sky-Blue Frame #87 Danger on the Diamond |
Format E paperbacks, plus several reprints. |
| Archway (UK) | #11 Brother Against Brother – #22 Double Exposure |
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| 1993 | Armada | Reprints of previously released titles only. |
Final batch of Format E paperbacks. Armada's goal of reprinting all 87 titles in the original series is abandoned after releasing only 32 novels in this format. |
| Archway (UK) | #23 Disaster For Hire – #46 Foul Play |
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| Diamond Books | Six 3-in-1s | Six 3-in-1 paperback omnibus editions. | |
| 1994 | Archway (UK) | #47 Flight Into Danger – #60 Deadfall |
Casefiles with artwork by Richard Jones |
| Diamond Books | Six 3-in-1s | Another six 3-in-1 paperback omnibus editions. | |
| 1995 | Archway (UK) | #61 Grave Danger – #70 Rigged For Revenge |
Archway switch to using the US cover design and artwork. The series goes into somewhat of a hiatus at the end of the year. |
| 1999 | Pocket Books (UK) | Darkness Falls, The Dead Season, Line of Fire , Disaster For Hire, Scene of The Crime, Dirty Deeds, Height of Danger, Height of Danger, Real Horror, Perfect Getaway, Choke Hold |
Pocket Books reawaken the Casefile series and issue ten titles selected seemingly at random. |
2000s
| Year: | Publisher: | Titles: | Notes: |
| 2000 | Pocket Books (UK) | Sabotage At Sea, Mayhem In Motion, Taste For Terror, Bad Chemistry, Against All Odds, Duel With Death |
Another six Casefiles paperbacks. |
| 2001 | Pocket Books (UK) | Cave Trap, Toxic Revenge, Lethal Cargo, Sheer Terror, Rough Riding |
Five more Casefiles. Stress Point is scheduled for publication in September, but the release is cancelled in advance. |
| - | - | Season 3 of the 1970s TV series is shown in New Zealand for the first time. | |
| 2003 | Pocket Books (UK) | Five-In-One | Casefiles boxed set. |
| 2005 | Simon & Schuster | #1 Extreme Danger, #2 Running on Fumes, |
British Undercover Brothers paperback editions. |
| 2006 | Simon & Schuster | #3 Boardwalk Bust, #4 Thrill Ride |
British Undercover Brothers paperback editions. |
| Simon & Schuster | Choke Hold Toxic Revenge Darkness Falls Cave Trap |
4 Undercover Brothers Hybrid paperbacks (rebranded Casefiles reprints). Two additional titles are scheduled for November, but are later cancelled. |