Leslie McFarlane (19021977) was a Canadian writer, newspaperman, filmmaker, and reluctant architect of one of the most beloved series in all of children's literature. As a young journalist living in Springfield, Massachusetts, he answered a curious ad: "Writer wanted for juvenile series." The gig paid $100 flat per book, without royalties, but in the early days of the Great Depression, this was enough to keep coal in the McFarlane family furnace. Thus began his double life as Franklin W. Dixon, ghostwriter of the first 21 Hardy Boys books.McFarlane brought real literary flair to the job, slipping challenging vocabulary and high drama into formulaic plots he often rewrote entirely. His knack for adventurous storytelling and keen sense of humor helped millions of kids fall in love with reading.