The Message in the Hollow Oak

 The Message in the Hollow Oak (1935) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy enters a contest to come up with a title for a Canadian author's latest serialized book and wins! The grand prize? The deed to some property in Canada. After Carson Drew arranges for a suitable chaperone, she, Bess, and George take their first trip outside the United States to take a look at the land--which just happens to be beautiful lakefront property with a rumor of gold attached to it. Soon Nancy is battling for her right to the property while an unscrupulous owner of mining company starts digging up gold on her land. Carson is already representing someone else in a dispute with the same company and comes to Canada to look into both matters.

Meanwhile...on the way to Canada, Nancy meets up with Ann Chapelle, the author of the book, who is on her way home to Canada for the first time in decades. She left home after being disappointed in love and a falling out with her grandfather (who didn't care for the young man in the case) and hopes to make things up with her grandfather. But before reaching their destination, the train is involved in a wreck and Ann is badly injured. She asks Nancy to take messages to both the grandfather and her former love--in case she is unable to do so. As with most of Nancy's cases, she finds that while fulfilling her promise to Ann she is able to discover keys to the other mystery.

Another favorite from my younger days. My family spent a lot of time camping, so I enjoyed this story which takes place in the wilds of Canada. And now that I'm older and have done a canoeing trip with my son and the Scouts in the Boundary Waters, I'm more familiar with the idea of portages between the waterways. I have a much better understanding of how remote some of these areas still are. It just made for exciting reading when I was younger.

Spoiler Alert!!

I will say, that as an adult, I'm not sure what I think about the ending of this one. Nancy dynamiting a dam just to keep the bad guys from using her land doesn't strike me as okay. First--how on earth does Nancy know exactly where the most advantageous place is to put the dynamite? Second--destruction of property? Really? Third--she has no way to know how getting rid of a dam will affect the few people who do live in the area. It just seems like "Carolyn Keene" couldn't come up with an ending that would give the villains their just desserts, so "let's just flood the land so they can't use it."

But even with that reservation, this is still a good adventure in the Nancy Drew series and I'll leave it with the rating I gave it when young. ★★★★

First lines: "Carson Drew, Attorney at Law...Private." Nancy frowned as she regarded the neatly lettered sign on the door of her father's inner office.

Last line: "After having had so many exciting adventures up North, I think I'll agree to your holding title to all the property that comes into the Drew family!"

The Ghost of Blackwood Hall

 The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy's jeweler brings Mrs. Putney (another customer) to consult the young detective. It seems that Mrs. Putney, after being advised by her dead husband's spirit, buried her jewels near a certain tree to avoid a robbery. But when she dug the jewels up again to take them to the jeweler to be cleaned, he found them to be fake. She wants Nancy to find out what happened to her real jewels. Nancy's efforts are hampered by the fact that Mrs. Putney has absolute faith in the so-called spirit of her husband and medium whose seances produce him. Nancy is positive that the medium is a charlatan who may be part of the gang who stole the jewels. Her investigations lead her to two young women who are also being swindled out of their paychecks by spirit instruction. 

Consultation with her father produces leads that take Nancy and Bess and George to New Orleans in search of information on a ex-jewelry salesman who may have designed the imitations left for Mrs. Putney. And finally the trail leads to Blackwood Hall, an abandoned property near River Heights which just might be the headquarters for the gang.

This was one of my favorites when I first read it over forty-five years ago. The seances, ghostly messages, weird chanting and organ-playing in Blackwood Hall, the hypnosis theme, and, of course, Nancy figuring it all out. Lots of fun with just the right amount of creepiness when I was in elementary school. It was fun to revisit and see how it held up. And it held up pretty good. I enjoyed myself quite a lot. ★★★★

First line: "If I ever try to solve a mystery with a ghost in it I'll use a smart cat to help me!" Nancy remarked laughingly.

Last line: "Anyway, it's much more fun to catch the people who try to do the flimflamming!" Nancy said, smiling
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Deaths = 6 (three natural; one shot; one drowned; one in war)

The Clue in the Old Stagecoach

 The Clue in the Old Stagecoach (1960) by Carolyn Keene

While vacationing at Camp Merriweather Nancy, Bess, and George find themselves in the middle of a a hunt for an old stagecoach. Mrs. Strook, an older citizen of Francisville, wants to help her town build a new school. Family stories say that her great-uncle Abner Langstreet hid a treasure that he wanted to be of use to his old town, if ever the need were great enough. Her great-uncle had been a stagecoach driver in the days before trains  ran most coach drivers out of business. A letter that Mrs. Strook found which Langstreet began to write to her grandmother gives more details:

You will find a clue in the old stagecoach which may prove to be of great value to my beloved town of Francisville. I put it there because I wanted it to be found some day, but not for many years.

But Langstreet was ill and the letter cuts off before he could reveal where he had hidden the stagecoach. Mrs. Strook asks Nancy to help her find the coach and the clue mentioned in the letter.

There's a couple staying at the camp who are way too interested in what Nancy is doing and who seem to be on a hunt of their own. And there are a couple of tough customers hanging around as well. Oh, and don't forget the the grumpy townsman who keeps popping up and warning Nancy off. It isn't long before a stagecoach is stolen, an abandoned barn is burned down, and Nancy is in danger. But the intrepid sleuth and her friends prevail (of course!), the real stagecoach is found (who knew there might be multiple stagecoaches near Francisville?), and the town is all set to build their school.

This was a fun revisitation of one of the Nancy Drew mysteries that I didn't reread much. I'm not sure why--there's plenty of mystery, a treasure to find, and lots of action with the baddies. It was nice to see Nancy make a few mistakes (as a child I didn't mind Nancy being perfect, but as an adult I appreciate a more realistic Nancy) on the way to the solution. I had no recollection of the girls dating other boys at the camp. I guess they have open relationships with their "special friends" Ned, Burt, and Dave. When the boys write to say that they'll be coming to visit the girls at the camp, Bess asks, 

But, Nancy, what are you going to do about Rick? [what about the guy Bess was dating?]

Nancy pretended to look worried, then said, "Some situations just solve themselves."

And, of course, it does. Rick and his friends conveniently have to leave the camp right before Ned, Burt, and Dave show up. Gotta love how Nancy deals with multiple guys...

Overall, a good mystery with several suspects (instead of the usual obvious one) and lots of adventure. ★★★★

First line: "Nancy, this is one of the steepest hills I've ever climbed down," said Bess Marvin.

Last line: "This adventure was worth it!"
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Deaths = 3 (two natural; one tractor accident)

The Phantom of Pine Hill

 The Phantom of Pine Hill (1965) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy, Bess, and George head to Emerson University on the Ohio RIver to celebrate the school's June Week with their steady dates Ned, Dave, and Burt. But when they arrive at their motel, they find that there has been a mix-up--their reservations weren't recorded and there is "no room in the inn." Ned comes to the rescue and arranges for the girls to stay with an older gentleman and his housekeeper. There's even a bonus mystery thrown in to keep Nancy busy if the June Week activities don't fill up the hours. John Rorick aka "Uncle John" is a great friend of the university and its students and he is more than happy to give the girls a place to stay--especially if Nancy can help with his mystery.

For some time now, a phantom has been entering Uncle John's house and stealing things. All the doors and windows are locked and there seems to be no way for anyone of flesh and blood to have gotten in. Mrs. Holman, the housekeeper, is sure it is a phantom because only something that could walk through walls could get in. Not to mention the ghostly lights she's seen bobbing around up on Pine Hill. When Uncle John tells them a family story about lost treasure on a river boat--fabulous wedding gifts that sank in a nearby cove on the Lucy Belle, Nancy is sure the phantom must be after clues to the treasure. By the time she and her friends are through, they will discover how the phantom gets in, locate all of Uncle John's missing property...and find his family's missing treasures.

The Phantom of Pine Hill wasn't really one of my favorites when I read these as a young girl. And I'm not sure why. It has so many good things--a phantom, a lost treasure, a hidden passage, and even a boat race. As with most of Nancy's stories, it's not difficult to figure out who the bad guy/s are, but the solution to the entry into the library isn't quite so obvious--in part, because Nancy initial checks the area and can't find anything. Reading this now, I appreciate all the fun factors in the story a lot more and it was nice to see Burt and Dave get a little more action this time. Good story. ★★★★

First lines: Nancy Drew stared incredulously at the motel clerk. "But I made reservations!"

Last line: "All of us forget things now and then--even," he added, patting her hand, "the best of young lady detectives!"
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Deaths = one drowned (there were others, but only one named)

The Haunted Bridge: A Nancy Drew 2-For-1

 The Haunted Bridge (1937/1972) by Carolyn Keene (Mildred Wirt Benson)

This mystery review gives you two for the price of one. I decided to read both the original and revised texts since I now own both. In a few of the mysteries, the story line between the two versions are drastically different, however, in most (as in this one) the changes are less sweeping. The basic story remains the same. Carson Drew is assisting in an investigation into a gang of international jewel thieves. His official female counterpart, a Miss Ingle (almost my maiden name!), has fallen ill and he plans to ask Nancy to help him out. In the meantime, Nancy, Bess, and George have been enjoying a vacation at the Deer Mountain Hotel--with tennis and golf. Nancy's golf game is good enough to qualify her to take part in a prestigious amateur golf tournament.

While waiting for her father to need her on his case and practicing her golf, Nancy's golf caddy refuses to enter the woods at the edge of the golf course to search for Nancy's prize golf ball (signed by Jimmy Harlow--a real-life golfing figure!). When she presses him about it, he tells her that none of the caddies would do it for her--because the woods are haunted. There is a ghost that walks back and forth on the bridge leading to the neighboring property; a ghost that moans and shrieks and generally scares the pants off anyone who comes near. Nancy naturally isn't afraid of ghosts and decides the haunted bridge needs investigating.

Then Carson enlists her help in tracking down a woman suspected to have connections to the jewelry gang. The only clue: the woman is known to carry a jewel-encrusted compact with the picture of a little girl in it and authorities say she is supposed to be in the area of the summer resort where the Drews are staying. So, father and daughter check out the local hotels--eyes peeled for a compact. Nancy comes across a young woman with a suitable accessory...minus the picture. But she just knows the young woman is important. Winds up the woman's name is Margaret Judson and she just happens to own the property adjacent to the resort. Is it possible the haunted bridge ties in with the jewel robberies? Nancy thinks it likely when she discovers a brass jewelry box buried in the mud below the bridge. But is Margaret Judson really involved? What about the pushy man at the hotel who seems to change his signature every time he signs something? Is he just an annoying braggart who wants to get Nancy interested in him? Or does he have a deeper purpose? Well...we all know Nancy will figure it out with help of Bess and George...as well as Ned and his buddies (Buddy & Bill in original; Burt & Dave revised).

So...what are the differences in the two versions? Mainly descriptions. Lengthy descriptions of the  grounds of the resort and the adjacent property and the background of Nancy's caddy are given a drastic cut.  The order of certain events is rearranged to no apparent purpose (and with no real change to the story). A couple of the names are changed: Mortimer Bartescue becomes Martin; the caddy Sammy Sutter, Jr. becomes Chris. And in the original text, Bess and George have not yet been given steady dates in Burt and Dave. Ned just brings along two random fraternity brothers who are more than happy to help out in whatever cause Ned's girlfriend enlists them (in this case--sitting up with the injured gardener of the Judson estate among other chores which would be a spoiler to reveal). The cuts streamline the plot and make the action a bit tighter.

I remember this being a favorite when I was young. I liked the ghost aspect and the way Nancy handled "Barty the Barge-In" with his persistent attentions. It was also fun watching her win the golf championship under adverse conditions (she had suffered an injury to her hand). Reading it now, the reveal on the ghost comes a little too quickly and Mr. Drew's logic in how he and Nancy search for the jewel thief really doesn't hold up. But coincidence is a great thing in the world of Nancy Drew, so it works out. ★★★★

First line: "Oh, that was a beautiful drive, Nancy." (Original text)
                 "Sorry, miss, but I wouldn't go near that bridge for a million dollars," said the young, freckl-faced caddy. (Revised text)

Last line:  "Good-by, old Mr. Ghost!" she addressed him gaily. "A million thanks for a very pleasant mystery!" (Both Original & Revised texts)

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Deaths = 3 natural

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm

 The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (1936) by Carolyn Keene 
[revised text version]

Mr. Stanley Strong, owner of the Bengleton Wild Animal Show asks Carson Drew to investigate some trouble, perhaps illegal activities at his show. But Mr. Drew can't make the appointment and asks Nancy to go in his stead. Nancy, Bess, and George attend the show and meet a young Indian boy who works with the elephants. Rishi is an orphan and his guardian, the elephant trainer Rai, is a cruel man who may be behind the suspicious activities. Rishi stows away in Nancy's car and pleads for her help in getting away from the cruel trainer. As she dives deeper into the mystery, she discovers proof that the young boy may not be an orphan after all and that his father, possibly living in River Heights, may have been a very important man in India. 

This is a standard Nancy mystery--lots of bad guys, mysterious tunnels, a kidnapping or two, a weird lady who goes into trances at the drop of a hat, an ivory charm complete with luck and potions, and a missing treasure. There is a cave-in in the tunnels and Nancy & her father must escape. There is an attack on a professor who had agreed to tutor Rishi in English. The ivory charm is stolen and reclaimed. And...of course there is a happy ending for Rishi and his father and a jail cell waiting for the bad guys. 

Not one of my all time favorites when I read these while growing up. I did like the animal connection and the background from India. Even though we find out exactly what Rai has been up to, I found it odd that Mr. Strong called in the Drews. He doesn't really have any actual incidents of "suspicious activities" that he can tell Nancy about. All he can say is that Rai is "secretive" and thinks it's okay to disobey US laws--but he doesn't give any examples of what laws have been broken. There is an incident where Nancy tells Rai that he can't whip Rishi in America--but corporal punishment by parents (or guardians) was not illegal in the 1930s (when this was written). I didn't think about it this thoroughly when I was nine or ten, but reading it now I think it would have been nice if there were a better hook to get Nancy into the mystery. Still--a decent adventure and a fairly good story. ★★★

First line: Nancy sat in her father's law office, waiting for him to finish a long-distance call.

Last line: Everyone laughed and agreed the idea was a good one.
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Deaths = one natural

The Secret in the Old Attic

 The Secret in the Old Attic (1944) by Carolyn Keene

Once again Nancy and her father Carson Drew are pursuing two cases that dovetail into one. Carson Drew has been asked Mr. Booker to help him prove that Horace Dight has stolen his top-secret silk formula. He suspects a supposed "top" scientist named Bushy Trott (I ask you--who on earth is going to believe that a "top" scientist goes by the name Bushy) of having worked for him temporarily with the sole purpose of discovering his secrets--but he has no proof. Carson has had Trott followed for quite some time with no result. 

Since he is busy with the Booker case, he asks Nancy to help him with another client Philip March. Mr. March is trying to find music that his son left behind when he was killed in World War II. He's sure the music is hidden somewhere in their family mansion, but has been unable to find it. He's also sure that if found, the music will bring in a good income that will help him raise his orphaned granddaughter Susan. Clues to the hidden music are supposed to be found in his son's love letters to his wife (now also deceased). Nancy's treasure hunt soon turns into an effort to prove theft when Mr. March begins hearing some of his son's songs on the radio--under someone else's name! As she investigates, she begins to suspect that Trott has something to do with the stolen music as well. But how to prove it? Nancy, Bess, and George wind up staying at the March estate in order to hunt for clues.

This was one of my favorites when I was young--easily making the top ten. I loved the spooky mansion setting and the treasure hunt aspect and the hidden room. And I didn't mind the coincidences that allowed Nancy's mystery to tie in with her father's. I thought Effie (the maid that Nancy brings in to help Mr. March in the house when Susan gets the measles) was hilarious...seeing ghosts and bad guys everywhere. It was a lot of fun to revisit this one and while I recognize the odd coincidences that happen they didn't detract from fun one bit. ★★★★

First line: "It seems strange to hunt for a clue among these, Nancy, but that's exactly what I've been 
asked to do."

Last lines: "Nevertheless it took courage," her father replied. "If you hadn't had it, you never would have discovered the attic's secret."

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Deaths  = 2 (one in war; one natural)

The Quest of the Missing Map

 The Quest of the Missing Map (1942) by Carolyn Keene

The case of Nancy Drew and the expanding mystery: Nancy's involvement in this one starts with Hannah Gruen. Hannah introduces Nancy to Ellen Smith, daughter of the family where Hannah served as housekeeper before coming to the Drews. Ellen is now around Nancy's age and attending a music school. Her family's fortunes have taken a down-turn and she's considering taking a position as a piano teacher to Trixie Chatham. But Ellen has some qualms about the house where Mrs. Chatham (a widow) and her daughter live--as well as Mrs. Chatham's attitude towards her daughter. She wanted Hannah to come with her to meet Mrs. Chatham, but Hannah suggests that she take Nancy instead.

The vibes are definitely off at the Chatham house. And it doesn't help that Trixie says that the studio where her mother's first husband's possessions are stored is haunted. There's a man with fierce staring eyes who appears and disappears. Nancy is sure she can show the little girl that her fears are misplaced, but Nancy experiences some odd things in the studio. First, there is a piano that won't play...and then does. While Nancy's trying to figure that out, a hidden panel opens and a menacing voice tells her to "Leave here at once and never come back!" So, Nancy tells Ellen to ask for time to make a decision about the position to give her a chance to investigate.

Then Ellen tells Nancy that her father has a mystery that needs solving as well and takes her to meet him. Mr. Tomlin Smith was one of twin boys who had a sea-faring captain as a father. Before he died in an accident to his ship, Captain Tomlin gave the boys each one half of a map which he said would lead to treasure. The boys were put in separate lifeboats and never saw one another again. Mr. Tomlin Smith was eventually adopted by a family names Smith, but always wanted to try and find his brother. Now he'd like Nancy to help him.

Nancy's investigations into the Chatham and Tomlin mysteries lead her into several encounters with a gang of criminals determined to find the two pieces of the map and make off with the treasure themselves. Nancy is kidnapped, hit over the head, crowned queen of a dance, and makes the discovery of hidden passages--all on her way to finding all the clues to the treasure. But the criminals seem to be a step ahead...will Nancy, her friends, and the Tomlin families be in time to save the treasure from the bad guys? Well...this is a Nancy Drew story, so what do you think?

This is another of the Nancy Drew series that I remember enjoying well enough when I was young, but it wasn't one of the favorites that I read again and again. I'm not entirely sure why. There's all kinds of action; there are secret passages and hidden treasure maps and creepy "ghosts" and a real-live treasure hunt and Ned gets to do a rescue and... But somehow all that action just didn't add up to the kind of excitement I found in The Clue of the Broken Locket or The Clue of the Dancing Puppet or any of the others I loved to reread. And reading it now, I can't blame my younger self. It's a perfectly good Nancy Drew story. Nothing wrong with it, but it definitely doesn't rank among the best of them. ★★★

First line: Golden hair flying in the wind, Nancy Drew ran up the porch steps and let herself into the front door of her home.

Last line: The adventure was at an end.

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Deaths = 3 (one drowned; two natural)

The Clue in the Jewel Box

 The Clue in the Jewel Box (1943) by Carolyn Keene

A mystery which begins with Nancy looking for the pickpocket who has relieved several of the citizens of River Heights of their wallets--including her own father, Carson Drew soon expands to include a search for the missing grandson of a European queen living incognito in the States. Nancy, Bess, and George assist Madame Alexandra when the frail older woman requests their help in seeing her home--she has suddenly felt ill while out shopping. When the girls are invited to her house for tea, they learn of her aristocratic heritage and while showing them some of the treasures she brought from her home country, they see a picture of a little boy in a sailor suit. Madame Alexandra tells them that he is her grandson Michael who has been missing since he escaped the country with his nurse. She'd given anything to find him. And Nancy promises to do everything she can. Her investigations turn up a man who seems to have the proper credentials--but is he really the long-lost prince? His manners certainly don't seem to be very princely. A clue left by Michael's nurse in Madame Alexandra's jewel box will help Nancy determine who the real Prince Michael Alexandra is. Along the way, she and her friends will also catch a sneak thief or two.

It's a good thing I don't go back and read Nancy for the believability of the plots. Me--I'm just in it for a nice stroll down memory lane and, when I've found the original text version, to see if I spot any differences from the versions I read as a child or spot things that I never even thought about as a child. So--the first thing that stood out to me this time? Where is Nancy's roadster? The girl is biking, walking, or taking a taxi everywhere--no roadster in sight. When I look at the publication date, I realize that because of WWII, it probably wasn't a good idea to have Nancy bopping all over the place and wasting all that gas during wartime. And yet...her old school friend Helen Corning shows up in this one and announces that she and her dad had just returned from a glorious trip to Paris. Say what? Paris? In the middle of WWII? Maybe Nancy could have kept her roadster. 

The other thing is more intangible. Something about this one just doesn't feel right overall. All of the characters seem a bit off to me. And I'm not quite sure what it is--except in the case of Ned and Nancy's other friends. When the man originally identified as Prince Michael gate-crashes their boating trip/picnic, Ned and company decide it would be great fun to strand the guy on the other shore. Nancy protests a bit that it wouldn't be nice--but she's actually more worried about Madame Alexandra's disappointment in her than abandoning the guy. Sure, he's been a rude boor, but I don't remember Ned and the others being so mean-spirited--willing to capture proven bad guys? Certainly. But playing dirty tricks on those who are rude? Not so much. 

I enjoyed the mystery and watching Nancy solve it. I just wish the characters had behaved more as I expected them to. ★★★

First line: "No a silver pen isn't exactly what I want," Nancy Drew explained patiently to the jewelry salesman in the department store.

Last line: " I'll turn over the organization task of the new company to Dad, and my share of the profits to his pet charity, the Boys Club!"

The Triple Hoax

 The Triple Hoax (1979) Carolyn Keene

Nancy, Bess, and George go to New York City to investigate a swindle that has been perpetrated against one of Aunt Eloise Drew's friends. A man posing as a travel agent sold her tickets and hotel reservations to the tune of $3,000, but the tickets were phony and so were the reservations. They learn that Mrs. Richards had attended a magic show put on by a group called the Hoaxters and that part of the show involves asking audience members to come on stage to observe the tricks more closely. While up there, possessions such as wallets, purses, and the like are removed and not returned until the end of the show. Nancy is sure the Hoaxters are up to no good. It isn't long before she's proved right and finds herself on a cross-country trip to bring the con men (and women) to justice. The mystery involves fraud, a stolen ancient vial of poison, and a kidnapped child. But Nancy is quick to pick up the clues that lead to the villains' ultimate hide-out.

I know I enjoyed this one when I was young, but middle-age me wonders how on earth Nancy, Bess, and George (in their late teens) can just flit off to NYC and then Mexico City and then Los Angeles at the drop of the hat. There was an effort to make it realistic by having Mr. Fayne put up a bit of protest about cost when the girls want to take off to Mexico, but it didn't take long for George to jolly him into upping her allowance so she can go (what kind of allowance lets a person fly to NYC, let alone any of the other places?). The mystery itself was good. The plans of the con men actually made sense and reflected actual con jobs that have occurred in real life. So, I enjoyed the mystery and visiting with Nancy and friends again--Ned, Burt, and Dave show up for the grand finale in L.A. But I can't say that this one stands out as a favorite. ★★★ for a middle-of-the-road ND mystery.

First line: "Dad! Aunt Eloise wants me to come to New York immediately to solve a mystery!" eighteen-year-old Nancy Drew called out excitedly.

Last line: As he presented it to her, there was loud applause, a standing ovation, and wild cheering from Nancy's many admirers.

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Deaths = one natural

The Clue of the Velvet Mask

 The Clue of the Velvet Mask (1953) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew finds herself in the middle of another mystery when she and Ned Nickerson attend a masquerade party at the Hendricks mansion. Her father, half-joking, tells her not to let any thieves spoil the party, but there have been a string of recent thefts at house parties. Nancy and Ned spot a mysterious man in a black cloak and velvet mask scoping out the trellis beneath a second-story window. Nancy later finds a similar velvet mask which will eventually give her a clue to the thieves' plans. But despite the sleuth's watchful eye, valuable miniatures and jewels are stolen. 

There seems to be a link between the thefts and the Lightner Entertainment Company--a company that helps manage parties as well as providing costumes when needed. One of Nancy's school friends, Linda Seeley, works for the company and comes under suspicion of, at the very least, disclosing party details to the wrong people if not being in league with the thieves. Nancy is certain Linda is innocent and redoubles her efforts to find clues that will lead her to real culprit/s. Along the way, she and George devise a daring plan to try and capture the crooks--George will dress up as Nancy! This doesn't go well and George winds up brain-washed (or something) and suddenly afraid of Nancy's mystery-solving ways. But--even though Nancy can't depend on George for back-up, she and Bess...and Ned manage to track down the crooks and serve them all up to Chief McGuinness on a silver platter.

This was another of the Nancy Drew mysteries that I didn't reread much. It definitely has an intriguing theft plot with the use of the parties as cover for stealing. But it just didn't click the way some of the titles do. For one thing, the main culprit is ultra-obvious. For another, there really isn't a reason why George needs to pretend to be Nancy. Nancy could just be herself and George and Bess could have stood by to try and catch the crooks (not that it would have turned out much better--since the bad guys had them all covered from the get-go). But still--disguise wasn't necessary unless we were just going along with the whole masquerade theme. And, finally, it's never really explained how the nasty woman managed to get gutsy George to suddenly turn into a fraidy cat. There's been danger before. George didn't back down. There have been threats to Nancy and her father and Hannah Gruen before. George was still gung-ho for solving mysteries. 

Overall, another good entry in the series. I enjoyed the descriptions of the parties and behind-the-scenes look at the company which managed them. Nancy is on the ball as usual and it was nice to have Ned taking an active part in apprehending the crooks at the end. ★★★ and 1/2.

~One surprising note on the original text version (I read both side-by-side just to see the differences): While Nancy and Mrs. Gruen wait downstairs while Carson Drew helps Ned get into his 18th Century costume, we get this little tidbit: During the next ten minutes weird sounds filtered down to Nancy and Mrs. Gruen. They were certain that the costume would be ripped to shreds before Ned's muscular body could be encased in it. (?!)

First line: "You look lovely, Nancy, and very mysterious," said Hannah Gruen, housekeeper for the Drew family, as she smiled fondly at the slender. blue-eyed girl.

Last line: "I tried it once and found it too dangerous!"

The Witch Tree Symbol

 The Witch Tree Symbol (1955) by Carolyn Keene 

In this 33rd Nancy Drew mystery, Mrs. Tenney has inherited half of a houseful of valuable antiques.When she takes Nancy to see the beautiful tables that once belonged to George Washington, she's dismayed to find that many of the valuable pieces--including the tables--have disappeared. Mrs. Tenney is sure that her cousin (co-heir) has taken the most valuable pieces ahead of the division of the inheritance, but Nancy isn't so sure. A piece of paper found in the corner of the library has a mysterious hex symbol on it which leads Nancy to Pennsylvania Dutch country and a man by the name of Roger Hoelt who may be the culprit.

When Nancy, Bess, and George arrive in Pennsylvania, they meet Manda Kreutz who had run away from home but is now looking to return. After briefly reuniting with her family, Manda disappears again and now Nancy has two mysteries to solve. As the girls get closer to finding both the furniture and Manda, the warm welcome they received turns to hostility when rumors that Nancy is a witch start circulating and they are forced to change their accommodations a few times. But Nancy won't be beaten by ugly rumors and her courageous rescue of two Amish children helps restore her good character. It isn't long before she tracks down the missing antiques as well as Manda Kreutz.

While I enjoyed all of the Nancy Drew books when I was young, this one was never a particular favorite. Some books I read repeatedly but this one I read twice--at most--and I'm not certain that I did read it a second time. I think part of the reason must be that there is even less mystery in this one than is usual in a vintage children's/young adult detective series. There is really only one suspect for the antiques theft, so it's not a major surprise when that person is duly identified as the culprit. The motive behind the theft of the Washington tables is more interesting and it was fun to watch Nancy figure out where the hidden message was. Overall a middle-of-the-road Nancy Drew story. ★★★

First line: "I wouldn't go into that spooky old house alone for anything," declared the plump, nervous woman who sat beside Nancy Drew in the blue convertible.

Last lines: "It sounds dreamy!" Bess said with delight. "And you Amish have wonderful wedding  feasts"--she chuckled--"ain't?"

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Deaths = two natural

Murder at St. George's Church

 Murder at St. George's Church (2018) by Lee Strauss

Ginger Gold's friend, the Reverend Oliver Hill, is finally ready to settle down with a wife. The church is decorated and the choir gathers for a final rehearsal before the big day--with Ginger and her friend Haley making up two of their numbers. But all is not well at St. George's Church. During an intermission in the rehearsal, the choir director, Mr. Theodore Edwards, plunges to his death from the organ loft in the balcony. He had gone up there to berate his wife (once again) over her poor organ-playing skills. When Haley examines him while waiting for the police to arrive, she discovers that Edwards was struck with a blunt object before he went over the balcony railing. This is not accident, it's now a case of murder.

When Scotland Yard shows up, Ginger is astonished to see Chief Inspector Basil Reed. At the end of the last book, Basil has been placed on leave due to his behavior during the investigation of the murder of his estranged wife and he had taken himself off to South Africa to "find himself" (my term, not his). Ginger was hurt at the way he left and the fact he had not written while he was gone. He hadn't even bothered to tell her that he was back and reinstated. So...she's been stepping out with the handsome Captain William Beale. In fact, Captain Beale has asked her to marry him. She likes the captain, but he just doesn't make her heart skip a beat like some people...Oh wait, we're still hurt and mad at him. Things are about to get complicated on the romance front for Lady Ginger Gold, 'cause Captain Beale knows what he wants...and so does Inspector Reed. But does Ginger?

Anyway...so Ginger finds herself uncomfortably working with Basil again. The circumstantial evidence seems to point to Mrs. Edwards and Basil's superior officer instructs him to arrest her. Mrs. Edwards insists she's innocent. She may not have liked her husband much, but she is no killer. So, she hires Ginger to look for the real killer and clear her name. Ginger and Basil soon learn the Edwards was a philanderer with a taste for younger women. Could one of his conquests have done him in? There are also a few men interested in some of the choir members, perhaps one of them killed the director to protect a young woman's honor.

So...in my review of the previous entry in the Ginger Gold series I mentioned that there were two things about the series that were wearing thin. We seem to have taken care of item number one--the on-again, off-again romance between Ginger and Basil. It looks for all the world like they're finally going to get married. So, yay for that. The second problem (the chattering, self-absorbed, immature young woman in Ginger's life) also gets resolved, but none too soon.We get almost a whole book of Ginger's half-sister whining about being bored, making her maid's life a misery, and saying the most obnoxious things she can think of. You can't imagine my relief when Louisa suddenly announces that she's going back to America. Can I help you pack? Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Seriously, she was even more annoying than Felicia was before Strauss had her grow up a bit and that didn't seem possible. And, quite frankly, she served NO purpose in the story line other than to be annoying. I just hope we don't pick up yet another whiny little secondary character in the future.

 The mystery is fast-paced and nicely plotted. I did spot the killer fairly early, but that didn't ruin my overall enjoyment. And, while Ginger may exasperate me at times, I do genuinely like her character and enjoy following her adventures. ★★★

~~~~~~~~~~~Spoiler Alert!!~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PS: And may I just say that I'm none too happy about where this story has taken Haley. I was thinking we weren't seeing enough of her in these last two books...I guess Strauss was just preparing us her to head home.

First line: "Lady Gold, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Last line: Besides, what harm could befall them on a train?

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Deaths = two hit with blunt object

The Scarlet Slipper Mystery

 The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1954) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew meets Eastern European smugglers. This story is full to the brim with Centrovian* characters--refugees from an oppressive government, smugglers, and just plain bad guys taking advantage of the political situation. We begin with a man seated across the aisle from Nancy in an airplane heading to River Heights. One of the engines has gone out and he's just certain that they're all going to die--and probably because of the top secret papers in his brief case (we learn later that the top secret stuff has to do with an underground movement of Centrovians). Nancy does her best to calm his fears. The plane lands safely and the man disappears from Nancy's life...for a while.

Her next contact with Centrovians is with Henri and Helene Fontaine, two Centrovian refugees, who have opened a dance school in River Heights. Bess Marvin has been taking a class there and when she & Nancy go back to the school in search of Bess's purse, they find the Fontaine's in great distress. The siblings have received a threatening letter telling them they should leave River Heights. It's not the first one...they got one while still in France (where their family had initially fled unrest in Centrovia) which made them flee to the States. Now they don't know what to do. Nancy, of course, cannot resist a mystery--especially when Centrovia keeps cropping up--and insists that the Fontaines drop out of sight by hiding at her house while she and her friends try to get to the bottom of things. She'll need to discover the meaning behind cracked figurines, a pair of scarlet dance slippers, twelve paintings of a ballet dancer, and some missing Centrovian jewels. There are also a horde of Centrovians claiming to be friends of the Fontaines and Nancy must determine who is truly friend and who is foe.

Oh my. There certainly are a lot of Centrovians in River Heights these days. As Jennifer White notes in her review of this Nancy Drew title, it is one of the things most difficult to suspend one's belief over. Of all the places in the United States, why did they all decide to descend on Nancy's home town? [Well, of course, the obvious answer is...to provide Nancy with another exciting adventure.] Once I got over that hurdle, I settled down to enjoy the mystery. And I found it quite enjoyable even if it was difficult to keep all the Centrovians straight. I remember this one fondly from my younger days, though I would never have listed it in my top ten. The action is good and for once Ned is given a fair amount to do in assistance. I do have to agree with Jennifer that Nancy absolutely should have paid more attention to that kerosene smell towards the end of the book. Why on earth would she and Bess ever suppose that the policeman was doing anything with it? Those two points (hordes of Centrovians & Nancy being a bit slow on the uptake) keep it just shy of a full four stars.  ★★★ and 3/4

*fictional Eastern European country

First line: "We will crash! Oh---oh!"

Last line: "And it should be titled," Ned said, smiling at Nancy, "'America's Loveliest Sleuth.'"

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Deaths = two natural

The Secret of the Golden Pavilion

 The Secret of the Golden Pavilion (1959) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew and friends are off on another trip to mystery. This time the mystery awaits them in the new state of Hawaii. Carson Drew has been hired by Mr. Sakamiki to help with two problems. Sakamiki is the heir of his wealthy grandfather--but there are difficulties. First, his grandfather left a mysterious message referring to a secret on his estate, Kaluakua, which he has been unable to discover. And, second, there two surprise claimants to the estate. They say they are the grandchildren of the elder Sakamiki by a first wife that no one knew about. While Mr. Drew plans to head to California to investigate these new claimants, Mr. Sakamiki invites Nancy, Bess, George, and Hannah Gruen to go to Kaluakua and discover the secrets of the estate. Fortunately, Ned, Burt, and Dave will also be in Hawaii as part of an Emerson College trip, so they will be on hand to assist. Along the way, they will deal with a ghostly hula girl, members of a gang called the "Double Scorps," a hidden door in the estate's Golden Pavilion, as well asseveral attacks on Nancy, Ned, Mr. Drew, and Mr. Sakamiki's caretakers--including poisonous tacks hidden in a dark-flowered lei. There are also hidden clues (all in Polynesian) for Nancy to find. She soon puts them together to discover just what the secret of the Golden Pavilion is.

Since this book (in a tweed cover) was part of the set my mother handed on to me about forty-five years ago, it was one of the first Nancy Drew mysteries I ever read. It was never one of my favorites, though I'm not sure why. It has lots of puzzling clues to unravel. It has a ghost. It has plenty of action with all of Nancy's friends on hand. But for some reason it just never grabbed me the way The Secret of the Old Clock and The Hidden Staircase did. I reread those several times while growing up. I can't remember ever rereading Pavilion until now. It is actually an interesting mystery with several puzzle clues for Nancy to decipher. But--it still didn't wow me and I don't feel inclined to move it up in the ratings. It's always been a three-star story to me and so it will stay. ★★★

First line: Nancy Drew, her lovely blue eyes sparkling with excitement, stared in fascination from the cabin of a private helicopter.

Last line: Nancy and Ned laughed and agreed.

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Deaths = one natural

What Just Happened

 What Just Happened: Notes on a Long Year (2021) by Charles Finch

"What Just Happened" is, I think, a legitimate question from anyone who made it through that horrific last year of 45's presidency. From the pandemic and all it entailed to watching a black man killed by police right there in front of us to a sitting president encouraging his base to go "protest" a legitimate election with the resulting coup attempt--so much of what happened is enough to make me wonder if we all haven't just been living in a very bad dream. A bad dream that we don't, even now, seem to be able to awaken from. Covid-19 goes on. Perhaps not as deadly as it was at its worst, but people are sill dying. People still have long-Covid, the lingering symptoms that just won't go away. Inflation is at an all-time high because the greedy corporations and millionaires & billionaires who somehow managed to keep making all-time high profits during the pandemic haven't had enough and are still raising prices--only now they get to blame it on the war in Ukraine. And so it goes. [A phrase used often by Finch in an echo of Vonnegut.]

Sorry...didn't mean to turn my review into a rant...but there it is. And I'm not changing a word.

Charles Finch is such a gifted writer. It was both harrowing and cathartic to read his diary and relive and remember how very stressful and scary and just plain awful it was. To repeatedly come across phrases that represent exactly what I felt/thought/said at precisely those moments. To see confirmation that I wasn't the only one who felt the disconnect and who didn't want to work (how could I work when so many were dying needlessly; when I might be next or my loved ones might be next). But he also injects just the right amount of humor to keep us from getting mired in the horrific, to keep us on an even keel. And to even show us a bit of hope.

I appreciated most the absolute honesty of the work. He gives us everything--his fears, his anger, even his craziest thoughts. It is an open, authentic view of what he experienced during what is arguably one of the worst years our country has faced in a very long time. Thank you, Charles Finch, for all of it. ★★★★★

First line: March 11 There is an emotional chill in the streets today for the first time.

Last line: And so the days glide forward, into a future we have to hope other people haven't already made for us.

The Bluebeard Room

 The Bluebeard Room (1985) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy, Bess, and George are visiting Nancy's Aunt Eloise in New York City. They are invited to a society function and just happen to meet British rock star Lance Warrick of the super-group Crowned Heads. But it's Nancy who has turned his head. Nancy also meets Olive Harwood, mother of one of Nancy's friends from River Heights. Lisa Harwood had married a British aristocrat in a fairy tale wedding, but from what Mrs. Harwood tells Nancy, it doesn't sound like they are living happily ever after. Lisa looks thin and haunted and Mrs. Harwood wants Nancy to go to England (at her expense) and get to the bottom of whatever is troubling her daughter. 

Nancy agrees to go and finds herself in the middle of a mystery involving ancient statues, drugs, witchcraft, hypnosis, and hidden caves. She also finds herself juggling the attentions of Lance Warrick and a handsome young reporter by the name of Alan Trevor. Both men help Nancy unravel the mystery. But Nancy is the one who tracks down all the clues.

The basic mystery is pretty good as Nancy Drew plots go. Nancy makes logical deductions based on what clues she's able to find and takes the lead in investigating the hidden cave. But I do take great exception to the ghost writer having Nancy call Carson Drew "Daddy" (which she never did in the original hardbacks) and having her so very caught up in how she looks. It seemed to me that whoever wrote this under the Keene name had very little real knowledge of the character. And don't get me started on how many times her "heart skipped a beat" or her "pulse quickened" and it wasn't about some mysterious clue she noticed--oh, no. It was all to do with Lance "rock star" Warrick. I've never taken to the idea that her special beau Ned is being quietly shoved aside in these later novels. And I certainly am not a fan of making Nancy behave like the heroine of a romance novel. ★★

First line: "Guess who's at the party, Nancy!"

Last line: Nancy kissed each of her suitors and replied lightly, "I guess that's one riddle I haven't solved yet!"

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Deaths = one burned at the stake

The Clue in the Crumbling Wall

 The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (1945) by Carolyn Keene

When four rose bushes disappear from Nancy Drew's garden, she's plunged into another mystery. The bushes are stolen by Joan Fenimore, a poor little girl with a love of beautiful plants. Joan and her widowed mother are living in reduced circumstances and are convinced that if only the mother's sister, Florianna Johnson--a famous dancer--could be found, then things would change for them.

Florianna was engaged to Walter Heath, heir to a fine estate and the family business. But she disappeared nearly ten years ago. Her health had been bad and she'd been advised to take a break from work and go on a vacation. She never returned. Walter loved her and believed she'd come back, but died five years later. His will revealed that he had left everything to Florianna, provided she was found within five years of his death. There are only three weeks left and if the dancer isn't found the estate will revert to the county to be turned into a park.

Nancy promises the Fenimores that she will do all she can to find the missing dancer. There is also a rumor of clues to be found and the Heath estate so she and Bess and George make it their business to investigate. They discover that someone has been damaging the walls of the gardens and buildings--evidently in search of something. Nancy soon discovers a plot to defraud the missing dancer of her inheritance and she must race against the clock to find Florianna, as well as the valuable secret hidden at Heath Castle.

The Clue in the Crumbling Wall was one of my top ten favorite Nancy Drew stories when I was young. And the mystery still holds up forty-some years later. There are good clues for Nancy to follow and just the right amount of danger and adventure. The girls are attacked at various times, but never seriously hurt and they manage to outsmart the crooks very cleverly. It was nice to see Nancy working with her Dad on this one--he and Nancy follow a lead to Florianna in a nearby town. Usually, Carson Drew is off doing lawyerly things and just gives Nancy little "that-a-girl" pep talks when he appears. I really like the ending--how Florianna uses her new-found wealth and the happy ending for Joan and her mother. ★★★★

First line: Great drops of rain pelted the sidewalk, as Nancy Drew raced madly toward home, her golden hair flying in the stiff breeze.

Last line: "And forever they'll remain a symbol of mystery and romance!"

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Deaths = two natural

Haunting of Horse Island

 Haunting of Horse Island (1990) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy, Bess, and George are headed to the Steadman Resort at Triple Tree Lake for a fun vacation. Right--anyone who knows the Nancy Drew stories knows that the vacation will be put on hold a bit while Nancy gets to the bottom of another mystery. 

The resort is owned by friends of George Fayne's dad, Henry and Ruth Steadman. The place is beautiful with a large lake for swimming, fishing, and boating, a pool, and superior cooking in the lodge's dining hall. And the resort has thrived for years--until now. Rumors are dredging up old stories of the ghost who haunts Horse Island (in the middle of the beautiful lake) and there have been an outbreak of pranks--from a harmless snake found in a tackle box to ransacking of cottages. When vacationers begin to pack up and go home, George suggests that the Steadmans allow Nancy to investigate: "You won't find a better detective anywhere." 

The Steadmans agree and Nancy has barely begun to search for clues when the pranks turn more serious--the girls' canoe is spirited away while they investigate the "haunted island" (because Nancy is certain that the renewed haunting rumors occurring just when the pranks started can't be a coincidence) and then a fire is set in their cottage--destroying Nancy's camera and the pictures she took on the island. But Nancy refuses to be driven away and it isn't long before she's gathered enough clues to point out the guilty party.

This is a decent Nancy Drew mystery--the culprit was rather obvious and even the effort to make another character seem suspicious didn't distract me. But it was a fun afternoon's read and I enjoyed visiting with Nancy and friends. ★★★

First line: "Just think," said Bess Marvin from the back seat of the car Nancy Drew was driving.

Last line: "I never want to hear the word ghost again!" Everyone laughed while the Burkle sisters sang on into the summer night.

Nancy Drew Ghost Stories

 Nancy Drew Ghost Stories (1983) by Carolyn Keene

Nancy and her friends, Bess and George, take on mysteries with a ghostly twist in these six short stories. Our heroines get to the bottom of the very live persons behind the ghostly appearances.

It's been a long time since I read these, but I think my feeling about the stories are about the same. Something happened to Nancy once we got past the original 56 stories. She just doesn't have quite the same courage and acumen. In one of these stories she gets locked in an outdoor ice house and she calls out to her friends, "Let me out! It's creepy in here." The stories also have a bit of the feel of a Scooby Doo episode--the mysteries are even more simplistic than the full novels and sometimes the solutions don't make sense. "The Ghost Jogger" jumps about from scene to scene in such a way that it's just confusing--there's no real logic about why the kidnappers behave the way they do. My quibble with "Blackbeard's Skull" is noted below (separated because it's a bit of a spoiler--so be warned). Overall, the stories were pleasant enough and most had a germ of a good plot. It just seems that they're miss a little something. ★★ and 3/4--not quite up to the full three star mark.

"The Campus Ghost": Nancy unravels the mystery of the professor's ghost that haunts the science labs at Clermont College.

"The Ghost Dogs of Whispering Oaks": Nancy helps a friend get to the bottom of the ghostly canines that haunt her family's ancestral farm. Are the dogs upset at their burial place or is there more to the story?

"Blackbeard's Skull": The ghost of Blackbeard is said to haunt and curse those who take his treasure. When the doubloons displayed at a North Carolina ranger station disappear, With the help of the British Mr. Hudson*, Nancy prove it's no curse and discovers where the treasure has been taken.

"The Ghost Jogger": A ghostly figure gives Nancy a message to "find them in the empty barn with the flaming horse on it." Nancy must figure out who "them" are and where the barn is before she can solve the mystery of the ghost jogger."

"The Curse of the Frog": Nancy investigates a fortune teller who may be running a very shady operation. There are threats of a curse--from a weird frog statue. And then she discovers that the frog may have a very different meaning indeed.

"Greenhouse Ghost": Nancy is asked to investigate a cottage with a haunted greenhouse. The owners want to sell the property, but prospective buyers keep getting scared off.

*So...the ending of "Blackbeard's Skull" is weird. We're supposed to believe that Hudson was really a ghost. But he talks and interacts with Nancy and the Coast Guard and the crooks. He gets tied up. He shares a meal with Nancy, Bess, George and the ranger. Pretty bizarre ghostly behavior.

First lines (1st story): "We've just seen her, Nancy! The spook that haunts Clermont College!"

Last line (last story): Kiki smiled. "I'd be honored too--on one condition--no more lawn parties and no more ghosts!"

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Deaths = 3 (two natural; one shot)