Carolyn Keene books

Club Dread (2009)

In 'Club Dread', Frank and Joe find themselves sent on an odd mission by ATAC. They are to work with another ATAC agent to solve a series of assaults and thefts at a luxury eco-tourist lodge. Meanwhile, Nancy has lucked out to a free week at the same lodge with her friends Bess and George. Nancy ...

Curse of the Arctic Star (2013)

This new series makes the Girl Detective books seem like Pulitzer Prize winners. Usually, I am forgiving with the portrayal of modern Nancy Drew and friends, but the characters in this new book are utterly awful. Nancy is dumb, as much as I hate to use the word, and also far too forgetful for som...

The Secret of Shadow Ranch (1992)

Nancy has just finished a case headed for a much needed vacation with her best friends Bess and George in Arizona at Shadow Ranch. However her vacation may be short lived because upon arriving she learns that a mystery is unfolding at the ranch that could force all the girls’ home early. Before ...

The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1974)

The Mystery of the Missing Scarlet SlippersBy: Carolyn KeeneCritique by Margot BuckeyThe Mystery of the Missing Scarlet Slippers is about twins named Henri and Helene Fontaine from Centrovia. They come to America, because they are forced out of their country. They are very scared of what might ha...

The Witch Tree Symbol (1956)

As a kid, I read all of the Nancy Drew books. I couldn't get enough of the young detective and her sleuthing skills!For the Books on the Nightstand summer BINGO challenge, I got the box "cozy mystery." Unfamiliar with cozy mysteries, Wikipedia informed me that one of the criteria is strong, fem...

The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948)

I just finished this book as part of an invitation to attend a Nancy Drew themed birthday celebration for a friend of mine. What a fantastic idea! My friend delivered beautiful invitations to each of us, accompanied by a Nancy Drew novel (from her own personal collection!). We are getting toget...

Into Thin Air (1991)

Nancy must help Mark Rubin, a bumbling young private investigator working on an embezzling case, before he makes any more mistakes.

The Bluebeard Room (1992)

The young sleuth travels to Cornwall, England to uncover a mysterious coven of witches plaguing an old friend.

Portrait in Crime (1990)

When the nephew of a reclusive local artist drowns under strange circumstances, Nancy has a full-fledged mystery to solve during her summer at the Hamptons.

The Case of the Photo Finish (1990)

Nancy tries to find out who is trying to sabotage the International High School Track and Field Games before it is too late.

Sinister Paradise (1988)

In Hawaii, Nancy Drew investigates when Lisa Trumbull, granddaughter of millionaire Alice Faulkner, is kidnapped and a ransom note demands that the Faulkners sell their shares of Windward Bancorp to the mysterious Malihini Corporation.

The Sign of the Twisted Candles (1959)

I decided recently to read (and re-read) the Nancy Drew series. These books are a lot of fun, as well as being historically and culturally interesting. This one was written by Walter Karig, a military captain, which adds to its interest. His other (non-Nancy Drew) books are very rare now and it m...

Nancy's Mysterious Letter (1996)

Very Good! I would give this book to a 4th grader about 3 4ths of the way through fourth grade or a fifth grader who is half way or before half way through the year. For A.R., this book is 4.9 points. Love all the mysteries put in one book. Kind of a bit cheesy because a bunch of mysteries are c...

The Clue in the Diary (1995)

I have to point out that I read every Nancy Drew I could get my hands on back in the late 70s. I was about 10 years old. They were consistently interesting, with cool facts about geography, science, and history. They were not too scary or gory; they always ended well. Nancy had a steady boyfr...

The Secret of the Old Clock (1991)

I see this edition is actually a postcard book, but I wanted to review The Secret of the Old Clock with its proper cover.This was the first chapter book I ever read. I have a very clear memory of my mom giving it to me in the car on the way back from Palo Alto, which can't possibly be correct bec...

The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk (2001)

Eeee, Nancy!I love the old books. The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk was ALWAYS my favourite as a child. I think I read it about fourteen times. I guess now I know why I'm obsessed with cruise ships. Things I adore about this novel (some serious, some not-so-much):1. The fact that Ned is MIA. H...

The Haunted Bridge (1972)

Nancy plays tournament golf...oh!, and there's a mystery as well. Departing from the standard series formula, Nancy's adventures on the links play a near equal narrative driver with the underlying mystery of a supposed haunted, golf-ball stealing bridge. A search of The Rules of Golf reveals no...

Mystery at the Ski Jump (1968)

Every girl needs to go through a Nancy Drew phase at least once. For me, that was when I was in 6th grade and read...I don't even know how many of these books. At least eight, I think. This one sticks out in my mind the most because over the course of her ski-related escapades, Nancy taught me so...

The Chocolate-Covered Contest (1999)

Nancy is about to learn the real meaning of "Death by Chocolate" Nancy can hardly believe it. While visiting an amusement park owned by the world-famous Royal Chocolates Company, her friend Bess tears open a million-dollar candy wrapper in a contest. But when they go to collect, they're told tha...

Mystery of the Tolling Bell (1973)

Mystery of the Tolling Bell is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 23rd book in the Nancy Drew series. Nancy and her friends investigate the mystery of a cave that is haunted by a ghost accompanied by a bell ringing. Along the way, they encounter strange seances, kidnapping...

The Clue of the Broken Locket (1965)

For as many of them as there are and as popular as they purportedly have been over decades of readers, this was a huge disappointment. Nancy Drew is full of bland, shallow characters, predictable and slow-paced action, and boring and unnecessary detail.First things first -- characters. A good w...

Captive Witness (2005)

The real mystery Nancy Drew has solved is the mystery of aging and she never even takes credit for it. In the first Nancy Drew mystery, The Secret of the Old Clock, on page one we read “Nancy Drew, an attractive girl of eighteen, was driving home along a country road in her new, dark-blue conver...

The Moonstone Castle Mystery (1962)

The Moonstone Castle Mystery is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 40th book in the Nancy Drew series. When Nancy Drew receives a valuable moonstone as a gift from an unknown person, she is amazed and puzzled. But it is only the first of several startling events in this co...

Vanishing Act (1991)

Rock star Jesse Slade disappeared under mysterious circumstances several years ago. Now, as Nancy and her friends Bess and George watch a television retrospective on Slade's life, they notice something, and Nancy vows to reopen the case and solve the mystery.

Hit and Run Holiday (1993)

A Quickie ReviewThis one doesn't score as high because its setting is one of my least favorite places: the beach. Regardless, it's still another moderately enjoyable volume in this very long series; if you've read it up to this point, you know what to expect.Content Concerns:• Sex: Kissing and f...

Fatal Attraction (1989)

Hired by Brenda Carlton's dad to investigate the girls' new boyfriend, Nancy learns that Dave has been paid off by other fathers to leave their daughters alone. When Brenda is involved in a near-fatal accident, Nancy realizes loving Dave could be a Fatal Attraction.

Last Dance (1989)

When strange happenings coincide with the opening of a new dance club, Nancy is suspicious. The owner of the club is the heart-throb of every girl in town and it is not until Nancy finds a stack of old love letters that she realizes that the Last Dance could be her last case. The Nancy Drew Files...

The Message in the Hollow Oak (1972)

Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE] ACE #1 Nancy Drew tackles a mystery professional detectives failed to solve--finding a valuable centuries-old message in a hollow oak tree in Illinois. The story is based on the original title of the same name first published in 1935. T...

The Greek Symbol Mystery (2005)

I read quite a few Nancy Drew books when I was a girl and thought I'd enjoy the nostalgia of reading one again. I checked a title out from the library that I'd never read and was more than a little disappointed in this one.The story jumped straight from one incredibly lucky clue to another withou...

The Whispering Statue (1970)

Nancy Drew goes undercover in this exciting mystery!The Story.Mrs. Merriam has come to the Drews for two reasons. One, she believes that Mr. Basswood, her second-hand dealer is behaving dishonestly and cheating her. Two, a priceless Italian statue – a statue that is said to whisper – has been sto...

The Quest of the Missing Map (2004)

The Phantom of Pine Hill (1964)

The Phantom of Pine Hill is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 42nd book in the Nancy Drew series. When Nancy Drew, together with her two close friends, arrive for the Emerson University June Week celebration and learn there has been a mix-up in their motel reservations, t...

The Secret of the Wooden Lady (1950)

I am aware that the author, Carolyn Keene, is just a pseudonym for a number of writers who wrote book in the Nancy Drew series. If you read the books from the beginning till the later books (the original one to sixty-four ones), you could discern the level of intricacy of the mysteries that Nancy...

The Clue of the Black Keys (1951)

Only recently--i.e. August/September 2013--I discovered Connie Blair and her series of mysteries. After reading her first three mysteries, I grew curious as to how she might compare to my childhood fave, Nancy Drew.Poor Nancy, perhaps it is adult hood jadedness but she seems shallow and unrealist...

The Clue in the Jewel Box (2005)

Before we get to the review portion, I would like to take a moment to gripe about the Goodreads-provided cover image for this book: stop making Nancy a blonde. She is described in every single damn book as being "titian haired." (the original series, anyway; I don't even know what they've done wi...

The Mysterious Mannequin (1993)

I recently found a box of my old Nancy Drews in my mother's attic. This one was right on top. I remember, at age nine, loving the exotic aspects of the story: an Oriental rug with an encoded message, a scimitar that seemingly leaps out of said rug on its own, an eerily beautiful mannequin, a romp...

The Mystery at Lilac Inn (1994)

Unfortunately, the quality dipped again after that hopeful progress in the previous book. While Nancy is still a strong, interesting character, this mystery is just plain messy. Pretty much none of it makes sense, nor is it structured in a pleasing whodunit format. The appeal of a mystery is two-...

The Hidden Window Mystery (1975)

I read a bunch of these as a girl, along with a few Hardy Boys, and even a few.. was it 'Bobbsey twins'? Not sure if I read this one or not, but came across it as a grown up.Thought I'd explore how well they stood the test of time with my daughter - not well. In our case.But perhaps some others d...

The Fashion Disaster (2007)

Paws on parade! River Heights is hosting its first fashion show -- for dogs! Proceeds will go to the Rollover Rescue animal shelter. The Clue Crew is excited because not only will the day be filled with tons of cute pooches, but Nancy's own puppy, Chocolate Chip, will be a model in the show! But...

The Haunted Showboat (1993)

The series has definitely taken a turn for the more sinister. Nancy and her friends are on their way to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and a mystery. But first Nancy's car is stolen and then they find a bomb and finally, they find a part has been tampered with and the rear axle is about to fall off. ...

The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (1961)

Think 1950s when you read this book, although it was written in 1960. So much of the material is dated. Nancy is busy tracking down a kidnapped girl and her journeys take her to Hong Kong. When this book was written, Hong Kong was still part of the British Empire. Ned, who is studying there, give...

The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (1945)

I remember reading this book when I was younger and really loving it. Don't get me wrong—it was cute and all—but not exactly something to write home about. Maybe it was The Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion that I really loved? (I'll try that one for the next challenge, as my "cozy" mystery....

Pony Problems (2006)

This pony knows quite a few tricks! A new petting zoo has opened in River Heights. Nancy, George, and Bess can't wait to check it out -- the zoo has the cutest shetland pony named Buttons. And it looks like the Clue Crew won't have to wait very long to get a glimpse of Buttons -- he keeps esca...

Murder On Ice (1993)

A weekend on the slopes is just what Nancy and Ned need to rekindle their romance. Joined by Bess and George, they head for the mountains - and run straight into deadly peril. First, Nancy's towline breaks, then she and Ned careen toward cliff's edge in an out-of-control Jeep! Among the suspects ...

Sleepover Sleuths (2007)

I tried reading a "regular" Nancy Drew with Sophie, but she just wasn't in to it. Discovered that there's now a Nancy Drew series for younger readers, Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, and so we tried this one (the first). It was a big hit. We read two or three chapters a night and she was totally...

The Clue of the Velvet Mask (1953)

The Clue of the Velvet Mask is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 30th book in the Nancy Drew series. When Nancy attends a masquerade party at the Hendrick estate, she discovers a stranger attempting to climb the rose trellis to the second story of the house. Who is this e...

The Cinderella Ballet Mystery (2006)

Can Nancy follow the trail of this fairy tale? Nancy and her friends are going to be in a ballet! After months of taking dance classes, Nancy, George, and Bess will perform in a ballet version of Cinderella! The Clue Crew is excited to wear fancy costumes and dance on a real stage! Nancy's frie...

The Twin Dilemma (2005)

Lumayanlah cerita gadis remaja yang jadi detektif ini: Nancy Drew. Meski isinya tak sesuai ekspetasi awal saya setelah nonton filmnya lebih dulu yang diperankan Emma Roberts 2007 silam. Nancy yang energik dan cerdik sebagai detektif itu punya pesona yang membuatnya menjadi peragawati yang memamer...

The Invisible Intruder (1994)

The Invisible Intruder is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 46th book in the Nancy Drew series. Nancy Drew and her friends go on a ghost hunting expedition and become involved with a gang of thieves who concentrate their activities on collectors of valuable shells. In a d...

Password to Larkspur Lane (1960)

A carrier pigeon lands in the Drew's yard with a hurt wing and an undelivered letter contain an odd set of directions. After visiting her family doctor for her housekeeper's sprained ankle he confides that he had been taken recently, blind-folded to tend an elderly woman. This sparks Nancy's int...

The Mysterious Image (1984)

Nancy is asked to find a missing actress, Clare Grant.Nancy's father asks for Nancy's assistance in clearing his client, photographer, Dallas Curry, from serious accusations that he copied other people's advertisements.

The Silver Cobweb (1983)

Nancy's latest mystery involves golf pros, opera stars, jewelry designers, and webs and spiders.

The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes (1964)

The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 41st book in the Nancy Drew series. Warnings not to go to Scotland can't stop Nancy Drew from setting out on a thrill-packed mystery adventure. Undaunted by the vicious threats, the attractive young d...

The Sky Phantom (1993)

The Sky Phantom is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 53rd book in the Nancy Drew series. While vacationing on a ranch in the Midwest with her friends, Nancy Drew investigates a mysterious magnetic cloud, searches for a hijacked plane, and hunts a horse thief.I’ve always b...

The Thirteenth Pearl (1992)

This is the LAST ONE. And there are still unanswered questions, like where is River Heights? (My guess is upstate NY.) What caused Mrs. Drew's death (one book said she died "suddenly" and one other one mentioned "a brief illness" but that's it)? Why didn't Hannah, who was apparently married h...

White Water Terror (1988)

Nancy sets out to have a fun and exciting white water rafting trip, but when someone starts sabotaging the trip, her life is in danger, so she needs to investigate.

The Black Widow (1989)

Nancy uncovers a mystery while cruising to Rio de Janeiro. First a drawing of a black widow spider with a coded message is slipped under Nancy's door. Then a box of live black widows are sent to attractive widow Mrs. Nina da Silva--whose husband stole--then hid--an enormous set of emeralds.

Fatal Ransom (1989)

Teenage heir Hal Colson has been kidnapped, and Nancy knows it will take $475,000 to get him back. Lance Colson, Hal’s handsome uncle and guardian, is convinced that the punk rockers Hal hangs out with are responsible. Nancy gets nervous when she and George are caught casing one of the punk rocke...

Two Points to Murder (1988)

Sometimes you have to sacrifice things for the sake of others. When Nancy is faced with a new case, she thinks everything will go fine- until one of her boyfriend's friend is under suspicion. Death will be defied. Sacrifices will be made. And all this leads down to some pranks on the Emerson coll...

Deadly Doubles (1988)

A Quickie ReviewThough still good, this was a step down for this series; it just wasn't as exciting or intense as its predecessors. Fans will likely read it anyway, but, don't expect it to be on par with the earlier books. Here's hoping the later books will go back to what made the start of the...

False Moves (1989)

hi i rote this book in 3 4

The Flying Saucer Mystery (2005)

This one was . . . interesting, to say the least. Nancy wasn't her usual, clear-headed self when she keeps talking about how the saucer is from outer space instead of ever considering other options. I did like how she mentions the Dana Girls, a series Carolyn Keene was working on at the same time...

The Clues Challenge (2001)

While Nancy and George visit Ned at college, they become embroiled in the Clues Challenge, an athletic treasure hunt, and Nancy must investigate after several accidents indicate that someone is desperate to win at any cost.

The Triple Hoax (2005)

Aunt Eloise invites Nancy, Bess, and George to New York to help a friend who has been swindled out of a sizable sum of money. There, the girls see a performance of a magicians' group who stun their audiences with clever sleight-of-hand tricks. Because the magicians temporarily remove people's wal...

En Garde (2006)

If I told you I was worried about George's health because she's taken up fencing, you's laugh. Foils today are totally safe, and the gear is padded besides. Right? Well, if so, why did I see blood at George's first meet? Skewering isn't in the legal fencing repertoire -- but it soon becomes appa...

Secrets Can Kill (1986)

Nancy poses as a student and goes undercover to investigate a series of thefts at Bedford High.

Squeeze Play (1994)

Nancy Drew comes to the aid of Sean Reeves, the star pitcher of the River Heights Falcons, when his young daughter is kidnapped and the price of her release is for him to lose the championship game.

The Clue in the Old Stagecoach (1959)

Nancy is a hussy! That's right, I said it. I have suspected all along that she was only toying with Ned Nickerson's affection and in this book, it was confirmed. Nancy and her chums - Bess and George, are on vacation at a lodge. How very swank 1950s (I wish I could afford to go off to a resort fo...

The Strange Message in the Parchment (1992)

The Strange Message in the Parchment is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 54th book in the Nancy Drew series. After a friend's father receives a mysterious phone call, Nancy Drew is invited to Triple Creek Farm to try to find a hidden message in a parchment painting. But ...

Greek Odyssey (1992)

The final installment of this romantic trilogy finds Nancy and her friends in a sea of danger as they journey to the exotic Greek islands. Three passports, including Bess's, have been stolen from the girls' hotel, and Nancy suspects they have fallen into the hands of international fugitives.

The Secret of the Forgotten City (1993)

For cliff-hanging suspense and thrilling action read THE NANCY DREW MYSTERY STORIES® - the world's most popular mystery series for young readers! Millions of fans have matched wits with Nancy Drew, helping her solve more than fifty baffling cases - from THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK to the hauntin...

The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1995)

I read Nancy Drew like crazy when I was a kid, and loved them. I could get through a book in a single afternoon, often between getting home from school and eating dinner. So it was with a sense of nostalgic excitement that I opened this book and re-read it, about 40 years after the first time. Wh...

Stop the Clock (2005)

Just as I'm gearing up to help plan the Mahoney Library's seventy-fifth anniversary celebration, the beautiful old clock, the very centerpiece of the library, is stolen. There's nothing like a good theft to stop a party! Naturally, I throw down the streamers and get to work. Turns out lots of pe...

The Clue of the Gold Doubloons (1999)

Nancy and George team up with twin brothers Andrew and Daniel to produce a low-budget pirate film aboard a reproduction of an old sailing ship, but the movie becomes plagued by a series of robberies and increasingly dangerous stunts.

The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery (2001)

An evening of ballet leads Nancy into a dance with danger! Madame Dugrand's Dance Academy is in rehearsal for "The Nutcracker Ballet", and it could be a huge hit this year. Shana Edwards, a recent graduate who has made a big splash in New York, is returning to River Heights to star in the show. B...

On the Trail of Trouble (1999)

When Nancy, Bess, and George arrive at the Black Hills Buffalo Ranch, there's no time for sight-seeing because someone has stolen a baby buffalo from the ranch. Now Nancy must rough it out to uncover a herd of cattle rustlers.

The Ringmaster's Secret (1974)

Nancy Drew is given a beautiful gold bracelet and finds that one of the horse charms is missing. When she learns the unusual story behind the jewelry, she sets out to solve the fascinating mystery.This book is a condensed version of the original book which was first published in 1953.

The Clue in the Old Album (1977)

Growing up, I was a big Nancy Drew fan. My mom got me hooked when she gave me her 5-6 volume set from the 1950s. From that moment on I devoured the mysteries starring the girl detective like they were going out of style--every birthday and Christmas saw at least one Nancy Drew title on my list. I...

The Hidden Staircase (2016)

Nancy resolves to help Helen Corning's relatives solve the mystery of the ghost haunting their old mansion. A mysterious man appears at the Drew home to warn Nancy that her father, Carson Drew is in danger. This warning prompts a search for the missing Willie Wharton, a land owner, who can prove ...

The Bungalow Mystery (1991)

I will probably never get over my girl-crush on Nancy Drew, and this book just confirms that fact. Which is not to say that the series is flawless and beyond criticism - kinda the opposite, really. One thing I've learned from re-reading some of these books as an adult is that whenever you start o...

Hidden Meanings (1995)

Nancy checks into a luxury hotel where danger comes free of charge. While Nancy investigates threats against Italian-born student Gina Fiorellao, Gina targets Ned Nickerson for romance. Nancy uncovers secret ambitions and sinister desires that could prove fatal. Not only for Gina, but to Nancy as...

Danger on Parade (1993)

/MEGA-BOOKS Nancy and Bess are offered a behind-the-scenes look at Mitchell's department store's Thanksgiving parade. But someone is determined to flatten the floats, burst the balloons, and sabotage the spectacle--no matter who get hurts. And the parade's not the only potential disaster--the pol...

No Laughing Matter (1993)

A gripping story, when Ned and Nancy go on an assignment to a prison and meet one of the inmates they have read about in the paper things don't seem to add up with the news reports.Matt Goldin is accused of money laundering but he comes across as very honest and sincere to Nancy so starts an inve...

The Missing Horse Mystery (1998)

A SEARCH FOR A MISSING HORSE LEADS NANCY TO A DARK DISCOVERY! Nancy's attending the Midwest Grand Prix Dressage Championships, where many of the world's best riders and finest horses compete. But more than blue ribbons is at stake. As Nancy quickly learns, these horses generate big money, turni...

The Double Jinx Mystery (1973)

I'm still plodding my way through the Nancy Drew series - my goal is to re-read all of the original 64 books. Unfortunately, Nook doesn't have all of them loaded yet so I had to skip from 46 to 50. We've come a long way in skipping those 4 books. Ned stayed at Nancy's house (gasp) twice! It would...

Poison Pen (1991)

Sabotaged cars, suspicious accidents, and a desperate letter to an advice column figure into Nancy's summertime mystery.

The Secret at Solaire (1993)

In search of a saboteur, Nancy finds that every desert trail leads to danger.

A Model Crime (1990)

This book is about Nancy's friend Bess who is chosen to be in The Face of The Year Contest. Nancy goes along with Bess just to be company and watch Bess in the contest, but as always, Nancy can never goes anywhere without having to solve a mystery. There were seven girls in the contest. Someth...

The Secret of Mirror Bay (1972)

I've slowed my quest of reading all of the original Nancy Drew books to a crawl. While these were probably exciting to pre-teens in the '60s and '70s, they're quite predictable to this jaded cynical adult. I do get really excited when there is some romantic progression. In this book Aunt Eloise i...

Circle of Evil (1987)

While enjoying a fabulous party hosted by wealthy Joanna Tate, Nancy finds herself investigating a major jewel theft. Joanna's newest prize -- a diamond and ruby necklace -- is missing. And since Joanna hasn't kept the necklace a secret, Nancy has plenty of suspects. Her chief problem is rookie p...

The Kachina Doll Mystery (2005)

When Nancy arrives at the McGuire's fitness ranch in Arizona, she discovers that the future of the ranch is being threatened by unexplained accidents. Teaming up with a ghost, Nancy begins her search for a precious collection of ancient Kachina dolls and hunts for her elusive adversary, who is de...

The Dashing Dog Mystery (2001)

Nancy Wins A Holiday Party Raffle -- but Loses The Prize!Nancy and her Labrador puppy, Chocolate Chip, are enjoying the holiday party at the Dashing Dog salon. They even win the raffle prize -- a one-of-a-kind doggie collar with rhinestones shaped like bones. But then the collar vanishes!Now Nanc...

The Clue of the Tapping Heels (1969)

This book took forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!This was one of the WORST Nancy Drews I've read - this was clearly a 'stuffer book'. No offense to whoever wrote this (because I understand that Carolyn Keene is just a pen name, there have been about 5 Nancy Drew authors) but it needed work to make this more en...

The Swami's Ring (2005)

When Nancy searches through the knapsack of an amnesia victim, she finds an unusual ring. Before long, she is caught up in a second assignment from a beautiful harpist. Nancy's discoveries reveal an important connection between the hospital patient, the harpist, and enemies from abroad.

Smile and Say Murder (1993)

Whew! What a load of relationship drama in here. Nancy was called by Yvonne Verdi who co-owned top teen magazine after she received a series of death threats. Nancy went undercover and got Ned to help her as well. Dangers surrounded their investigations and a couple of near deaths experiences to ...

Island of Secrets (1994)

There danger in the wind, scandal in the sand--and Nancy's about to discover where the bodies are buried! Behind the rustic charm of beautiful Block Island lurks an ugly secret... a secret worth killing for. The mystery began when Nancy joined grad student Barb Sommers on her summer fieldwork--a...

Sea of Suspicion (1993)

/MEGA-BOOKS A high-stakes treasure hunt plunges Nancy into a sea of danger . . . and murder. In Key West, Nancy sets sail on the Lady Jane in search of a wrecked Spanish galleon. When the owner of the ship is charged with murder, however, Nancy suspects a set

Crosscurrents (1992)

On a tour of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Nancy is asked to look into a series of threats against the staff. But the controversial curator, whose stand against industrial pollution had sparked conflict, is immediately killed. Nancy races to solve the crime before the murderer strikes again.

Make No Mistake (1991)

When Carson Drew's millionaire client Clayton Grove dies of a long illness, his son Matt, missing and presumed dead for many years, suddenly re-appears. When Matt sets his romantic sights on Bess, Nancy is determined to see that the wrong person doesn't inherit the fortune.

The Wrong Chemistry (1989)

The story itself was ok, not extraordinary, but it was an ok read. I'm not the biggest fan of the Nancy Drew series, but I find myself picking them up from time to time when browsing in a library. Personally, I find the books quite predictable, even when they throw in plot twists and gather more ...

The Picture of Guilt (1994)

STARTLING EVIDENCE GIVES NANCY A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE FINE ART OF MURDER. Nancy's spending Thanksgiving in Paris, the city of light, love.. .and mystery. Her neighbor is Ellen Mathieson, a professor whose study of painter Josephine Solo has suddenly taken a dark and disturbing turn. Ellen's res...

Deep Secrets (1990)

A summer of love and mystery in the Hamptons draws to an end and Nancy will finally have to choose between Sasha, the handsome ballet star, and Ned, her longtime beau.

Rehearsing for Romance (1996)

The stage is set for disaster -- and Nancy's in the spotlight! Bess has landed a small part in a promising new Chicago play, and she's seeing stars for the hot young featured actor, Jordan McCabe. Nancy, however, sees only trouble. The play is a mystery, the theme is murder, and it soon becomes a...

The Spider Sapphire Mystery (1967)

Oh yes, I'm still reading Nancy Drew novels. As an adult with far too much literary criticism classes, reading them is a very different experience for me than it was as a kid. Then, reading these books was like watching action blockbusters - sure, in the back of my mind I knew they were silly and...

Action! (2004)

So I agreed to play the part of Esther Rackham in a film about the heist that gave River Heights its name, and there was all this trouble on the set, and I figured out who was behind it. Case closed, right? Wrong! Once the camera starts rolling, a huge fire breaks out on the set, setting back p...

The Nancy Drew Sleuth Book: Clues to Good Sleuthing (2007)

Nancy Drew loves to share her tips for solving mysteries with the Detective Club, a group of her friends from River Heights. Get the scoop on Nancy’s sleuthing secrets—like what your handwriting says about your personality, how to identify fingerprints, and even how to catch a ghost! Get a clue w...

A Race Against Time (2004)

I recently finished A Race Against Time by Carolyn Keene. This book is about Nancy Drew who is competing in a bike race with 3 of her friends to raise money for a charity. There has been thousands of dollars raised, but when Nancy finds out it has been stolen, she drops the race and solves the ca...

Power of Suggestion (1993)

I don't remember when exactly I read this book. I'm pretty sure it was during 6th grade because that's when I used to read Nancy Drew. It doesn't matter when I have read it because to this day, I call this book one of my favorites. Whenever someone asks me what my favorite book is, I reply with ...

The Broken Anchor (1991)

A quest for pirate treasure takes clever detective Nancy Drew and her friends to a small island in the Bahamas.

Hot Tracks (1992)

The River Heights car theft ring makes off with Bess' brand-new Camaro, and when Nancy finds the suspected thief murdered, she knows that only an accomplice--possibly someone working with the police on the case--could have gotten to the thief before her.

My Deadly Valentine (1994)

nancy is headed to emerson college for a week of relaxlation during sweetheart week, an emerson tradition. Nancy is in for a surprise when rosie lopez, whose is the queen of the week, gets a nasty knock on the head, but theres more to follow

Hotline to Danger (1994)

When Nancy volunteers to work the phones for the Help Is Here teen hotline, an anonymous female voice directs Nancy to a deserted neighborhood where she finds the dead body of Paul Remer, another center volunteer.

The Crooked Banister (1971)

Potentially the worst of the series. Featuring a robot and portraits plastered with poison, #48 drifts incongruously into sci-fi and away from the classic Drew formula of wholesome plausible eeriness. What's with a house surrounded by a burning moat? Was Thomas Banister also the medieval king o...

The Runaway Bride (1994)

Nancy's in Tokyo to attend the wedding of her friend, Midori Kato, but the guests are greeted with a most shocking announcement--the bride has disappeared. Will Nancy's sleuthing enable Midori to keep her wedding date, or is it already too late?

Rendezvous in Rome (1993)

Part two of the exciting trilogy--composed of three individual mysteries--that takes Nancy and her friends to Europe. In the ancient, romantic city of Rome, Nancy, Bess, and George have their hearts set on amore galore. Instead, they find themselves hot on the trail of a dangerous jewel thief.

The Final Scene (1990)

Nancy Drew and her two best friends (George: she’s a girl, and Bess) go to welcome the movie star Brady Armstrong to their town at the Century Cinema, where he will do a meet and greet with his fans. However, Bess gets kidnapped. They receive a note that says the kidnapper doesn’t want a ransom,...

Betrayed by Love (1996)

Nancy goes to her friend Angela's opulent family home on Long Island to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. But it becomes clear, before the ink has dried on the invitations, that the date is set for danger and that Nancy will have to stand up for Angela in more ways than one.

Hot Pursuit (1991)

While vacationing in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Nancy, Bess, and George learn that one of the hottest rock groups around is filming a music video at their resort. But something sinister is brewing beneath the palm trees, turning the island retreat into a danger zone.

Sisters in Crime (1988)

Nancy’s holiday at a California college turns into an investigation of a mysterious drowning, and she discovers that some sorority girls are far from innocent.

Deadly Intent (1991)

The Good: The new(er) adventures of famed teenage sleuth Nancy Drew continue in this second volume, with all the same suspense and mystery that the first book had. While this is a decidedly different take on the infamous literary character, it's plenty of fun, and feels like a '90's Nickelodeon ...

Something to Hide (1989)

This one was excellent. I would give it 5 stars, but once again Nancy Drew has done something that caused me to downgrade the story.I am convinced that Nancy is legally brain dead. Some of the things she does just doesn't make sense. She willingly goes outside with the baddie...alone. She had pla...

Stage Fright (1993)

So obvious it was Marla, but it took Nancy forever to get it.

Trouble in Tahiti (1989)

Nancy and her friend, Bree, discover that Tahiti is no paradise as they search for the truth about the death of Bree's mother in a freak accident five years ago.

High Marks for Malice (1989)

Nancy and Ned visit prestigious Basson College to see their friend Linc Sheffield. Soon they learn Linc is lying unconscious after a mysterious accident, and Nancy and Ned become embroiled in a case of bogus degrees and blackmail that leads to murder.

Danger For Hire (1990)

Nancy speaks at a career fair for river heights high where she meets her next client. Nancy Drew and investigative reporter Brenda Carlton compete to solve a case involving a string of local robberies, but Nancy must forget their rivalry when Brenda falls into a trap Nancy set for the thieves.

Trail of Lies (1993)

When Carson Drew is invited by his friend, Henry Wilcox, to visit him in Alaska; Nancy and George are delighted to join him. But everything turns sour when Wilcox is accused of smuggling ivory and Nancy is asked to investigate. Henry's son Steve has a grudge against Nancy which she can't figure o...

Easy Marks (1991)

Undercover at Brewster Academy to investigate a grade-changing scheme, Nancy must find out who has penetrated the school's computer and is extorting money from students in exchange for upgrading their records.

Wrong Track (1991)

Posing as a reporter for a ski magazine, Nancy sets out to uncover the truth behind Rebecca Montgomery's firing from posh Tall Pines cross-country ski resort.

Nobody's Business (1992)

Nancy, Ned and Bess are helping Ned's friend Andrew with construction to transform a grand old inn into a hot new rock club but it has turned into a design for disaster. Someone is playing deadly pranks on the voulnteers of the building site but Nancy's determined to stop a saboteur before the di...

A Talent For Murder (1992)

Nancy enters a world of glamor and glitz where murder is all the rage While in San Francisco to visit Ned's cousin, whose husband works at one of the Coast's hottest talent agencies, Nancy and Ned rub elbows with some of the city's most beautiful people. But one of those beautiful people has met...

The Perfect Plot (1992)

/MEGA-BOOKS Nancy's weekend at the former estate home of the late, great mystery writer Dorothea Burden turns out to be much more than an innocent exercise in fictional felonies when several jewel-encrusted figurines are stolen and the author's long-time edit

Dangerous Relations (1993)

Nancy goes behind the scenes at the circus and finds big trouble under the big top. Nancy's in Sarasota, Florida, winter site of the Grand Royal Circus, to help trapeze artist Natalia Petronov look into her heritage. Adopted as an infant, Natalia is now determined to find her real father. But as ...

Let's Talk Terror (1993)

It's hot. It's cool. It's controversial. It's talk TV . . . and for Nancy Drew it's turning deadly serious! Everybody's talking about "Marcy, " Chicago's hip new teen TV talk show, and Nancy has tickets to see it live. When host Marcy Robbins grabs the mike and goes on the air there's sure to be ...

False Pretenses (1993)

I really like the interaction (what there is, anyway) between Nancy and her father in this one. While he's usually not particularly involved in her cases past wanting her to be careful, he's feeling doubly protective as both father and client. I love any of the books that really focus on them, so...

Designs in Crime (1993)

In a world of lace, silk, and chiffon, Nancy finds that murder is made to order! Beau Winston is a hot name in fashion, and he's invited Nancy Drew into his New York studio to find out who is stealing his original designs. But now he has suffered an even greater loss -- one that threatens to dest...

Illusions of Evil (1994)

In a carnival of crime, Nancy finds nothing is what it seems . . . except the danger. Nancy has come to Riverfront amusement park at the invitation of famed illusionist Adriana Polidori. Having inherited the park after her uncle's tragic death, Adriana now finds herself on a roller-coaster ride ...

An Instinct for Trouble (1994)

I was an avid fan of the Nancy Drew books when I was young, and thought I might revisit the words again. This one involves Nancy going to the Yellowstone Park to help Ned. Ned is involved with a research team that is studying furry creatures resembling hamsters. Accompanied by Bess, Nancy sets ou...

The Secret in the Old Attic (2005)

First published in 1944, this mystery finds Nancy searching for some unpublished musical manuscripts which she believes are hidden in the dark, cluttered attic of a rundown mansion.

Stay Tuned for Danger (1987)

Imagine-a chance to work as extra's on TV's top soap opera, with America's heartthrob, Rick Arlen! Bess is dazzled when she and Nancy are invited on the show by Rick's beautiful co-star Mattie Jensen. She's alarmed because the handsome actor has received some nasty threats-from a slashed photo to...

The Clue of the Leaning Chimney (1949)

This mystery/suspense book, written by Carolyn Keene in the middle 1900's is a typical "Nancy Drew" mystery and for young audiences who enjoy the predictable, "cookie-cutter" plots found through out the series this novel is perfect! In the "Young Adult" category I would suggest a younger audience...

The Suspect Next Door (1991)

A killer is preying on Hollywood's most powerful players.

The Clue of the Dancing Puppet (1962)

The book “Nancy Drew and The Clue Of The Dancing Puppet” , with 177 pages , written in 1990 by Carolyn Keen is intended for older kids from ages ten to fourteen . The main problem in “ The clue of the dancing puppet “ is that every night a mysterious puppet comes out and dances in the backyard o...

Mystery of the Glowing Eye (1993)

When Nancy eagerly agrees to help Carson Drew solve the mystery of the glowing eye, she cannot know Ned will be kidnapped! A puzzling note in his handwriting sets Nancy, Bess and George on a hazardous search for a bizarre criminal. The young detectives follow a maze of clues to locate the kidnapp...

Mystery of Crocodile Island (1993)

Nancy investigates potential poachers at Crocodile Island, a dark, swampy setting with enough reptilian foes to make the locale worthy of its name. Soon Nancy, Bess and George to realize the reptilian foes are less dangerous than some human beings inhabiting the island. The resourceful detectives...

Date With Deception (1990)

An irresistible ballet star from the Soviet Union takes the lead in Nancy's dance with danger.

False Impressions (1990)

A beautiful young woman in nearby Mapleton has been biking the members of a posh country club out of thousands of dollars. The extortionist's name, according to the victims, is Nancy Drew! What's worse, the con artist is a dead ringer for the teen detective.

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (1974)

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 13th book in the Nancy Drew series. While discovering the secret of an ivory elephant charm, Nancy and her friends work to reunite a boy from India with his true father.I’ve always been a voracious reader...

Update on Crime (1993)

/MEGA-BOOKS Nancy is brought on board to work as an investigative reporter after threats are made on the life of handsome WRVH-TV News anchorman Hal Taylor. Nancy finds the evening news to be filled with violence, ambition, and greed--and that's just behind the camera. And Nancy's sure that if sh...

Mystery at Moorsea Manor (1999)

"No room at the inn" means someone wants Nancy to check out -- permanently! There's nothing like riding a horse across the beautiful English countryside, and Nancy has been looking forward to this vacation. But the danger begins even before she arrives at stately Moorsea Manor. Someone steals a r...

The Halloween Hoax (2007)

Boo! The Clue Crew is in for a fright! It's Halloween in River Heights! The girls can't wait to go trick-or- treating and are busy getting their costumes ready. They also can't wait for the Halloween special of their favorite TV show. They even get the chance to visit the TV studio while the sho...

The Clue in the Crossword Cipher (1967)

Hello, old friend. This, hands down, was my favorite Nancy Drew book of all time when I started reading the series in the late 70's and the only copy I still have on my bookshelves. I am pretty sure it inspired my lifelong love of travel and exploration (no BS and not to be melodramatic, but real...

Lost in the Everglades (2001)

DEVELOPERS ARE CLASHING WITH NATURE LOVERS -- AND NANCY'S BEST HOPE IS AN ANCIENT STATUE!Visiting an old friend in Florida, Nancy, Bess, and George are awed by the beauty of the Everglades. But Jade Romero, a young park volunteer, is missing. She went backcountry camping and never returned. When ...

Wings of Fear (1989)

When Nancy Drew's friend Jennifer Bishop, a flight attendent, discovers a smuggling ring operating inside the airline, Nancy is brought in by airline president Preston Talbot and Bess goes undercover as a flight attendent,

The Sinister Omen (1987)

It was my fist Nancy Drew!And I can say: What a Mary Sue.- She is supposed to be 19. And she is trained pilot that can manage even a hydro plane (view spoiler)[and land in case of emmergencial lack of gas (hide spoiler)]

False Notes (2004)

I'm always up for a good mystery, but when the big question is what I should get Dad for his birthday, I don't have a clue! And then another mystery comes my way -- one that involves Heather Simmons, a leading candidate in the upcoming election for mayor of River Heights. My friends and I are pre...

The Case of the Lost Song (2001)

After taking some items to an appraisal show, George discovers that inside his old recorder is a tape containing Lou Knight's last song, and when it is stolen, Nancy and Bess discover that other visitors to the show have been robbed also.

Recipe for Murder (1988)

When Ned burns the barbecue, Nancy offers him a real culinary challenge--a course at the famed Claude DuPres International Cooking School in Chicago. The session is barely under way when Chef DuPres dies. Was it a heart attack or poison? Cook up huge sales with this perennial favorite.

The Phantom of Venice (1985)

Nancy travels to Venice to investigate the kidnapping of a famous glassblower and the disappearance of an artist.

The Secret in the Old Lace (2005)

I miss reading Nancy Drew. I didn't realise how much until I read The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived, but I missed this series. And even after a long absence, I find Nancy Drew as gripping as ever.In this mystery, Nancy gets accused of plagarism and travels to Belgium to solve a hund...

Mystery of the Winged Lion (1989)

While on vacation in Venice, Nancy and her entourage help clear her friends of smuggling charges and come to the aid of a local duchess whose nephew has been kidnapped.

The Haunted Carousel (1983)

Nancy Drew finds more than one mystery to solve when she searches for the reason an amusement park carousel turns itself on during the night.

The Eskimo's Secret (1988)

Nancy suspects that sabotage in a chain of West Coast shops selling imported art objects is connected with the theft of a valuable Eskimo sculpture.

A Secret in Time (1991)

The famous clock from the first Nancy Drew mystery returns in this thrilling adventure. While Nancy is displaying a prized antique clock at an antiques expo, a jeweled brooch is stolen. When Nancy gets home, she finds it hidden in the clock, and she decides to use it to trap the culprit. . . .

Clue in the Ancient Disguise (1982)

In searching through his recently deceased grandfather's effects, Pierre finds a letter from Louise Duval. Louise died only a short while after writing the letter, so Nancy tries to reconstruct what she had discovered.

Rich and Dangerous (1989)

Nancy Drew is in New York with her father. At the Plaza Hotel, she meets Sarah Amberly. However, Sarah is soon murdered, and Nancy's the main suspect! If she does not solve this case fast, she could end behind bars!

Very Deadly Yours (1988)

Bess soon regrets answering the personal newspaper ad when her blind date threatens to kill her! Best friend Nancy Drew takes the mystery into her own hands. Can she crack this newspaper case--or will she end up in the obituaries? A ges 12 and up.

Enemy Match (1987)

Nancy helps an old friend, Nina Ford, learn what happened to her father. Mr. Ford was falsely accused of a crime, and while in police custody, he was swept away in a flood. Nancy acquires her very own assistant, a young girl named Midge who regards Nancy as a hero

The Cheating Heart (1994)

Visiting Ned Nickerson at Emerson College, Nancy must ask him some sensitive questions when a scandal breaks out that could lead to his expulsion, and she uncovers a secret obsession that puts more than broken hearts at stake.

Dance Till You Die (1994)

Bess has landed a job at the Razor's Edge dance club, and she's invited Nancy to check it out. With a wild young crowd, crazy costumes, and a handsome DJ spinning the tunes, it's the kind of place where anything can happen--and soon does. First, the blackout, followed by a scream; then comes the ...

Stolen Affections (1995)

Teaming up with River Heights detective Sam Fanelli after an eight-year-old boy is kidnapped, Nancy learns that young Jeremy Wright may be the victim of a custody dispute between his movie star mother and paternal grandparents.

The Stolen Kiss (1995)

A painter's passion leads Nancy, the girl detective, to a brush with danger. Michael Jared is one of America's hottest young artists, and his new painting, First Kiss, has everyone talking - especially the police when it vanishes from display.

The Case of the Artful Crime (1992)

/MEGA-BOOKS In this brand-new Nancy Drew adventure, things are really heating up at the hottest restaurant in town. Nancy finds that the grease fires, vandalism, and poisoned food are linked to the vault of a nearby mansion and the Dragon's Eye Ruby. Someone is cooking up one of the most daring c...

The Stolen Bones (2008)

I'm hunting for something other than clues for a change: dinosaur bones! Bess, George, and I travel out to the desert to join a paleontology dig. The other volunteers are a pretty quirky bunch, but we're all having a great time...until an important find goes missing. It turns out fossils can be w...

The Mystery of the Masked Rider (1992)

/MEGA-BOOKS In this new adventure, Nancy's friend Colleen is preparing to jump her beloved horse, Nightingale, in the Midwest International Horse Show. The prize-winning filly is worth a cool $200,000, and that kind of cash can breed plenty of greed, ambition, and danger. Soon Nancy has her hands...

The Legend of Miner's Creek (1992)

Carson Drew's old friend Charlie invites Nancy and her friends to his 800-acre Highland Retreat in the Cascade Mountains where a legend of an untapped gold mine theatens

The Make-Believe Mystery (2000)

When Nancy, Bess, George, and classmate Phoebe Archer team up to write a mystery for class assignment, they decide to write about the ghost of Carl Sandburg. Each member of the team must write a section in a special notebook. But when it's Phoebe's turn to write the ending, the notebook disappear...

Shadow of a Doubt (1991)

The legal career of Nancy's father is threatened when he is accused of obstructing justice in an old case and of putting an innocent man behind bars, but Nancy's investigation uncovers the apparent suicide of the convicted man and further questions.

Designed for Disaster (2011)

Nancy Drew and her classmates have the chance to submit their own fashion designs to a big-time competition--and the chance to model their designs in a fashion show. On a team with her best friends George and Bess, Nancy comes up with some truly original clothing ideas and her team is chosen! But...

Model Menace (2009)

In Model Crime, the first book in the exciting new Model Mystery Trilogy, Nancy’s friend Sydney is getting married, but things keep going horribly wrong at the wedding. Who would want to ruin someone’s special day? In Model Menace, just as things seem to be settling down, a mysterious menace has ...

The Red Slippers

I SAID. I knew that as soon as everyone realized there wasn’t actually a fire, they’d come streaming back into the theater. “W-what are you doing in here?” Fiona stammered. “Maggie asked me to investigate who was harassing her, and I just caught you in the act.” Fiona snorted. “That’s so Maggie. ...

The Sign in the Smoke (Nancy Drew Diaries Book 12)

I glanced up from where I lounged on a towel the next morning on the small beach on the lake. Harper leaped off the raft in a perfect swan dive, then reemerged a few yards away, beaming. “That’s amazing, Harper!” I yelled, clapping. That morning I’d been surprised to learn that Harper was, of all...

Thanksgiving Thief

“Do you think the two crimes could be a coincidence, Daddy?” Nancy asked. “Well, there are such things as coincidences, Nancy, and the two might not be related after all,” said Mr. Drew. “But don’t give up on finding the culprits. Just follow the evidence and remember that things aren’t always as...

Unicorn Uproar (2009)

“How could that horse be a unicorn?” Bess asked. “Unicorns have horns on their heads.” “Look at the huge headdress the horse is wearing,” Nancy pointed out. “His horn could be hidden underneath.” “If it is Sparkle,” George said, tilting her head to study the horse, “how did the mayor get him?” “S...

025 Rich and Dangerous

She just didn’t respond. Nothing I tried was any use.” Nancy looked up at her father, her large blue eyes filled with agony and self-doubt. They were standing with the manager of the hotel in the main room of the Amberly suite, waiting for the hotel doctor to arrive. “For all the good I did, I mi...

A Date with Deception

“Sorry,” she said apologetically. “I’m an awful klutz. I nearly knocked these off your desk just now.” Bill still glowered at her, but slowly the suspicious gleam left his eye. He grunted and turned back to Eileen. George was gazing questioningly at Nancy. “We should go,” Nancy told her briskly. ...

Don’t Look Twice

Why hadn’t she thought of it before? She and Denise had been sitting at the same table, and they had the same color hair. The question was, why would anyone want to kidnap Denise? One idea struck Nancy right away—and it didn’t make her at all happy. It had probably looked to anyone watching as if...

Mystery of the Midnight Rider

I EXCLAIMED. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN, he flunked?”Dana dropped her phone into her pocket. “What do you think I mean?” she snapped. “They found a forbidden substance when they tested his urine. Theobromine, to be specific.”"Theobromine? What’s that?”“What do I look like, a chemist?” Dana said. "All I kn...

Sabotage At Willow Woods

The other attendees would be rich potential donors to her campaign, so the event would be very fancy. WE CAN’T SAY NO, George’s last text said. Well. Who was I to argue? That night I pulled up to the Boylestown Yacht Club at precisely five thirty, as George’s e-mail had instructed. Already the pa...

(#20) The Clue in the Jewel Box

Nancy said. “In the meantime, let’s enjoy the view.”“The sun’s hot and I’m thirsty.”“We might ask one of the men to pass us up some cool drinks,” Nancy suggested.“Now that’s a cool idea,” Ned said, grinning.He called to the men below, asking them to send up both food and drink by means of long po...

Sweet Revenge

NANCY SCREAMED. She jumped out of the chisel’s deadly path and felt as if someone had pulled the floor out from under her. She was plummeting through the gaping hole! It all happened in a flash. Almost before she realized she was falling, Nancy’s flailing arms had grabbed a beam and she jerked st...

09 The Clue at Black Creek Farm

George bit her lip as she, Bess, and I all stood in the Heyworths’ driveway again. George was leaving, heading back to River Heights so she could make her shift as barista and waitress at the Coffee Cabin. “Maybe I should go with you.” Bess, who’d been twisting a lock of blond hair around her ind...

(#30) The Clue of the Velvet Mask

“You’ll make a detective out of me yet, Nancy Drew.” Then he became serious. “Here’s an idea. Who is it that the gang is afraid of?”“The police, of course.”“That’s where you’re wrong,” Ned said. “It was Nancy Drew they tried to kidnap, not Chief McGinnis.”Nancy smiled. “Yes. Go on.”“It was you wh...

095 An Instinct for Trouble

Heckleby?” Nancy inquired as the man rubbed his chafed wrists. He nodded.“Are you all right?” Bess asked.“I’ve been better,” he replied, massaging his ankles. “But I sure am glad you came along.I’ve been tied up for hours.”“What happened?” Nancy asked.Heckleby pushed back his unruly gray hair.“Be...

(#26) The Clue of the Leaning Chimney

Reaching for a strap, she caught her breath and quickly planned her next move. She must push through the crowded train and find Carr!Nancy gripped her handbag firmly and started to ease herself among the passengers. She excused herself frequently as she jostled men and women. Finally she reached ...

063 Mixed Signals

Her hands hit it just as the first weight was about to drop. She shoved with all her strength. A second later the weights dropped off the rod, bouncing off the bench a bare inch from Randy’s head and hitting the floor with more metallic ringing.“Are you all right?” Nancy asked breathlessly, helpi...

10 A Script for Danger

BESS sighed between sips of hot chocolate. “Christmas was just last month. What more could you possibly need?” George shot back. Bess rolled her eyes. “Not like that. I mean a thing that defines who I am.” “I don’t get it. We all know who you are. You’re Bess,” George said with a shrug, turning h...

08 The Magician's Secret

George was standing in the security room doorway, gripping a small box. “The gems?” I asked, expelling a sigh of relief that she was okay. George snorted. “Better.” “Better than the gems?” Bess said, squinting at her cousin. “What could be better?” “Videotape!” George cheered. “Right,” Bess said....

Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion

said Nancy, ducking behind a brier bush. “Mr. Scarlett is just outside in a car!” Bess and George squatted down too. The three remained very still, not making a sound. Mr. Scarlett got out of his car and walked up and down, looking and listening. The girls were puzzled by his actions. Perhaps som...

(#39) The Clue of the Dancing Puppet

A tall, husky man stood beside her.Foster stopped, opened his coat to show his detective badge, then commandeered the services of the man. “We’re after a suspect, and I may need help,” the detective said.Nancy, meanwhile, had asked the woman if there was a fire escape from the left side of the bu...

Close Encounters (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Book 21)

“It’s a white van. And it belongs to . . .” “Reel TV!” I chimed in. I laughed along with Bess, but inwardly I wondered—was Izzy’s crew already following us, without our knowing it? The possibility vaguely annoyed me. Izzy had given me the impression we’d check in with the production company at th...

Troubled Waters (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Book 23)

Questions swirled inside my head like the churning waters of the river outside. Could Brad have anything to do with the damage to the Helping Homes renovation? Was that why he’d been acting so secretive? But then, why would he do something so destructive, especially when he and Cathy were getting...

039 The Suspect Next Door

The silver-and-turquoise necklace with the designer’s initial Z on the back. Dan lying to get a job. Trisha Rapp saying how hard it was to find good help and that Kate Hayes had lousy judgment in people. Dan Taylor. All the pieces fit, Nancy realized. His bizarre behavior, his desperation, his ly...

Moving Target

“I have no intention of spending time in the infirmary,” she snapped at Erik. “And I have every intention of winning this race.” “We’ll see,” Erik replied. He turned and walked over to his bike. “Let’s go, everybody,” he yelled at the rest of the group. “He—he’s insufferable!” George sputtered, s...

010 Buried Secrets

NANCY ALMOST dropped the phone. “Hannah was going with John Harrington’s chauffeur?” “That’s right,” her father said. “This was before she married Mr. Gruen, and before she came to work for us, of course. But they had been going together. In fact,” he added, “I’m pretty sure they had planned to g...

If Looks Could Kill

“I think we have to take this threat seriously, Martika,” she said. “You called me down here to help, and I’m going to do my best to find the person responsible. But the person has now threatened your life, and I think you should call in the police now.” Martika sighed with frustration. “I alread...

Stalk, Don't Run

She didn’t move a muscle. Desperate to get inside, I tried opening the front windows, but no luck. The garage! I thought, jumping off the porch. I remembered Mandy saying it had one of those old-fashioned garage doors—the kind you lifted up and down. When I pulled the door up, I heard the sound o...

002 Deadly Intent

“We’ve got to hurry! When no one’s looking, go up to the next floor and see what you can find. Look for another staircase. I’m going to check out the downstairs, but so many people have access to it, I think the top floors are our best bet.” Alan grabbed Nancy’s hand and squeezed it warmly. When ...

Malibu Mayhem Trilogy 02: Mystery At Malachite Mansion

“Towels,” the woman mumbled. She lifted a basket filled with folded towels and bars of soap. “For your room and your friend’s.” I took the towels from the woman, and then it finally clicked…. “Oh!” I said with a smile. “You must be—” “Olga,” the woman mumbled. Without another word, she turned and...

Perfect Plot

Nancy’s instincts took over. She ran, keeping her left hand lightly resting against the wall and her right arm stretched out in front of her. She only hoped there weren’t any holes or staircases! The tunnel twisted and turned, until she lost all sense of direction. She was panting loudly now, and...

Diamond Deceit

Please, please don’t go over the edge! she begged silently. For one awful moment the car continued to skid toward the cliff’s edge. Then the brakes finally held, and the car shuddered to a stop. Nancy’s legs felt like jelly as she backed onto the road and drove to the next overlook. She pulled in...

Model Suspect 3

We all hit the floor and covered our heads as another shot rang out. With my face pressed against the glass bottom of the boat, I had an excellent view of several brightly colored angelfish drifting by beneath us, their gently waving fins showing their complete lack of concern for the predicament...

Stop the Clock (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Book 12)

I was so stung by Mrs. Corning’s accusation that I couldn’t speak at first—and before I could find any words, my ear was assaulted by a loud dial tone. Mrs. Corning had hung up. “What’s wrong, Nancy?” Hannah asked. “From the look on your face, I know that wasn’t good news.” “Hannah, this library ...

(#60) The Greek Symbol Mystery

Bess gasped.“I don’t know,” Nancy whispered, completely mystified.Several yards away, an engine purred, then roared off quickly. Leaving their post in front of Vatis’s cottage, Nancy and Bess raced up the road toward their taxi and leaped in.“Follow that car, please,” Nancy implored the driver, a...

(#16) The Clue of the Tapping Heels

George cried.Nancy herself had been terrified for a fraction of a second. In a desperate attempt to save herself, she clung tightly to the beam by one arm. Then, with great effort, she swung her right leg over the beam and gradually pulled herself to an upright position.“Bravo! Bravo!” cried seve...

(#44) The Clue in the Crossword Cipher

George asked Nancy.“The plaque! It’s gone!”A look of utter dismay spread across Carla’s face. She said something in Spanish, then added in English, “What will we do? Now we can never solve the mystery! Oh, that monkey is what you say—a jinx.”The next moment she flung herself on a bed and began to...

062 Easy Marks

She let out a cry of pain as her hands and forearms slammed against the floorboards an instant later.Her arms felt as if they were about to snap in two, and the splintery edges of the broken boards were digging painfully into them through the denim of her jacket. Her legs flailed uselessly below ...

008 Two Points to Murder

Wrenching herself free, she whirled around in anger."Ray Ungar! Are you crazy? Don't you know that's dangerous?"The former Wildcat looked hurt. "Hey, don't get steamed. I was only kidding. Anyway, the gun's not loaded . . . see?"He held it out. The cartridge clip was missing, Nancy noticed. But t...

Out of Bounds

Cynthia asked, clutching Nancy’s arm and staring in wide-eyed panic at the doctor. “I don’t want to scare you,” Dr. Gebel said in a kindly but serious tone. “But neither do I want you to underestimate the risk. There have been cases in which athletes who thought they were perfectly fine did die a...

The Ghost of Grey Fox Inn

To have and to hold, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?” The reverend paused, looking expectantly at Charlotte. His white robes seemed to glow in the rays of the late-afternoon sun, which poured through the stained-glass windows of the church, co...

Model Crime 1

Vic shouted, grabbing the lei and ripping it off Sydney’s neck, sending white petals flying in every directions. “Oh my gosh—somebody do something!” Donald the PA exclaimed, hurrying forward and flapping his hands helplessly in Sydney’s direction. Meanwhile Sydney was still crying out in pain as ...

Model Mystery Trilogy 01: Model Crime

But it was obvious that it had Sydney on the edge of a breakdown. “It’ll be okay,” Bess said, hurrying over and putting an arm around her. “My mom knows Mrs. Rayne over at Blossoms and Bows pretty well. I’m sure if we just call her and explain…” “That’s what I’ve been telling her,” Ellie Marvin a...

Secret at Mystic Lake

Without thinking, I reached out for George’s and Bess’s hands; they both grabbed mine, squeezing to let me know they were just as freaked as I was. “Please,” Dagger went on, his voice just as cool and calm as always. “The map, please.” Henry shot an alarmed look at the rest of us—as if to say, Yo...

The Wrong Track

At the rate Bess was going she would soon land headfirst in the icy stream. Nancy’s mind raced for a solution. “Let yourself fall, Bess!” Nancy shouted at her friend. Bess chose not to or couldn’t make herself fall. Instead she dragged her poles, trying to slow herself down. She was less than fif...

Mystery of the Ivory Charm

She opened the sheaf of documents and studied them eagerly. “Don’t keep them a secret!” Bess protested. “Did you get the right papers?” “I’m sure I did. Some of these appear to be written in an Indian language, but the rest are in English.” “Is Rishi’s name mentioned?” George asked, peering over ...

078 The Phantom Of Venice

Nancy caught her breath. A man had drowned or been shot to death under mysterious circumstances—and now his name had turned up in an entirely different context! Was it just a coincidence? Well, maybe, but Nancy had learned early on in her mystery-solving career to mistrust coincidences. She came ...

California Schemin': Book One in the Malibu Mayhem Trilogy

It still contained some kind of liquid, which worried me the most. What if it was toxic? What if it went straight into George’s bloodstream? “George, do you really think it was that needle you stepped on?” I asked her. “I don’t know,” she answered. “I guess it could have been any of those sharp t...

Cold as Ice

“Where did you find it?” Balsam demanded. “It was inside the left-hand pocket of this parka,” the officer replied. The sergeant turned to Rob. “Is this your parka?” Rob looked stunned. “Why, yes, sure. But I never—” Balsam pulled a small card out of his shirt pocket and began to read.” “‘You have...

The Secret of the Scarecrow

Suki stepped away from the window. The girls stood staring up at the hat. “It’s got to be the same hat,” Bess said. “The flowers are exactly the same colors—dark red, orange, and gold.” “What does this have to do with Deirdre?” George asked. “Maybe it wasn’t Deirdre who stole the scarecrow,” Nanc...

Never Say Die

The car gunning for George was also pointed right at the window. In the dusky twilight the glare from its headlights made it difficult for Nancy to see. For a moment George was silhouetted alone in the light. Then, as the car zoomed closer, a second silhouette flew into the picture and shoved Geo...

Kiss and Tell

ESME MURMURED, OPENING her eyes. “What is it? I thought I heard the phone ring.” Helen Klein was in the midst of saying goodbye to Nancy, but the line went dead before Nancy could put Esme on the phone. “That was Helen,” Nancy said. “Was she calling to find out how I am?” Esme asked weakly. The w...

Choosing Sides

“In a sick way, it makes sense that Dimitros would try to get back at Caroline this way.” “Maybe Anna Dimitros figured that since Caroline destroyed her career, her best revenge would be to ruin Caroline’s career.” “But I still don’t get how Dimitros could know Steve Hill,” Kyle said. “Or how she...

This Side of Evil

The startled shout came from the far end of the warehouse.“There must be two guards,” Nancy whispered to Ned. George let out a faint moan.“I thought I heard something, Charlie!” the guard on the catwalk yelled back. “I was just trying to scare ’em out into the open.”“Do you see anything now?”The ...

Heart of Ice

TSU SAID in disbelief. “What happened?” Kara took a deep breath. “The police called to tell me that he crashed on a mountain road near Buckley. The car was pretty crunched, but Alex wasn’t badly injured.” “Where is he now?” Nancy questioned. “At the emergency room at Buckley General Hospital,” Ka...

032 High Marks for Malice

In one smooth motion she was on her feet again, her back against one of the dryers. The small gray room filled rapidly, the steam boiling and swirling as it bounced against the concrete-block walls. In seconds Nancy was wrapped in the deadly fog. Perspiration streamed from her forehead, bathing h...

Cutting Edge

Nancy asked. “Are you sure?” Mr. O’Connell let out a huge sigh. “Well, yes. I’m sure. It was the day we first arrived here. We checked into the hotel and came to the arena. That was when we first met you two, actually.” “I’m curious about something,” George said. “If you and Veronica are from the...

The Phantom of Nantucket

PETE BELLOWED as he struggled to rein in the banner.     Whoever painted it had done so recently: The paint hadn’t quite dried and was dripping slowly, giving the impression that it had been written in blood. I’ve seen a lot of disturbing things while solving cases, but even I...

The Crook Who Took the Book

Bess said. She prodded her mother with her elbow. “My point is,” Julia continued, “that my father believes that adventures aren’t just for books. But see for yourself. Here he is—Morton Sandback!” With that, Mr. Sandback walked into the room. He was as tall and skinny and redheaded as Julia. He w...

038 The Final Scene

Nancy raced across the stage. She saw George thrust out an open hand and grab one of the metal grids as she was tossed off the collapsing bridge. She was dangling by the fingertips of her right hand from the metal catwalk that was bouncing up and down like a diving board. Only one end was bolted ...

High Risk

She had wanted a new case, it was true, but not this one. The stakes were so high! What if I can’t solve it? she thought, suddenly terrified. What if I don’t find the real killer, and Ned has to go to jail? Carson Drew must have seen the tension on Nancy’s face, for he said gently, “Nancy, all we...

Flirting with Danger

Ned looked on with a worried expression on his face. “Do you think Rachel wrote it?” he asked. “Let me see that,” Lieutenant Heller said, holding out his hand. Mike glanced at the piece of paper as Nancy gave it to the lieutenant. “That’s Rachel’s handwriting, all right,” he said, his voice shaki...

(#23) Mystery of the Tolling Bell

Hendrick, pushed the throttle, and backed the boat away from the cave. A moment later a great flood of water rushed from the entrance. The boat was buffeted wildly by the waves.“The ghost must have seen us!” Bess exclaimed dramatically, gripping the sides of the boat to keep from being tossed int...

037 Last Dance

With tears streaming down her cheeks from the smoke, she groped along the cellar walls. Suddenly she bumped into a large filing cabinet. Running her fingers behind it, she felt something sticking out from the wall. Could it be—? “I think there’s a window behind this cabinet!” Nancy cried out exci...

04 Once Upon a Thriller

I said, and hung up. I peered at the note and realized it had been typed on an old-school typewriter rather than printed out from a computer. I looked at the letters closely and realized that all the Ts were more faded than the other letters, as though that key on the typewriter didn’t work quite...

041 Something to Hide

Nancy stared at Mr. Chanin for a long moment, her mind whirling. For a second she actually felt faint. Has the answer been here all the time? she thought. Is this greenhouse the source of— “Mr. Chanin, there’s a customer here who says she has to talk to you right away.” Nancy and Brad’s father tu...

074 Greek Odyssey

Mick asked.Nancy glanced ahead to make sure that Theo couldn’t hear them. Then she showed Mick the marking on the cushion. “I saw the same cushions in that cave.”“Are you sure?” Mick questioned. “We don’t know the Greek alphabet. Maybe some of the letters just look the same.”“I’m positive,” she s...

035 Bad Medicine

Nancy called as she ran up the steps to the front entrance of the hospital. “I’ll be right there. Just let me lock the car!” Nancy didn’t wait. She yanked open the door, then stopped for a moment, looking around. The hospital lobby looked much the same as it had the evening before. Trevor was sea...

(#22) The Clue in the Crumbling Wall

It had been written in Middle English. Nancy had learned in school to read the works of the poet Chaucer, who wrote in that language. Eagerly she translated the quotation.“‘I have hidden my treasures in the niches of the cloister through which, all unsuspecting, the noble men and fair ladies pass...

(#15) The Haunted Bridge

George called.“No, it’s a piece of brass. I think I’ve found an old plate!”“A brass plate!” Bess exclaimed in wonder.Meanwhile Nancy had pried the object out of the mud and saw that it was not a plate but a small carved chest.“It looks valuable!” she gasped, holding up the article for Bess and Ge...

Stage Fright (Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Book 6)

She was the one trying to kill Claire? Here we thought she was an innocent bystander! We’d spent the past few days investigating everyone at the theater, and our saboteur was already far away. And from the look of her casts, while Madonna might not have been imprisoned, she wasn’t going anywhere ...

Strangers on a Train

At that moment the door to my train car flew open.     “Nancy!” Bess exclaimed. “There you are.” She rushed out, with Alan and George right behind her.     “I told you she went outside,” George said.     Alan grinned. “Okay, but you were...

(#28) The Clue of the Black Keys

Drew had been told of Terry’s decision, and had left for his office, Nancy reviewed in her mind the swift-moving events of the past twenty-four hours. What was there she could do to help solve the mystery, now that Terry was returning to his explorations in Mexico?“I can still try to find out whe...

(#25) The Ghost of Blackwood Hall

George, with more presence of mind, groped along the wall until she found a light switch she had noticed earlier. In another moment the room was bright again.Both girls gasped in horror at what they saw. On the floor, almost at their feet, lay the photographer, unconscious! Bess started toward th...

En Garde (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Book 17)

It took two hands for her to disconnect the plug. The minute it was detached, she groaned and slumped in relief. “Are you all right?” Paul Mourbiers asked her, frowning with concern. She reached up and pulled off her mask. Even in her distress, she was careful to fluff her short strawberry blond ...

Without a Trace

Where?” Simone sounded genuinely surprised as she hurried to join me at the window. Bess and George came over too, and all four of us stared out at the unkempt backyard. I pointed to several vigorous-looking vines twining their way over what appeared to be an overgrown rose hedge. Half a dozen ob...

(#24) The Clue in the Old Album

George exclaimed, as she scrambled to her feet and rubbed her knee. “Where’d the cyclone come from?”Nancy brushed the dirt from her clothes and pointed down the path. Rose was precariously jerking to a halt on a bright-red motorbike. “There’s our culprit!”The young girl hopped off the vehicle and...

The Nancy Drew Sleuth Book

“Oh, did something happen to your eyes?” Sue asked worriedly. Nancy shook her head. “This is part of today’s lesson. You girls know me pretty well. What color are my eyes?” “Blue,” Peg said. “Gray,” Karen guessed. Cathy shrugged. “Green?” There was a pause. Nancy smiled. “The only thing you seem ...

Model Menace 2

Syd breathed, shaking her head and looking up at us with a panicked expression. “Oh my gosh.” “Syd, come on,” George said gently, placing her hand on her cousin’s shoulder. “She’s just fooling around. This isn’t anything incriminating. He probably didn’t even ask her to sit there.” Syd shook her ...

006 White Water Terror

GEORGE GASPED. “You lost the compass? I can’t believe it. Bess Marvin, you are so incredibly careless.” “But I wasn’t careless!” Bess wailed, holding her jacket like a shield against her. “It was here. Somebody must have taken it!” Nancy glanced at the others. Mike, Tod, and Ralph, were staring a...

004 Smile and Say Murder

At the very last moment, she jumped out of the way like a race-car driver bailing out before a crash. The ax hurtled to the floor—and bounced! It was made out of rubber! Nancy gasped. A queasy mixture of anger, fear, and relief washed over her. She bent down and examined the toy ax. The blade was...