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 interest and sets about deciphering the bird's message which she believes to be an important clue.Why must the newer yellow hardcovers be politically incorrect? It is screamingly obvious that Carolyn Keene had no qualms about racial stero-types, dubbing pick-pocketers and the like, as "ethnic and dark skinned". Reading these descriptions in 2010 is such an eye-opener, when you think about now stepping on eggshells so as not to offend anyone and in the 30s they thought nothing of it.A section of the book was in the setting of an asylum, where Nancy enters to save a missing woman and goes espionage on the reader. (I could faintly hear the "Mission Impossible" theme song in the background.) The head nurse in the institution had a Nurse Ratched quality to her, bullying the patients in a condescending tone, and controlling their every action as she sees fit. Even though this was not intended as Nurse Ratched did not come to being until the 60s, it was still a very entertaining character with unique traits. Maybe it's because I read the original 1930s publication, but I found this most enjoyable, probably because it had been unedited for the masses of another generation. The Password To Larkspur Lane was a very different look at Nancy and what was acceptable of that time. View all my reviews on my blog She is too fond of books
Intrepid sleuth Nancy Drew has two mysteries to solve. It begins when a homing pigeon crash lands on her property. The message the pigeon is carrying is strange, if not a little ominous. As more unusual developments happen, Nancy realizes that the message is connected to the mysterious absence of an elderly woman named Mrs. Eldridge. The second mystery centers around a frightening ring of blue fire showing up near the home of Nancy's friend, Helen Corning's grandparents after dark. When Helen asks Nancy to find out what's causing the fire ring of fire, she agrees, of course. It isn't long before she discovers that the two mysteries could be related.Perhaps Nancy's greatest strength as a detective is her unwillingness to give up; when she has no clues or prospects of any in this novel, she drives the roads outside of her Midwest town until she finds one (a crude sign on a tree with "L. L." posted on it). Can't get into a prison-like old folks' home? Impersonate an elderly lady. Get thrown into a deep cistern? Use the pieces of a ladder thrown in after you to claw your way up the wall. The criminals are getting away in a small plane? Let the gas out of it before they can take off. Meanwhile she still has time to win first prize in a flower arranging competition. Nancy is simply too much, but no one can accuse her of being a Mary Sue.Book Details: Title Password to Larkspur Lane (Nancy Drew #10) Author Carolyn KeeneReviewed By Purplycookie
I really loved Nancy Drew books as a kid - often read three at a time in second and third grade. However, in rereading them with my daughter, there are things that bother me as I read this one. First, the clues are so fast-coming that my 4th grade daughter missed a few as clues because she was still processing the one on the previous page. However, she likes how fast paced it is.Second, Nancy is a bit spoiled. She has a perfectly good convertible, but her dad gets her a new one. Finally, this particular mystery is a little rough for young readers. What Dr. Belle is doing is horrible, and my daughter and I had to have a tough talk about how people take advantage of the elderly.Despite all that, the way the two mysteries came together was great, and I loved reliving Nancy's determination and drive.
—Debbie
I loved this mysterious book because right when you thought the mystery was solved, and unexpected turn was taken and changes the whole story. Five words that I would use to describe this book would be mysterious, exciting, adventurous, suspenseful, and detailed. I think that the book is detailed because it described every person and object that came into play in the mystery. This was very helpful because I was able to picture the story in my mind like a movie. My favorite pant of the book was when the tracking pigeon escaped and led Nancy and Effie to one of the headquarters of the kidnappers. This part was also very suspenseful because the pigeon went in and out of Effie's view while they were chasing the bird. Luckily, at the end, Nancy discovers the kidnappers and frees the lady that they were holding captive. I can't wait to keep reading the series and discover more mysteries with Nancy.
—Grace
Intrepid sleuth Nancy Drew has two mysteries to solve. It begins when a homing pigeon crash lands on her property. The message the pigeon is carrying is strange, if not a little ominous. As more unusual developments happen, Nancy realizes that the message is connected to the mysterious absence of an elderly woman named Mrs. Eldridge. The second mystery centers around a frightening ring of blue fire showing up near the home Helen Corning’s grandparents after dark. When Helen asks Nancy to find out what’s causing the fire ring of fire, she agrees, of course. It isn’t long before she discovers that the two mysteries could be related.Password to Larkspur Lane is one of my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries, and perhaps the one I remember most from forty years ago, when I first read this series. It was a treat to step back in time and remember why I loved these mysteries. The plotting is pretty good in this one, and Nancy’s resourcefulness in solving her own problems is one of the book’s best aspects. Young readers will find the language pretty corny. Still, mystery buffs curious to know why this series was so successful should give this one a read.
—Debra
