The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1974) - Plot & Excerpts
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 happen to them, so they take their case to Nancy Drew. Nancy and her friends, Bess and George, help the twins figure out what is going on and why. Nancy and her friends discover there are Centrovian men trying to steal special things from the Fontaines. Because of Nancy, the criminals are caught and sent to jail.The main characters in this story are Nancy, Helene and Henri. Nancy is a teenage girl who loves to help people solve mysteries. She is very sneaky and usually never gets caught spying. Henri and Helene are twins from Centrovia. The Fontaines are ballet dancers. When they come to America, they open a dance school for children.The main conflict in this book is that there are strangers trying to steal objects from the Fontaines. The Fontaines do not know what is happening, so they ask Nancy Drew to help them. Nancy Drew tracks down several people who she thinks are suspicious, and she investigates them. Nancy finally discovers that men are trying to steal paintings from the Fontaines that have gems hidden in the paint. The police find the criminals and the men are arrested. After the criminals are locked up, the twins finally feel safe again and continue teaching at their dancing school. I like this book, because it is a mystery. I like mystery books because they leave you guessing when you put the book down. Mysteries usually have exciting action plots, and that is why I enjoy them.
Bahaha! When we first meet Bess'n'George, they're attired "in gay cotton skirts and blouses." At one point Nancy gets offended when Ned intimates to a stranger that they're husband and wife.The teaser picture shows HANNAH GRUEN bound and gagged, which is the first time in the series that anything has happened to her. Apparently some people from a non-existent country are tied up in a jewel smuggling ring, though the plot is rather nonsensical. We discover that Nancy is a skilled ballerina, though she hasn't practiced in years.No one loses consciousness, but the epic stupidity occurs when the girls enter a house that simply reeks of kerosene, shut themselves in an upstairs bedroom to look over evidence and then are totally surprised eight pages later when the bad guys torch the place.
What do You think about The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1974)?
In the exciting world of Nancy Drew mysteries this is no exception; with different suspects at every turn how can Nancy not help to be confused in this new startling mystery. It start with a new dance studio in River Heights with a lovely brother and sister for Centrovia, however they soon come to Nancy with a troubling problem. While trying to protect them amongst the crowd of on coming suspects and clues, they vanish. In the end the criminals end up in their rightful place behind bars and Nancy with the yearning for another mystery. Like every Nancy Drew book it has great descriptions of the personalities of every character new and old. The best part is when Nancy is described choreographing a charity dance.
—Kristin Landry
Henri and Helene Fontaine are from Centrovia, a country in revolt. Their parents died trying to help free the country, and now the H's are getting threatening notes telling them to leave the US. Nancy and Bess have to pull together, with the help of Ned's mom, to keep the Fontaine's dance studio open while Nancy solves the case of jewel smuggling, false identities and the scarlet slippers (worn by the Fontaine's mother who was a famous ballet dancer in Centrovia, but don't otherwise come into the mystery much)
—Jessi
I did actually enjoy this book it was full of many surprises.It was about a picture of a famous dancer wearing a pair of scarlet ballet slippers. The picture was stolen from Paris and Nancy and her friends soon find out why. Four smugglers hid jewels in the picture and snuck it into the United States. Nancy kept running into these people and started to suspect something. Her friend Mr. Fontain she met painted the painting and was a dark person, just like the people she suspected of stealing the artwork. Also they were the only dark people in town. The bad guys were also sending threatening letters to the painter, to make him leave. These people will do anything to keep Nancy from knowing the truth about them. They even tried to kill Nancy. This book is great for anyone who likes reading of adventures and suspenseful stories.
—Jordan Ray
