Carolyn Keene

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)

The Bluebeard Room (1992)

Portrait in Crime (1990)

The Case of the Photo Finish (1990)

Sinister Paradise (1988)

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)

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)

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)

Last Dance (1989)

The Message in the Hollow Oak (1972)

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)

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)

Murder On Ice (1993)

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)

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)

The Silver Cobweb (1983)

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)

The Black Widow (1989)

Fatal Ransom (1989)

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)

The Triple Hoax (2005)

En Garde (2006)

Secrets Can Kill (1986)

Squeeze Play (1994)

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 Secret of the Forgotten City (1993)

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)

The Clue of the Gold Doubloons (1999)

The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery (2001)

On the Trail of Trouble (1999)

The Ringmaster's Secret (1974)

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)

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)

Danger on Parade (1993)

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)

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)

The Secret at Solaire (1993)

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)

The Kachina Doll Mystery (2005)

The Dashing Dog Mystery (2001)

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)

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)

Sea of Suspicion (1993)

Crosscurrents (1992)

Make No Mistake (1991)

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)

Deep Secrets (1990)

Rehearsing for Romance (1996)

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)

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

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)

Hot Tracks (1992)

My Deadly Valentine (1994)

Hotline to Danger (1994)

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)

Rendezvous in Rome (1993)

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)

Hot Pursuit (1991)

Sisters in Crime (1988)

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)

High Marks for Malice (1989)

Danger For Hire (1990)

Trail of Lies (1993)

Easy Marks (1991)

Wrong Track (1991)

Nobody's Business (1992)

A Talent For Murder (1992)

The Perfect Plot (1992)

Dangerous Relations (1993)

Let's Talk Terror (1993)

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)

Illusions of Evil (1994)

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)

Stay Tuned for Danger (1987)

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)

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)

Mystery of Crocodile Island (1993)

Date With Deception (1990)

False Impressions (1990)

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)

Mystery at Moorsea Manor (1999)

The Halloween Hoax (2007)

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)

Wings of Fear (1989)

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)

The Case of the Lost Song (2001)

Recipe for Murder (1988)

The Phantom of Venice (1985)

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)

The Haunted Carousel (1983)

The Eskimo's Secret (1988)

A Secret in Time (1991)

Clue in the Ancient Disguise (1982)

Rich and Dangerous (1989)

Very Deadly Yours (1988)

Enemy Match (1987)

The Cheating Heart (1994)

Dance Till You Die (1994)

Stolen Affections (1995)

The Stolen Kiss (1995)

The Case of the Artful Crime (1992)

The Stolen Bones (2008)

The Mystery of the Masked Rider (1992)

The Legend of Miner's Creek (1992)

The Make-Believe Mystery (2000)

Shadow of a Doubt (1991)

Designed for Disaster (2011)

Model Menace (2009)