The Hidden Staircase

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene, 1959 Grosset & Dunlap

     In her second adventure, Nancy Drew gets a call from her friend Helen Corning (a returning character) to help her great-grandmother and great-aunt. The Turnbulls are two ladies who think their home is haunted. She agrees to visit Twin Elms Mansion and help the women discover the truth of their concerns. She and the Turnbull women begin to search for a hidden staircase that would explain the ghostly phenomenon. While Nancy is at Twin Elms Mr. Drew disappears, Nancy takes a break to discover what has happened to her father.
     Nancy wonders if the two cases are related and begins pursuing her father's disappearance in earnest. When she discovers Nathan Gomer, the man who forecasted Mr. Drew's troubles, has bought Twin Elms and an adjacent Turnbull family property something smells fishy. Nancy and Helen pursue both ends of the case surrounding the Turnbulls and eventually discover the connection that cracks the case.
     Nancy balances the two cases, their various twists and turns lending new perspectives to the other side. She is persistent and orderly, looking into each new theory and supporting her theories with evidence. While Nancy and Helen make some questionable choices for their era, they show initiative and subdue their own fear to solve the case and return Twin Elms to the Turnbull women.
     The story is written in understandable language. Nancy's adventures play out logically, yet with twists and turns that keep the story from being predictable. It is ideal for early mystery readers: not too frightening, yet it still has chilling elements. The tale is still enjoyable for older readers; it is quick with multiple plots that blend together for an all-inclusive resolution in the final chapters.