The Clue of the Broken Locket

The Clue of the Broken Locket by Carolyn Keene, 1965 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy, George, and Bess are vacationing at Misty Lake when they meet Cecily Curtis. Mr. Drew has sent the girls to give Cicely the key to her lodgings - the owner refuses to go near the lake because of a ghost ship. Cecily asks for Nancy Drew's help to solve two mysteries: one concerning her fiancee, the other involving a family secret. 

     Cecily's fiancee is Niko Van Dyke a musician who believes his record company is cheating him out of earned royalties. 

     The clue to her family secret is half of a golden locket that Cecily was told leads to a pre-civil war cache of buried treasure. 

     The investigation leads to Pudding Stone Lodge and the Driscoll family who may be involved in Niko's misfortunes. They also discover Cecily's look-alike -- an unknown cousin held in the thrall of the Driscolls.   

     When twin children go missing Nancy, Bess, and George are set on finding the answers to all of their questions. They call in the help of Ned Nickerson, Dave Evans, and Burt Eddleton - the girls' respective boyfriends. 

     Through quick thinking and perseverance, Nancy and her friends solve the mysteries in front of them. Middle grade and young readers will enjoy the mystery, with enough suspense to keep them wondering who is who and what will happen to Nancy on this next adventure? 

Password to Larkspur Lane

Password to Larkspur Lane by Carolyn Keene, 1966 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew is outside tending the garden when a carrier pigeon arrives in the yard. Hannah Gruen, the Drews' housekeeper, falls and her doctor suggests to Nancy and her lawyer father of a woman who he treats under mysterious circumstances. The doctor believes the woman is being held prisoner and Nancy begins to investigate.
     A clue from the doctor leads to the prestigious Eldridge family. Nancy follows the clues and, with the added intrigue of the pigeon's registry, finds there truly is something criminal afoot.
     Mrs. Eldridge is missing, according to a young relative, and--when Nancy, Bess, George, and their friend Helen speak with her--Mrs. Eldridge has not chosen to be treated at the estate holding her prisoner. She is not the only elderly patient at the estate, and Mrs. Eldrige explains the people running the place have some shady practices.
     Some quick thinking and subterfuge from the girls bring justice to the plotters. Nancy and her friends face danger, but they come out better able to fight for what they believe right.
     Nancy Drew is an independent young woman who uses her quick mind to investigate and solve problems. She faces danger and uses her resources in a story meant for middle-grade readers, but enjoyable at any age. Password to Larkspur Lane was revised from its original 1933 novel to be more feminist, to consolidate the plot, and to bring the familiar characters back to the main screen.

The Sign of the Twisted Candles

The Sign of the Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene, 1959 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew and her two friends, Bess and George, are stopped by a fallen tree and meets elderly Asa Sidney. Mr. Sidney lives isolated in an old mansion turned roadside inn with only the caretaker, his wife, and their adopted daughter Carol Wipple.
     They share afternoon tea and Nancy discovers Mr. Sidney is a distant relative of Bess and George. When the old man dies and Carol is named as his major heir a family feud creates a rift between Nancy and her friends. To resolve the issue with her friends Nancy must discover why Carol is named benefactress of such a large portion of the estate while the factions of Mr. Sidney's family fight over his money.
   Nancy must use all her diplomacy to maintain her friendships with the girls, while also finding the truth around the relationship between Asa Sidney and Carol Wipple. A straightforward investigation appropriate for readers who enjoy an uncomplicated mystery.

Nancy's Mysterious Letter

Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene, 1968 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew receives a letter that plunges her into another mystery. When Nancy and the girls invite the postman in for tea and cocoa his bag of mail is stolen. The authorities ask Nancy to come in for questioning; they believe she had something to do with the theft.
     When Ned Nickerson invites Nancy to visit him at Emerson College for the big football game she meets another woman whose mail was stolen. The woman believes Nancy to be part of a criminal enterprise.
     When the mail is re-sent Nancy, and others, receives a letter. While the letter is addressed to Nancy Drew, it is not intended for River Height's Miss Drew. Upon investigation with her friends Nancy discovers a Nancy Smith Drew teaching at the Emerson.
     The Nancy S Drew our detective finds is an heiress and there are those who would stop Nancy. They will even go so far as to kidnap the detective to stop her. Nancy Drew, along with her friends, searches for the answer to their newest mystery. Older elementary readers will enjoy the condensed mystery.

The Clue in the Old Diary

The Clue in the Old Diary by Carolyn Keene, 1962 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy and the girls, Bess and George, are headed home from a carnival with Mrs. Swenson and her daughter when an elaborate estate beside the road bursts into flames. The young women hurry to confirm no one is trapped in the burning building and Nancy finds a diary on the ground.
     While emergency services arrive the girls see someone fleeing the estate and an attractive young man moves Nancy's car. At first Nancy is suspicious of Ned Nickerson, but after he helps her out of a jam Nancy and Ned form a regular acquaintance and sometimes relationship.
     Mrs. Swenson notes that her husband is missing, as is the owner of the estate. Nancy and her friends, along with the police investigators search out the answers to the mystery of the fire and the diary. Nancy's penchant for helping people in need leads her to another new friend in the seventh installment of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories.

The Secret of Shadow Ranch

The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene, 1965 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy is called to Shadow Ranch, a horse ranch in Arizona, to help discover the truth of a ghost horse that's been appearing throughout the valley. She follows her friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne to help their cousin Alice discover the mystery of her amnesiac father.
     When the girls arrive they search for the treasure left by an outlaw who was one of the original residents, they help Bess and George's aunt run the dude ranch, and they look into the mysterious horse. Nancy and her friends enjoy the mountainous Arizona wilderness and the western lifestyle away from River Heights.
     Life at Shadow Ranch is not without the danger which seems to follow Nancy, but the four young women manage to survive their journey and even enjoy the mysteries they encounter. Nancy Drew's story is appropriate for readers of all ages.

The Secret of Red Gate Farm

The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene, 1961 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew and her friends find it strange when an exotic saleswoman refuses to sell Bess a particular fragrance while shopping. On their way home Nancy, Bess, and George encounter a young woman looking to find work in the city. The girls become friends and decide to help Joanne in whatever way they may. When Nancy joins Joanne on a job interview she finds what appears to be a mysterious code.
     Nancy sets aside the code until, when visiting Joanne's grandmother for a working vacation, she and her friends discover a mysterious secret society on Red Gate Farm. The "Black Snake Colony" is a nature cult residing on the outlying edges of the farm.
     All is not as it seems, when Nancy is accused of counterfeiting money. She presents the code she discovered and the strange cult to the authorities. The four girls are asked to go undercover in aid of the federal agents on the case.
     Nancy and her friends find adventure in seemingly simple situations. Readers become more acquainted with Bess and George through the book, with mystery and adventure around the corner.

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene, 1974 Grosset & Dunlap

     When Nancy visits the circus traveling through River Heights she meets an Indian boy working with the Indian Elephants. Rishi, the boy, flees his abusive guardian and follows Nancy home to the Drew household.
     Nancy, Bess and George agree to investigate property owned by a mysterious Mrs. Allison soon after Rishi takes up residence in the Drew home. They discover several incongruous elements to the property and a connection to the circus and Rishi's guardian.
     Mr. Drew helps the girls with their investigations and they discover a kidnapping plot involving the boy and a secret surrounding an ivory charm he gifts to Nancy.
     Nancy's penchant for helping people in need leads her to another new friend in the thirteenth installment of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. 

The Mystery at Lilac Inn

The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene, 1961 Grosset & Dunlap

     In her fourth adventure, Nancy visits her friend Emily and Emily's Aunt Hazel at an inn and resort owned by Emily and her fiance, Dick. The Lilac Inn is being haunted by a woman with dark hair and a flowing gown, driving away employees and causing strife throughout the resort.
     Nancy is called home to investigate a break-in at her home. She discovers that someone has been wearing her 'distinctive clothing' and using her identity to charge large purchases to her account. When she returns to the Lilac Inn, Nancy witnesses the theft of Emily's jewels and encounters her own apparition.
     With a twist involving Dick's friend John, Nancy displays a willingness to explore into new and different hobbies in the course of the case. After a close encounter with drowning and a cold war spy ring, Nancy captures her impostor, solves both cases and returns home safely.
     The elements that create Nancy Drew come together in this book: her disguises, uncommon skills, traditional values, and a system of deductive reasoning that carries her through to the end of each case. The writing is accessible and the ink and pen drawings allow an image of Nancy's era.

The Bungalow Mystery

The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene, 1960 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew and her friend Helen Corning find themselves needing to be rescued in the middle of a lake where they're rescued by Laura Pendleton, an orphan recently coming to the area to meet her new guardians Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Aborn. Helen and Nancy meet Laura's new guardians when the couple come crashing into the hotel in disarray, provoking Nancy's dislike. Nancy has to go home when the Drew family's housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, is injured.
     When her father asks her to investigate a list of suspects thought to be involved with insurance fraud, Nancy implements disguise for the first time.  Laura later contacts Nancy at home saying that the Aborns are cruel and expect her to hand over family heirlooms. Laura has escaped with the jewels and asks for Nancy's help.
     The plot lines come together in a conclusion that weaves the two mysteries together. For the first time, Nancy carries disguises with her to be used in investigation. Nancy's old-fashioned values and talent for investigation allow her to help both her new-found friend and her father. Her story is told in an easily understood format with attention to details that create the cases she solves.

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.

The Secret of the Old Clock

The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene, 1959 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew is 18-years-old, titian haired, and brilliant! In this introduction to Nancy and her adventures, she rescues a small girl when she falls from a bridge. When she discovers that Judy's well-off and avuncular protector (Josiah Crowley) has died and left everything to snobbish, grasping distant relatives she feels she must figure out why such a thing has happened to such a sweet child and her unassuming family.
     She promises to help Judy and her aunts find the will Crowley hid before his death. Throughout her adventures she relies on her friends, lawyer father, and the Drew family housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, to help with her sleuthing.
     Nancy is stylish and independent, her mother died when she was a small child and occasionally she helps her father in his law practice. Her sensible and logical process makes her an excellent amateur detective. Her courage and persistence, mixed with a sense of right and wrong make her a good role model for young girls.
     The story is written in an accessible language with the old-fashioned values of the 1950s. Nancy is both a traditional daughter and a feminist in her freedom and values. This is a short novel (around 180 pages) that centers on the mystery to be solved, spiced with the relationships that surround Nancy as heroine.