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Nancy Drew Files #30
Death by Design
Nancy Drew and her friend Bess Marvin travel into a world of fashion. Behind all the clothes though, there is someone determained to see the death of Kim Daley a fashion designer. A poison that was meant for Kim was given to Nancy. Now Nancy has only 72 hours to live. Can Nancy find the poisoner and the antidote before it's too late?
180 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1988
11 people are currently reading
603 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
967 books3,860 followersCarolyn Keene is a writer pen name that was used by many different people- both men and women- over the years. The company that was the creator of the Nancy Drew series, the Stratemeyer Syndicate, hired a variety of writers. For Nancy Drew, the writers used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene to assure anonymity of the creator.
Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.
Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.
Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.
Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 21, 2014
Such 80s. So fainting. Much mystery.
To be honest, I read this because I'm on a mission to read all the books that the HerInteractive Nancy Drew computer games are based on, and this is the book that Danger By Design is loosely based on.
It was alright. The classic yellow backs are more consistently satisfying.
To be honest, I read this because I'm on a mission to read all the books that the HerInteractive Nancy Drew computer games are based on, and this is the book that Danger By Design is loosely based on.
It was alright. The classic yellow backs are more consistently satisfying.
September 1, 2023
More excitement and fun from this series.
July 13, 2010
This is the ONLY Nancy Drew that I can fully remember, because it seemed "dark" compared to other books, and, well, I was a weird kid. Fashion, mystery, poison, her boyfriend being hunky instead of flunky... Awesome. Approximated the read date.
January 8, 2020
Not my favorite Nancy Drew.
March 12, 2022
3 stars. I really liked this one and the fact that it was set in the world of fashion. A lot of drama and cattiness and danger. The stakes were high and there were some good intense moments. This is definitely one of the better books in the series. Good read.
November 17, 2022
I think this might be the wildest Nancy drew! Poisoning, corporate espionage, abuse and cattiness this was the wildest ride!
Nancy and Bess go to Chicago to help a designer figure out who is threatening her and get a LOT more than they bargained for. I’m not sure who wrote this one but they are the GOAT!
Nancy and Bess go to Chicago to help a designer figure out who is threatening her and get a LOT more than they bargained for. I’m not sure who wrote this one but they are the GOAT!
January 16, 2018
Okay, this is a great example of an enjoyable read that I really can't give any more stars to because it just isn't very good! Suffice to say that it's the (hides review for spoilers) weirdly time-specific poison that really does it for me - I mean, you cannot, cannot get away with that, except when you're part of such a huge franchise which brings so much joy simply by being quite so page-turning.
There was some fun fashion stuff in here, and I do like that these books always sit so tight in their settings, but at the same time, you would hesitate to give this to a ten-year-old now, with the (accurate, but miserable) datedness of comments about weight, food and beauty.
Good fun, and I'm glad I bought it - I'm looking forward to piling through a whole lot more from this series this year, but I hope some of them are a little better-plotted than this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2022
This book is kind of a mess, but in a good way. Its extremely fast paced and has Nancy searching not only for who is sending her client death threats, but also who accidentally poisoned Nancy! The plot is quite "soap opera"-y but honestly, it made it a more enjoyable read. Its not too deep, just a lot of drama, and sometimes thats what we need.
November 6, 2022
This was one of my favorite Nancy Drew's when I was a teen. I always loved how high the stakes were with Nancy being poisoned and having to race the clock to figure out who did it and get the antidote in time. Also, the love and care Ned and Bess show toward Nancy was so sweet. Still an awesome book!
August 18, 2019
One of the best books from a really great writer
Carolyn Keene is a great writer for teens. Her Nancy Drew series I really great. This book is a really great favorite of mine and I really think that anyone of any age can read this series of books.
Carolyn Keene is a great writer for teens. Her Nancy Drew series I really great. This book is a really great favorite of mine and I really think that anyone of any age can read this series of books.
January 29, 2021
I loved this one! Nancy is poisoned and only has 72 hours to find the antidote, which made this a very fast-paced read.
Obviously I knew she'd be just fine, but it really did come down to the wire.
Obviously I knew she'd be just fine, but it really did come down to the wire.
December 20, 2024
this was my favorite Nancy Drew book as a kid because she got poisoned and then nursed back to health by her boyfriend… i was very well prepared for my middle school future as a shitty fanfiction enjoyer
August 16, 2021
Some stupid decisions made by Ms. Drew, but diverting tale
November 25, 2022
My recap/review (with spoilers/cursing):
https://anchor.fm/nancy-drew-nickerso...
https://anchor.fm/nancy-drew-nickerso...
February 14, 2024
Quick read. Nothing to write home about.
November 21, 2024
Rereading some old favorites for my new tiktok page, BookItRealGood. You can find me there as Lila Fowler’s Bestie.
July 17, 2021
The Files books are certainly engaging. I read this book cover to cover in the span of one day, and never once did I feel bored. Contrast this to the last book I read, Shadow Ranch, which took me months to finish. It was nice to be able to get an entire book out of the way so quickly.
However, this book is getting three stars instead of four for a couple of big reasons:
1.) The Files books are repetitive. They all include glamorous celebrities, suspenseful life or death circumstances, dramatic love triangles that result in someone being driven ~insane~ with love, and other soap-opera type subplots. Even Kim Daley being such a jerk and making a bunch of enemies was way too similar to Rick Arlen in STFD. This has all been fine for a book or two, but by this one I am starting to get annoyed with the thematic similarities. It's unrealistic that Nancy encounters those sorts of things so many times in her mystery-solving career.
2.) This book in particular was EXTREMELY improbable. Nancy is poisoned and given only seventy-two hours to live, and she chooses not go to the hospital??? And the doctors/her friends don't push it? And they make absolutely ZERO progress in figuring out what the poison might be even though there's a life on the line? I highly doubt the culprit was intelligent enough to possess some super obscure poison that no one would be able to identify. And the police weren't involved why??? Nancy was so sick throughout the book that I was shocked no one was begging to take the case off her hands. She could have offered advice from the hospital bed (and it also would've been easier for the doctors to identify the poison if she'd been around for them to do tests on her) while her friends or LAW ENFORCEMENT did some investigating.
I will say that I was pretty invested in who the culprit might be. I actually found myself keeping track of different clues while I was reading to try to determine who might have been around at what times or who had access to certain things. Strangely enough, I don't typically do that! I usually am just along for the ride and wait for the book to surprise me.
I also wanted to note that this book was pretty dark. The culprit literally attempts suicide at the end. And the author killed off a cute dog. Are we sure the dog didn't just die from Kim giving it a chocolate cookie at the beginning, though? Hmmm...
Other than fashion design and death threats, there wasn't much resemblance to the PC game. Didn't even take place in Paris.
However, this book is getting three stars instead of four for a couple of big reasons:
1.) The Files books are repetitive. They all include glamorous celebrities, suspenseful life or death circumstances, dramatic love triangles that result in someone being driven ~insane~ with love, and other soap-opera type subplots. Even Kim Daley being such a jerk and making a bunch of enemies was way too similar to Rick Arlen in STFD. This has all been fine for a book or two, but by this one I am starting to get annoyed with the thematic similarities. It's unrealistic that Nancy encounters those sorts of things so many times in her mystery-solving career.
2.) This book in particular was EXTREMELY improbable. Nancy is poisoned and given only seventy-two hours to live, and she chooses not go to the hospital??? And the doctors/her friends don't push it? And they make absolutely ZERO progress in figuring out what the poison might be even though there's a life on the line? I highly doubt the culprit was intelligent enough to possess some super obscure poison that no one would be able to identify. And the police weren't involved why??? Nancy was so sick throughout the book that I was shocked no one was begging to take the case off her hands. She could have offered advice from the hospital bed (and it also would've been easier for the doctors to identify the poison if she'd been around for them to do tests on her) while her friends or LAW ENFORCEMENT did some investigating.
I will say that I was pretty invested in who the culprit might be. I actually found myself keeping track of different clues while I was reading to try to determine who might have been around at what times or who had access to certain things. Strangely enough, I don't typically do that! I usually am just along for the ride and wait for the book to surprise me.
I also wanted to note that this book was pretty dark. The culprit literally attempts suicide at the end. And the author killed off a cute dog. Are we sure the dog didn't just die from Kim giving it a chocolate cookie at the beginning, though? Hmmm...
Other than fashion design and death threats, there wasn't much resemblance to the PC game. Didn't even take place in Paris.
May 5, 2021
Death by Design by Carolyn Keene
Series: Yes Nancy Drew Files #30
Format: Paperback
Stars: 4
Recommend: Yes
Would Reread: Yes
Nothing like the game, but still a fun read.
I give honest reviews and all my opinions are my own.
For more of my reviews go to Heavenly High Seas Books
https://heavenlyhighseasbooks.blogspo...
Series: Yes Nancy Drew Files #30
Format: Paperback
Stars: 4
Recommend: Yes
Would Reread: Yes
Nothing like the game, but still a fun read.
I give honest reviews and all my opinions are my own.
For more of my reviews go to Heavenly High Seas Books
https://heavenlyhighseasbooks.blogspo...
September 29, 2015
Nancy Drew: Death by Design was all about the cutthroat world of a fashion designer. When Kim, a teen clothing line designer, starts receiving death threats, Nancy is called to the scene. She soon discovers that Kim has so many rivals and enemies that the suspect list will be nearly impossible to narrow down. As she plugs away at her interviews and suspects, she receives an anonymous note telling her that she was accidentally poisoned and will die within seventy two hours unless she receives the antidote. The hospital tests can’t identify the poison, so Nancy’s only hope is to find the culprit. She soon discovers that it was Allison, who wanted to kill her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, aka Kim. Allison tells Nancy the poison and the antidote, and the case is solved and everyone remains alive! I really enjoyed this book because it was a fairly easy read, and I was really intruded to learn more about the relationships between competitors and rivals in the fashion world. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an easier read or is interested in fashion.
April 10, 2019
I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys throughout my school and college days.
Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.
Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.
Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.
Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.
September 2, 2019
This must be one of the stupidest books I have ever read. Every. Last. Single. Character. Is. A. Complete. Idiot!
Would somebody stick a fork in Ned? He totally ruins the flow of every book. I hate when they mention him, which is most of the time.
It really ought to be illegal to have nothing but dust where your brain should be, when you are a "detective." I wish Nancy would drop off the face of the earth. Let Bess and George and Ned pick up the missing person's case; we'll never have to worry about seeing Nancy Drew ever again!
Would somebody stick a fork in Ned? He totally ruins the flow of every book. I hate when they mention him, which is most of the time.
It really ought to be illegal to have nothing but dust where your brain should be, when you are a "detective." I wish Nancy would drop off the face of the earth. Let Bess and George and Ned pick up the missing person's case; we'll never have to worry about seeing Nancy Drew ever again!
March 19, 2007
OMG. these were the best. ND was all bodacious on the illustrated covers. she looked like a different person on every book, but always had the chubby friend, the obviously gay friend, and the BF, ned. sigh.
December 18, 2024
I absolutely love that the ghostwriter took "Nancy is poisoned and has 72 hours to live" so literally. Like, "we must get you the antidote by 11:15AM" literally. That isn't how poison works AT ALL but god I loved this.
April 4, 2009
I thought it was another fabo Nancy mystery.
May 16, 2017
My first Nancy Drew.
October 22, 2010
really good like always
June 13, 2012
great series, always has been and this book doesnt disappoint
April 11, 2013
This story of case mystery is a more complicated one because in the book, Nancy Drew's life was at stake. One of my favorites! :)
December 3, 2013
First Nancy Drew book I ever read. I fell in love with this series immediately and owned almost all of the books until we had a flood and damaged all :(
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews