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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #169
The Mistletoe Mystery
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE DOESN'T PROVE THE IDENTITY OF CRAFTY THIEVES! Nancy's friend Bess has been hired by Special Effects, a River Heights company, to decorate Albemarle's department store for the holidays. When Bess discovers that her friend Ali Marie is now working at the store, she's thrilled -- the two of them can have lunch and try on clothes for fun! But when some dresses are swiped, Ali is accused of stealing, and the party's over. Sure of her friend's innocence, Bess calls in Nancy to help find the real thief. With all the suspects and misleading clues, Nancy and her friends are running in circles -- and the holiday shopping rush isn't helping! Can they figure out the identity of a clothes-hungry kleptomaniac before the holiday season turns sour?
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2002
30 people are currently reading
890 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,011 books3,866 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 30, 2024
One of my favorites. After all, nothing says holiday season like working in retail!
December 25, 2015
This is one of the series books meant for younger readers. I enjoyed it Nancy Drew is a good role model because she does not need a guy around to be brave and resourceful. Reading it took me back to the lazy days of my childhood where I would lay out under the tree and read. Our home in Hialeah did not have AC so it was cooler outside. It was a well done mystery with all the clues laid out to follow. Some adult mystery writers could learn a thing or two from reading Nancy Drew mysteries.
May 5, 2021
Fun, < 24 hours read to get some mid-year cheer!
December 11, 2024
Shrinkage.
Nothing says Christmas like the bygone days of elaborate department store holiday decorations.
The best part was the Christmas tree almost falling on top of Nancy. And all the glass decoration shards exploding. Also the scaffolding collapsing and them hanging by the clock was interesting.
Nancy operates almost like a robot. Always skipping meals. Never stops working. She always seems to figure things out too quickly and too easily. Has no personal needs of her own. Endless energy.
This book is also written in a very mechanical style. Like this happened. Then this happened.
Published in 2002. I’m surprised there wasn’t more use of computers. Though they did look up the employee records on a computer. No mention of saving it to a floppy or CD or even printing it. They just memorize the information. Or maybe she wrote it down in her handy dandy notebook. Nancy still does things the old fashioned way. Lock picking. Sneaking into areas. Fumbling around in the dark. Getting yet another concussion. But of course that doesn’t faze her.
Nothing says Christmas like the bygone days of elaborate department store holiday decorations.
The best part was the Christmas tree almost falling on top of Nancy. And all the glass decoration shards exploding. Also the scaffolding collapsing and them hanging by the clock was interesting.
Nancy operates almost like a robot. Always skipping meals. Never stops working. She always seems to figure things out too quickly and too easily. Has no personal needs of her own. Endless energy.
This book is also written in a very mechanical style. Like this happened. Then this happened.
Published in 2002. I’m surprised there wasn’t more use of computers. Though they did look up the employee records on a computer. No mention of saving it to a floppy or CD or even printing it. They just memorize the information. Or maybe she wrote it down in her handy dandy notebook. Nancy still does things the old fashioned way. Lock picking. Sneaking into areas. Fumbling around in the dark. Getting yet another concussion. But of course that doesn’t faze her.
December 28, 2020
I probably read this book about a thousand times when I was little, and decided to pick it up again while I'm at home for winter break — the holiday setting seemed fitting.
Nancy Drew (both the books and the character) always meant so much to me — they were the first pieces of writing that really turned me onto books and showed me what literature could be. I read each of my 13 copies from front to back a million times each, borrowed a ton more from the library, got the interactive book one Christmas, played the video games, watched the movie twice, started a club at school, and even dabbled in writing my own Nancy Drew mystery (it was really bad, but it's the thought that counts).
Needless to say, revisiting this was a little bit strange, but overall cathartic. This specific book had never been my favourite from my collection, but I held it close to my heart all the same because of the character at the center of it. 2020 has somehow turned into the year of me leaning into nostalgia and the media that shaped me during my formative years, and while reading this, it was impossible for me to ignore the impact that Nancy had on me as an 8-12 year old child. I have her to thank for so many of my own personal qualities that have only been refined over the years, and all-in-all, I'm so glad I included her in this unofficial trip down memory lane.
Nancy Drew (both the books and the character) always meant so much to me — they were the first pieces of writing that really turned me onto books and showed me what literature could be. I read each of my 13 copies from front to back a million times each, borrowed a ton more from the library, got the interactive book one Christmas, played the video games, watched the movie twice, started a club at school, and even dabbled in writing my own Nancy Drew mystery (it was really bad, but it's the thought that counts).
Needless to say, revisiting this was a little bit strange, but overall cathartic. This specific book had never been my favourite from my collection, but I held it close to my heart all the same because of the character at the center of it. 2020 has somehow turned into the year of me leaning into nostalgia and the media that shaped me during my formative years, and while reading this, it was impossible for me to ignore the impact that Nancy had on me as an 8-12 year old child. I have her to thank for so many of my own personal qualities that have only been refined over the years, and all-in-all, I'm so glad I included her in this unofficial trip down memory lane.
January 8, 2026
The Scooby Doo-ification of Nancy Drew.
This wasn't by any means a bad Nancy Drew book, but where the older ones and "The Nutcracker Mystery" feels timeless, this one felt a little Y2K dated.
Not in a bad way though, it was just noticable it was written in 2002.
It also didn't feel heavy on the Christmas and holiday themes like "The Teddy Bear Mystery" and "The Nutcracker Mystery".
There also felt like there were some loose ends, like with the merchandiser who stole things to show the store where they had weak points.
But all in all, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a Nancy Drew fan.
This wasn't by any means a bad Nancy Drew book, but where the older ones and "The Nutcracker Mystery" feels timeless, this one felt a little Y2K dated.
Not in a bad way though, it was just noticable it was written in 2002.
It also didn't feel heavy on the Christmas and holiday themes like "The Teddy Bear Mystery" and "The Nutcracker Mystery".
There also felt like there were some loose ends, like with the merchandiser who stole things to show the store where they had weak points.
But all in all, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a Nancy Drew fan.
December 24, 2021
I always assumed these later Nancy Drew books weren't very good, but if this one is any indication I've been wrong about that.
I really enjoyed this, and I love that it took place at Christmas! I definitely want to track down more of these books now.
I really enjoyed this, and I love that it took place at Christmas! I definitely want to track down more of these books now.
July 27, 2017
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
September 8, 2017
Just kind of a mediocre story. Not much happened.
December 21, 2021
This was an excellent read. Great mystery that I very much enjoyed!
April 8, 2022
A nice story. I was a bit disappointed but I'm not even sure why. The mystery was errr, not so elaborate. The shortness is definitely a plus point.
February 5, 2025
“When you started snooping around, it messed everything up.”
A fun Christmasy return to my childhood and one of my favorite female detectives—Nancy Drew.
A fun Christmasy return to my childhood and one of my favorite female detectives—Nancy Drew.
March 4, 2025
I read this book just for the nostalgia of reading Nancy drew books during my teenage.
This tale did not disappoint and he clues unravelled one by one to finally provide a solution to the mystery.
This tale did not disappoint and he clues unravelled one by one to finally provide a solution to the mystery.
January 13, 2016
This is #169 in the Nancy Drew series of books. The story revolves around events around Christmas time at a department store where Bess is working. Some electronics have been stolen along with gowns. The topic of shrinkage is then brought up.
Shrinkage is materials that are lost for some unknown reason. It could be items have been stolen. It can also include materials that have been damaged in some way. This can cost stores a lot and then have an effect on how successful the store is, perhaps leading to people losing their jobs since the store's profits go down.
Diedra is the manager of the store. Nancy and George end up doing temporary work for a guy named Wayne who is responsible for Christmas decorations and displays. There is also Jack, who is a security man for the store.
Nancy, as usual, ends up having "accidents" while Bess, for once, is the one getting a threatening note. George ends up falling down an escalator due to another "accident."
There is also something that I found somewhat unusual. It might be because I'm not reading the books in strict order and might have missed something noted in an earlier book, but in this one Bess is revealed to be a computer hacker which not only is something I did not expect, but the term "hacker" today has negative connotations.
There's also a strange female Nancy sees. The crook, of course, is eventually revealed is not the person I expected the crook to be.
It's a good story with some interesting bits on how stores work.
Shrinkage is materials that are lost for some unknown reason. It could be items have been stolen. It can also include materials that have been damaged in some way. This can cost stores a lot and then have an effect on how successful the store is, perhaps leading to people losing their jobs since the store's profits go down.
Diedra is the manager of the store. Nancy and George end up doing temporary work for a guy named Wayne who is responsible for Christmas decorations and displays. There is also Jack, who is a security man for the store.
Nancy, as usual, ends up having "accidents" while Bess, for once, is the one getting a threatening note. George ends up falling down an escalator due to another "accident."
There is also something that I found somewhat unusual. It might be because I'm not reading the books in strict order and might have missed something noted in an earlier book, but in this one Bess is revealed to be a computer hacker which not only is something I did not expect, but the term "hacker" today has negative connotations.
There's also a strange female Nancy sees. The crook, of course, is eventually revealed is not the person I expected the crook to be.
It's a good story with some interesting bits on how stores work.
October 8, 2012
It was very interesting when I saw the cover. i love the mysteries happened, I didn't expect that their friend, Wayne, is the real suspect of the robbery in the Albemarle's. I had fun reading.. more power! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2010
Nice one! =)
November 5, 2011
My heart literally leaped when Nancy fell from the scaffolding! A good book, a good mystery and a good read!
December 2, 2012
the book wasnt as exciting as the others
December 31, 2012
Another solid NDMS set in holiday time department store--would make a great Herinteractive Nancy Drew game!
January 20, 2015
There have been robberies at the mall and Bess's friend has been fired because she's a suspect, can Nancy prove her innocence and find out what is going on?
November 2, 2015
a very mysterious book. i love it
May 1, 2016
This is an exciting thriller about thefts that are big and small. I found it really fun and a bit creepy especially as Nancy was on several stakeouts. This book puts you on edge.
October 29, 2020
I really enjoyed this book!
It was a short yet captivating read!
It was a short yet captivating read!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews