The Bike Tour Mystery

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #168

by Carolyn Keene

Riding uphill is hard -- but going down can send you over the edge! Nancy, Bass, and George are all geared up for a bike tour in Ireland. They're looking forward to spectacular scenery, romantic ruins, local entertainment, and, at the end of the day, cozy inns to welcome them. But it isn't long before the three friends realize that they're riding with danger. From the moment they arrive at the airport, someone seems to be targeting the tour members, especially the two teen sisters from Australia. Even worse, not all the cyclists are what they appear to be. As the group bikes along sheep-filled roads and steep seaside cliffs, the menace mounts. Nancy knows that if she makes one wrong turn she'll be on a detour to disaster!

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Childrens, Mystery Thriller, Adventure, Book Club, Middle Grade

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

Carolyn 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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.

Reviews

[LuAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nancy’s efforts are uncharacteristically bumbling in this mystery. I'm disappointed that while it's set in Ireland, it could have been set anywhere as there's little particular to Ireland in the story.

[Dolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best book's I have read.It is so interesting.Carolyn keene your the best auther ever!!!!!!!!

[Ashtyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reading this for a book report i have to do this month. We have to read a mystery or a scary story so i chose this one. this book is actully pretty good.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book that was allegedly the basis for a computer game--The Haunting of Castle Malloy--that bears absolutely no resemblance to the game besides taking place in the same country and Nancy having to navigate through a bog at night.

Not at all what I was expecting, but still pretty fun! I don't know if I've read another Nancy Drew book that's been so on the move. The bike tour seemed like a ton of fun, sabotage aside, and made me want to go to Ireland.

I was ready to be cranky about Bess for defending a suspicious cute guy again, but she changes her mind about him very quickly. And she gets an individual sidequest!

The climax was quite suspenseful and exciting. Really my only complaint is that it does start to feel a bit repetitive with cycle of riding and accidents happening like clockwork. But it did keep me guessing for quite a while, which is more than a lot of these books can say.

[Trips Starlake · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an at least mildly interesting mystery with many characters with their own suspicious motives. I was entertained through the first half of the book but when the Australian characters big reveal occurs...it just kinda soured the whole read as the author picked the most boring twist to go with. Perfectly readable, just a tad boring.

[Marine Captain Kimberly Landen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow a group of friends join on a beautiful bike cycle tour in Ireland. On the tour the friends run into scary mishaps and through there cooperation together learn to solve a mystery. It is a very good read to learn about friendship, trust building, logic and getting along to solve a mystery.

[Kit Haggard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favortie Nancy Drew book! It is really exciting and fairly easy to follow. I would suggest writing down who everyone is on a piece of paper ( Bob- tour director, Derek- English guy,...) because the characters can get confusing.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far better than the typical Nancy Drew. Stronger dialogue, some nice bits on Ireland and biking. The book was originally published in 1974 but must have been updated since there are cell phones, laptops, and cybercafes.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.

[Kristin]

DNF page 73. A bike tour of Ireland sounded awesome but not much bike content or Ireland description. Typical Nancy Drew sabotage plot.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this mystery a lot. The setting of Ireland and the bicycling element was really interesting to me and the mystery was fun.

[Izzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nancy came across pretty stupid in this one

[Lisa Shower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story

A little too cutesy for me but it did have some elements of a classic Nancy Drew mystery. It was not bad.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

[Brad Wilber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written but ultimately boring -- the old Celebrity Endangers Everyone in Their Party By Being Needlessly Evasive and High-Handed chestnut.

[eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute little bike through ireland moment, wish there had been some more action but tis nancy drew🚲

[James Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nancy Drew #168. In this story Nancy and the girls are on a bike tour in Ireland. Two of the girls are major riders but one of them seems to be scared of someone she sees. From the start things start to go wrong on the tour with a tire slashed, George almost hit by a car, and a rock nearly killing Nancy.

One of the girls gets kidnapped and, somewhere along the line, Nancy has learned karate. (About time.) More background is given on the girls before the villain is caught.

I admit I haven't read all the Nancy Drew books (yet) but I can recall Nancy having such a devotion to bike riding that she would go all the way to Ireland for a bike tour. It just seems a little unusual. Also Nancy's sudden use of karate when nothing I've read (so far) indicates she has had any training at all in the martial arts.

A somewhat average book.

[Kalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*** Been a Nancy Drew fan for years, so it was fun to read another Nancy Drew mystery. It was clearly a children's book, but I loved hearing about places in Ireland and even look up pictures on the internet. Fun diversion for an afternoon. Recommend.

[Kandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all Nancy Drew Books, they are just so amazing and interesting!

[Prami{reader and dreamer} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't remember much but I liked Nancy and the mysteries.

[Sadie-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the story line. I felt like I was right there in Ireland biking though the open land... I loved it!

[Artie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Nancy Drew tale that's a bit heavy on the tourism and light on the mystery, but pitch-perfect with the characters' tones and dialogue. Loved the descriptions of Ireland.