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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #173
Danger on the Great Lakes
THERE'S MORE EXCITEMENT ON THIS CRUISE SHIP THAN NANCY BARGAINED FOR!
Nancy, Bess, and George are going on a cruise around the Great Lakes for a fantastic end-of-summer vacation! As soon as the girls set foot on the ship, though, they smell something fishy. Their new friend Amber is upset because her boyfriend, Craig, is neglecting her. After a little investigating on her friend's behalf, Nancy learns that Craig is really a detective. He's been busy hunting for a mastermind diamond thief who may well be on the ship. And it turns out Craig can use some help.
Soon Nancy's hunting for clues on land and offshore. Where there's stolen diamonds, though, there's danger -- and Nancy and her friends are soon caught in the thick of it. Will Nancy be able to crack this case before her ship is sunk?
Nancy, Bess, and George are going on a cruise around the Great Lakes for a fantastic end-of-summer vacation! As soon as the girls set foot on the ship, though, they smell something fishy. Their new friend Amber is upset because her boyfriend, Craig, is neglecting her. After a little investigating on her friend's behalf, Nancy learns that Craig is really a detective. He's been busy hunting for a mastermind diamond thief who may well be on the ship. And it turns out Craig can use some help.
Soon Nancy's hunting for clues on land and offshore. Where there's stolen diamonds, though, there's danger -- and Nancy and her friends are soon caught in the thick of it. Will Nancy be able to crack this case before her ship is sunk?
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2003
28 people are currently reading
864 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,012 books3,867 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 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 10, 2014
This one is difficult to understand, even when everything is explained at the end it still is not clear. It's written by the same person who wrote Tornado Alley and these are considered the two weirdest ND books. Nancy is 17 in this and still has a year of school left. Not sure if the author was unfamiliar with ND or just wanted to change things up. Either way it was weird.
August 8, 2018
This was my first ever Nancy Drew book. Not gonna lie it was an impressive book for a 10 year old. So I’m writing this review from my 10 year old self.
If you’re looking for an easy read then this is it. It’s one of the most simplest books I’ve ever read. Perfect for the beach.
However you wouldn’t really want to read it again, once you’ve read it the first time.
If you’re looking for an easy read then this is it. It’s one of the most simplest books I’ve ever read. Perfect for the beach.
However you wouldn’t really want to read it again, once you’ve read it the first time.
Read
January 10, 2026Found this at vv and couldn’t resist a little nostalgia read, especially with it being set on the Great Lakes
July 18, 2018
Danger on the Great Lakes by Carolyn Keene is the one-hundred-seventy-third book in the main Nancy Drew series.
It was an average Nancy Drew book. Not one of the better ones, but it wasn't a horrible Nancy, either. The setting was fun even if there wasn't much description. The mystery was confusing and predictable but it wasn't annoying me, so that counts for something. I liked having BOTH Bess and George along, and the cameos from Nancy's dad and Ned were nice, too.
2.5 stars out of 5.
It was an average Nancy Drew book. Not one of the better ones, but it wasn't a horrible Nancy, either. The setting was fun even if there wasn't much description. The mystery was confusing and predictable but it wasn't annoying me, so that counts for something. I liked having BOTH Bess and George along, and the cameos from Nancy's dad and Ned were nice, too.
2.5 stars out of 5.
July 4, 2024
'Danger on the Great Lakes' (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #173) by Carolyn Keene.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
Nancy Drew, along with her two best friends, Bess and George, have boarded a luxurious cruise around the Great Lakes for a fantastic end-of-summer vacation! But as soon as they step foot on the ship, things start going awry. A diamond smuggler is speculated to be among the guests on the ship, and Nancy is forced to join hands with another detective to solve the case. But when there are stolen diamonds, there's the danger that follows, and Nancy and her friends are soon caught in the thick of it!
Danger on the Great Lakes is the antepenultimate book in the long-running Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. It also turned out to be the last Nancy Drew book of my recent thrift store haul, and I'm surprised how quickly I breezed through these six books within a matter of few days. After glancing at some not-so-favourable reviews of this particular book, I had some apprehensions before picking up this book. But, thankfully, I had a positive experience for a significant chunk of this book.
The plot is pretty straightforward, and the mystery is fairly predictable. I had suspicions regarding the identity of the main culprit that was finally proved correct by the end of the book, but the author threw in plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing almost until the end. The plot was fast-paced and action-packed, and the stakes were raised as Nancy found herself in more dangerous situations as the story progressed.
It was the end that spoiled the entire experience for me. While Nancy did a decent amount of sleuthing in this book, she didn't arrive at a definite conclusion regarding the identity of the culprit based on her skills. Nancy and her friends just stumbled upon the antagonists at the end when they were caught by the criminals! Furthermore, Nancy doesn't even try to find a solution to her current predicament but is rescued in the final chapter by her father and Ned. The Nancy Drew in these newer books appears as a pale imitation of the Nancy we grew up reading. She was clever, resourceful, and had great sleuthing capabilities, which clearly seem lacking in the most recent iterations.
It also doesn't make much sense that George, who was excited at first to spend the vacation on a cruise with her friends, spends most of the time training to dive and swim. Who even does that? If one could have excluded George from the story, it wouldn't have affected the plot in any way. The Interpol detective was highly incompetent and unprofessional as well. And, the diamond smugglers were no better. What was the need for them to talk about the location of the diamond loot swap in front of Nancy and her friends? It seems as if most of the events in the third act of the story happened merely for plot convenience rather than to drive the plot forward in an organic and convincing manner.
In conclusion, although I liked most of the plot elements of the Danger on the Great Lakes book, the third act somehow ended up diluting the entire experience. However, I didn't find the book to be as bad as some reviews make it out to be. I had a fun time reading it, and although I'm done reading most of my scarce Nancy Drew collection, I can't wait to read more of Nancy's adventures in the books to come.
When the girls were back in their suite, Bess fell into a chair. "Well, this is just great! Nancy's on a case, and George has a boyfriend. What happened to this wonderful trip we had planned to take together?"
"Bess! Brad's not a boyfriend," George countered. "He's a fellow athlete! He's going to help me with my strength training."
"Yeah, I'll bet," Bess muttered.
Rating: 4.0/5.
Review:
Nancy Drew, along with her two best friends, Bess and George, have boarded a luxurious cruise around the Great Lakes for a fantastic end-of-summer vacation! But as soon as they step foot on the ship, things start going awry. A diamond smuggler is speculated to be among the guests on the ship, and Nancy is forced to join hands with another detective to solve the case. But when there are stolen diamonds, there's the danger that follows, and Nancy and her friends are soon caught in the thick of it!
Danger on the Great Lakes is the antepenultimate book in the long-running Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. It also turned out to be the last Nancy Drew book of my recent thrift store haul, and I'm surprised how quickly I breezed through these six books within a matter of few days. After glancing at some not-so-favourable reviews of this particular book, I had some apprehensions before picking up this book. But, thankfully, I had a positive experience for a significant chunk of this book.
The plot is pretty straightforward, and the mystery is fairly predictable. I had suspicions regarding the identity of the main culprit that was finally proved correct by the end of the book, but the author threw in plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing almost until the end. The plot was fast-paced and action-packed, and the stakes were raised as Nancy found herself in more dangerous situations as the story progressed.
It was the end that spoiled the entire experience for me. While Nancy did a decent amount of sleuthing in this book, she didn't arrive at a definite conclusion regarding the identity of the culprit based on her skills. Nancy and her friends just stumbled upon the antagonists at the end when they were caught by the criminals! Furthermore, Nancy doesn't even try to find a solution to her current predicament but is rescued in the final chapter by her father and Ned. The Nancy Drew in these newer books appears as a pale imitation of the Nancy we grew up reading. She was clever, resourceful, and had great sleuthing capabilities, which clearly seem lacking in the most recent iterations.
It also doesn't make much sense that George, who was excited at first to spend the vacation on a cruise with her friends, spends most of the time training to dive and swim. Who even does that? If one could have excluded George from the story, it wouldn't have affected the plot in any way. The Interpol detective was highly incompetent and unprofessional as well. And, the diamond smugglers were no better. What was the need for them to talk about the location of the diamond loot swap in front of Nancy and her friends? It seems as if most of the events in the third act of the story happened merely for plot convenience rather than to drive the plot forward in an organic and convincing manner.
In conclusion, although I liked most of the plot elements of the Danger on the Great Lakes book, the third act somehow ended up diluting the entire experience. However, I didn't find the book to be as bad as some reviews make it out to be. I had a fun time reading it, and although I'm done reading most of my scarce Nancy Drew collection, I can't wait to read more of Nancy's adventures in the books to come.
October 31, 2018
This was fun to read though mystery was not thick the description of places and the fun the 3 girls have was good to read
July 18, 2019
Read for the 2019 Nancy Drew Convention.
As usual, I loved this book. Although there was some crazy stuff that happened on the cruise ship! If you like sneaky villains, cruise ships, diamonds, old cell phones, shopping, the Great Lakes, Toronto, a final chase on the CN Tower--this one's for you!
As usual, I loved this book. Although there was some crazy stuff that happened on the cruise ship! If you like sneaky villains, cruise ships, diamonds, old cell phones, shopping, the Great Lakes, Toronto, a final chase on the CN Tower--this one's for you!
November 16, 2022
I just finished reading Danger on the Great Lakes, the 173rd book in The Nancy Drew Mystery series. First published in 2003. So I've never read any of these newer Nancy Drew books before and thought I'd give them a try. Honestly, it was pretty good. It reminded me of a Murder She Worte episode for younger readers, which isn't a bad thing.
In this book Nancy and her friends, George and Bess, spend the end of summer on a cruise going around the Great Lakes (don't know if that's a real thing or not). They meet a girl around their age named Amber who's upset because her boyfriend, Craig, who works on the ship isn't spending as much time with her as she had hoped.
When Nancy proceeds to investigate the situation she finds out that Craig is really undercover himself and is trying to track down a diamond thief he figures is on board and is going to smuggle jewels across country lines into Canada, where the cruise ends.
This book had a fair amount of fun and thrills in it, but I'll be honest in saying that I miss the old Nancy Drew. Gone was the roadster and in its place a mustang—no telephones ringing with suspense, but cell phones. While I enjoyed the new and modern Nancy Drew, there was just something missing for me. Maybe it's nostalgia that I love about the older books. I also think it was a little rushed in the end, but that is natural.
I really enjoyed it. Will I remember reading it? I'm not sure. What I can say is that I've been reading more of the original Nancy Drew novels and I'm finding them to be one thing--fun! I will definitely continue to read more and more of them, even the newer ones, because they're just easy-to-read books. My rating - 3/5
In this book Nancy and her friends, George and Bess, spend the end of summer on a cruise going around the Great Lakes (don't know if that's a real thing or not). They meet a girl around their age named Amber who's upset because her boyfriend, Craig, who works on the ship isn't spending as much time with her as she had hoped.
When Nancy proceeds to investigate the situation she finds out that Craig is really undercover himself and is trying to track down a diamond thief he figures is on board and is going to smuggle jewels across country lines into Canada, where the cruise ends.
This book had a fair amount of fun and thrills in it, but I'll be honest in saying that I miss the old Nancy Drew. Gone was the roadster and in its place a mustang—no telephones ringing with suspense, but cell phones. While I enjoyed the new and modern Nancy Drew, there was just something missing for me. Maybe it's nostalgia that I love about the older books. I also think it was a little rushed in the end, but that is natural.
I really enjoyed it. Will I remember reading it? I'm not sure. What I can say is that I've been reading more of the original Nancy Drew novels and I'm finding them to be one thing--fun! I will definitely continue to read more and more of them, even the newer ones, because they're just easy-to-read books. My rating - 3/5
February 16, 2019
2 1/2 stars. I've been reading several Nancy Drew lately, where while overall typical in some ways, they are also different. In this one, Ned does not show up at the end to be with her last part of the investigation or to rescue her. That happens in so many of the original books it is nice to see the change with time. George seemed to take a backseat in this book, spending most of her time away from the others. That seemed out of character. Who spends most of their vacation training? Bess is very observant and it make sense that she is interested in fashion.
I had a problem with the Interpol officer. He was too unprofessional. Nancy, of course, bests the official police but even she wasn't on the top of her game in this book. But then, the crooks weren't either. It made no sense to talk by CN in front of Nancy and Bess. They should have at least overheard the discussion, not be gifted with it.
I did enjoy the setting. And there were things at the end that I did not see coming. Bess was a pleasant surprise. She was fleshed out in this book and was a real asset to the investigation.
I had a problem with the Interpol officer. He was too unprofessional. Nancy, of course, bests the official police but even she wasn't on the top of her game in this book. But then, the crooks weren't either. It made no sense to talk by CN in front of Nancy and Bess. They should have at least overheard the discussion, not be gifted with it.
I did enjoy the setting. And there were things at the end that I did not see coming. Bess was a pleasant surprise. She was fleshed out in this book and was a real asset to the investigation.
July 15, 2020
This book was great!!! I read it cause it was just on my shelf sitting there, and I just felt like reading it, lol.
So basically Nancy and her friends Bess and George go on a "quiet and relaxing" cruise because Nancy's father is very rich and wants to give them a treat. When they are shopping for clothes for the cruise, they meet a lady called Amber and find out that she is going to the cruise too!!! They end up meeting her and becoming friends, only to realize that Amber is a fraud. While they're enjoying their "quiet and relaxing" cruise, they hear whispers of a wanted diamond stealer. Nancy starts investigating with a investigator (whom she doesn't actually know is an investigator while working with him) and then Nancy, George, and Bess get captured and rescued and find the bad guys and put them in jail.
That's pretty much it, I think. But I really liked this book!!!
So basically Nancy and her friends Bess and George go on a "quiet and relaxing" cruise because Nancy's father is very rich and wants to give them a treat. When they are shopping for clothes for the cruise, they meet a lady called Amber and find out that she is going to the cruise too!!! They end up meeting her and becoming friends, only to realize that Amber is a fraud. While they're enjoying their "quiet and relaxing" cruise, they hear whispers of a wanted diamond stealer. Nancy starts investigating with a investigator (whom she doesn't actually know is an investigator while working with him) and then Nancy, George, and Bess get captured and rescued and find the bad guys and put them in jail.
That's pretty much it, I think. But I really liked this book!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2023
I just started reading the Nancy Drew series, because I find mystery books facinating and love to try and solve the mystery. I read this one and finished it on new year's eve and it is incredible!
Nancy Drew a teen girl, goes with her friends on the SS Prospero Great Lakes, cruise ship. Where she makes a new friend Amber and unveils a mystery involving diamonds and helps Craig, Amber's boyfriend who is secretly a detective sent on the ship to catch a diamond thief. But could Craig be the diamond thief himself trying to put Nancy off his trail???? Or maybe it's her new friend...Amber
Will they catch the thief? Will they get the diamonds? Will it end with a sweet ending? Perhaps with chocolate covered diamonds?
I recommend this book for people who love a good mystery and love cruise ships :)
Nancy Drew a teen girl, goes with her friends on the SS Prospero Great Lakes, cruise ship. Where she makes a new friend Amber and unveils a mystery involving diamonds and helps Craig, Amber's boyfriend who is secretly a detective sent on the ship to catch a diamond thief. But could Craig be the diamond thief himself trying to put Nancy off his trail???? Or maybe it's her new friend...Amber
Will they catch the thief? Will they get the diamonds? Will it end with a sweet ending? Perhaps with chocolate covered diamonds?
I recommend this book for people who love a good mystery and love cruise ships :)
July 13, 2025
Pretty bad. Unfortunately this was written around 2003 when Nancy was in her incompetent detective phase just like every other girl!
SO MUCH SHOPPING. That’s all they did. Very little sleuthing and Nancy just lucks into discoveries. Also everyone kept getting injured. The best part was when Nancy was slipping and sliding along the deck during the storm and almost went overboard.
This book did not make much use of the cruise ship setting or even the places they docked in.
The Interpol cop was a joke. And you could see the culprit from a mile away.
SO MUCH SHOPPING. That’s all they did. Very little sleuthing and Nancy just lucks into discoveries. Also everyone kept getting injured. The best part was when Nancy was slipping and sliding along the deck during the storm and almost went overboard.
This book did not make much use of the cruise ship setting or even the places they docked in.
The Interpol cop was a joke. And you could see the culprit from a mile away.
November 18, 2018
Meh. Nancy (and friends) didn’t solve the mystery until their lives were in mortal danger - a bit too late. This mystery seemed more like the Nancy Drew I grew up with, much more so than the Nancy Drew Diairies mystery I read immediately preceding. But, for being a “famous detective,” she really isn’t very skilled - she lucks into solutions more than she seduces solutions, and this current mystery is no different; and, the Interpol guy is a piece of work.
August 11, 2022
This is about the fifth time I'm reading this book and although the mystery elements are gone now, I always seem to discover new things which I didn't notice before. I feel like that is the good part about Nancy Drew books; you can always continue reading them as many times as you want.
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.
March 14, 2019
I love this book. It is a very interesting story which is written by Carolyn Keene. Nancy and her friends goes to enjoy their vacation on a cruise around the Great lakes. It is a detective story. 😊😊😊
February 24, 2021
Enthralling plot.
March 26, 2021
Novel setting--Great Lakes cruise; only one prior mystery was on a ship, The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk, and a few other novelties as well such a George befriending a sports professional rousing Bess's envy. I thought Nancy was kinda dumb in this one as I knew who the culprits were before her, though I didn't guess everything.
May 27, 2014
When Nancy and her best friends go on a boating cruise, trouble brews. Nancy decides to help her new friend, Amber, out. Amber’s boyfriend is not paying any attention to her. Could what Nancy finds out be more than she had expected? Could there be more to him than meets the eye? Not to mention some missing diamonds. It appears Nancy has much to contend with.
Nancy Drew is only happy when there is a crime to solve. You could call her a detective, but she does not carry a gun or badge. She helps out the authorities with the solving of cases that are beyond them. George Fayne and Bess are Nancy’s best friends. They are always by her side while she is solving a crime. Ned is Nancy’s boyfriend.
The story is set in the late 1900’s on a boating cruise. The technology is not as advanced as today, which makes it clear why it is set in this time zone.
I would recommend this book for people in their early teens who love a good mystery.
Nancy Drew is only happy when there is a crime to solve. You could call her a detective, but she does not carry a gun or badge. She helps out the authorities with the solving of cases that are beyond them. George Fayne and Bess are Nancy’s best friends. They are always by her side while she is solving a crime. Ned is Nancy’s boyfriend.
The story is set in the late 1900’s on a boating cruise. The technology is not as advanced as today, which makes it clear why it is set in this time zone.
I would recommend this book for people in their early teens who love a good mystery.
April 25, 2025
"A book that reminds you of your childhood"
April 5, 2016
Being the first book for me to read of this author/sequence , I'd Say Its a really nice book and Has a nice twist at the end But the Thief of the diamonds Was just so Obvious From the beginning , On a scale from one 1-10 , I'd Give this a 7
July 5, 2016
This book is a great book and one of the best chapter books I've ever read! I like it because it's really interesting , there's a twist at the end and you don't really know what to expect . You should really read it!
April 7, 2009
so far... ... great!
May 20, 2013
This book is one of my favorite because it has a new mystery after every chapter and they have to solve it in the sea on a ship.
December 1, 2013
This book is a cozy mystery, but still had action. The jewelry thief turned out to be someone that they trusted, so it had a huge plot twist in the end.
October 11, 2013
Loved the twist at the end!!
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March 20, 2018Loved this book so much!!!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews