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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #162
The Case of the Lost Song
AT A TRAVELING ANTIQUES SHOW, NANCY'S APPRAISING BURGLARIES, FRAUD, AND A GREEDY THIEF! While visiting Chicago, Nancy, Bess, and George bring some items to the Old Can Be Gold show to see what they're worth, just for fun. In George's old tape recorder, a dealer finds a rare early tape by a famous rock group. But before George can get it insured, it's stolen -- like many other items brought to the show! From a luxury condo on Lake Shore Drive to a hot blues club, Nancy discovers a mix of suspects. There's a seedy dealer, an ambitious publicist with access to the show's database, a talented singer in need of money, and drop-dead gorgeous twin brothers, one a top appraiser and the other a gifted photographer. Nancy's got to wind up the case -- before a desperate con artist erases her for good!
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2001
22 people are currently reading
874 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
948 books3,854 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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
August 6, 2023
I enjoyed this one.
June 26, 2014
When all else fails...grab a Nancy Drew book. That's my motto. I grew up on Nancy Drew books, and even though I'm 21...it's always a go-to read for me when nothing else is grabbing my attention. I'm reading a book that my fiance got me for Christmas but it's slow. So when I found this one on my shelf, I figured why not. At thrift stores or book sales I will find a Drew book for 50 cents or so and I can't resist buying it. My favorite ND books are the original mystery series (the hardback yellow copies) but they have made so many different spinoffs of Nancy Drew. They have books like this one here, that are more modern, and then they also have a set of ND books for kids. I bought my daughter a "Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew" book last year via Scholastic and it was adorable. I'm glad that they are writing them to appeal to all age demographics though.
The only dislike I have about this book is I felt like Nancy was kind of bitchy. I remember in the original mystery stories they had Nancy as being polite as can be, but in this book she is much sassier. Accusing everyone, even her own hostess, of being a suspect. That was not very "Nancy" of her. Also, she winds up breaking into an apartment looking for clues...and that doesn't sound much like Nancy either. She even says she is not one for doing a B&E, yet a few chapters later she does one. I just think there is a lot more spunk and drooling over boys in this set of Nancy Drew books. I think next time I may go back to the original mystery stories.
Also, in one part- a handsome male character is introduced and it's narrated that Nancy's heart does a flip-flop...even though she is tied to her long-time boyfriend Ned Nickerson. That's not something that would have happened in the original series. Don't get me wrong, this book had all the same elements of the books I grew up with and loved. It had the little details about getting ready or going out to eat (I'm weird but I love when authors go into detail about characters doing small unimportant things) and I love the interaction between Nancy and her best friends. Plus it wouldn't be a Drew novel if Nancy hadn't been hit over the head with something and knocked out cold.
This book is mainly about the girls attending an antique show to try to sell off some "possibly" old antiques. George winds up finding a tape from a famous band that broke up and it winds up being worth a lot. But the tape is stolen. So everyone at the antique show is a suspect including their hostess and "Old Can be Gold" employee. The details about antiques don't particularly interest me, but the book did hold my interest pretty well. I finished it in one day. Honestly, I could have finished it in one sitting if I had the time.
So now, I go back to my other book in hopes I can finish it. But now that I've picked up a ND book, I'm already excited to pick up another. One series that never gets old!
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August 16, 2025Nancy Drew rule of thumb: any man that Bess is interested in is evil
January 2, 2015
A solid later Nancy Drew mystery with interesting setting, plot and characters. The greatest mystery, however, is how the lost jam session tape, the McGuffin of the story, ended up in George Fayne's attic!
March 10, 2019
I've been on a quest lately to re-read all the Nancy Drew books that I read during my childhood but this time in order. As a child I just read whatever was in the school library and they may not have had then next in order when I was ready to check out another. I'm reading them via E Books at the moment but sometimes you just want the feel of an actual book in your hands. #162 was on my daughter's shelf, someone bought it for her at a second hand store as a surprise. I prefer the older books in the series but I thought I'd give this one a whirl since I was craving an actual book in my hands. Copyright on this one shows 2001. This is the first newer Nancy Drew book I've ever read and I have to admit they are much more on point with technology. The characters have cell phones now..(Albeit flip phones...haha) and they discuss email and do some of their sleuthing on the web. While reading the older books, in the back of your mind you are thinking if only she had a cell phone. Now that she has one she still gets herself into jams. She is a bit more spunky in this one than in the older versions and she is much more physical while chasing down her clues and catching the bad guys. She goes rogue more often then I remember her doing in the older series. She is much more spy like. Over all I think this would appeal more to younger readers as there is technology that a younger reader would have grown up with. It's a world they can understand....although my daughter barely remembers what DVD's and CD's are. LOL! I'd say it's worth a read if only to compare with the classics. :)
August 26, 2023
3.5 stars
Not quite the classic Nancy I grew up with, but I still enjoyed it. I forgot how fun these were. I grew up reading so many of these books, but despite owning this one for many years, I'd never read it, until now. It wasn't the most interesting premise, and I did guess who the culprit was pretty early, but it was nice to revisit my childhood in a way, even if the story was unfamiliar.
That ending was great though. Very clever and exciting.
Not quite the classic Nancy I grew up with, but I still enjoyed it. I forgot how fun these were. I grew up reading so many of these books, but despite owning this one for many years, I'd never read it, until now. It wasn't the most interesting premise, and I did guess who the culprit was pretty early, but it was nice to revisit my childhood in a way, even if the story was unfamiliar.
That ending was great though. Very clever and exciting.
January 8, 2019
I haven't read a Nancy Drew mystery in decades but this one fell into my lap, so I began reading. As a adult I noticed many problems with the action, but I did finish the book. I figured out the ending well before the ending! Nancy Drew is a national standard for pre-teen and teenage girls who enjoy easy to read mysteries. I still wish I had been her friend during my teen years!
August 15, 2019
3.25 stars.
I had fun reading this but even so it seemed a bit too modern for my liking. Cell phones and other electronics are present in this one and part of the charm of the originals now is seeing how Nancy can figure things out and get out of difficult situations without it.
I had fun reading this but even so it seemed a bit too modern for my liking. Cell phones and other electronics are present in this one and part of the charm of the originals now is seeing how Nancy can figure things out and get out of difficult situations without it.
April 24, 2024
More updated than the old Nancy Drew mysteries I read as a child. With only 148 pages, the book is a quick read. Though it's fairly easy to figure out the ending, upper elementary girls would enjoy reading it.
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.
July 23, 2019
It's a fun little mystery and a nice, quick read.
August 6, 2022
An okay mystery for me. Wasn't a favorite.
January 12, 2025
I love all things Nancy Drew so I just have to give it 5 stars! There’s always a great plot and the characters in each book really keep you engaged!
October 14, 2025
Have not read Nancy Drew in a while. Picked up this book a while back and enjoyed reading it. I liked solving the mystery along with Nancy.
January 24, 2018
Nancy Drew and her friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne go to the Old Can Be Gold antiques show to see if their old stuff is gold – or just junk that is old. George finds out that her tape recorder has a tape inside that could be a lost tape of a famous band, and they are all excited about it – until it vanishes. And it’s not the only thing to have vanished after being appraised...
It isn’t long before Nancy Drew is on the case! In this one, she goes undercover to find out who is responsible for the thefts.
There are many twists and turns in the plot, as always in a Nancy Drew mystery. Bess Marvin and George Fayne, two of Nancy's best friends and Nancy's boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, are present. I love it when Nancy's friends are around. :)
I've read a bunch of the Nancy Drew books growing up and as an adult, and I always enjoy them. I hope to read another of the series soon.
It isn’t long before Nancy Drew is on the case! In this one, she goes undercover to find out who is responsible for the thefts.
There are many twists and turns in the plot, as always in a Nancy Drew mystery. Bess Marvin and George Fayne, two of Nancy's best friends and Nancy's boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, are present. I love it when Nancy's friends are around. :)
I've read a bunch of the Nancy Drew books growing up and as an adult, and I always enjoy them. I hope to read another of the series soon.
November 15, 2009
the mystery was really good i liked it
January 8, 2011
another awesome Nancy Drew book!
January 8, 2011
I don't really like mystery books very much. Sometimes it is just because I freak out though...
May 11, 2015
I had a fun time reading this short book! Wish I would have read more Nancy Drew when I was younger!
February 17, 2014
Pretty good read! Check out my review:
http://www.whatswhatinwritingandreadi...
and
http://www.thebeautyofwordswritingblo...
http://www.whatswhatinwritingandreadi...
and
http://www.thebeautyofwordswritingblo...
July 3, 2016
loved this series when younger
November 13, 2016
A good, quick read for the Nancy Drew fan. Not my most favorite of this part of the series, but not bad.
June 20, 2012
It was very suprising at the end. I never knew Jason would hurt anyone!
May 4, 2013
Jason? Really?
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews