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River Heights #1
Love Times Three
Readers of The Nancy Drew Files and Sweet Valley High are guaranteed to love River Heights. River Heights has everything it takes to be a bestselling series: the sense of action and atmosphere of The Nancy Drew Files and the excitement, elation and frustration of young romance and first love. Plus, River Heights is backed by the bestselling success of Nancy Drew.
- GenresYoung AdultMystery
153 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1989
4 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,048 books3,883 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 5, 2014
This book was just so cheesy. The only reason I read it is because I own it, and needless to say I will not be owning it for much longer.
July 16, 2014
This is the first book in the River Heights series. Nikki Masters, the main character, was in a Nancy Drew mystery and Nancy appears in the beginning of this book to make the spin off complete. It's not a Nancy Drew book, which is why it's not titled as a Nancy mystery.
To be clear, I'm an adult. I read this as a teen in the mid 1990s and liked it enough I got the whole series, which I kept along with a few other books from my youth because I remembered enjoying them so much. Although I based the stars on being mature now and not finding it as enthralling as I did at 15 compared to books meant for my current age, I'm writing this review based on my teenaged perception.
The fashions and hairstyles described (and on the cover) are dated, but the stories, if you're a teen, are still relateable. Romantic drama, friend drama are all there. This book, and the entire series, are like reading a soap opera. I was hooked, as a teen, from book one. I wanted to know what Tim's deal was and if Nikki would get over her issues with attention after the murder trial. Brittany was good as a villian, and throughout the series we get to see more of her life, but as Nikki was the protagnonist of this, the first book, she was the character I wanted to see the most of. Unfortunately as the series progressed, while her character was resolved, she also fades away as new and secondary characters step forward.
If you are an adult who never read the books as a teen...I don't think you'll like this. If you're a teen who can overlook the lack of modern technology, and a fondness for crimping hair, it'll have you wanting to join the drama club to meet the new boy in school.
To be clear, I'm an adult. I read this as a teen in the mid 1990s and liked it enough I got the whole series, which I kept along with a few other books from my youth because I remembered enjoying them so much. Although I based the stars on being mature now and not finding it as enthralling as I did at 15 compared to books meant for my current age, I'm writing this review based on my teenaged perception.
The fashions and hairstyles described (and on the cover) are dated, but the stories, if you're a teen, are still relateable. Romantic drama, friend drama are all there. This book, and the entire series, are like reading a soap opera. I was hooked, as a teen, from book one. I wanted to know what Tim's deal was and if Nikki would get over her issues with attention after the murder trial. Brittany was good as a villian, and throughout the series we get to see more of her life, but as Nikki was the protagnonist of this, the first book, she was the character I wanted to see the most of. Unfortunately as the series progressed, while her character was resolved, she also fades away as new and secondary characters step forward.
If you are an adult who never read the books as a teen...I don't think you'll like this. If you're a teen who can overlook the lack of modern technology, and a fondness for crimping hair, it'll have you wanting to join the drama club to meet the new boy in school.
October 28, 2010
The first thing that I was wondering were if Nancy Drew would be a big part of the book, after the prologue I got my answer.
She wouldn't be.
This complete story had nothing to do with her, except the fact that she had proven the main character Nikki Masters not guilty for murder of her boyfriend.
We get to follow through Nikki Masters life from both her point of view and from others, like Brittany Tate, a girl who is popular but still envy Nikki just because she's rich and gets whatever she wants without even trying.
And she does everything to make her life miserable.
When they both fall for the same guy, Tim Cooper, the new guy from Chicago.
And this time Brittany will not give up without a fight.
I liked this book, it's the kind you want to read when you are bored or just want something light to read.
You get to know a few people, like Brittany, Nikki and all their friends.
And I liked everyone of them, even Brittany.
Because I can see that she's not a bad person inside, she's just jealous and I feel sorry for her.
She wouldn't be.
This complete story had nothing to do with her, except the fact that she had proven the main character Nikki Masters not guilty for murder of her boyfriend.
We get to follow through Nikki Masters life from both her point of view and from others, like Brittany Tate, a girl who is popular but still envy Nikki just because she's rich and gets whatever she wants without even trying.
And she does everything to make her life miserable.
When they both fall for the same guy, Tim Cooper, the new guy from Chicago.
And this time Brittany will not give up without a fight.
I liked this book, it's the kind you want to read when you are bored or just want something light to read.
You get to know a few people, like Brittany, Nikki and all their friends.
And I liked everyone of them, even Brittany.
Because I can see that she's not a bad person inside, she's just jealous and I feel sorry for her.
November 19, 2012
I'd completely forgotten that I own this and several others in the River Heights series until I went through my Nancy Drew collection. As a girl in elementary school, I loved these. As a college student, I found them to be pretty terrible. The series has NOT aged well.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews