The Sinister Omen

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #67

by Carolyn Keene

Librarian's note: this is an alternative cover edition of ISBN 0671739387 (9780671739386).

While on vacation in Fort Lauderdale, Nancy and her friends help a wealthy woman plagued with burglars who don't steal anything.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Mystery Thriller, Classics, Adventure

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 26, 1984

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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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

[Emily Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nancy flies a plane to Florida, saves her dad from kidnappers and catches a robber in the act… this girl needs a nap.
This was a lot more believable when I was in 4th grade.

[Laura (Reading is a Doing Word) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy goes to Florida to visit her father who's undertaking an investigation. She's also enlisted to help an elderly lady who's house is continually being broken into but nothing stolen.
This is full of action from the start - a sabotaged seaplane, Carson's kidnap and rescue, tracking stamp smugglers and hiding out to catch the burglers. A typical action-packed Nancy adventure. Good fun as always!

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although some of the later ND books have been a little shallow, this one is actually a pretty good mystery. It is still a bit far-fetched to have a girl of her "age" (which she's been for decades) able to do all the things she does (fly a plane?) ... but if you can overlook that, the simple story is quite interesting.

[Izzy]

Boring. Sorry

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the authors had a slight case of amnesia; a couple of times in this book, Nancy was said to have a "rudimentary knowledge" of Spanish. Yet in The Triple Hoax (#57), she spoke the language fluently. Also, at one point, Senor Segovia addressed Nancy's father as "Fenton," instead of Carson. After more than 60 books, and no doubt multiple ghostwriters, it must be hard keeping track of details. And when did Nancy have time to learn how to pilot a seaplane?

[Halla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was awesome! The plot twist was unbelievable and completely unexpected. Although the part of the vultures was unrealistic. There’s no way an experienced detective, like Nancy Drew, would rely on a nightmare she had, and get spooked because of it. The important part of Nancy Drew and her father’s kidnapping was extremely vague, and it made very little sense. Why didn’t the kidnappers keep a close watch? Why not close Nancy’s mouth from the beginning. The escape was pathetic, those kidnappers had supposedly been part of huge organization, and haven’t been caught before. how did they believe that and not try to get Nancy and her father to escape with them, since they knew they were important? Another part that was extremely vague was the fake taxi ride of Nancy and Ned’s kidnapping. Why did they not take the letters or Nancy’s purse from the beginning? And they’re supposedly strong, smart, part of a huge organization, and have never been caught before; how could they have been tricked so easily? The only thing that made Nancy solve both cases was by luck, she relied on her luck when she screamed and a commoner called the police, she relied on luck when she and her father escaped, she relied on luck on many occasions and mostly worked by hunches and not actual proof. And by luck those hunches turned out to be correct. I expected better, what made the book awesome was the voice, the plot, and the excellent word choice. The book included little to no figurative language whatsoever which would have made Nancy’s escapes seem more heroic and daring. The idea or the plot itself was good, but there were a lot of vague chapters and Nancy relied on her hunches, her luck, and coincidences.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy helps an elderly woman whose house has been burglarized frequently and tries to stop an international ring of stamp forgers.

A gang's efforts to scare amateur detective Nancy Drew away from a case in The Sinister Omen are futile as her interest only gets stronger in a mystery that involves stamp collections from all over the world being stolen all of which included extremely rare particular stamps. She is then also hired by a wealthy woman to catch some burglars who continue to ransack her house yet steal nothing.

I used to find that in many Nancy Drew books Nancy just seems to have too much luck, finding important clues with little effort, being able to get herself out of trouble as quickly as she got into it, etc and this book was no different. However I did notice in this book specifically that there were a few times where the crooks slipped through her fingers, were lost sight of before they could be caught, etc. which was a nice change. These events finally made Nancy have to rethink her strategies and be a bit more inventive.

Setting: On vacation Nancy and her friends travel from their homes in River Heights down the US east coastline to Fort Lauderdale in Florida where they travel around a fair bit of the city, beaches, and surrounding area while staying at the luxurious home of a friend/business partner of Nancy's father.

Characters: Nancy Drew along with her girl friends Bess and George and their boy friends Ned, Burt and Dave are all involved in the adventures of this book. In addition, Nancy's father Carson Drew makes brief appearances as he works on different leads of his own case (which Nancy helps solve in addition to her own mystery), and several others on both sides of the law are included. My favourite secondary character in this book is tied between the fiesty elderly lady and the bodyguard.

Age Recommendation: This book has been marketed for ages 9-12 however the nostalgia of Nancy Drew can really be enjoyed at any age.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it only took me about a day to read which was a nice change. I used to be quite a Nancy Drew fan when I was younger and read about 50 books of the series then. I haven't read any since then so it was nice to reminisce about those days as I re-encountered familiar characters as well as a few bits of reoccurring plot lines.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys throughout my school and college days.

Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.

Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.

[PF O'Friar · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was my fist Nancy Drew!
And I can say: What a Mary Sue.

- She is supposed to be 19. And she is trained pilot that can manage even a hydro plane and land in case of emmergencial lack of gas
- The late teens go to spring break in Fort Lauderdale during spring break and never mention booze, come on, they were all spoild brats they would be promoting wild parties, girls gone wild.

- The ending more ludicrous of a deus ex machina

- She does not solve nothing, she is just around and things happen.

- She calls the police and order them around, even if her father's friend was important, it would never happen.

I can see that it was made for kids and the violence was out.
and the time it was written.
But come on.
Even if the joy is accepting that she is all powerful and resourseful, it is just overboard.

[Anjitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazingly thrilling book. I truly loved it. I think the author has outdone him/herself. Its a wonderful thriller though I think that Nancy's rescue of her father was a little too soon and the fact that the symbol of the brotherhood of the vulture appearing wherever Nancy went was not explained spoiled the story a little otherwise it was very nice reading

[Cws]

JM4 Kee

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book series.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Sanjiv Hubert]

Great option to read old books