The Secret Lost at Sea

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #113

by Carolyn Keene

When someone targets the seaport museum in Bridgehaven, Connecticut, destroying centuries-old nautical relics, Nancy takes times from her vacation to track down the vandal.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Childrens, Fiction, Classics, Middle Grade, Crime

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1993

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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one is the best, I love all the fog and ocean and pirate intrigue.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written, just like all of her books! I implore you to read some more of these books, for all ages! Enjoy!

[Katejay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note To Self: mentions of whaling ships & descriptions :(

[LuAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another new and interesting setting for Nancy and George, clearly based on Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut though the name of the fictional city is Bridgehaven, CT, (derived from New Haven and Bridgeport, no doubt). I enjoyed the seafaring theme, historical basis for the mysterying, having Nancy suspected by some and the twists.

[Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a thriller, indeed. Nancy was almost killed. TWICE! But she solved the mystery, as usual. The culprit is...