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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #98
Haunting of Horse Island
An invitation to a rustic retreat in upstate New York seems like a dream come true until a series of threatening messages, a poisoned picnic, and tales of a haunted mansion send many of the island patrons away, but Nancy is determined to stay and uncover the truth.
10 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1990
9 people are currently reading
1047 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,005 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 27, 2022
Nancy, Bess, and George are headed to the Steadman Resort at Triple Tree Lake for a fun vacation. Right--anyone who knows the Nancy Drew stories knows that the vacation will be put on hold a bit while Nancy gets to the bottom of another mystery.
The resort is owned by friends of George Fayne's dad, Henry and Ruth Steadman. The place is beautiful with a large lake for swimming, fishing, and boating, a pool, and superior cooking in the lodge's dining hall. And the resort has thrived for years--until now. Rumors are dredging up old stories of the ghost who haunts Horse Island (in the middle of the beautiful lake) and there have been an outbreak of pranks--from a harmless snake found in a tackle box to ransacking of cottages. When vacationers begin to pack up and go home, George suggests that the Steadmans allow Nancy to investigate: "You won't find a better detective anywhere."
The Steadmans agree and Nancy has barely begun to search for clues when the pranks turn more serious--the girls' canoe is spirited away while they investigate the "haunted island" (because Nancy is certain that the renewed haunting rumors occurring just when the pranks started can't be a coincidence) and then a fire is set in their cottage--destroying Nancy's camera and the pictures she took on the island. But Nancy refuses to be driven away and it isn't long before she's gathered enough clues to point out the guilty party.
This is a decent Nancy Drew mystery--the culprit was rather obvious and even the effort to make another character seem suspicious didn't distract me. But it was a fun afternoon's read and I enjoyed visiting with Nancy and friends.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
The resort is owned by friends of George Fayne's dad, Henry and Ruth Steadman. The place is beautiful with a large lake for swimming, fishing, and boating, a pool, and superior cooking in the lodge's dining hall. And the resort has thrived for years--until now. Rumors are dredging up old stories of the ghost who haunts Horse Island (in the middle of the beautiful lake) and there have been an outbreak of pranks--from a harmless snake found in a tackle box to ransacking of cottages. When vacationers begin to pack up and go home, George suggests that the Steadmans allow Nancy to investigate: "You won't find a better detective anywhere."
The Steadmans agree and Nancy has barely begun to search for clues when the pranks turn more serious--the girls' canoe is spirited away while they investigate the "haunted island" (because Nancy is certain that the renewed haunting rumors occurring just when the pranks started can't be a coincidence) and then a fire is set in their cottage--destroying Nancy's camera and the pictures she took on the island. But Nancy refuses to be driven away and it isn't long before she's gathered enough clues to point out the guilty party.
This is a decent Nancy Drew mystery--the culprit was rather obvious and even the effort to make another character seem suspicious didn't distract me. But it was a fun afternoon's read and I enjoyed visiting with Nancy and friends.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
January 2, 2019
Sandy review
Another great mystery to read, thank God that George an Nancy, and Bess found out what happened on that island
Another great mystery to read, thank God that George an Nancy, and Bess found out what happened on that island
April 20, 2021
Once again, a well written Nancy Drew book. Despite all the other amazing Nancy Drew books, this one was a bit more preditctable, in my opinion. Besides that, I recommend this book and all the other books in this Nancy Drew series. Enjoy!
June 1, 2013
This was my first Nancy Drew book, and wow- it stunk!
I'm sorry all you Nancy Drew fans, but this was really bad. I get that she's suppose to be super independent and a great detective, but when someone lights your house on fire and leaves a note saying they are going to get you, don't you think you should maybe call the police? Nope. Apparently you and your stupid giggling girl friends just go out for dinner instead saying, "Gee I hope that note is just a prank and that no one will try to really hurt us."
What the heck?
I totally did not get it. Way too fakey and no redeeming value.
Sorry folks.
I'm sorry all you Nancy Drew fans, but this was really bad. I get that she's suppose to be super independent and a great detective, but when someone lights your house on fire and leaves a note saying they are going to get you, don't you think you should maybe call the police? Nope. Apparently you and your stupid giggling girl friends just go out for dinner instead saying, "Gee I hope that note is just a prank and that no one will try to really hurt us."
What the heck?
I totally did not get it. Way too fakey and no redeeming value.
Sorry folks.
February 26, 2015
I'm puzzling over the setting: a lake in upstate with a mile long island the girls can easily canoe to would probably have be in the Adirondack Mountains, but they are never mentioned. And then to have wild horses on the island makes the setting even more implausible to me. Beyond that, the crime is one of the more stupid ones--does the perpetrator really think he/she can carry out his/her plans and not be suspected in the end? And we have the obligatory unfriendly suspect once again. Certainly not the best of this bunch.
July 27, 2015
I am a huge Nancy Drew fan, and reading or rereading a book in the series takes me back to my childhood. This one was no exception. I did enjoy this book, but I have to agree with other reviewers that the location made no sense and that the mystery was lacking. I think this book would have been much better, if the location had been thought out better, the crime had been a better one, and if the explanation of the house and horses had been more in depth. I liked it, but found myself wanting more of a bang in the mystery and storytelling.
October 20, 2021
The Haunting of Horse Island by Carolyn Keene
Series: Yes Nancy Drew #98
Format: Softcover
Stars: 5
Recommend: Yes
Would Reread: Yes
3rd Reread 10-19-2021
I give honest reviews and all my opinions are my own.
For more of my reviews go to Heavenly High Seas Books
https://heavenlyhighseasbooks.blogspo...
Series: Yes Nancy Drew #98
Format: Softcover
Stars: 5
Recommend: Yes
Would Reread: Yes
3rd Reread 10-19-2021
I give honest reviews and all my opinions are my own.
For more of my reviews go to Heavenly High Seas Books
https://heavenlyhighseasbooks.blogspo...
November 26, 2014
worth to present to kids!
April 26, 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.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews