What do you think?
Rate this book
Dana Girls Mystery #3
In the Shadow of the Tower
"It's all the money I have in the world—" The pathetic hunchback, Josy Sykes, despairs as a fox runs off with her one thousand dollar bill. Louise and Jean help the lonely orphan by having her first come to Starhurst and then to a friend's during Christmas vacation.
Josy's luck changes when a hunter finds her one thousand dollar bill, but when the hunter accidentally humiliates Josy because of her deformity, she runs away. The hunter also runs away, upsetting his employer, Miss Melbourne, and the Dana girls' friend, Miss Marsh, who is in love with him. The Dana girls are puzzled at this strange turn of events.
The mystery deepens when Miss Melbourne learns the name of the man who sent Josy the thousand dollar bill, Joseph Sykes, and collapses, insisting that Josy be found immediately. The Danas must find Josy as quickly as possible in order to save Miss Melbourne's life.
Josy's luck changes when a hunter finds her one thousand dollar bill, but when the hunter accidentally humiliates Josy because of her deformity, she runs away. The hunter also runs away, upsetting his employer, Miss Melbourne, and the Dana girls' friend, Miss Marsh, who is in love with him. The Dana girls are puzzled at this strange turn of events.
The mystery deepens when Miss Melbourne learns the name of the man who sent Josy the thousand dollar bill, Joseph Sykes, and collapses, insisting that Josy be found immediately. The Danas must find Josy as quickly as possible in order to save Miss Melbourne's life.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1934
16 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,069 books3,891 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 20, 2022
This was a really sweet book where the Dana's sisters help a crippled girl to fit into society.
October 23, 2018
Although generally I like the Dana Girls series, this one was rather pathetic. It really got on my nerves how they kept referring to this poor girl, Josie, as a hopeless cripple with a hunch back. Everyone who saw her ran screaming in fright. And then near the end, miraculously, the Dana Girls bought her some flattering clothes that made Josie look normal and the hunch was hardly visible. Presto! Ridiculous. As usual, these books were written in the day when black folks were really stereotyped and in this book they have the poor servant woman (who is of course very superstitious) rolling her eyes in fright. The mystery wasn't really too bad, except that as usual, coincidences abound. What are the chances that you lose a $1000 bill (I've never even ever seen one in a much more affluent time), a fox grabs it and runs off (yes, a fox!), and it is returned to you? And who would trust sending a $1000 bill through the mail?
March 2, 2017
This is one of the best Dana girls I've read in quite awhile. I guess its because its one of the books from the old series.
About a fourth of the way through the book I couldn't imagine how it was going to drag out for the whole book, but by the last chapter I began to feel they were rushing things. Funny how that works. But I did love the mystery. Dana girls will never beat out Nancy Drew in my book, but their pretty cool.
About a fourth of the way through the book I couldn't imagine how it was going to drag out for the whole book, but by the last chapter I began to feel they were rushing things. Funny how that works. But I did love the mystery. Dana girls will never beat out Nancy Drew in my book, but their pretty cool.
February 22, 2019
This was a multi-layered Dana Girls. There were a lot of different aspects needing to be cleared up.
I loved the girl's compassion for Josey and looking past her deformity. They also show a good example, because instead of retaliating to the bullies, they just ignore jabs at them. And they also don't try to publicly humiliate the girls who are mean to them, even though the girls are very public about their hate for the Dana girls.
While it had a picture perfect ending, I would have been sad for any thing else in a kids book.
I loved the girl's compassion for Josey and looking past her deformity. They also show a good example, because instead of retaliating to the bullies, they just ignore jabs at them. And they also don't try to publicly humiliate the girls who are mean to them, even though the girls are very public about their hate for the Dana girls.
While it had a picture perfect ending, I would have been sad for any thing else in a kids book.
January 14, 2021
There are several mysteries occurring, all tangentially related. It's not well-woven together and the sheer number of plot points means that some of the mysteries end up getting solved at the end "off screen," so to speak, with little or no effort on the part of the Dana Girls.
December 4, 2023
eponymous sentence:
p45: "...She said she had seen a strange, supernatural figure in the snow in the shadow of the tower about fifteen minutes earlier.
That was so unexpected. That would have been worth mentioning in the title.
p45: "...She said she had seen a strange, supernatural figure in the snow in the shadow of the tower about fifteen minutes earlier.
That was so unexpected. That would have been worth mentioning in the title.
January 16, 2016
Jean and Louise and both sophomores at Starburst Academy. A rather complex story begins early on with the two girls hiding in a cave from someone who appears to be a hunchback. It turns out that it's a girl, and not a boy as they first thought. Before long the wind comes up and the girl loses an important letter and a $1000 bill that had been sent to her.
This leads into a story involving a famous female artist who has a mysterious painting which she has not signed. Her health rapidly worsens and there's a question whether or not she'll make it to the end of the story alive.
Another thing going on is a sort of romance that seems to suddenly die when there's an argument and the guy leaves and no one knows where to find him.
Another theme is about the girl hunchback, Josie Sykes, who is under suspicion for stealing money from an orphanage she had been in and ran away from. Another theme involving Josie is trying to locate where her father is; he had left her at the orphanage some years back.
Then there's also a shady character who claims to be a real artist but is, in fact, a common thief.
For fun, there's always Lettie's antics, of course.
There is some quite noticeable racial stereotyping in this novel, as there is a woman named Mammy Cleo who works for the famous woman artist. She's black, and the way she speaks is typical of the stereotype of the time:v
'Oh, Lawd!' she moaned. 'Please don' take mah Miss Constance away. Please, Lawd, let her git well again. Dis ole cullud woman can't git along without her nohow. She's been mighty sick, Lawd, but she's jes' gopt to git well again.'
Other than that typical language of the time, the book is really very well done and very interesting.
This leads into a story involving a famous female artist who has a mysterious painting which she has not signed. Her health rapidly worsens and there's a question whether or not she'll make it to the end of the story alive.
Another thing going on is a sort of romance that seems to suddenly die when there's an argument and the guy leaves and no one knows where to find him.
Another theme is about the girl hunchback, Josie Sykes, who is under suspicion for stealing money from an orphanage she had been in and ran away from. Another theme involving Josie is trying to locate where her father is; he had left her at the orphanage some years back.
Then there's also a shady character who claims to be a real artist but is, in fact, a common thief.
For fun, there's always Lettie's antics, of course.
There is some quite noticeable racial stereotyping in this novel, as there is a woman named Mammy Cleo who works for the famous woman artist. She's black, and the way she speaks is typical of the stereotype of the time:v
'Oh, Lawd!' she moaned. 'Please don' take mah Miss Constance away. Please, Lawd, let her git well again. Dis ole cullud woman can't git along without her nohow. She's been mighty sick, Lawd, but she's jes' gopt to git well again.'
Other than that typical language of the time, the book is really very well done and very interesting.
July 6, 2012
It's all the money I have in the world— The pathetic hunchback, Josy Sykes, despairs as a fox runs off with her one thousand dollar bill. Louise and Jean help the lonely orphan by having her first come to Starhurst and then to a friend's during Christmas vacation.Josy's luck changes when a hunter finds her one thousand dollar bill, but when the hunter accidentally humiliates Josy because of her deformity, she runs away. The hunter also runs away, upsetting his employer, Miss Melbourne, and the Dana girls' friend, Miss Marsh, who is in love with him. The Dana girls are puzzled at this strange turn of events. The mystery deepens when Miss Melbourne learns the name of the man who sent Josy the thousand dollar bill, Joseph Sykes, and collapses, insisting that Josy be found immediately. The Danas must find Josy as quickly as possible in order to save Miss Melbourne's life.
May 24, 2012
One of my most favorite Dana Girls!
March 21, 2013
I loved this series of books that I read back in junior high. They are from the same syndicate that wrote the Nancy Drew books and the Hardy Boys, but I much preferred the Dana Girls.
Read
April 18, 2013First edition.
April 19, 2013
Not much detective work in this teen detective book. Most of the mysteries were resolved by unbelievable coincidence.
February 27, 2024
Er, we have a lot of bad examples in this one.
I couldn’t get hold of the different decades’ re-writes, but based on the summaries I found here on goodreads, the problems of this earlier version weren’t FIXED in the latter versions. They were just erased, which is a separate problem.
What is nice in this version is one of the leading characters is an older woman, never married, and she is a well known artist! The Dana girls assist when a portrait is stolen from the artist’s studio.
Unfortunately, the artist’s housekeeper is depicted as a black woman, named Mammy or something like that, and , big sigh. Well, the book author did a real bad job of making this person seem human.
Another character in this earlier edition, is a friend and neighbor of the artist. He is depicted as “sensitive,” which might be a bit of queer coding? But nevermind, he is engaged to be married to a lady.
As I understand it, in the 1950s re-write, the “sensitive” neighbor is re-cast as a hunter. And the housekeeper is eliminated entirely.
Really disappointing
And I don’t even know what to think about the obsessive descriptions of Josy being a “hunchback.” Majority of descriptions about her were laser focused on her spine. Book author was weirdly ham-handed about wanting readers to pity this character.
I couldn’t get hold of the different decades’ re-writes, but based on the summaries I found here on goodreads, the problems of this earlier version weren’t FIXED in the latter versions. They were just erased, which is a separate problem.
What is nice in this version is one of the leading characters is an older woman, never married, and she is a well known artist! The Dana girls assist when a portrait is stolen from the artist’s studio.
Unfortunately, the artist’s housekeeper is depicted as a black woman, named Mammy or something like that, and , big sigh. Well, the book author did a real bad job of making this person seem human.
Another character in this earlier edition, is a friend and neighbor of the artist. He is depicted as “sensitive,” which might be a bit of queer coding? But nevermind, he is engaged to be married to a lady.
As I understand it, in the 1950s re-write, the “sensitive” neighbor is re-cast as a hunter. And the housekeeper is eliminated entirely.
Really disappointing
And I don’t even know what to think about the obsessive descriptions of Josy being a “hunchback.” Majority of descriptions about her were laser focused on her spine. Book author was weirdly ham-handed about wanting readers to pity this character.
April 4, 2022
I've been intrigued by this title from the first time I saw a list of Dana Girls books as a child. Since this series never took off like Nancy Drew did and no library I had access to carried any Dana Girls books, it wasn't a curiosity I could satisfy.
The story is a strong one for this genre. The girls themselves are ciphers but they're surrounded by more interesting characters and it balances out. I guessed the ending way before I got to it but the ride was enjoyable nonetheless.
That said, this book would NEVER fly if newly published today! The racial stereotyping was shocking, blatant, and very uncomfortable to read through. The character Mammy Cleo was probably meant to be somewhat endearing in 1934 when the story was published but, whatever the intention was, her depiction here made me cringe. The other African-American characters were even more condescendingly rendered.
Three stars for the strong story, the premise, and for finally fulfilling a childhood desire.
The story is a strong one for this genre. The girls themselves are ciphers but they're surrounded by more interesting characters and it balances out. I guessed the ending way before I got to it but the ride was enjoyable nonetheless.
That said, this book would NEVER fly if newly published today! The racial stereotyping was shocking, blatant, and very uncomfortable to read through. The character Mammy Cleo was probably meant to be somewhat endearing in 1934 when the story was published but, whatever the intention was, her depiction here made me cringe. The other African-American characters were even more condescendingly rendered.
Three stars for the strong story, the premise, and for finally fulfilling a childhood desire.
September 27, 2024
Wow. A great deal happened in this book, and most of it problematic. In this installment of ‘The Dana Girls,’ Jean and Louise stumble, quite literally, into mystery upon mystery. They center around a girl named Josy but they refer to her as ‘the cripple,’ and use other such offensive descriptors such as ‘pathetic,’ throughout the book. The two sisters endeavor to ‘save’ Josy from her ‘wretched’ life like two privileged angels. A series of events unfold in the story creating a convoluted narrative peppered with racist references to non-white individuals and the author inserts a prejudiced jargon to these characters that made me cringe and was completely unnecessary. Seeing as this was written in 1934, a great deal of original manuscripts that have not been ‘updated’ are highly offensive. Usually the mystery of these kinds of children’s books at least have a good mystery element, but I found that the whole story was spoiled by the repetitive use of inappropriate language and terms.
October 8, 2024
This is the first Dana Girls book I’ve read. My copy, published in 1934, has the same “author” as my beloved Nancy Drew series, so I grabbed it!
Obviously, some parts will not age well (look again at the published date), ie descriptions of “pathetic cripples” and “superstitious colored people.” However, as all characters are treated with human kindness by every character involved, I think it’s safe to say the language was simply a product of its historical culture. (Not to excuse it, but to acknowledge it.)
What’s classic about it: the connectivity of all of the “mysteries” involved, the inevitable happy conclusion in which all things are tied up tighter quite nicely, and a world without Ultimate death or despair—only youth and vigor and ingenuity and trust.
It was a nice mental break. Makes me want to read some Nancy Drew!
Obviously, some parts will not age well (look again at the published date), ie descriptions of “pathetic cripples” and “superstitious colored people.” However, as all characters are treated with human kindness by every character involved, I think it’s safe to say the language was simply a product of its historical culture. (Not to excuse it, but to acknowledge it.)
What’s classic about it: the connectivity of all of the “mysteries” involved, the inevitable happy conclusion in which all things are tied up tighter quite nicely, and a world without Ultimate death or despair—only youth and vigor and ingenuity and trust.
It was a nice mental break. Makes me want to read some Nancy Drew!
January 14, 2021
I have to be honest, I had a hard time dealing with the dated characterizations and cliches in this book. I understand that the book was first published in the 1930s. Unfortunately, because of those issues, this book doesn't have the timeless quality I associate with other juvenile series. This is my first Dana Girls book, and sadly, it doesn't inspire me to want to read more. The sisters (who are oddly in the same grade even though a year apart) run across a crippled hunchback. They spend the better part of the book trying to help her recover a lost letter and money. Also, they deal with the theft of a painting, reuniting a quarreling couple, and somehow still have time for school. It seems like like they are rarely there. Well, so much for this book series.
March 6, 2020
The Dana sisters are quite busy doing Good in this story. Among the things they do are: United a crippled orphan with her extended family, re-unite estranged sweethearts, and keep a fraudster "artist" from passing off someone else's artwork as his own.
What makes this book interesting is this edition was an "original series" book in the Dana Girls corpus. Books such as the Dana Girls, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys were all originally written in the '20's. In the '60's the books were re-written to update the characters and make them more commensurate with the times. Thus the sisters have short hair in this story, as opposed to the longer hair prevalent in the 1960's.
What makes this book interesting is this edition was an "original series" book in the Dana Girls corpus. Books such as the Dana Girls, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys were all originally written in the '20's. In the '60's the books were re-written to update the characters and make them more commensurate with the times. Thus the sisters have short hair in this story, as opposed to the longer hair prevalent in the 1960's.
December 27, 2020
I had never read Dana Girls before - by the same author who wrote Nancy Drew. The story was okay but very offensive because of the descriptions used for the girl who was handicapped. But then it was written in the 1930's so I tried to overlook it. Unfortunately, that's the way they talked back then.
September 15, 2018
Claaaaaassic
March 4, 2019
This is a cute little book. Would be a good book for a young girl looking for a good series to read.
June 14, 2023
One of my favorite Dana Girls mystery.
June 15, 2023
Some books do not stand the test of time. Sadly, this is a product of its time. It’s full of stereotypes that are just painful to read.
October 23, 2024
Up until the INSANE period-typical-but-still-INSANE racism, this was... I was going to say "this was okay," but literally the whole story is dependent on BANANAS ableism, so. This was... not for me.
June 28, 2016
It's pretty bad when you're reading a book and hoping that they don't throw any black characters in. I've read many of the older Nancy Drew books, so I know what this author is all about, but the Dana Girls series takes the cake, the cupcakes, and the pie too.
The portrayal of blacks is deplorable, so much so they I couldn't have cared less about the story, though Josy being referred to as either a pathetic cripple or a pathetic hunchback the entire book was offensive.
Louise and Jean talk to one negro who was so spooked that his eyes kept rolling in his head. I saw something similar in a late 1930's film when a black man had been frightened, so I know this is some kind of racist thing. Later, Louise and Jean encounter two scared colored boys with popping eyes.
Don't even get me started on Mammy Cleo, a massive negro cleaning woman with a shiny face. Here is a taste of some of her dialogue, if you want to call it that. "I'se gwine call de doctah. She's sick she is. Shouldn't nebbah hab gone outside dis doah tonight."
Every black person talks like that in Carolyn Keene's books from the 1930's, and the 1960's weren't much better. I'm well aware of the fact that some black people speak improperly, but not all do, not even back then.
I am going to continue the series because I bought it, but I won't be complaining about the racial insensitivities after this review, I now know what I will be getting and will just grimace my way through it quietly.
As for the story, it was stupid. Josy was a whiny crybaby, there were times when I wanted her to run away and stay away. Once again I tried to be nice because of her plight, but it didn't work.
Lettie and Ina stank as usual.
The portrayal of blacks is deplorable, so much so they I couldn't have cared less about the story, though Josy being referred to as either a pathetic cripple or a pathetic hunchback the entire book was offensive.
Louise and Jean talk to one negro who was so spooked that his eyes kept rolling in his head. I saw something similar in a late 1930's film when a black man had been frightened, so I know this is some kind of racist thing. Later, Louise and Jean encounter two scared colored boys with popping eyes.
Don't even get me started on Mammy Cleo, a massive negro cleaning woman with a shiny face. Here is a taste of some of her dialogue, if you want to call it that. "I'se gwine call de doctah. She's sick she is. Shouldn't nebbah hab gone outside dis doah tonight."
Every black person talks like that in Carolyn Keene's books from the 1930's, and the 1960's weren't much better. I'm well aware of the fact that some black people speak improperly, but not all do, not even back then.
I am going to continue the series because I bought it, but I won't be complaining about the racial insensitivities after this review, I now know what I will be getting and will just grimace my way through it quietly.
As for the story, it was stupid. Josy was a whiny crybaby, there were times when I wanted her to run away and stay away. Once again I tried to be nice because of her plight, but it didn't work.
Lettie and Ina stank as usual.
March 5, 2025
Jean and Louise Dana, who attended the Starburst School for Girls, were out walking one cold wintry December day when they heard a whistling sound that appeared to be following them. Puzzled the pair hid among the rocks to see if someone was following them. And lo and behold they espied a strange looking figure come into view, someone they initially thought was a young boy. But on closer examination they exclaimed, 'Why, he's a hunchback.'
It turned out that the person was a young girl, by name Josy Sykes, who was talking to herself about a letter that she had just lost as a fox had snatched it from her and run away. The Dana girls made themselves known to her and this set off a train of events that was as thrilling and mysterious, with a little romance thrown in along the way, as could be.
Josy flits in and out of the story as do a whole range of people who are connected with the family or Josy and the Dana girls ensure that the mystery is carried through to an exciting and unexpected conclusion.
Bibliographical note: This is the third title in the Dana Girls series and with a generic byline of Carolyn Keene; the first four of the series were written by Charles Leslie McFarlane, who used the name Leslie McFarlane for his work.
It turned out that the person was a young girl, by name Josy Sykes, who was talking to herself about a letter that she had just lost as a fox had snatched it from her and run away. The Dana girls made themselves known to her and this set off a train of events that was as thrilling and mysterious, with a little romance thrown in along the way, as could be.
Josy flits in and out of the story as do a whole range of people who are connected with the family or Josy and the Dana girls ensure that the mystery is carried through to an exciting and unexpected conclusion.
Bibliographical note: This is the third title in the Dana Girls series and with a generic byline of Carolyn Keene; the first four of the series were written by Charles Leslie McFarlane, who used the name Leslie McFarlane for his work.
July 26, 2019
Made me feel young again, just like I remembered them.
Made me feel young again. The book was just as I remember them. Would recommend to old kids for memories and young kids to get a taste of what was read years ago.
Made me feel young again. The book was just as I remember them. Would recommend to old kids for memories and young kids to get a taste of what was read years ago.
May 25, 2009
The third volume in the Dana Girls series
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews