Target for Terror

Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys: Super Mystery #24

by Carolyn Keene

Nancy travels to the small island nation of Philonesia to help the president's daughter, a promising violinist, escape a series of kidnapping attempts, while the Hardy boys infiltrate an animal rights group at San Francisco University. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Childrens

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1995

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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

The actual Frank and Nancy of this book is terrible but it features the rarest of rare things, NANCY JEALOUSY. Just going to quote my favorite bit because it's delicious:

"Quit it, Drew, she thought. Frank Hardy can like any girl he wants. Even though Nancy had a boyfriend--Ned Nickerson--back in River Heights, she couldn't help wishing then that Frank would pay more attention to her and less to Soong."

Pretty decent mystery by standards of the series, too.

AND NOW WE GET TO THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS MULTI-YEAR REREAD PROCESS: SECRETS OF THE NILE, BABY!!!!

[Coralie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these old super mysteries so much! This one was just as excellent as they all are, but I would have to say it wasn't my favorite. I guess I'm a sucker for certain elements that just weren't in this story...like Frank and Nancy static XD. The plot was interesting. I couldn't quite put my finger on the "who done it" but, like I said, there are others that I've enjoyed more.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my least favourite of the super mystery series but only because of the fact that Frank is too busy swooning over Soong An the superstar violinist that he ignores Nancy! (My favourite bits in these books were the Nancy/Frank spark of attraction!) Set in San Fran, it's a good teen detective novel, and certainly a great part of my childhood. Love of reading starts early!

[Alicat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was harder to figure out. The culprit wasn't who I thought it was but it did make sense. I do miss Nancy and Frank flirting with one another, that is one of the main reasons why I read the series.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly this is a three star book but it’s getting a bump purely for the Nancy Jealousy Plot. My land.