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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #18
The Mystery at the Moss-covered Mansion
Nancy's father Carson Drew enlists her help in tracking down a missing heiress, and Nancy, Bess and George stumble upon a mysterious moss-covered mansion. The girls learn someone was murdered near the mansion and they hear strange noises coming from inside the building. Action bounds in this thrilling adventure involving gypsies, a missing heiress, a needy elderly lady, a reclusive artist, an airplane accident, and a forest fire
228 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1941
149 people are currently reading
2859 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
948 books3,854 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 30 of 308 reviews
April 16, 2016
I was excited to recently acquire a 1941 copy of a Nancy Drew mystery, Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion. For some time now (especially after reading Girl Sleuth) I’ve been immensely curious about the differences between the original Nancy Drews and the revised editions done starting in the 1960s. Why were they rewritten? What changed? Which would I like better? So I did some sleuthing of my own by reading the two editions of Moss-Covered Mansion back to back.
I read the 1941 original first. I enjoyed it for the most part (its unconscious details of daily life back then, such as how cars and telephones worked, were helpful for my own story!). It involved an isolated mansion in the woods with shady goings-on, a missing heiress, and a hostile troublemaker. It had twists and turns and red herrings, and I was able to guess a couple of the solutions at the same pace as Nancy Drew, which is always fun. Nancy was clever and delightful. But the mystery plot didn’t seem very tight; Ned Nickerson, Nancy’s boyfriend, made a rather pointless, one-time token appearance; George and Bess, her friends, were paper dolls and completely interchangeable; and the sensibilities toward heritages other than white American were definitely pre-Civil Rights.
So I must admit I liked the 1971 revised edition more. The mystery was completely different – it hardly involved any of the same characters, and the only thing the two books really had in common was the mysterious moss-covered mansion inhabited by wild animals, which concealed two totally different things. (It was interesting to note a couple of “nods” to the original in the 1971, such as a fire, an airplane crash landing, and an impersonator.) It wasn’t the mysteries, though, that made up my mind, because both were good; it was more the characters, structure, and writing.
The newer Nancy Drew seemed more modest and approachable somehow – she’s the girl detective I grew up loving. She didn’t leave Bess and George so far in the dust; they really helped her, and each was a more defined character – bold, Judo-flipping George (I love George almost as much as Nancy) and timid, girly Bess. Having interesting sidekicks made Nancy herself more interesting because of their contrasting personalities. Ned Nickerson was a partner who served a definite purpose in solving the mystery. The story was shorter and more streamlined, and all the action seemed more to the point. No ethnicities were demeaned. I’m a lover of detailed, educational settings in novels, and this one was set in a real place – Merritt Island, Florida, which contains the Kennedy Space Center.
So there’s my honest opinion. In conclusion: The two are very different books and they each have their own charms – they’re time capsules of two different eras, after all! I’m very glad I read both. And I’m just comparing two editions of one mystery – every other pair will have to be considered in its own right. (Whether I’ll be able to do that myself remains to be seen!)
I read the 1941 original first. I enjoyed it for the most part (its unconscious details of daily life back then, such as how cars and telephones worked, were helpful for my own story!). It involved an isolated mansion in the woods with shady goings-on, a missing heiress, and a hostile troublemaker. It had twists and turns and red herrings, and I was able to guess a couple of the solutions at the same pace as Nancy Drew, which is always fun. Nancy was clever and delightful. But the mystery plot didn’t seem very tight; Ned Nickerson, Nancy’s boyfriend, made a rather pointless, one-time token appearance; George and Bess, her friends, were paper dolls and completely interchangeable; and the sensibilities toward heritages other than white American were definitely pre-Civil Rights.
So I must admit I liked the 1971 revised edition more. The mystery was completely different – it hardly involved any of the same characters, and the only thing the two books really had in common was the mysterious moss-covered mansion inhabited by wild animals, which concealed two totally different things. (It was interesting to note a couple of “nods” to the original in the 1971, such as a fire, an airplane crash landing, and an impersonator.) It wasn’t the mysteries, though, that made up my mind, because both were good; it was more the characters, structure, and writing.
The newer Nancy Drew seemed more modest and approachable somehow – she’s the girl detective I grew up loving. She didn’t leave Bess and George so far in the dust; they really helped her, and each was a more defined character – bold, Judo-flipping George (I love George almost as much as Nancy) and timid, girly Bess. Having interesting sidekicks made Nancy herself more interesting because of their contrasting personalities. Ned Nickerson was a partner who served a definite purpose in solving the mystery. The story was shorter and more streamlined, and all the action seemed more to the point. No ethnicities were demeaned. I’m a lover of detailed, educational settings in novels, and this one was set in a real place – Merritt Island, Florida, which contains the Kennedy Space Center.
So there’s my honest opinion. In conclusion: The two are very different books and they each have their own charms – they’re time capsules of two different eras, after all! I’m very glad I read both. And I’m just comparing two editions of one mystery – every other pair will have to be considered in its own right. (Whether I’ll be able to do that myself remains to be seen!)
January 24, 2024
In 1941 when this book was written there was no Kennedy space center. The girls did not wear slacks, and tomboy George had never given anybody A judo chop. This all happens in the 1971 version. The story has been ruined for me, and this was 1 Of my favorites. I mean it even had exploding oranges. I suppose nowadays the girls carry tasers.
January 20, 2022
This one was really hilarious! It starts off typically enough for a Nancy Drew. Nancy's father is on a case and he asks her to help her with decoding some messages. His client is accused of smuggling in bombs inside oranges to the space centre in Florida, and Mr Drew is out to prove him innocent. Father and daughter, along with George, Bess, and Hannah Gruen, go off to Merritt Island to investigate further.
I devoured these Nancy Drews as a child and this was the first one that had Ned in it as a real character. In all my previous books, he was just present in the background but never played an active role. So this was a special book in that respect. Of course, I didn't read them in sequence.
Once in Merritt Island, Nancy comes across a mansion she wants her father to purchase as a holiday home. Unfortunately, the estate next door is filled with wild animals. This really didn't add to the story and I am still confused why those animals were there. The hilarious bit is that the villain had a room full of boiling water, just waiting for someone to show up. This was so Bollywoodish that I just had to laugh!
The Cold War rears its head and the usual annoying 'some Commie is targetting our space station' shit is the basis of the story. Though the book was originally written in 1941, it was revised in the 1970s, and the story completely changed to suit the times. It looks like the original story would have been much more interesting.
I devoured these Nancy Drews as a child and this was the first one that had Ned in it as a real character. In all my previous books, he was just present in the background but never played an active role. So this was a special book in that respect. Of course, I didn't read them in sequence.
Once in Merritt Island, Nancy comes across a mansion she wants her father to purchase as a holiday home. Unfortunately, the estate next door is filled with wild animals. This really didn't add to the story and I am still confused why those animals were there. The hilarious bit is that the villain had a room full of boiling water, just waiting for someone to show up. This was so Bollywoodish that I just had to laugh!
The Cold War rears its head and the usual annoying 'some Commie is targetting our space station' shit is the basis of the story. Though the book was originally written in 1941, it was revised in the 1970s, and the story completely changed to suit the times. It looks like the original story would have been much more interesting.
March 5, 2023
4.5 stars!
This was another fun Nancy Drew adventure! In this mystery, Nancy decodes strange messages in the newspaper (which apparently even her lawyer father can’t do 😂) and she solves a 2-part mystery which both happen to relate to each other.
The elements of this story were interesting, dealing with NASA, bomb-filled oranges, arson, and a strange mansion with wild animals prowling the grounds… Nancy always finds herself amidst the drama.
Oh! And Nancy and Ned actually share a kiss in this one 😂 (very nondescript), the verbiage saying they’re exclusively dating. It’s such a minor thing, but it warms my heart. I know they’re are some Ned haters out there, but I can’t help but like him for Nancy lol.
Overall, this was an enjoyable one! Now onto number 19!
This was another fun Nancy Drew adventure! In this mystery, Nancy decodes strange messages in the newspaper (which apparently even her lawyer father can’t do 😂) and she solves a 2-part mystery which both happen to relate to each other.
The elements of this story were interesting, dealing with NASA, bomb-filled oranges, arson, and a strange mansion with wild animals prowling the grounds… Nancy always finds herself amidst the drama.
Oh! And Nancy and Ned actually share a kiss in this one 😂 (very nondescript), the verbiage saying they’re exclusively dating. It’s such a minor thing, but it warms my heart. I know they’re are some Ned haters out there, but I can’t help but like him for Nancy lol.
Overall, this was an enjoyable one! Now onto number 19!
February 5, 2023
Bess randomly nearly being eaten by an alligator and the random bad-tempered caretaker couple had me laughing at this one. 😆
April 14, 2020
Adventures centering on a Moss-Covered Mansion, and mostly the weather is very wet, and rainy. They are constantly sliding around on mud or running through dripping forests at the center of which sits the Moss-Covered Mansion that emits (or seems to) animal-like screams at odd moments. A couple of old men wander through the narrative from time to time. A woman in a red robe is key, but shows up only once. Oh, and there is a painting by a famous artist of ND.
Hmm. #18 has some of the same issues that the last few previous Nancy Drew's have had. . .and it is an ugly wart growing on my enjoyment of the re-read of this series. Whoever the main writer is for these last few books is a different person entirely, it feels like. . . they are racist, sexist and classist. Am I just now noticing? I don't think so, but could be. In this book servants' interactions are portrayed using "eye dialect" (early on we are greeted by a smiling colored maid):
"Yes, Miss, he spent some time at de telephone den left de house."
"Any message for me?" (Nancy)
"He say to tell yo' dat so far nothing done develop from de Karter clue."
Hmm. And that was not all. Gypsies were in this book, and imposed on them were stereotypic slurs. This is all stuff I read as a kid, and don't remember a minute of it. . .would swear that it was not there - but clearly it was there, informing my little self. That bugs.
The story itself was a romp around a stolen inheritance because the inheritor was missing in the wide world. All had to be restored by the active involvement of Nancy, Bess (who appears to be from a very wealthy family in this book), and George.
All noted above irritated me enough to NOT say this was a favorite for me, of this series. I will continue to ponder, and move on to #19.
Hmm. #18 has some of the same issues that the last few previous Nancy Drew's have had. . .and it is an ugly wart growing on my enjoyment of the re-read of this series. Whoever the main writer is for these last few books is a different person entirely, it feels like. . . they are racist, sexist and classist. Am I just now noticing? I don't think so, but could be. In this book servants' interactions are portrayed using "eye dialect" (early on we are greeted by a smiling colored maid):
"Yes, Miss, he spent some time at de telephone den left de house."
"Any message for me?" (Nancy)
"He say to tell yo' dat so far nothing done develop from de Karter clue."
Hmm. And that was not all. Gypsies were in this book, and imposed on them were stereotypic slurs. This is all stuff I read as a kid, and don't remember a minute of it. . .would swear that it was not there - but clearly it was there, informing my little self. That bugs.
The story itself was a romp around a stolen inheritance because the inheritor was missing in the wide world. All had to be restored by the active involvement of Nancy, Bess (who appears to be from a very wealthy family in this book), and George.
All noted above irritated me enough to NOT say this was a favorite for me, of this series. I will continue to ponder, and move on to #19.
June 9, 2015
Hahaha this was sooooo bad (the worst Nancy Drew book thus far) it was almost good?? I still can't tell. But here are actual lines from the book: "I could use some help solving the mystery of the explosive oranges" and "Police! NASA agents! FBI! Open the secret lock, Longman! Let the animals loose!"
Sooooo absurd. This is the 1960s revision so it centers around a plot to blow up a rocket ship to the moon at the NASA base in Florida. I do love when Nancy Drew gets a chance to get out of River Heights, but come onnnnnnn. The bombers first use crates of exploding oranges and then try for a laser. A LASER AND EXPLODING ORANGES TO FIGHT NASA.
I can't. This was awful and I think also great. But I'll need to sleep on it to be sure.
Sooooo absurd. This is the 1960s revision so it centers around a plot to blow up a rocket ship to the moon at the NASA base in Florida. I do love when Nancy Drew gets a chance to get out of River Heights, but come onnnnnnn. The bombers first use crates of exploding oranges and then try for a laser. A LASER AND EXPLODING ORANGES TO FIGHT NASA.
I can't. This was awful and I think also great. But I'll need to sleep on it to be sure.
April 16, 2016
I was excited to recently acquire a 1941 copy of a Nancy Drew mystery, Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion. For some time now (especially after reading Girl Sleuth) I’ve been immensely curious about the differences between the original Nancy Drews and the revised editions done starting in the 1960s. Why were they rewritten? What changed? Which would I like better? So I did some sleuthing of my own by reading the two editions of Moss-Covered Mansion back to back.
I read the 1941 original first. I enjoyed it for the most part (its unconscious details of daily life back then, such as how cars and telephones worked, were helpful for my own story!). It involved an isolated mansion in the woods with shady goings-on, a missing heiress, and a hostile troublemaker. It had twists and turns and red herrings, and I was able to guess a couple of the solutions at the same pace as Nancy Drew, which is always fun. Nancy was clever and delightful. But the mystery plot didn’t seem very tight; Ned Nickerson, Nancy’s boyfriend, made a rather pointless, one-time token appearance; George and Bess, her friends, were paper dolls and completely interchangeable; and the sensibilities toward heritages other than white American were definitely pre-Civil Rights.
So I must admit I liked the 1971 revised edition more. The mystery was completely different – it hardly involved any of the same characters, and the only thing the two books really had in common was the mysterious moss-covered mansion inhabited by wild animals, which concealed two totally different things. (It was interesting to note a couple of “nods” to the original in the 1971, such as a fire, an airplane crash landing, and an impersonator.) It wasn’t the mysteries, though, that made up my mind, because both were good; it was more the characters, structure, and writing.
The newer Nancy Drew seemed more modest and approachable somehow – she’s the girl detective I grew up loving. She didn’t leave Bess and George so far in the dust; they really helped her, and each was a more defined character – bold, Judo-flipping George (I love George almost as much as Nancy) and timid, girly Bess. Having interesting sidekicks made Nancy herself more interesting because of their contrasting personalities. Ned Nickerson was a partner who served a definite purpose in solving the mystery. The story was shorter and more streamlined, and all the action seemed more to the point. No ethnicities were demeaned. I’m a lover of detailed, educational settings in novels, and this one was set in a real place – Merritt Island, Florida, which contains the Kennedy Space Center.
So there’s my honest opinion. In conclusion: The two are very different books and they each have their own charms – they’re time capsules of two different eras, after all! I’m very glad I read both. And I’m just comparing two editions of one mystery – every other pair will have to be considered in its own right. (Whether I’ll be able to do that myself remains to be seen!)
I read the 1941 original first. I enjoyed it for the most part (its unconscious details of daily life back then, such as how cars and telephones worked, were helpful for my own story!). It involved an isolated mansion in the woods with shady goings-on, a missing heiress, and a hostile troublemaker. It had twists and turns and red herrings, and I was able to guess a couple of the solutions at the same pace as Nancy Drew, which is always fun. Nancy was clever and delightful. But the mystery plot didn’t seem very tight; Ned Nickerson, Nancy’s boyfriend, made a rather pointless, one-time token appearance; George and Bess, her friends, were paper dolls and completely interchangeable; and the sensibilities toward heritages other than white American were definitely pre-Civil Rights.
So I must admit I liked the 1971 revised edition more. The mystery was completely different – it hardly involved any of the same characters, and the only thing the two books really had in common was the mysterious moss-covered mansion inhabited by wild animals, which concealed two totally different things. (It was interesting to note a couple of “nods” to the original in the 1971, such as a fire, an airplane crash landing, and an impersonator.) It wasn’t the mysteries, though, that made up my mind, because both were good; it was more the characters, structure, and writing.
The newer Nancy Drew seemed more modest and approachable somehow – she’s the girl detective I grew up loving. She didn’t leave Bess and George so far in the dust; they really helped her, and each was a more defined character – bold, Judo-flipping George (I love George almost as much as Nancy) and timid, girly Bess. Having interesting sidekicks made Nancy herself more interesting because of their contrasting personalities. Ned Nickerson was a partner who served a definite purpose in solving the mystery. The story was shorter and more streamlined, and all the action seemed more to the point. No ethnicities were demeaned. I’m a lover of detailed, educational settings in novels, and this one was set in a real place – Merritt Island, Florida, which contains the Kennedy Space Center.
So there’s my honest opinion. In conclusion: The two are very different books and they each have their own charms – they’re time capsules of two different eras, after all! I’m very glad I read both. And I’m just comparing two editions of one mystery – every other pair will have to be considered in its own right. (Whether I’ll be able to do that myself remains to be seen!)
June 1, 2015
"I could use some help in solving the mystery of the explosive oranges."
How could they possibly have NOT titled this book "The Mystery of the Explosive Oranges"?
A particularly stupid mystery in Nancy's lineup.
How could they possibly have NOT titled this book "The Mystery of the Explosive Oranges"?
A particularly stupid mystery in Nancy's lineup.
October 27, 2016
Oh God. Just when you thought things couldn't get crazier, Nancy's in a fucking plane crash.
So: Bess originally stumbles onto the moss-covered mansion in question while the girls take a detour off the main road somewhere, and hears a scream, and runs away. Nancy and George are intrigued, but George falls into an old fish pond and then loses her watch. A red-bearded man comes out of the house and orders them to GTFO. Nancy doesn't want to, but he has a damn gun.
The girls are on their way to a town called Ashley, to meet up with Carson Drew for his birthday. Nancy's present to him is an oil portrait of... Nancy. (Granted, Carson loves the gift... I mean, it seems odd, but he is her dad and he loves her, so I guess it makes sense.) The painting was damaged in transit, but Nancy and the owner of the boarding house where they're staying repair it. And the (black) cook makes a birthday cake for Carson. It's a big ol' party.
Carson is trying to track down June Campbell because she inherited a bunch of money from her dead mom. Nancy decides to help. They meet Ms. Labelle, who knew June, and Penelope, one of her old friends, who can help identify June if she's ever found - although Mrs. Labelle's fucking ceiling falls while the girls are visiting and Nancy's ass is knocked out.
Also NED COMES TO VISIT YAY, and on the last day of his visit Nancy and Ned go to "look at some gardens," which I like to think actually means "went parking and made out." And he tells her to come home soon and sends her a postcard after he's gone home.
The girls make several trips out to the scary house, mostly to find George's missing watch (which they do find). A fisherman warns them off, and they hear that a man was shot, taken to the hospital, and died. A swarthy jackass named Ramo claims it was his brother and that the girls know something and then proceeds to be shady af for the rest of the book. (The girls think he's bad and don't feel sympathy for his dead brother, especially once they find out he most likely didn't even HAVE a brother.)
A woman claiming to be June shows up, and Carson isn't sure about her but gives her the $52,000 anyway. (That would be about $846,000 now, so hell yes.) Of course she's a fucking imposter. She's a fortune teller's daughter and Ramo's niece.
Nancy and Carson get a lead about June, and decide to take a plane, but fog comes up and THE FUCKING PLANE CRASHES AND CARSON ISN'T BUCKLED IN AND A TREE FALLS ON NANCY WHEN SHE'S TRYING TO HELP THE PILOT. And then she wakes up and SHE'S IN THE MOSS-COVERED MANSION. She's so worried about her dad, though, that she leaves immediately.
So: the guy at the mansion is a famous artist. June arrives to pose for some artwork, WITH FUCKING WILD ANIMALS. Adjective, not verb. They catch the thieves and recover the money, and June gives money to poor Mrs. Labelle, who is broke and has heart attacks during the book and is broke. Nancy, along with surviving a FUCKING PLANE CRASH, is thrown out of Ramo's car when she tries to stop him from fleeing, rescues an escaped carnival monkey, and serves as nursemaid to Mrs. Labelle. She's totally the best.
So: Bess originally stumbles onto the moss-covered mansion in question while the girls take a detour off the main road somewhere, and hears a scream, and runs away. Nancy and George are intrigued, but George falls into an old fish pond and then loses her watch. A red-bearded man comes out of the house and orders them to GTFO. Nancy doesn't want to, but he has a damn gun.
The girls are on their way to a town called Ashley, to meet up with Carson Drew for his birthday. Nancy's present to him is an oil portrait of... Nancy. (Granted, Carson loves the gift... I mean, it seems odd, but he is her dad and he loves her, so I guess it makes sense.) The painting was damaged in transit, but Nancy and the owner of the boarding house where they're staying repair it. And the (black) cook makes a birthday cake for Carson. It's a big ol' party.
Carson is trying to track down June Campbell because she inherited a bunch of money from her dead mom. Nancy decides to help. They meet Ms. Labelle, who knew June, and Penelope, one of her old friends, who can help identify June if she's ever found - although Mrs. Labelle's fucking ceiling falls while the girls are visiting and Nancy's ass is knocked out.
Also NED COMES TO VISIT YAY, and on the last day of his visit Nancy and Ned go to "look at some gardens," which I like to think actually means "went parking and made out." And he tells her to come home soon and sends her a postcard after he's gone home.
The girls make several trips out to the scary house, mostly to find George's missing watch (which they do find). A fisherman warns them off, and they hear that a man was shot, taken to the hospital, and died. A swarthy jackass named Ramo claims it was his brother and that the girls know something and then proceeds to be shady af for the rest of the book. (The girls think he's bad and don't feel sympathy for his dead brother, especially once they find out he most likely didn't even HAVE a brother.)
A woman claiming to be June shows up, and Carson isn't sure about her but gives her the $52,000 anyway. (That would be about $846,000 now, so hell yes.) Of course she's a fucking imposter. She's a fortune teller's daughter and Ramo's niece.
Nancy and Carson get a lead about June, and decide to take a plane, but fog comes up and THE FUCKING PLANE CRASHES AND CARSON ISN'T BUCKLED IN AND A TREE FALLS ON NANCY WHEN SHE'S TRYING TO HELP THE PILOT. And then she wakes up and SHE'S IN THE MOSS-COVERED MANSION. She's so worried about her dad, though, that she leaves immediately.
So: the guy at the mansion is a famous artist. June arrives to pose for some artwork, WITH FUCKING WILD ANIMALS. Adjective, not verb. They catch the thieves and recover the money, and June gives money to poor Mrs. Labelle, who is broke and has heart attacks during the book and is broke. Nancy, along with surviving a FUCKING PLANE CRASH, is thrown out of Ramo's car when she tries to stop him from fleeing, rescues an escaped carnival monkey, and serves as nursemaid to Mrs. Labelle. She's totally the best.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2019
COUNTDOWN: Mid-20th Century North American Crime
BOOK 209 (of 250)
Need a walk down memory lane, or just a chill-out? You can't go wrong with Nancy or the Hardy Boys.
Hook=4 stars: Nancy and her father review an odd personal message in a Florida newspaper. Nancy's friends arrive via a car crash right at her front door, and they all decide to take off to Florida for the Kennedy Space Center, as they've decoded "NASA" from said personal message along with the reader. What's going on at NASA? Nice opening, original.
Pace=3: Okay. The author strains for a Big Event per chapter, and sometimes has several, but then again that event might be the girls shopping at a nearby market.
Plot=2: Wild animals, exploding oranges, an Adams Family-Style creepy mansion (on the Florida coast?) with SOMETHING in the basement and a tower with a telescope are odd elements which don't really mesh. There are some good Nancy Drew plots: I've read them. This is rather weak.
People=2: Nancy is memorable in that she appeared in over 50 books. But in this edition, we learn next to nothing about her character, nor of her many best friends.
Place=1: If you're gonna write about Florida, you have to talk about the humidity. And if you are in Cocoa Beach, there is the ocean spray and breezes and surfers, etc. And the mansion as described would never be built in Florida. And there wouldn't be a wild animal training park in the suburbs. There is no attempt at anything close to reality here. Lazy in this element.
SUMMARY: My average rating is 2.4 or 2 stars here on goodreads. I've read a number of these books in this series which are better. This one is on the odd and weak side in plot and place.
BOOK 209 (of 250)
Need a walk down memory lane, or just a chill-out? You can't go wrong with Nancy or the Hardy Boys.
Hook=4 stars: Nancy and her father review an odd personal message in a Florida newspaper. Nancy's friends arrive via a car crash right at her front door, and they all decide to take off to Florida for the Kennedy Space Center, as they've decoded "NASA" from said personal message along with the reader. What's going on at NASA? Nice opening, original.
Pace=3: Okay. The author strains for a Big Event per chapter, and sometimes has several, but then again that event might be the girls shopping at a nearby market.
Plot=2: Wild animals, exploding oranges, an Adams Family-Style creepy mansion (on the Florida coast?) with SOMETHING in the basement and a tower with a telescope are odd elements which don't really mesh. There are some good Nancy Drew plots: I've read them. This is rather weak.
People=2: Nancy is memorable in that she appeared in over 50 books. But in this edition, we learn next to nothing about her character, nor of her many best friends.
Place=1: If you're gonna write about Florida, you have to talk about the humidity. And if you are in Cocoa Beach, there is the ocean spray and breezes and surfers, etc. And the mansion as described would never be built in Florida. And there wouldn't be a wild animal training park in the suburbs. There is no attempt at anything close to reality here. Lazy in this element.
SUMMARY: My average rating is 2.4 or 2 stars here on goodreads. I've read a number of these books in this series which are better. This one is on the odd and weak side in plot and place.
July 13, 2014
Obviously a re-write because the plot is all about NASA, which obviously was not in force in 1941. Something about explosive oranges being shipped to Cape Canaveral in order to derail the moon launch. No, really.
Hilarious, and reads like a NANO project. Carson Drew is ok with springing for plane tickets for himself, Nancy, and Hannah (and Bess and George?) to fly from River Heights (not sure but think it's Upstate NY) to Melbourne, FL, but totally pissed to shell out a few bucks in cab fare from the airport to the house they're staying in. Also, Ned's family just so happens to have a summer home on the same Floridian island as Mr Drew's client. And poor plump Bess wants to eat every eleven pages, and George rips on her every time she mentions food.
Later, after Mr. Drew has to leave unexpectedly and then returns suddenly (no kidnapping in the meantime!), the landing gear on his plane jams, so they just belly land the plane and everyone gets off just fine. No mention of escape slides or anything. And the crooks communicate using codes in personal ads in the local paper.
Nancy et al (Bess, George and the three guys) get tear-gassed by random bearded assailants in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA, but nobody loses consciousness.
This one even has a NANO-esque ending, because rather than actually figuring out the mystery, Nancy and Ned sneak into the guy's house and overhear the gang recounting every detail. Very convenient.
The only sad unanswered question in the denouement is that we never know if the Drews bought the summer house that's adjacent to the Nickerson's summer house. Wah.
Hilarious, and reads like a NANO project. Carson Drew is ok with springing for plane tickets for himself, Nancy, and Hannah (and Bess and George?) to fly from River Heights (not sure but think it's Upstate NY) to Melbourne, FL, but totally pissed to shell out a few bucks in cab fare from the airport to the house they're staying in. Also, Ned's family just so happens to have a summer home on the same Floridian island as Mr Drew's client. And poor plump Bess wants to eat every eleven pages, and George rips on her every time she mentions food.
Later, after Mr. Drew has to leave unexpectedly and then returns suddenly (no kidnapping in the meantime!), the landing gear on his plane jams, so they just belly land the plane and everyone gets off just fine. No mention of escape slides or anything. And the crooks communicate using codes in personal ads in the local paper.
Nancy et al (Bess, George and the three guys) get tear-gassed by random bearded assailants in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA, but nobody loses consciousness.
This one even has a NANO-esque ending, because rather than actually figuring out the mystery, Nancy and Ned sneak into the guy's house and overhear the gang recounting every detail. Very convenient.
The only sad unanswered question in the denouement is that we never know if the Drews bought the summer house that's adjacent to the Nickerson's summer house. Wah.
March 6, 2018
The team is in Florida! And we have as many as maybe 3 messy mysteries to solve, most of which involve the girls nearly being eaten and attacked by large animals.
This exciting tale also features my favorite aspect about these Nancy Drew books: Stupid villains! They launch implausible and overly complicated schemes with clear-as-mud reward structures. What would anyone gain by smuggling into NASA a truck full of oranges—each orange carefully packed with explosives? Who did he get to carry out this plan? All of his assistants and cronies are lazy, and like himself, stupid, excepting that the villain is the special type of stupid that allows him to be a rocket scientist, yet he can be tracked and captured by a trio of young women: young women who are sleep-deprived, hungry (because the household "help" eats all their food and doesn't clean up), and the young women are constantly in danger because, as stated before, they are surrounded by large carnivorous animals that live right next door thanks to a shady real estate deal.
Bonus: most disgusting snack I've seen to date. While viewing a shuttle launch, Ned and Nancy visit the snack bar and buy "hamburgers and milk." I cannot think of anything worse to eat during a hot summer day. I honestly think "jellied consommé" would be better.
This exciting tale also features my favorite aspect about these Nancy Drew books: Stupid villains! They launch implausible and overly complicated schemes with clear-as-mud reward structures. What would anyone gain by smuggling into NASA a truck full of oranges—each orange carefully packed with explosives? Who did he get to carry out this plan? All of his assistants and cronies are lazy, and like himself, stupid, excepting that the villain is the special type of stupid that allows him to be a rocket scientist, yet he can be tracked and captured by a trio of young women: young women who are sleep-deprived, hungry (because the household "help" eats all their food and doesn't clean up), and the young women are constantly in danger because, as stated before, they are surrounded by large carnivorous animals that live right next door thanks to a shady real estate deal.
Bonus: most disgusting snack I've seen to date. While viewing a shuttle launch, Ned and Nancy visit the snack bar and buy "hamburgers and milk." I cannot think of anything worse to eat during a hot summer day. I honestly think "jellied consommé" would be better.
August 29, 2015
I read this as part of a book challenge and it was actually quite enjoyable. I read every Nancy Drew book as a kid and watched the television show faithfully. Reading this story is almost like opening a time capsule with newspapers full of coded messages to communicate, station wagons, teens eating formal lunch and dinner and going to church together all while solving a mystery. Nancy Drew is the consummate girl-detective and perfect in every way. She manages to find trouble wherever she goes and this book didn't disappoint (wild tigers and boiling water pits anyone?) A classic!
March 22, 2024
Two stars instead of one because this story would make a fantastic Netflix episode ☠️
In a word: WEIRD!!!! This one was just weird! Pacing issues all over the place and too many outlandish elements. I allow for SOME outlandish-ness… but I draw the line at NASA lol. Also there were too many different houses involved. In a book with a house in its title, one would think that house would be the main focus? But no! 😅
In a word: WEIRD!!!! This one was just weird! Pacing issues all over the place and too many outlandish elements. I allow for SOME outlandish-ness… but I draw the line at NASA lol. Also there were too many different houses involved. In a book with a house in its title, one would think that house would be the main focus? But no! 😅
Read
January 8, 2024These last couple of books seem so odd and silly. I seem to remember the later books in the series being better written. But still a good commute read/general distraction. :)
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Leftover book from last year, but rushed to finish due to library due date!
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Leftover book from last year, but rushed to finish due to library due date!
September 23, 2011
Yet another excellent addition to the Nancy Drew book series.
January 1, 2016
This Nancy book is a delight. I loved this one. :)
June 28, 2023
3.5 stars.
Well, this was quite the adventure! In keeping track of Nancy's many talents, I want to quickly start by adding painting to this list, in case you were curious. This story had a lot going on: a missing heiress, a mysterious house in the middle of the woods, a runaway circus monkey, a plane crash, and more. As I did read the original story, I want to note that there are some rather racist stereotypes in its pages as well, with the so-called speech of the POC help (mainly maids and cooks) and the throwing around of the word "gypsy", both of which made me cringe. Leaving those issues aside, the story itself was actually really well-crafted - one of the tighter Nancy Drew books that I've read - and I enjoyed seeing what all Nancy and company got up to. As with all of these books, you'll need to suspend your sense of disbelief, as Nancy survives one too many life-threatening dangers, but all in all I found this extremely enjoyable overall.
Well, this was quite the adventure! In keeping track of Nancy's many talents, I want to quickly start by adding painting to this list, in case you were curious. This story had a lot going on: a missing heiress, a mysterious house in the middle of the woods, a runaway circus monkey, a plane crash, and more. As I did read the original story, I want to note that there are some rather racist stereotypes in its pages as well, with the so-called speech of the POC help (mainly maids and cooks) and the throwing around of the word "gypsy", both of which made me cringe. Leaving those issues aside, the story itself was actually really well-crafted - one of the tighter Nancy Drew books that I've read - and I enjoyed seeing what all Nancy and company got up to. As with all of these books, you'll need to suspend your sense of disbelief, as Nancy survives one too many life-threatening dangers, but all in all I found this extremely enjoyable overall.
April 17, 2021
Our favorite household name detective, Nancy Drew, is back at it again with a slew of all your favorite characters assisting. Nancy's father has a case in Florida that he's assisting with of a man wrongfully accused of trying to bomb the NASA Space Station. They pack their bags and head off to solve the mystery. While on the case Nancy finds that there is a strange house in the area that leaves many questions at its door, including why there are wild animals being kept on the land. Never giving up her mission, she fights to the very end to see the culprit to justice.
I liked this one but it's definitely not my favorite just because there are so many characters in it but it's also very easy to guess. Although, as always Nancy is my ride or die and any book in her series should be treated with gold.
I liked this one but it's definitely not my favorite just because there are so many characters in it but it's also very easy to guess. Although, as always Nancy is my ride or die and any book in her series should be treated with gold.
December 28, 2020
This was the revised text and one of the more outlandish plots.
Nancy helps her father investigate a case surrounding exploding oranges and attempted sabotage of a NASA rocket launch! There is also a moss-covered mansion with wild animals roaming in the grounds. Unsurprisingly the two are linked! This was one of the more far-fetched stories and there was even a gratuitous alligator attack thrown in for good measure. You definitely needed to suspend disbelief for this one!
Nancy helps her father investigate a case surrounding exploding oranges and attempted sabotage of a NASA rocket launch! There is also a moss-covered mansion with wild animals roaming in the grounds. Unsurprisingly the two are linked! This was one of the more far-fetched stories and there was even a gratuitous alligator attack thrown in for good measure. You definitely needed to suspend disbelief for this one!
May 17, 2024
I finished this awhile ago but forgot to update. Nancy unfortunately only uses like 50% of her brainpower in this mystery. The animals make up for it, though.
December 5, 2015
Ok let's just imagine me as Stitch.... and Cobra as Carolyn Keene for a sec....
This book was soooo frustrating to me!!!!!!!!!!
For one thing - I have to say first up - If you are an 8 year old, don't listen to me. This book was great! And educational! And there were wild animals - Oooh! *shudder*. Read this Nancy Drew now!
Back to the 13+ audience.
This was soooo frustrating!!!!!
I was just like the whole time: Nancy! Why are you even bothering with this - you know you're always uber-perfectly right. JUST CALL THE COPS AND ARREST THEM!!!!!
But then I guess that's not very fair.... because of the whole 4th wall thing. She doesn't know she's 'Nancy Drew Girl Detective!' she's just her. With her daddy's money.
I think the author (Carolyn or one of the other Nancy Drew writers, not sure...) was trying to make this educational - or maybe the first edition of ND was centered around a time when NASA was all the rage. But for certain we spent a lot of time, sashaying through a NASA museum thing, and learning about spaceships!
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggghh....ggggggggh
So I admit. I sped-read. That's right. I just scanned those pages like a toddler until I saw the plot picking back up. Somehow it feels dishonest... But cut me some slack. Nancy-Drew-dialogue about how our brave American-space-cadets-blah-blah-blah-blah.
I can't even remember what was important or not in that story... and it took me forever to read!
It was like - how I'm sure most of you know -: The last 5 minutes of a workout - and you just want to st-ooop *sob*, but fiiiive moooore min-utes.... and then I can face myself later and say I actually committed to this! And then it's over and you're just so glad you don't have to do this again until tomorrow?
The last 5 chapters were like that.
And naturally we got Ned to be all macho and 'I'll go first Nancy. There may be someone down there....' and '....I'll go with you Nancy. You'll be safer with a man around.'
and
'With Ned's help she hoisted herself up on the __some secret object___ to do some trivial cutesy task - like eavesdrop, or whisper to someone tied up in a prison or something.'
Or the
'Ned chase that man running away over there and get into a fist fight with him - which you will win - unless it's dark, or there are two of them!'
or
'Ned! Kick down this door and save me from the scary bad men who tied me up down here - because you just have PERFECT TIMING! And you remembered like a respectful young man to call my father. :) '
So at the end of the day.... Mr. Drew saved us by calling the CIA (or FBI..?) and NASA to arrest the bad guys. Ned made being held prisoner a bit easier. Bess and George... did nothing really... but they had their helpful moments. Hannah Gruen got to be in this book more than usual. She came along on a trip to the mystery-zone area to provide emotional support. :)
So a summary of this Nancy Drew... There were some explosive oranges (I KNOW RIGHT!!!?) that some bad guys were going to use to blow up a space shuttle at take-off day, because... terrorism? And Nancy uses her amazing code deciphering skills to figure out who the bad guys might be.
Also the bad guys **BABY SPOILER!** have a room... with a pool of boiling water... to throw their captives into.
I found that a very violent touch.
Very.
But cuz this is a kids' book we only forced _____ to stand on the narrow ledge, and wait for _____ to get tired and fall in by __self.
So if you're 6-11 yrs old. And you like Nancy Drews. Do go ahead and read this one!
If you are only reading these, because you missed out on the whole haul of Nancy Drews during that phase that nearly all girls have. Save. Yourself. The trouble. Some Nancy Drews are tolerable, but this one was pushing my patience-o-meter.
--
Also as a side note - You can probably see I just figured out how to get GIFs into reviews. Thanks to Brenna from this random forum post I stumbled on. :)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
.......
And now. I will put waaaaay too many gifs in my reviews.
You're Welcome.
Thanks for reading!
~Simone
This book was soooo frustrating to me!!!!!!!!!!
For one thing - I have to say first up - If you are an 8 year old, don't listen to me. This book was great! And educational! And there were wild animals - Oooh! *shudder*. Read this Nancy Drew now!
Back to the 13+ audience.
This was soooo frustrating!!!!!
I was just like the whole time: Nancy! Why are you even bothering with this - you know you're always uber-perfectly right. JUST CALL THE COPS AND ARREST THEM!!!!!
But then I guess that's not very fair.... because of the whole 4th wall thing. She doesn't know she's 'Nancy Drew Girl Detective!' she's just her. With her daddy's money.
I think the author (Carolyn or one of the other Nancy Drew writers, not sure...) was trying to make this educational - or maybe the first edition of ND was centered around a time when NASA was all the rage. But for certain we spent a lot of time, sashaying through a NASA museum thing, and learning about spaceships!
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggghh....ggggggggh
So I admit. I sped-read. That's right. I just scanned those pages like a toddler until I saw the plot picking back up. Somehow it feels dishonest... But cut me some slack. Nancy-Drew-dialogue about how our brave American-space-cadets-blah-blah-blah-blah.
I can't even remember what was important or not in that story... and it took me forever to read!
It was like - how I'm sure most of you know -: The last 5 minutes of a workout - and you just want to st-ooop *sob*, but fiiiive moooore min-utes.... and then I can face myself later and say I actually committed to this! And then it's over and you're just so glad you don't have to do this again until tomorrow?
The last 5 chapters were like that.
And naturally we got Ned to be all macho and 'I'll go first Nancy. There may be someone down there....' and '....I'll go with you Nancy. You'll be safer with a man around.'
and
'With Ned's help she hoisted herself up on the __some secret object___ to do some trivial cutesy task - like eavesdrop, or whisper to someone tied up in a prison or something.'
Or the
'Ned chase that man running away over there and get into a fist fight with him - which you will win - unless it's dark, or there are two of them!'
or
'Ned! Kick down this door and save me from the scary bad men who tied me up down here - because you just have PERFECT TIMING! And you remembered like a respectful young man to call my father. :) '
So at the end of the day.... Mr. Drew saved us by calling the CIA (or FBI..?) and NASA to arrest the bad guys. Ned made being held prisoner a bit easier. Bess and George... did nothing really... but they had their helpful moments. Hannah Gruen got to be in this book more than usual. She came along on a trip to the mystery-zone area to provide emotional support. :)
So a summary of this Nancy Drew... There were some explosive oranges (I KNOW RIGHT!!!?) that some bad guys were going to use to blow up a space shuttle at take-off day, because... terrorism? And Nancy uses her amazing code deciphering skills to figure out who the bad guys might be.
Also the bad guys **BABY SPOILER!** have a room... with a pool of boiling water... to throw their captives into.
I found that a very violent touch.
Very.
But cuz this is a kids' book we only forced _____ to stand on the narrow ledge, and wait for _____ to get tired and fall in by __self.
So if you're 6-11 yrs old. And you like Nancy Drews. Do go ahead and read this one!
If you are only reading these, because you missed out on the whole haul of Nancy Drews during that phase that nearly all girls have. Save. Yourself. The trouble. Some Nancy Drews are tolerable, but this one was pushing my patience-o-meter.
--
Also as a side note - You can probably see I just figured out how to get GIFs into reviews. Thanks to Brenna from this random forum post I stumbled on. :)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
.......
And now. I will put waaaaay too many gifs in my reviews.
You're Welcome.
Thanks for reading!
~Simone
October 11, 2024
Nancy Drew = PEAK.
I still love Nancy Drew even though it’s for lil kiddos. Easy read, funny writing, and absolutely engrossing storyline (lol).
I still love Nancy Drew even though it’s for lil kiddos. Easy read, funny writing, and absolutely engrossing storyline (lol).
January 2, 2023
Read the original 1941 edition which was generously lent to me from a librarian at my home library. Nancy seems to have an enormous amount of independence for a sixteen year old. She's also been raised by her widowed father, a wealthy lawyer. All true in the updated version, except Nancy is now 18 in the updated edition.
The edition from 1971, so thirty years after this #18 Nancy Drew story was first published in 1941. I expected the changes to be updating and modernizing the original story. There is a moss-covered mansion in both books, and there are some wild animals that figure in both stories, but otherwise they are completely different plots. Really surprised me.
In the newer one they all go to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and interrupt a conspiracy to blow up a manned rocket launch to the moon. Wow!
The edition from 1971, so thirty years after this #18 Nancy Drew story was first published in 1941. I expected the changes to be updating and modernizing the original story. There is a moss-covered mansion in both books, and there are some wild animals that figure in both stories, but otherwise they are completely different plots. Really surprised me.
In the newer one they all go to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and interrupt a conspiracy to blow up a manned rocket launch to the moon. Wow!
Read
August 6, 2011Comparison of ‘The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion’ and ‘Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion
Here is something you need to know before you bother reading these different text versions of this Nancy Drew book. These are completely different books. The only things in common would be is that there is a mysterious moss-covered mansion with African jungle cats inside. You’ll be on completely different rides for each book.
As you may know, the revised text was made for more modern audiences. (in the 70’s) I could tell that as I read the books. In the original text, there is a 40’s setting, and although Nancy is still adventurous and bold, she is a bit more a ‘proper lady’.
When you read the original text, you may find that it is quite slow for the first half, then lots happens in the second half. Another thing people may not like is the countless attempts she has trying to get into the mansion.
However, one thing I admire about this book compared to the other one is that the mystery is really centered on the moss-covered mansion and trying to figure it out. Nancy didn’t really get deep into the idea of the mansion as much.
More young readers today would prefer the revised text. There is a lot more things happening in it, and Nancy went to more places. There is a more modern personality, and readers will enjoy that.
I prefer the mystery in the original text however. But that is just me.
Here are the descriptions for the two texts:
Original Text:
Nancy's father Carson Drew enlists her help in tracking down a missing heiress, and Nancy, Bess and George stumble upon a mysterious moss-covered mansion. They later hear that someone was murdered near the mansion and they hear strange noises coming from inside.
Revised Text:
a friend of Nancy's father has been arrested and charged with sending a truck loaded with explosive oranges into the Space Center complex at Cape Kennedy. Knowing that he could not possibly be guilty of sabotage, Nancy and her father rush to the defense of the accused innocent man.
During the Drews' investigation, Nancy becomes suspicious of an old, spooky mansion. Behind a high mesh enclosure, wild African animals roam about the extensive grounds. Nancy discovers that something besides the training of wild animals is going on at the mysterious moss-covered mansion estate.
Here is something you need to know before you bother reading these different text versions of this Nancy Drew book. These are completely different books. The only things in common would be is that there is a mysterious moss-covered mansion with African jungle cats inside. You’ll be on completely different rides for each book.
As you may know, the revised text was made for more modern audiences. (in the 70’s) I could tell that as I read the books. In the original text, there is a 40’s setting, and although Nancy is still adventurous and bold, she is a bit more a ‘proper lady’.
When you read the original text, you may find that it is quite slow for the first half, then lots happens in the second half. Another thing people may not like is the countless attempts she has trying to get into the mansion.
However, one thing I admire about this book compared to the other one is that the mystery is really centered on the moss-covered mansion and trying to figure it out. Nancy didn’t really get deep into the idea of the mansion as much.
More young readers today would prefer the revised text. There is a lot more things happening in it, and Nancy went to more places. There is a more modern personality, and readers will enjoy that.
I prefer the mystery in the original text however. But that is just me.
Here are the descriptions for the two texts:
Original Text:
Nancy's father Carson Drew enlists her help in tracking down a missing heiress, and Nancy, Bess and George stumble upon a mysterious moss-covered mansion. They later hear that someone was murdered near the mansion and they hear strange noises coming from inside.
Revised Text:
a friend of Nancy's father has been arrested and charged with sending a truck loaded with explosive oranges into the Space Center complex at Cape Kennedy. Knowing that he could not possibly be guilty of sabotage, Nancy and her father rush to the defense of the accused innocent man.
During the Drews' investigation, Nancy becomes suspicious of an old, spooky mansion. Behind a high mesh enclosure, wild African animals roam about the extensive grounds. Nancy discovers that something besides the training of wild animals is going on at the mysterious moss-covered mansion estate.
August 4, 2023
I love these books. I love the wacky unrelated mysteries that all tie up in the end to one entirely unreasonable mystery. I love how that every single book references Bess being hungry and George being a tomboy. I love Ned and Nancy's situationship.
Things about this particular mystery I loved:
1) The villains have a swimming pool filled with boiling water at the ready. This is not explained.
2) There's talk at the end about a scientist who was influenced by "foreign powers" and got caught up in a "radical political group", because I guess saying Russian commies did it wasn't cool in a children's book 😂
3) Bess comes in clutch at a crucial moment, and the whole gang just stares at her in surprise. Like... you're just supposed to eat, Bess.
For more of my babblings, please visit my blog, Snug Shelf
Things about this particular mystery I loved:
1) The villains have a swimming pool filled with boiling water at the ready. This is not explained.
2) There's talk at the end about a scientist who was influenced by "foreign powers" and got caught up in a "radical political group", because I guess saying Russian commies did it wasn't cool in a children's book 😂
3) Bess comes in clutch at a crucial moment, and the whole gang just stares at her in surprise. Like... you're just supposed to eat, Bess.
For more of my babblings, please visit my blog, Snug Shelf
April 17, 2018
I loved this book!! I think it is such a good mystery and super exciting!!!
May 23, 2017
This was probably my least favorite Nancy Drew book so far. The plot felt very forced and unbelievable, which admittedly comes with the territory of a Nancy Drew mystery but this one was especially bad. The story is also not ended in a satisfying way. Nancy and her friends save the day but the criminal mastermind's motive to blow up a NASA rocketis vaguely described as "extreme political ideology" and random characters are introduced at the last second in order to tie everything up. This book definitely shows the age of the Nancy Drew Mysteries
August 10, 2021
It seems slightly unfair to rate a Nancy Drew book, since as a child I would have given every one 5 stars. Nancy was there as I learned to read on my own, and grew with me from chapter books to the classics to the modern “more adult” revamp. It was fun to go back in time and read one of her Florida mysteries as I live in Florida. I’m glad that with everything changing in my world, Nancy is still here.
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