Royal Revenge

Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys: Super Mystery #34

by Carolyn Keene

Despatched on a secret mission to track an international hit man in the Little Panaslava section of River Heights, the Hardys try to uncover the assassin's identity--and his target--while penetrating a disturbing wall of silence. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Childrens

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 1997

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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 1 out of 5]

One thing this book did not lack for was ambition. What it did lack for? Pretty much everything else.

TWO TO GO.

[Jen Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bess Marvin has a new boyfriend and she can’t wait for Nancy Drew and George Faye to meet him. Bess’s boyfriend is Cass Carroll the lead singer of the band Incognito found in Little Panslava, a district in River Heights. The Hardy Boys, Joe and Frank, are asked by the police to help find an assassin who is after the heir of Panslava. After hearing of a death of King Boris, Cass goes missing and no one can find him. There is a murder in a hotel in River Heights and Cass was last seen with this man. Nancy searches for evidence to clear Cass’s name and stumbles into information about an exiled prince living in Little Panslava. There is a ton of action in this book. The Hardy boys chase a suspect rooftop to rooftop, Nancy is caught in an alley with an armed thug, and much more. Who knows what will happen next?
I give this book 5/5. This is a must read for any Nancy Drew and/or Hardy Boys book lover.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

I LOVED everything about this book - the plot, the character development, the delightful chemistry between our three sleuths....It's definitely one of my top faves in this series. It's adorable how Frank and Joe acted like Nancy's protective brothers, and how she poked fun at them every chance she got. Actually, they razzed each other constantly, which just made this book a more delightful read all throughout. :)

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super fun as always.

[Jebin]

Loved it.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Book!!!!