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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #151
The Chocolate-Covered Contest
Nancy is about to learn the real meaning of "Death by Chocolate"
Nancy can hardly believe it. While visiting an amusement park owned by the world-famous Royal Chocolates Company, her friend Bess tears open a million-dollar candy wrapper in a contest. But when they go to collect, they're told that someone else has won. And then they're accused of tampering with the winning wrapper!
Something is rotten in chocolatetown. The proof comes when Nancy and her friends are treated to a near-death experience in the park's animal safari. Someone's pulling a million-dollar swindle, and getting Nancy and her friends out of the way seems to be the icing on the cake.
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1999
11 people are currently reading
916 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 30 reviews
May 25, 2019
Nancy Drew is one of the chaperons on a field trip to Kings Common Amusement Park (owned by the Royal Chocolates Company). Nancy's friend (Bess) wins the grand prize at the park by having the winning million-dollar candy wrapper. But when they go to collect the prize they're told that someone else has won. But how can this be when Bess has the grand prize ticket? There is only supposed to be one grand prize winner. Could there be a spy at Royal Chocolates trying to ruin the company? After some attempts on their lives, Nancy decides to do some investigating on her own...
This was a fun, quick read. I loved all the delicious chocolate references, the great setting, which takes place mostly in an amusement park, the mystery... A very entertaining read.
This was a fun, quick read. I loved all the delicious chocolate references, the great setting, which takes place mostly in an amusement park, the mystery... A very entertaining read.
August 13, 2023
Yet another exciting mystery from this series, this one with a more modern flair.
June 17, 2024
still remember few parts of this book even tho i read it back in like 2016. i visualize everything i'm reading so i vividly remember some scenes that my brain made lol i mean that's not exclusive to me at all and everyone does that but yeah
May 25, 2022
Nostalgia with these characters
It's always fun to read Nancy Drew books once in a while
Who says you can't go back in time
It's always fun to read Nancy Drew books once in a while
Who says you can't go back in time
February 1, 2022
I now understand why these books had me in a chokehold in middle school. I read this in one sitting. If I was in middle school I'd have been mindblown and rated it 5 stars, but me now just found it very predicatable. It is still a good read though.
May 26, 2014
This was just annoying. Everyone's lying. Blah blah blah. These paperback Minstrels aren't that good and this one is pretty average.
May 27, 2022
For a fun, deliciously decadent adventure in a theme park, I dove in and read it in one night! But I found the drama bitter and dark as unsweetened baking chocolate.
Overall, it was an entertaining read, although stressful ups and downs. Nancy, George and Bess chaperone a middle school science club to a chocolate-making amusement park, which felt like a mix of Hershey's in Pennsylvania with King's Dominion royalty theme in Virginia, with some Willie Wonka thrown in.
But I did not like some employees and characters depicted. But that's what authors want in a good book, right? ha-ha. From the strict corporate office king, Mr. Tumey, to legacy owner Mr. Castle turning down grants to marketing agent, Joyce, everyone was grouchy and blaming toward the science group.
I was turned off by Joyce's accusatory yet bipolar friendly personality throughout, beginning when Nancy's friend, Bess, won a golden ticket in her Royal chocolate bar. Apparently there had already been a winner enjoying their time in the park as they spoke.
In between Joyce's faltering professionalism, snippiness and suspicion jab through at Bess and the gang--adding insult to injury after all harrowing antics they endure.
Incidentally, the winner, chocoholic Diana, was rude to Nancy's group from their first bump-in, even before Bess bit into her prize. Maybe she had a constant caffeine headache? Suspects galore twist and turn like the gleaming rollercoaster, Royal Pain, and live up to the thrill ride's name.
The physics kids were cute and delightful, but I wasn't exactly keen on manipulative Andrea, who was in charge of their Science Sleuths club. She claims to be "allergic to rudeness" but dishes it out too. with suspicious activity. After a dangerous set of mishaps aimed at the group, Nancy elected to stay behind to wrap up the last morsel of the mystery, and Andrea had the nerve to scold Nancy. "You're going to leave us one chaperone short?"
This was one of the updated Nancy Drew mysteries and not from the original batch written in the 50s, 60s and 70s. They had more modern technology but maybe that is part of the problem. Written in 1999, perhaps the sassiness of kids' sitcoms seeped into the craft as well.
While I wouldn't want a sickening sweet storyline giving me a cavity and stomachache, kindness was left out of the cookie cutter mold in this misadventure. Even though Nancy faced many dangers, enemies, kidnappings, blows to the head, and threatening letters in the past books (and that formula remains in this plot's recipe too!), there's something about the demeanor of the chocolate tycoons, employees, customers, and other characters that seem meaner. Maybe it reflects our current society where rudeness overrides empathy these days. So, on that note, the ambience is realistic. The older ND books held more politeness and common courtesy of simpler times, I guess. But read the book for yourself and see if you agree.
4 stars for the nostalgia I love about Nancy Drew. But a 3-star read for tone.
Overall, it was an entertaining read, although stressful ups and downs. Nancy, George and Bess chaperone a middle school science club to a chocolate-making amusement park, which felt like a mix of Hershey's in Pennsylvania with King's Dominion royalty theme in Virginia, with some Willie Wonka thrown in.
But I did not like some employees and characters depicted. But that's what authors want in a good book, right? ha-ha. From the strict corporate office king, Mr. Tumey, to legacy owner Mr. Castle turning down grants to marketing agent, Joyce, everyone was grouchy and blaming toward the science group.
I was turned off by Joyce's accusatory yet bipolar friendly personality throughout, beginning when Nancy's friend, Bess, won a golden ticket in her Royal chocolate bar. Apparently there had already been a winner enjoying their time in the park as they spoke.
In between Joyce's faltering professionalism, snippiness and suspicion jab through at Bess and the gang--adding insult to injury after all harrowing antics they endure.
Incidentally, the winner, chocoholic Diana, was rude to Nancy's group from their first bump-in, even before Bess bit into her prize. Maybe she had a constant caffeine headache? Suspects galore twist and turn like the gleaming rollercoaster, Royal Pain, and live up to the thrill ride's name.
The physics kids were cute and delightful, but I wasn't exactly keen on manipulative Andrea, who was in charge of their Science Sleuths club. She claims to be "allergic to rudeness" but dishes it out too. with suspicious activity. After a dangerous set of mishaps aimed at the group, Nancy elected to stay behind to wrap up the last morsel of the mystery, and Andrea had the nerve to scold Nancy. "You're going to leave us one chaperone short?"
This was one of the updated Nancy Drew mysteries and not from the original batch written in the 50s, 60s and 70s. They had more modern technology but maybe that is part of the problem. Written in 1999, perhaps the sassiness of kids' sitcoms seeped into the craft as well.
While I wouldn't want a sickening sweet storyline giving me a cavity and stomachache, kindness was left out of the cookie cutter mold in this misadventure. Even though Nancy faced many dangers, enemies, kidnappings, blows to the head, and threatening letters in the past books (and that formula remains in this plot's recipe too!), there's something about the demeanor of the chocolate tycoons, employees, customers, and other characters that seem meaner. Maybe it reflects our current society where rudeness overrides empathy these days. So, on that note, the ambience is realistic. The older ND books held more politeness and common courtesy of simpler times, I guess. But read the book for yourself and see if you agree.
4 stars for the nostalgia I love about Nancy Drew. But a 3-star read for tone.
May 17, 2017
3 1/2 stars! I liked it a lot! On the verge of really liking it, but not quite.
It's no secret that my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries are the original yellow cover mysteries and even among those you'll find some I like better than others. I keep trying the newer mysteries and the different incarnations to see if anything catches me as much as the originals.
This one started out really good. Perhaps the setting is what resonated most; it is most definitely set at Hershey Park. Yes, the name and location are different, but when you search "chocolate themed amusement parks with factory tour" the only name that comes up is Hershey Park. I've been there a lot. The ownership premise is ever so slightly similar as well. Being on familiar territory is always a plus.
Then you have Nancy, Bess, and George helping their friend Andrea chaperone her physics students on a filed trip to the park. The kids are awesome!
Sow why did this story not merit more than 3 1/2 stars in my book?
1. The red herring is kind of believable, but a bit too over the top in her dislike of a group she's never met.
2. I realized the culprit long before Nancy! It was disturbing how much she second guessed her friend and trusted a stranger.
3. The instructions given for how to search the offices were an obvious set up and should have been to Nancy as well. It didn't quite set her up the way I thought it would, but that's because Nancy had an epiphany and changed her plan.
4. The tech aspect dates the story. This installment is dated 1999 and Nancy goes to a computer lab to search for information. She then recounts what she learned later in the story when searching the offices.
Overall, I really enjoyed ready this book and the action kept me glued to the pages. I wanted to read straight through, but could not. However, I also had a hard time sticking to my "finish at the end of a chapter" routine. I'd end up wanting to know just a little bit more and stopped mid chapter more than once or twice. Of all the new ones I've read so far (where Nancy is a young adult); I liked this one best.
It's no secret that my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries are the original yellow cover mysteries and even among those you'll find some I like better than others. I keep trying the newer mysteries and the different incarnations to see if anything catches me as much as the originals.
This one started out really good. Perhaps the setting is what resonated most; it is most definitely set at Hershey Park. Yes, the name and location are different, but when you search "chocolate themed amusement parks with factory tour" the only name that comes up is Hershey Park. I've been there a lot. The ownership premise is ever so slightly similar as well. Being on familiar territory is always a plus.
Then you have Nancy, Bess, and George helping their friend Andrea chaperone her physics students on a filed trip to the park. The kids are awesome!
Sow why did this story not merit more than 3 1/2 stars in my book?
1. The red herring is kind of believable, but a bit too over the top in her dislike of a group she's never met.
2. I realized the culprit long before Nancy! It was disturbing how much she second guessed her friend and trusted a stranger.
3. The instructions given for how to search the offices were an obvious set up and should have been to Nancy as well. It didn't quite set her up the way I thought it would, but that's because Nancy had an epiphany and changed her plan.
4. The tech aspect dates the story. This installment is dated 1999 and Nancy goes to a computer lab to search for information. She then recounts what she learned later in the story when searching the offices.
Overall, I really enjoyed ready this book and the action kept me glued to the pages. I wanted to read straight through, but could not. However, I also had a hard time sticking to my "finish at the end of a chapter" routine. I'd end up wanting to know just a little bit more and stopped mid chapter more than once or twice. Of all the new ones I've read so far (where Nancy is a young adult); I liked this one best.
June 8, 2021
I suddenly stumbled upon a few of the old Nancy Drew books and thought of reading them once before I donate them. It brings up so much nostalgia that I read like two books in a day. They are fun, but definitely for kids.
Book Summary
Nancy Drew finds herself in another mystery. This book is like the Nancy Drew version of Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory. So there are price tickets and in chocolate bars and with that a whole group of suspects. Will Nancy and her friends solve the mystery before its too late.
Book Summary
Nancy Drew finds herself in another mystery. This book is like the Nancy Drew version of Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory. So there are price tickets and in chocolate bars and with that a whole group of suspects. Will Nancy and her friends solve the mystery before its too late.
February 15, 2019
This one is really meant for a much younger reader, but I read it as a tribute to the many previously read ND books of my past. When I was a young teenager I could read 2 or more of these a day- now I wonder why- but ND always solves her cases, developes the skill set necessary to follow through the investigation- driving, riding a horse, driving a boat, flying a plane, etc. I now find her a bit too non real for me- but in the past she was my hero.
April 7, 2025
I read the book and it was interesting and cool,but it wasn’t really the type of book for me. The book was really nothing that I expected. I liked how it was not really for kids (because of Joyce trying to pour melted chocolate on the kids) but it also wasn’t to adult like. Overall it was a okay book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2023
EXCELLENT STORY and FAMILY RECONCILIATION VERY PLEASANT
Bitter employees need to be prevented by thoughtful management. Public spiritedness must also extend to internal maagement processes. Lucky those who have process facilitation by Nancy!
Bitter employees need to be prevented by thoughtful management. Public spiritedness must also extend to internal maagement processes. Lucky those who have process facilitation by Nancy!
Read
July 25, 2025read this in 5eme (7th grade). i wanted to be a detective so bad afterwards. i thought i was sooo smart and sneaky and copied nancy drew’s entire personality lmaooo, kept tryna solve random mysteries and find ‘clues’ for stuff in my day to day life
July 27, 2017
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
October 27, 2019
Truly exciting
December 10, 2020
Very enjoyable light read.
December 21, 2022
The Nancy Drew reread continues! This one was fun and memorable - I actually mostly remembered what happened despite last reading this at least a decade ago. The setting and motives were all great.
February 2, 2025
A blast in the name of book
January 1, 2011
Nancy's friend Bess buys a chocolate bar, and when she opens the wrapper, she wins 1,000,000 dollars prize. However, the store person says someone already wins, Bess’s wrapper is fake. Of course, at the end, Nancy solves it. I think everyone will like this book, it was cool while I was reading it. As in real life, I always collect something to see if I can win the prize, but still I don’t win anything. I recommend this book to who likes mystery.
January 25, 2011
I like mystery novel. Mystery can always captured reader's attention. There's like a hook in that book and you want to find out the truth. This book fits like this. First there's this situation happening, then the main character Nancy Drew started to hunt for the truth.
June 22, 2007
ini buku nancy drew pertama gw.. and gw langsung jatuh cinta!!!
July 21, 2011
i read this in like no joke 20 mins because it was that good:) top if the list in ym nancy drew boooks! definatly!
May 17, 2013
AWesome!awesome!awesome!My favourite book in the Nancy drew series till now.
June 7, 2016
This book is one of the most exciting adventures. Many twists and turns are there which makes the reader engaged on reading.
September 9, 2016
.i liked it. it was amazing and wonderful. its about a girl detective Nancy Drew.
April 30, 2016
It was an enjoyable mystery, although a bit predictable.
June 1, 2015
I like the end when Joyce tries to kill Nancy drew,and then spits up chocolate all over the place (hehehehehe) and then Diana is super fat.
:)
:)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2023
A story that makes you say, "oh.... clever !". Well written chatacters.
June 20, 2023
An enjoyable read. The mystery was good and held my attention.
November 13, 2009
wow this ending was very suprising it was was cool to
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews