The Secret of the Knight's Sword

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: Be a Detective #1

by Carolyn Keene, Franklin W. Dixon

In England to discover the secret of the Silver Knight in Bromley Hall, Carson Drew and his daughter Nancy encounter Frank and Joe Hardy in their hotel and the four proceed to unravel the mystery. The reader's choices determine the direction of the investigation.

Genres: Mystery, Gamebooks, Young Adult

122 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 1984

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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys team up in a novel where you decide their fate. They meet in England by chance, and are pulled into a mystery that Nancy's father Carson Drew must solve: find the Silver Knight's Sword and reveal its contents. Danger is ever-present as the daring amateur detectives track down every clue and pursue known criminals to solve the mystery and recover the stolen goods.

This is the first book in the Drew/Hardy Choose Your Own Adventure series. It's geared towards younger readers - outcomes trend to the positive, though the adventure can take drastically different turns based on the choices of the reader. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys are each given a chance to shine - you'll see this if you read multiple times making different choices each time to exhaust all scenarios, as I did. Mr. Hardy occasionally makes an appearance as well.

[Eric Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, not as good as some of the other books in the series though. Most of the plots didn't fully explain the solution and the clues (like some of the plots that had to do with a stolen car. They didn't explain how the car was connected to the mystery.) and that caused some of the plots to be a bit confusing. I also didn't like Nancy had to be rescued most of the time when she's in danger, she even had to have a horse save her! Really? Nancy can take care of herself, she don't need no-one's help, especially an animal's! I did like the London and the castles settings though and some of the plots were intriguing, even creepy at times when Nancy and the Hardys goes to the graveyard or an eerie castle with a count. Overall, a good book with nice adventures. 3 stars.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys throughout my school and college days.

Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.

Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 3 out of 5]

My love of reading started when i was young, and it gives me immense pleasure to provide books to Spread the Word Nevada, an organization that passes them on to children in the community. They are a terrific organization supporting an important cause. If your local I encourage you to check them out. For those living further a field, look in your own community, their may already be a similar program in place. And if not, you can always help start one.

http://spreadthewordnevada.org/

Myself, I go out on the weekends and
shop thrift store and bulk book lots to rescue books and donate them. Sometimes I'll find a book I remember reading when I was young and will read it again before passing it on.

I don't rate these books using my normal scale, instead I give most of them three stars. This isn't a Criticism of the book, simply my way of rating them as good for children.

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing!!!!!!!!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was definitely distracting, kept me busy for almost two hours!

I got 16 different stories/endings! Did anybody get any more?