The Secret of Candlelight Inn

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #139

by Carolyn Keene

When Emmaline Whitby died, she bequeathed the historic Candlelight Inn to the Guiding Eyes foundation. Dedicated to helping the blind, the foundation plans to create a training center for Seeing Eye dogs. But as Nancy is about to discover, the inn is not only full of hope and history, it’s also packed with deep secrets and dark dangers…

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

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real quick: Another fun mystery featuring that famed teenage sleuth.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Today I'm 34 for the first time and I'm writing a book report review report on a Nancy Drew book. Times have changed, but some things remain. Nancy Drew books, for instance.

I loved reading Nancy Drew books while growing up. I happened to mention this to my second son and while at school he saw a Nancy Drew and thought of me. So sweet. Of course, since he was so happy to give it to me and use his library privileges to obtain it I was duty-bound to check in and see how Nancy is doing.

So I read this book and found Nancy surrounded, absolutely surrounded, by other characters. The regulars are still there: Carson Drew, Nancy's father. George and Bess, Nancy's friends. Hannah Gruen, the housekeeper who bakes up a storm. All those people are there and then there were about a dozen more- Marisa, Devon, Amber, Erik, Penny...this old lady had to make a chart to keep track of them, and this is hardly a Russian novel where chart keeping pays off because the book is a gazillion pages. No, this is Nancy Drew, she solves her shit is 200 pages or less.

And the shout-out topic in this one? The blind. The visually impaired. Bess, Nancy's friend most like Jessica Simpson (with a penchant for sewing and sweet treats), has decided to adopt a puppy and care for it until it is ready for seeing-eye dog training (poor puppy, you are going to have a huge doggie wardrobe and I don't see how that will help a working dog). George, ever the athlete and never in a skirt, impulsively signs up for a 5k charity run for the Guiding Eyes Project, and starts sprinting up and down the hill around the old inn in the time it takes Nancy to clean puppy piss off her shoe. Erik, the ex-boyfriend of blind law student Marisa, wears corduroy jackets with designer emblems and volunteers at the local library as a reader for the blind.
Nancy, amateur detective Nancy, is the only one off the topic, really. She's interested in finding out who the new local counterfeiting ring is (they always come in rings), and once again helps the intellectually impoverished but good-natured police chief solve the mystery, all while making sure her blue mustang convertible and white oxfords stay clean. Nancy rules. She's a good driver with beautiful hair and she only asks for microfiche or the bending of police procedure when she really needs it.

All this stuff packed into about 130 pages. Sure, I had questions at the end- we can't all be Nancy. What is Retinitis Pigmentosa and does it really skip generations? Do all police files only go back 25 years? The visually impaired or blind need electromagnetic stoves? Renovating an old inn to be a private residence is tacky? Chief McGinnis thinks that all the counterfeit money with the same serial numbers is excellent forgery? But the biggest question, the one that lingers in my 34 year old brain now, is: Have Nancy Drew mysteries always been like this- crowded ass-to-ass with characters like strangers jammed in a subway car, all riding to a politically correct destination? Did I miss the nuances of The Old Clock, or what?

Perhaps other readers can tell me.

[Shreyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Secret of Candlelight Inn' (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #139) by Carolyn Keene.

Nancy noticed that Marisa’s wardrobe was arranged completely by color. Different colors hung on different types of hangers.
“My kitchen is the same way,” Marisa explained. “And if someone ever puts something back in the wrong place, I’m completely thrown. My grandmother gave Misty a can of dog biscuits shortly before she died, and Devon set them next to my cookie jar. Have you ever taken a bite of a dog biscuit?”
Nancy laughed. “Yuck.”
“Tell me about it,” Marisa said.

Rating: 4.25/5.




Review:
The historic Candlelight Inn has been bequeathed to the Guiding Lights foundation as per Emmaline Whitby's dying wish. Dedicated to helping the blind, the foundation has plans to create a training centre for the Seeing Eyes dogs. Nancy Drew's best friend, Bess Marvin, adopts one such puppy from the foundation until she is old enough to be a guide dog for the blind. As the story goes on, Nancy realizes the seemingly historic Candlelight Inn is full of dark secrets that might endanger the lives of all those involved in uncovering it!

The Secret of the Candlelight Inn turned out to be yet another intense, fast-paced read. The mystery was intriguing, and the book kept me guessing almost until the end. Of all the Nancy Drew books I have read recently, it was the first time where I wasn't able to correctly guess the identity of the culprit well in advance. The plot helped to educate me (in some respect) about guide dogs, their adoption and training, and how much they can turn out to be useful to the blind. Since one of the characters involved suffered from a genetic disorder known as Retinitis Pigmentosa, it transported me back to my medical school days, when we used to learn about such genetic disorders and the pattern of inheritance. It made me curious enough to pick up my old ophthalmology textbook and brush up on my knowledge of the condition.

Yet another thing that I ended up loving about this book is its cover. The green title over a white background is aesthetically pleasing. The cover art with a brown background just enhances the overall effect. Among the recent releases in the main Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, I consider the cover of The Secret of the Candlelight Inn to be one of the best ones.

In conclusion, The Secret of Candlelight Inn was yet another fast-paced read. It was intense, full of twists and turns, and thus, had me glued to the edge of my seat. It was also the first time in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories that I saw someone pull out a gun and attempt to shoot at the main protagonists!

[Chloe]

Evidence of the Nancy Drew books being historically (1997) "woke:" one of the main characters of this book is a blind, female, half-Filipino law student.

Is this a compelling mystery? No, but it does familiarise young readers with what daily life is like for a visually-impaired person which I think is an important perspective for kids to have (discussing things like how a person who is blind counts out their money, finds specific clothes in their closet, uses a computer, etc)

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read a Nancy Drew book in years so it was nice to take a trip back memory lane. I enjoyed the mystery. The mystery wasn't too easy to solve and I was surprised at who the culprit was in the end. Overall, a fun way to spend a few hours.

[Izzy]

Good one

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids and I loved this book! We were kept guessing all the way through.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. I like that Marisa is blind but does so much detective work. The problem is it really sets up one character the whole book and at the end the villain comes out of no where.

[Priyadarshni Palanikumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brand new Nancy Drew book for me, and I loved it!

I got a lot of insight into the support that goes for disability in America. You see, the victim is blind from a genetically transmitted disease and is the central character to the story.

Marisa's grandmother died leaving her Candlelight Inn to the Guiding Eyes for a centre to train guide-dogs. Bess Marvin is invited to adopt a puppy till she can be old enough for Dog School. But, somehow counterfeit money seems to revolve around the gang and Marisa's friends. Things get worse when a secret chamber is opened at the Inn with stacks and stacks of the fake money. Everyone looks suspicious as Nancy starts investigating the source. As always, someone wants to stop them from finding out the truth.

I loved the unexpected suspects a lot! Nancy thinks very un-like her in this book.

[LuAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was hoping for more about a setting with such a great name, involving a 25-year-old mystery and guide dogs is an innovation. Sabotage, break-ins, etc. are not, though at least no one is run off the road, and none of the regulars are injured in this one!

[peter f mathias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highlights a good cause- GUIDEDOGS FOR THE BLIND

Best part by far was the humorous descriptions of puppy behavior, and heroic loyalty to humans in trouble. Would not want to be on the bad side of such a dog!

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marisa needs to dump all men from her life. The culprit is her ex and is obsessed with her and her current boyfriend stole her guide dog from her so she would stop investigating. Then the gal loans the current boyfriend's dad money?! good grief why

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.

[•Abby• · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of the books, but I'm just too lazy to add them all to read ha lol

[Linn Brolin · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5 stars

[Sangeeta Shirodkar Patil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read a light book. And Nancy Drew always makes me nostalgic. So I picked this on a whim. The mystery was good and I enjoyed this quick read.

[Nikita Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good!

[♥MarinaCNCA♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

in the book candlenight inn she is working with her blind friends and then she finds out that someone is counterfeiting twenty dollars and she finds out that erick a nice friend of marissa ,nancy drew's friend gets caught with the money but she doesnt think it was him but then with his attitude she finds out it was.marissa didnt know that erick worked with her dead grandmother and then she finds out that her grandmother was also the one counterfeiting when she was alive and she paid erick with counterfeit money because she needed someone to read to her because she was also blind like marissa.
the setting takes place in candlelight inn hotel it also took place in jail and a bank, also in marissa's and nancy drew's house.the characters in the story are nancy,marissa,betty,erick,devon,and some other characters.my opinion on this book is that it's excellent because of the mystery and you understand it and you know what it's talking about also because there's a criminal in the loose and nancy drew is supposed to catch and find out who is the criminal.
I would reccomend the book because it's just awesome and I think any mystery lover would love it. they send erick to jail again and then no one worrries abnout counterfeit money or about having a criminal as a freind.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This falls into the category of 'x needs money' type of stories. In this case it's a place that is planning to run an operation to train seeing-eye dogs and do other things to help blind people. Their money is limited and they are working out of an old inn which had been converted to a house.

The problem is that twenty-five years previously a counterfeit money operation was run out of the place and suddenly some of the bills produced during that time are showing up now. There's also the standard threat against someone to stop their investigation, a burglary or two with vandalism, and a whole group of possible suspects including one blind girl.

The story helps people learn about seeing-eye dogs and how they are selection and how not every dog is suitable to become a seeing-eye dog. There's a jealous boyfriend (who, in my opinion, is sort of a jerk), the theft of one of the dogs and even an attempt to kill people by sabotaging their food. It all makes for an interesting and fairly good story.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really awesome.

[Priyanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great.It had soo much suspence in it.

[Meaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like mystery books this is the book to read!

[Ana]

"finally DONE!. this book actually entertained me.(: look forward to reading more books about this author. She's always solving a mystery & it actually makes youu think. (:"

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The creepy, dusty old inn surely scared the hell out of me! The title is catchy too..

[Swati Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

adventures book

[Rachel Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good, an enthralling if slight story, but the characters are all engaging and the pages kept wanting to be turned by the story so that was good, and I learned a bit about counterfeit money

[Shweta · Rating 4 out of 5]

so far its very interesting..unique for Nancy Drew books.