Nancy Drew Files Vol. II: Smile and Say Murder; Hit and Run Holiday; White Water Terror

Nancy Drew Files #2

by Carolyn Keene

The world’s favorite teen detective is back, and she’s on the case. Keep up with Nancy Drew in this thrilling collection of mysteries full of intrigue, boys, and murder.

In Smile and Say Murder, a series of death threats send Nancy undercover at a magazine whose coowner has a talent for making enemies. Nancy calls in her boyfriend Ned to help, but when he seems to fall in love with the lead suspect’s sister, Nancy is on her own—and she’s the killer’s next target.

In Hit and Run Holiday, a friend’s near-murder plunges Nancy down a path of darkness on Florida’s seemingly sunny beaches. With a whispered name as her only clue, Nancy combs the coast for the would-be killer, desperate to find him…before he strikes again.

In White Water Terror, Nancy is on a Montana adventure that soon becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse when a sinister phone call and two near-fatal “accidents” put the fun on hold. It’s clear Nancy and her friends are being stalked by a ruthless murderer, and everyone is a suspect. Can she find some answers before more than relaxation is lost?

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Young Adult

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2019

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

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are light , fun stories but they are definitely completely ridiculous! Nancy is not only good at EVERYTHING (which is kind of annoying) but she also has the fighting ability of a soldier and the ability to shrug off injuries like The Terminator! I think she gets hit on the head and knocked unconscious in every case yet she pops right back up and continues on like nothing ever happened. She must have brain damage by now! Lol! Something else that I didn't notice before but is abundantly clear in this volume of cases is that Nancy is not a nice person. She's a terrible friend and an even worse girlfriend. She constantly puts everyone in danger and takes them for granted. I'm not sure what Ned gets out of this relationship but the poor guy really should find someone better! These cases were entertaining if unrealistic but I'm a little concerned about my growing dislike for Nancy's character.

[heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

SMILE AND SAY MURDER: I think this was my least favorite story out of this book and the first book, it just wasn’t very entertaining, I didn’t like ned and nancy fighting throughout the whole story, and I also just still kind of don’t get it…? like why did yvonne even hire nancy, if she didn’t do that she literally would’ve gotten away with everything, why would you bring in a detective when you’re the one doing shady stuff and not think you’re going to be caught?! like, it was a twist I was pretty much expecting, although I figured her boyfriend would be involved too, but I still don’t understand her reasoning, it just seemed dumb on her part. I’d give it 2/5 stars, maybe 2.5/5 if I feel like being nice.

HIT AND RUN HOLIDAY: now, if smile and say murder was my least favorite out of the two books, I have to say, I think this one has been my favorite of the 6. the stakes were high, I think the scene of nancy being tied to the pier as the tide was coming in is probably the most scared I felt for her in all the stories, and the scene of her and her friends being locked in the room in the boat waiting for them to drop the partygoers off on the island… yeah just all around I really liked this one. and my thing about these stories is most of them are pretty predictable, but I still find them fun to read, but this one did actually catch me off guard with the undercover cop, I wasn’t expecting that from dirk. I was really glad this one followed smile and say murder, because I needed a good story to get me back invested in nancy’s cases! I’d give this one 4/5 stars tbh.

WHITE WATER TERROR: this was another good one to finish the book strongly, I liked the whole concept and execution of the fake contest leading to them being lost in the woods, etc. paula obviously seemed guilty from the getgo, so her being revealed as villain of this story was no surprise, but it was different to have a story where someone is specifically targeting nancy and trying to get revenge, and I really liked that motive instead of just having another case where nancy goes somewhere and a mystery falls into her lap. some of the things that happened felt a little cheap just to up the stakes, like the random bear and rattlesnake (I felt the same way about the shark in hit and run holiday), but oh well, the story as a whole was fun! 3.5/5 stars

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Smile and Say Murder" has Nancy working undercover at a magazine investigating threats made on the owner of the magazine.

"Hit and Run Holiday" has Nancy, Bess and George on vacation in Florida looking for a missing friend.

"White Water Terror" has Nancy, Bess, George and Ned going on a white water rafting trip into danger.

In all the stories Nancy is solving mysteries while trying to balance a friendship with George and Bess and her relationship with Ned. The only part of the book I didn't enjoy was the on/off relationship of Nancy and Ned. She always took him for granted but at least she realized this and tried to do better. Ned also doesn't help the situation when he flirts with other girls or does nothing to stop them from flirting with him.

[Jordan MacKinnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Drew does it again! It is just so refreshing to read her stories. She is independent and isn't completely boy crazy. To be honest she abandons Ned waaaayyy more than I remembered!!! I love reading the books in this publication as they are in order and the relationship feed into one another. Of course you don't have to read them in order but I am a nerd like that and I like too!!!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This version of Nancy Drew has such a gorgeous cover! However, in many of these stories it was quite easy to pinpoint the "murderer". Also, Nancy looked very dumb in a lot of the decisions she made, and her relationship with Ned in these made me kinda mad. Although the mysteries are easy to figure out the culprit, the intensity of the situation is pretty interesting.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The first two cases really didn’t do it for me, but I did enjoy the last one.

[Carlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving the more up to date mysteries but man is Nancy and Ned’s relationship in these kind of getting on my nerves...

[Preethi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as volume I, but still entertaining!

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the three stories I liked the first collection better. I just wasn’t in love with two of the ones in this one.

[Sabrina Austell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great set of Nancy Drew mysteries! Though I didn't really care for the super sappy scenes with Nancy and Ned or the scenes where Ned and Nancy are fighting.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75
White Water Terrir was my favorite. Overall I think ghi is is a na easy introduction to YA mystery thrillers

[Meagan Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would definitely keep in my classroom library!

[Anna Reads Mysteries]

Vol 1. was so disappointing.
I will stick with the old stories from another era as at least I can justify if something doesn't land in those.

[¯`*•.¸,¤°´ nelle ✿.｡.:* · Rating 4 out of 5]

honestly, nothing fantastic about this book hehe just read it for fun, but i prefer this over the 1st volume and it was definitely a fun read!!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the Nancy Drew Files Volumes 1 & 2!

[《 sophie •°○☆ 》 · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is, also, no longer on my shelves and on my friend's