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Nancy Drew: The Curse
Based on the TV series Nancy Drew, the most-watched new show on the CW!
In this prequel novel, the beloved teen sleuth investigates a sinister, once-dormant curse that may be threatening her town once more. This is Nancy Drew for today, perfect for fans of Riverdale, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Stranger Things!
A curse is just a mystery dressed up in a sharp, stern warning.
And everyone knows that I love a mystery.
Nancy Drew isn't one for ghost stories. So when the annual Horseshoe Bay Naming Day celebration is threatened by eerie warnings of an old curse, Nancy is sure someone—someone human—is behind them. And no way is she letting this person stand in the way of her best friend, Daisy, finally getting her day in the spotlight as the lead in the much-anticipated Naming Day reenactment.
But as Nancy begins investigating, the so-called marks of the curse become bolder...and more sinister. A vandalized locker and ominous notes are one thing, but soon enough lives—including Nancy's own—are at stake. Though the dreams and eerie visions plaguing Nancy are certainly just products of her own mind...right?
All old towns have their traditions and histories, but as Nancy will soon discover, they don't always tell the whole story.
In this prequel novel, the beloved teen sleuth investigates a sinister, once-dormant curse that may be threatening her town once more. This is Nancy Drew for today, perfect for fans of Riverdale, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Stranger Things!
A curse is just a mystery dressed up in a sharp, stern warning.
And everyone knows that I love a mystery.
Nancy Drew isn't one for ghost stories. So when the annual Horseshoe Bay Naming Day celebration is threatened by eerie warnings of an old curse, Nancy is sure someone—someone human—is behind them. And no way is she letting this person stand in the way of her best friend, Daisy, finally getting her day in the spotlight as the lead in the much-anticipated Naming Day reenactment.
But as Nancy begins investigating, the so-called marks of the curse become bolder...and more sinister. A vandalized locker and ominous notes are one thing, but soon enough lives—including Nancy's own—are at stake. Though the dreams and eerie visions plaguing Nancy are certainly just products of her own mind...right?
All old towns have their traditions and histories, but as Nancy will soon discover, they don't always tell the whole story.
6 pages, Audiobook
First published March 31, 2020
80 people are currently reading
808 people want to read
About the author
Micol Ostow
78 books391 followersMicol Ostow has been writing professionally since 2004, and in that time has written and/or ghostwritten over 40 published works for young readers. She started her reign of terror with Egmont with her novel FAMILY, which Elizabeth Burns named a favorite of 2012 on her School Library Journal-syndicated blog, A Chair, a Fireplace, a Tea Cozy. Micol's graphic novel, SO PUNK ROCK (and Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother), was named a 2009 Booklist Top Ten Arts Books for Youth Selection, a Booklist Top Ten Religion Books for Youth Selection, and a Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens. She received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Her young adult horror novel, AMITY, will release from Egmont in August 2014, and her first chapter book series, LOUISE TRAPEZE, will debut in Spring 2015 from Random House.
She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, alongside her Emmy Award-winning husband, their daughter, and a finicky French bulldog. Visit her at www.micolostow.com.
Her young adult horror novel, AMITY, will release from Egmont in August 2014, and her first chapter book series, LOUISE TRAPEZE, will debut in Spring 2015 from Random House.
She lives and works in Brooklyn, NY, alongside her Emmy Award-winning husband, their daughter, and a finicky French bulldog. Visit her at www.micolostow.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
May 10, 2020
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tik Tok | You can find my review here.
Much like with the CW's new take on Nancy Drew: this book won't be for everyone.
Let's face it: this is Nancy Drew like we've not seen her. She's not our mother's, or grandmother's, or even our Nancy Drew. But, honestly? That's what makes it work.
One may argue that it's unnecessary and, frankly, trying to tie into the success of Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
(And other inevitable "edgy" takes on classic properties.)
But, it's not. I REPEAT: this is what makes it work. It's perfect for lifelong fans of the series who are okay with all the changes that happen when reworking classics. It's perfect for new fans. It's perfect for fans of the series. This spin on Nancy Drew is very much so appropriate for fans of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Veronica Mars--it's essentially a mash-up of the three titles while ultimately forming a new tale.
Nancy Drew: The Curse is one of those quick reads that feels almost like a familiar campfire story. In all its ties to the original books, and the television series that follows, there's this undeniably haunting tone to it. Micol Ostow pens a fast paced, entertaining and subtly chilling tale, that doesn't necessarily rely on jump-scares. It relies on the strength of its teenage sleuth and her friends; with the simple backdrop of high school and family secrets.
Given where the television series picks up--Nancy, reeling from the loss of her mother and being left behind in her hometown while her friends are all away at university--there aren't that many ties to the show's storylines. Obviously, we get nods here and there, but the absence of mostly everyone from the show is fairly apparent. I could definitely feel the lack of the Drew Crew and didn't always find myself connecting to Nancy's high school friends like I do with the others.
Still, the mysterious hum of ghosts and curses within Nancy Drew: The Curse keeps readers on their toes. We see that there's more to the central mysteries and mythology in the town of Horsehoe Bay than what the television series has tackled and it gives us the air of potential for the second season. (Will we be seeing some of these characters? Will we get references to any of them?)
Nancy Drew: The Curse doesn't necessarily offer any huge revelations when it comes to background and development of the show, but it does make for an entertaining read. It's witty, well-written and a little on the indulgent side. I definitely enjoyed this one!
Much like with the CW's new take on Nancy Drew: this book won't be for everyone.
Let's face it: this is Nancy Drew like we've not seen her. She's not our mother's, or grandmother's, or even our Nancy Drew. But, honestly? That's what makes it work.
One may argue that it's unnecessary and, frankly, trying to tie into the success of Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
(And other inevitable "edgy" takes on classic properties.)
But, it's not. I REPEAT: this is what makes it work. It's perfect for lifelong fans of the series who are okay with all the changes that happen when reworking classics. It's perfect for new fans. It's perfect for fans of the series. This spin on Nancy Drew is very much so appropriate for fans of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Veronica Mars--it's essentially a mash-up of the three titles while ultimately forming a new tale.
Nancy Drew: The Curse is one of those quick reads that feels almost like a familiar campfire story. In all its ties to the original books, and the television series that follows, there's this undeniably haunting tone to it. Micol Ostow pens a fast paced, entertaining and subtly chilling tale, that doesn't necessarily rely on jump-scares. It relies on the strength of its teenage sleuth and her friends; with the simple backdrop of high school and family secrets.
Given where the television series picks up--Nancy, reeling from the loss of her mother and being left behind in her hometown while her friends are all away at university--there aren't that many ties to the show's storylines. Obviously, we get nods here and there, but the absence of mostly everyone from the show is fairly apparent. I could definitely feel the lack of the Drew Crew and didn't always find myself connecting to Nancy's high school friends like I do with the others.
Still, the mysterious hum of ghosts and curses within Nancy Drew: The Curse keeps readers on their toes. We see that there's more to the central mysteries and mythology in the town of Horsehoe Bay than what the television series has tackled and it gives us the air of potential for the second season. (Will we be seeing some of these characters? Will we get references to any of them?)
Nancy Drew: The Curse doesn't necessarily offer any huge revelations when it comes to background and development of the show, but it does make for an entertaining read. It's witty, well-written and a little on the indulgent side. I definitely enjoyed this one!
June 5, 2020
I'm.. confused.
Where was the mystery? Who was behind what happened? Did anything (?) even happen?
Nancy Drew is a beloved character and I love Micol Ostow's writing - those are not factors that disappointed me in any way. But what about the story itself? It was.. plain. Boring. Predictable. And.. really, in the end there wasn't any story at all there.
I read it as a prequel before watching the CW show, so I can't tell if it'll be helpful or not story wise but I want to venture out and say... it was okay but it could have been skipped.
Where was the mystery? Who was behind what happened? Did anything (?) even happen?
Nancy Drew is a beloved character and I love Micol Ostow's writing - those are not factors that disappointed me in any way. But what about the story itself? It was.. plain. Boring. Predictable. And.. really, in the end there wasn't any story at all there.
I read it as a prequel before watching the CW show, so I can't tell if it'll be helpful or not story wise but I want to venture out and say... it was okay but it could have been skipped.
February 23, 2021
Nancy Drew and people obsess over 'Naming Day' and a mystery ensues.
This author shouldn't be allowed to put her name on a Nancy Drew story. The first 100 hundred pages consisted of an event called 'Naming Day' and I still haven't figured out what the point was.
I attempted to read this with my kids, as my older daughter loves the CW show. I understand why it was available, and not of the original Nancy Drew mysteries, nobody wants to this. Unfortunately for us, the originals are on hold even after being first published in 1930! Harriet Stratemeyer wouldn't be impressed.
Honestly the lengthy descriptions were tiresome and boring. She literally takes several pages to describe a bird. At points of the story I read only the words that the people were actually saying out loud, and read about a paragraph' worth that was unfortunately about 15 pages if I read what was going on inside their heads.
Nobody needs several dozen pages of a bird hitting a window, and the Scooby Gang finding it.
This author shouldn't be allowed to put her name on a Nancy Drew story. The first 100 hundred pages consisted of an event called 'Naming Day' and I still haven't figured out what the point was.
I attempted to read this with my kids, as my older daughter loves the CW show. I understand why it was available, and not of the original Nancy Drew mysteries, nobody wants to this. Unfortunately for us, the originals are on hold even after being first published in 1930! Harriet Stratemeyer wouldn't be impressed.
Honestly the lengthy descriptions were tiresome and boring. She literally takes several pages to describe a bird. At points of the story I read only the words that the people were actually saying out loud, and read about a paragraph' worth that was unfortunately about 15 pages if I read what was going on inside their heads.
Nobody needs several dozen pages of a bird hitting a window, and the Scooby Gang finding it.
December 1, 2025
“Everyone knows that I love a mystery. And everyone knows a mystery doesn’t stand a chance next to me.”
🔦🐦⬛🔎
this is the prequel to one of my favorite tv shows ever, so you already know i had to read it!
definitely wasn’t one of the best nancy drew books i’ve read, but it was still good and exciting! i loved being able to revisit this specific nancy drew universe, and i especially loved george and ace’s cameos!
this was a mystery that i wasn’t able to guess at all, which was fun! i enjoyed being shocked at the end. would i read this book again? probably! time will tell.
this book has definitely inspired me to rewatch the show, so i’m now planning on doing just that!
🔦🐦⬛🔎
this is the prequel to one of my favorite tv shows ever, so you already know i had to read it!
definitely wasn’t one of the best nancy drew books i’ve read, but it was still good and exciting! i loved being able to revisit this specific nancy drew universe, and i especially loved george and ace’s cameos!
this was a mystery that i wasn’t able to guess at all, which was fun! i enjoyed being shocked at the end. would i read this book again? probably! time will tell.
this book has definitely inspired me to rewatch the show, so i’m now planning on doing just that!
May 20, 2020
Not like the original Nancy Drew books, but still very good. This series is based on the new CW Show.
Nancy and her two best friends, Daisy and Lena are helping with the annual Naming Day reenactment this year. Every year, Horseshoe Bay does the enactment to commemorate the naming of their small town. This year Daisy is being cast as the star of the show. Her family is one of the founding families and she is very excited to finally getting the lead. However her parents are not as happy as she is that she is in the play.
When the girls are in the Masthead newsroom (The school Newspaper) they are surprised with a Raven flying into the newsroom's window. As Nancy goes outside to investigate the problem, she finds a note on the bird. The note says that the Naming Day enactment should be cancelled because of the curse. Being Nancy, she needs to find out what the curse is all about.
The bird in the window was just the first of many incidents that had the same message, cancel the Naming Day reenactment because of the curse. No one was taking it seriously until two teenage girls disappeared one of them Nancy's friend Daisy.
Nancy knew that the police were not working the way that they should be worked on, so she knew that she had to do something.
The book is not a typical ND book, but it was interesting and well written. I am going to look for others in this series to read and recommend.
Nancy and her two best friends, Daisy and Lena are helping with the annual Naming Day reenactment this year. Every year, Horseshoe Bay does the enactment to commemorate the naming of their small town. This year Daisy is being cast as the star of the show. Her family is one of the founding families and she is very excited to finally getting the lead. However her parents are not as happy as she is that she is in the play.
When the girls are in the Masthead newsroom (The school Newspaper) they are surprised with a Raven flying into the newsroom's window. As Nancy goes outside to investigate the problem, she finds a note on the bird. The note says that the Naming Day enactment should be cancelled because of the curse. Being Nancy, she needs to find out what the curse is all about.
The bird in the window was just the first of many incidents that had the same message, cancel the Naming Day reenactment because of the curse. No one was taking it seriously until two teenage girls disappeared one of them Nancy's friend Daisy.
Nancy knew that the police were not working the way that they should be worked on, so she knew that she had to do something.
The book is not a typical ND book, but it was interesting and well written. I am going to look for others in this series to read and recommend.
May 22, 2020
I love the Nancy Drew characters and stories but this was written poorly. I didn't like the mystery either, it wasn't as spooky or bone-chilling as I've come to expect from the show this is supposed to be a "prequel" to.
March 27, 2024
I loved this book because I love how she was solving mysteries to save her town, family, and friends.
January 29, 2022
Ich bin ein großer Fan der TV-Serie „Nancy Drew“ und habe die ersten beiden Staffeln geradezu verschlungen. Dementsprechend habe ich mich sehr gefreut, als ich „Der Fluch“ entdeckt habe, was ein exklusiver Roman und gleichzeitig die Vorgeschichte zur Serie ist. Meine Erwartungen waren somit auch enorm hoch, allerdings wurde ich hier leider enttäuscht.
Normalerweise mag ich den Schreibstil von Micol Ostow, die u.a. auch die „Riverdale“-Romane geschrieben hat, sehr gerne, doch leider habe ich hier ihre lockere und angenehme Sprache oftmals vermisst, denn die Geschichte zieht sich teilweise wie Kaugummi, liest sich holprig und mir hat so manches Mal der berühmte rote Faden in der Geschichte gefehlt. Auch die Figuren, die ich in der Serie so sehr mag, habe ich hier teilweise nicht wirklich wiedererkannt, was doch sehr schade ist.
Während Nancy zu Beginn der TV-Serie bereits im beliebten Diner am Hafen arbeitet, lernt man in „Der Fluch“ eine etwas jüngere Nancy kennen, was ich an sich ganz nett finde. Das Problem ist jedoch, dass ich Nancy in diesem Buch als sehr oberflächlich empfunden habe und ich habe sie als weit weniger sympathisch empfunden, was doch sehr schade ist, da ich Nancy in der TV-Serie gerade wegen ihrer Tiefe und Denkweise sehr mag.
Auch der Fall an sich ist zwar ganz nett und ich finde es gut, wie ihre Heimat Horseshoe Bay dargestellt wird. Bei der Küstenstadt merkt man schnell, dass es sich um einen besonderen Ort handelt, denn hier spielen Geister, Flüche und Geheimnisse immer eine große Rolle. Da pünktlich zum Gründungsfest einige Drohungen die Stadt verunsichern, macht sich Nancy auf die Suche nach dem Täter und ermittelt auf eigene Faust, was es mit den Drohungen und einem möglichen Fluch, den einige Menschen befürchten, auf sich hat. An sich ist der Fall trotz aller Vorhersehbarkeit an vielen Stellen spannend und gut ausgetüftelt, allerdings hätte ich mir noch den ein oder anderen Überraschungsmoment erhofft, der leider ausblieb.
Wäre „Der Fluch“ mein erstes Aufeinandertreffen mit Nancy Drew gewesen, hätte ich Nancy als Figur möglicherweise etwas anders empfunden und sie nicht mit ihrem Charakter aus der TV-Serie verglichen. Vermutlich hätte ich auf den Fall an sich auch ein wenig besser empfunden. Da ich jedoch den Vergleich habe, konnte mich das Buch leider nicht so gut unterhalten, wie ich es mir im Vorfeld erhofft habe.
Kurz gesagt: Wer die TV-Serie „Nancy Drew“ kennt und mag, wird mit „Der Fluch“ eine nette, wenn auch nicht besonders spannende Vorgeschichte erhalten, die allerdings bei Weitem nicht an die Serie herankommt. Dennoch sollten alle, die gerne zu einem Jugendthriller mit Mystery-Elemente greifen, einen Blick auf das Buch werfen.
Normalerweise mag ich den Schreibstil von Micol Ostow, die u.a. auch die „Riverdale“-Romane geschrieben hat, sehr gerne, doch leider habe ich hier ihre lockere und angenehme Sprache oftmals vermisst, denn die Geschichte zieht sich teilweise wie Kaugummi, liest sich holprig und mir hat so manches Mal der berühmte rote Faden in der Geschichte gefehlt. Auch die Figuren, die ich in der Serie so sehr mag, habe ich hier teilweise nicht wirklich wiedererkannt, was doch sehr schade ist.
Während Nancy zu Beginn der TV-Serie bereits im beliebten Diner am Hafen arbeitet, lernt man in „Der Fluch“ eine etwas jüngere Nancy kennen, was ich an sich ganz nett finde. Das Problem ist jedoch, dass ich Nancy in diesem Buch als sehr oberflächlich empfunden habe und ich habe sie als weit weniger sympathisch empfunden, was doch sehr schade ist, da ich Nancy in der TV-Serie gerade wegen ihrer Tiefe und Denkweise sehr mag.
Auch der Fall an sich ist zwar ganz nett und ich finde es gut, wie ihre Heimat Horseshoe Bay dargestellt wird. Bei der Küstenstadt merkt man schnell, dass es sich um einen besonderen Ort handelt, denn hier spielen Geister, Flüche und Geheimnisse immer eine große Rolle. Da pünktlich zum Gründungsfest einige Drohungen die Stadt verunsichern, macht sich Nancy auf die Suche nach dem Täter und ermittelt auf eigene Faust, was es mit den Drohungen und einem möglichen Fluch, den einige Menschen befürchten, auf sich hat. An sich ist der Fall trotz aller Vorhersehbarkeit an vielen Stellen spannend und gut ausgetüftelt, allerdings hätte ich mir noch den ein oder anderen Überraschungsmoment erhofft, der leider ausblieb.
Wäre „Der Fluch“ mein erstes Aufeinandertreffen mit Nancy Drew gewesen, hätte ich Nancy als Figur möglicherweise etwas anders empfunden und sie nicht mit ihrem Charakter aus der TV-Serie verglichen. Vermutlich hätte ich auf den Fall an sich auch ein wenig besser empfunden. Da ich jedoch den Vergleich habe, konnte mich das Buch leider nicht so gut unterhalten, wie ich es mir im Vorfeld erhofft habe.
Kurz gesagt: Wer die TV-Serie „Nancy Drew“ kennt und mag, wird mit „Der Fluch“ eine nette, wenn auch nicht besonders spannende Vorgeschichte erhalten, die allerdings bei Weitem nicht an die Serie herankommt. Dennoch sollten alle, die gerne zu einem Jugendthriller mit Mystery-Elemente greifen, einen Blick auf das Buch werfen.
February 7, 2021
If you are looking to revisit your childhood, you are in the wrong place. Just not the Nancy Drew I loved as a child. Separately I might have rated it better. I do think it was funny how it poked fun of the shows from the network it will soon be on however.
September 7, 2020
Boring af.
November 23, 2022
Rating: 1 Star!!
Review:
This was my first time reading a Nancy Drew book by Micol Ostow so i wasnt sure what to expect even tho i read Book 1 in The Riverdale Series but i was hopefully but sadly disappointed very quickly think there was little to no mystery.
The Characters were okay but didnt wow me at all. None of them except for Nancy and Ace were based on The CW Show which is 1 of the 2 reasons why i rated it 1 Star.
The Setting was okay but wasnt very descriptive.
Overall this one was NOTHING like the Original Series by Carolyn Keene and NOTHING like the TV Show on The CW especially when it was very dull from Chapters 1-9 and came across as just YA with no Mystery til Chapter 9-26.
I dont think i'll read anymore book in this series by Micol since they dont really know how to write a proper Nancy Drew Mystery!!
Review:
This was my first time reading a Nancy Drew book by Micol Ostow so i wasnt sure what to expect even tho i read Book 1 in The Riverdale Series but i was hopefully but sadly disappointed very quickly think there was little to no mystery.
The Characters were okay but didnt wow me at all. None of them except for Nancy and Ace were based on The CW Show which is 1 of the 2 reasons why i rated it 1 Star.
The Setting was okay but wasnt very descriptive.
Overall this one was NOTHING like the Original Series by Carolyn Keene and NOTHING like the TV Show on The CW especially when it was very dull from Chapters 1-9 and came across as just YA with no Mystery til Chapter 9-26.
I dont think i'll read anymore book in this series by Micol since they dont really know how to write a proper Nancy Drew Mystery!!
February 4, 2021
I love a good mystery and the tv show adds the supernatural/horror element in. This prequel doesn’t have that and just felt like something was missing. Enjoyed the read enough but would not read it again.
February 27, 2021
Bewertung: 3,5/5 sterne✨
Meine Meinung zu “Nancy Drew - der Fluch”...
Nachdem ich den Klappentext des Buches gelesen habe, musste ich es unbedingt lesen, dieser Klang super spannend und vielversprechend!
Der Einstieg in die Geschichte viel mit recht leicht, Micol Ostow’s Schreibstil ist sehr angenehm und flüssig zu lesen, man ist nur so durch die Seiten geflogen und konnte das Buch gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.
Nancy selbst mochte ich super gerne! Sie handler sehr nachvollziehbar und nicht einfach kopflos ohne darüber nachzudenken. Die humorvolle und trotz dessen sehr spannende Art des Buches hat mir total gefallen.
Es hat mir sehr viel Freude bereitet das Buch aus der Sicht der Protagonistin Nancy zu lesen und mit ihr mit zu rätseln.
Auch einige “typische Jugendprobleme” haben ihren Platz in der Geschichte gefunden, und es damit etwas “alltäglicher” wirken lassen.
Besonders gut fand ich, dass auch die Liebe einen kleinen Raum hatte, was mich persönlich nochmal mehr gefesselt hat.
Ein paar Kritikpunkte hab ich allerdings doch, leider hat mir nämlich doch etwas die Tiefe gefehlt. Ich fand Nancy zwar sehr sympathisch, trotzdem wirkte sie etwas blass und weit weg auf mich.
Außerdem hat sich das Buch an einigen Stellen wirklich etwas gezogene, es gab viele spannende Momente, diese waren aber leider sehr geballt, wodurch es einige Seiten gab, auf denen nichts passiert ist.
Letztendlich kann ich sagen, dass es ein gelungene/r Jugendthriller/ Detektivgeschichte ist, die perfekt für zwischendurch ist! 🖤
Meine Meinung zu “Nancy Drew - der Fluch”...
Nachdem ich den Klappentext des Buches gelesen habe, musste ich es unbedingt lesen, dieser Klang super spannend und vielversprechend!
Der Einstieg in die Geschichte viel mit recht leicht, Micol Ostow’s Schreibstil ist sehr angenehm und flüssig zu lesen, man ist nur so durch die Seiten geflogen und konnte das Buch gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.
Nancy selbst mochte ich super gerne! Sie handler sehr nachvollziehbar und nicht einfach kopflos ohne darüber nachzudenken. Die humorvolle und trotz dessen sehr spannende Art des Buches hat mir total gefallen.
Es hat mir sehr viel Freude bereitet das Buch aus der Sicht der Protagonistin Nancy zu lesen und mit ihr mit zu rätseln.
Auch einige “typische Jugendprobleme” haben ihren Platz in der Geschichte gefunden, und es damit etwas “alltäglicher” wirken lassen.
Besonders gut fand ich, dass auch die Liebe einen kleinen Raum hatte, was mich persönlich nochmal mehr gefesselt hat.
Ein paar Kritikpunkte hab ich allerdings doch, leider hat mir nämlich doch etwas die Tiefe gefehlt. Ich fand Nancy zwar sehr sympathisch, trotzdem wirkte sie etwas blass und weit weg auf mich.
Außerdem hat sich das Buch an einigen Stellen wirklich etwas gezogene, es gab viele spannende Momente, diese waren aber leider sehr geballt, wodurch es einige Seiten gab, auf denen nichts passiert ist.
Letztendlich kann ich sagen, dass es ein gelungene/r Jugendthriller/ Detektivgeschichte ist, die perfekt für zwischendurch ist! 🖤
October 17, 2023
i love nancy drew i wish she was real
December 17, 2022
So this is not really "our" Nancy Drew but neither is the CW show and this book is a prequel to the show. Do I watch the CW show? Yes, but the characters could have any name and not necessarily Nancy Drew. The TV Show is supernatural for the most part. This book touches on it a little. Nancy is a high school junior with friends named Lena and Daisy. Daisy is from one of the town's oldest families but her family is weird. Naming Day, a long celebrated town (Horseshoe Bay) tradition, is approaching and the senior chosen for the lead in the re-enactment is Daisy. However, accidents and creepy things start happening. Nancy investigates. The accidents culminate in girls going missing. This Nancy definitely has an attitude. I can't complain about the writing of this book. It's fine. I just don't think this mystery is that great.
January 6, 2023
I adore all things Nancy Drew. I grew up reading the books and playing the games, and I’m a fan of the show on the CW. I thought this might help with the wait before the new season of the show, but I found myself continuing with it more out of a compulsion to finish than because I was really enjoying it.
I knew it was a prequel so there would be characters we hadn’t heard of before, but I honestly thought there would be some way the members of the Drew Crew living in Horseshoe Bay would be tied in rather than one brief scene where we see George and Ace and a subtle comment about Nancy’s mom visiting with Nick. The book was short and didn’t allow for much character development for this brand new cast, so I found myself struggling to connect or care much about Nancy’s friends/love interest here.
And speaking of the love interest, I can’t express how little chemistry Nancy and Parker had. I couldn’t tell if his weird hangup about her investigating was supposed to be a red herring that he had something to do with the mystery or if he was really out here pulling some Nancy Drew Files Ned level nonsense and being butthurt that he wasn’t the center of Nancy’s world, but either way I found it highly unbelievable that Nancy would ever go for this guy. If the author just wanted me to pull even harder for Nancy and Ace to happen, mission accomplished.
While the voice wasn’t bad on its own, as a Nancy Drew book, I felt like it did not fully capture Nancy. Though the CW Nancy Drew is her own thing separate from the books, I didn’t feel like I really heard either Nancy here.
Given how important the founding families are in the show, I was also confused why a new family was introduced and felt like this, too, needed more depth. It also seemed odd that the Marvins and Hudsons were not mentioned at all, given how tied together those two families are in the show.
There were a few things I enjoyed. I did like the subtle hints to things that were to come: Dead Lucy, Nancy’s mom’s illness, the Claw, etc. I also enjoyed getting to see Nancy’s relationship with her mom. Pairing that with the show adds a depth to Nancy’s loss and where we see her mentally when the show begins.
I assume when reading tie-ins that the author is going to rely on reader recognition of people and places. However, that did not work here. While this book does rely on reader recognition, it also attempts to introduce a whole new case of characters without giving itself the time to develop their place in this world. This made for a fairly shallow reading experience throughout.
The same can be said of the mystery. Relying on the fact that there are supernatural forces at work in Horseshoe Bay is fine, but this mystery seemed to introduce more questions than answers and the ultimate conclusion (and honestly, for me, Nancy’s sleuthing overall) fell flat. Everything felt like it lacked depth because the book did not seem to attempt to give us much depth, which is a shame given how rich the show’s storylines can be.
Overall, this one wasn’t for me, but I’m glad I gave it a shot. Now if we could only get a release date for season 4 already….
I knew it was a prequel so there would be characters we hadn’t heard of before, but I honestly thought there would be some way the members of the Drew Crew living in Horseshoe Bay would be tied in rather than one brief scene where we see George and Ace and a subtle comment about Nancy’s mom visiting with Nick. The book was short and didn’t allow for much character development for this brand new cast, so I found myself struggling to connect or care much about Nancy’s friends/love interest here.
And speaking of the love interest, I can’t express how little chemistry Nancy and Parker had. I couldn’t tell if his weird hangup about her investigating was supposed to be a red herring that he had something to do with the mystery or if he was really out here pulling some Nancy Drew Files Ned level nonsense and being butthurt that he wasn’t the center of Nancy’s world, but either way I found it highly unbelievable that Nancy would ever go for this guy. If the author just wanted me to pull even harder for Nancy and Ace to happen, mission accomplished.
While the voice wasn’t bad on its own, as a Nancy Drew book, I felt like it did not fully capture Nancy. Though the CW Nancy Drew is her own thing separate from the books, I didn’t feel like I really heard either Nancy here.
Given how important the founding families are in the show, I was also confused why a new family was introduced and felt like this, too, needed more depth. It also seemed odd that the Marvins and Hudsons were not mentioned at all, given how tied together those two families are in the show.
There were a few things I enjoyed. I did like the subtle hints to things that were to come: Dead Lucy, Nancy’s mom’s illness, the Claw, etc. I also enjoyed getting to see Nancy’s relationship with her mom. Pairing that with the show adds a depth to Nancy’s loss and where we see her mentally when the show begins.
I assume when reading tie-ins that the author is going to rely on reader recognition of people and places. However, that did not work here. While this book does rely on reader recognition, it also attempts to introduce a whole new case of characters without giving itself the time to develop their place in this world. This made for a fairly shallow reading experience throughout.
The same can be said of the mystery. Relying on the fact that there are supernatural forces at work in Horseshoe Bay is fine, but this mystery seemed to introduce more questions than answers and the ultimate conclusion (and honestly, for me, Nancy’s sleuthing overall) fell flat. Everything felt like it lacked depth because the book did not seem to attempt to give us much depth, which is a shame given how rich the show’s storylines can be.
Overall, this one wasn’t for me, but I’m glad I gave it a shot. Now if we could only get a release date for season 4 already….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2020
Der Einstieg in die Geschichte fiel mir leicht, macht doch der Prolog schon sehr neugierig auf die Geschichte. Das Buch ist aus Nancys Sicht geschrieben, so bekommt man schnell Zugang zu ihr und ich konnte mich gut in sie hineinversetzen. Nancy war mir sehr sympathisch und ich fand es toll, dass sie nicht gleich kopflos durch die Gegend rennt, nur weil sich ein süßer Typ für sie interessiert, sondern sich weiter auf den Fall konzentriert.
Nancy spricht immer wieder alte Fälle an, die sie bereits gelöst hat. Da ich bislang weder die Kinderbücher, die es offenbar gibt, noch die neu erschienene Serie kannte, hatte ich dadurch immer das Gefühl, etwas verpasst zu haben. Das fand ich leider nicht so gelungen.
Der Schreibstil war sehr angenehm und das Buch flüssig zu lesen. Im Mittelteil war die Geschichte richtig spannend und auch ein wenig unheimlich. Die Auflösung des Falles hat mir auch gefallen. Ich würde gerne mehr über Nancy lesen. Die Serie werde ich mir auf jeden Fall anschauen.
Fazit:
Kein Thriller, sondern eher eine Detektivgeschichte mit einer sehr symphatischen Heldin, die Lust auf weitere Fälle macht.
Nancy spricht immer wieder alte Fälle an, die sie bereits gelöst hat. Da ich bislang weder die Kinderbücher, die es offenbar gibt, noch die neu erschienene Serie kannte, hatte ich dadurch immer das Gefühl, etwas verpasst zu haben. Das fand ich leider nicht so gelungen.
Der Schreibstil war sehr angenehm und das Buch flüssig zu lesen. Im Mittelteil war die Geschichte richtig spannend und auch ein wenig unheimlich. Die Auflösung des Falles hat mir auch gefallen. Ich würde gerne mehr über Nancy lesen. Die Serie werde ich mir auf jeden Fall anschauen.
Fazit:
Kein Thriller, sondern eher eine Detektivgeschichte mit einer sehr symphatischen Heldin, die Lust auf weitere Fälle macht.
November 14, 2020
I won't say it's perfection...but it's perfection when it comes to The CW's Nancy Drew. From the tone to style to detail and imagery. Nailed it and kept the spunk and grit of Nancy Drew.
This inside look at Nancy's life before the show, when she was in high school and her friend circle was different was intriguing and unique. It gets me wondering if these past friends will make a cameo in the show in the future.
I thought the curse of Dead Lucy was the beginning in Nancy's reluctant belief in the supernatural but her doubts began before that. They began here. I also love that this investigation of a curse is just treated with such-not boredom-shrug. The fact that this curse business left her with something to think about was engaging and fantastic. Great development. Fun. fast-paced with a side of no time for bullcrap. The jump scares really gave some extra to the story. I really enjoyed this. And also, I can't wait for season 2.
Full Review:
https://thescarletreaderreviews.wordp...
This inside look at Nancy's life before the show, when she was in high school and her friend circle was different was intriguing and unique. It gets me wondering if these past friends will make a cameo in the show in the future.
I thought the curse of Dead Lucy was the beginning in Nancy's reluctant belief in the supernatural but her doubts began before that. They began here. I also love that this investigation of a curse is just treated with such-not boredom-shrug. The fact that this curse business left her with something to think about was engaging and fantastic. Great development. Fun. fast-paced with a side of no time for bullcrap. The jump scares really gave some extra to the story. I really enjoyed this. And also, I can't wait for season 2.
Full Review:
https://thescarletreaderreviews.wordp...
May 16, 2023
If you are a lifelong Nancy Drew fan who has never seen the CW show, this book will be weird for you and you’ll have a lot of questions about the characters and ND’s different backstory - but I did think the writing was refreshingly updated in spite of those frustrations and other confusing loose ends.
February 11, 2024
This book should not have been allowed to call itself a Nancy Drew prequel. The author used the names and that was it. The good part of the show is the Drew Crew so since we don’t get any of them it’s just blah. I’m glad it was short because I wanted it to end. Speaking of the end, I was hoping for more than what we were given. Seems like there may be another book.. I don’t think I’ll read it.
February 8, 2025
This took me absolutely too long to read… I just could not get through it, sadly. I was very bored and am not satisfied with the ending. It was kind of giving scooby doo, “if it weren’t for you meddling kids.” So sad, but I would like to try her Riverdale series.
April 3, 2020
I've become a fan of The CW show, Nancy Drew. I love the new supernatural layers added to all the mystery. I'm not sure how I missed any news or promotion around this book. Simon Pulse posted an audiobook excerpt the other day which is how I found out about it and it's the format I chose to purchase. They should have had Kennedy Mcmann narrator it but Andi Arndt did a great job and sounds eerily similar to her.
While this book is considered a prequel to the show, it's not necessary to watch it or vice versa. It was cool hearing some new bits about the show characters (even Dead Lucy) and to spend more time in the Universe but it seemed to lack some of the show's charm. I also wanted more from the other show characters, not just Nancy. Most of the characters mentioned aren't even in the show. It was still a fun and quick read. And if you're a fan of the show then you should definitely pick it up.
While this book is considered a prequel to the show, it's not necessary to watch it or vice versa. It was cool hearing some new bits about the show characters (even Dead Lucy) and to spend more time in the Universe but it seemed to lack some of the show's charm. I also wanted more from the other show characters, not just Nancy. Most of the characters mentioned aren't even in the show. It was still a fun and quick read. And if you're a fan of the show then you should definitely pick it up.
June 24, 2021
I really enjoyed this wonderful Nancy Drew mystery and would love to read more by this author! It was exciting and a real page turner... If you enjoy mystery or YA fiction, give this a try!
May 10, 2023
This was something, but it sure didn't feel like Nancy Drew.
November 23, 2023
3.5 stars - It was a decent book. Recommend it as a casual read to anyone who's running out of stuff to read and/or enjoys mystery.
September 5, 2024
I’ve always been a huge Nancy Drew fan especially of the show. I had high hopes for this one but wow I did not like the writing one bit. Very amateur writing and tone :/
September 8, 2024
This had no correlation to the show and was full of characters that we know nothing about (Daisy? Lena?) but I weirdly enjoyed it anyway.
March 18, 2020
3.5 stars. An adequate tie in/prequel (not necessary to watch the show before reading, but it helps) but nothing mind blowing either.
April 16, 2020
Kind of slow-paced but definitely Nancy Drew for an older audience.
April 17, 2021
I have really struggled with this book. I mean if you are taking over from the original writer don’t you think you should have kept the story as is?
I think this was poorly written! I’m so happy I’m done. Going back to reading Caroline Keene’s version of Nancy Drew.
The whole book was an explanation of the curse and so many unnecessary explanations and the curse was in 3 pages. No no no!!!!
I think this was poorly written! I’m so happy I’m done. Going back to reading Caroline Keene’s version of Nancy Drew.
The whole book was an explanation of the curse and so many unnecessary explanations and the curse was in 3 pages. No no no!!!!
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