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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #12
Message in the Hollow Oak
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1
Nancy Drew tackles a mystery professional detectives failed to solve--finding a valuable centuries-old message in a hollow oak tree in Illinois.
The story is based on the original title of the same name first published in 1935. The plot is vastly different in this extensively revised and shortened version.
ACE #1
Nancy Drew tackles a mystery professional detectives failed to solve--finding a valuable centuries-old message in a hollow oak tree in Illinois.
The story is based on the original title of the same name first published in 1935. The plot is vastly different in this extensively revised and shortened version.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1935
199 people are currently reading
3172 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,020 books3,874 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 389 reviews
June 8, 2023
Not a favorite at all, this one's a real yawner. It's slow and lacking excitement, and nothing in this mystery is believable -- the clues are still intact after 300 years, Nancy and friends are allowed to help out on an archaeological dig, the kidnappings that happen for no reason. But I would have enjoyed this as a kid because it talked about unfamiliar subjects like archeology, towboats, and a secret treasure. Plus I knew Nancy could get the mystery solved when the other detectives obviously lacked her braininess and determination. Go Nancy!
I believe this is the first mention of Aunt Eloise and her New York apartment, and there's a bit of jealousy at play with Art's grudging acceptance of Ned's presence. I found the latter unexpected and frivolous and not characteristic of these mysteries. Another uncharacteristic element was a postscript that was supposed to tie up details and the presumed interest in further archaeological work, but it really wasn't necessary and felt out of place when I turned the page and saw it there. Consistency is the key in this formulaic syndicate series and this entry didn't get it quite right.
I believe this is the first mention of Aunt Eloise and her New York apartment, and there's a bit of jealousy at play with Art's grudging acceptance of Ned's presence. I found the latter unexpected and frivolous and not characteristic of these mysteries. Another uncharacteristic element was a postscript that was supposed to tie up details and the presumed interest in further archaeological work, but it really wasn't necessary and felt out of place when I turned the page and saw it there. Consistency is the key in this formulaic syndicate series and this entry didn't get it quite right.
May 19, 2022
Revised the year I was born, this twelfth Nancy Drew book is weak but the original one of 1935 sounds insulting. It apparently entailed Nancy winning land in Canada that her Dad deemed worthless. What dolts think we are an uncivilized place, with property to hand to Americans in a radio contest?! If you do not know Edward Stratemeyer and his Daughter, Harriet hired writers for the Hardy Boys, Dana Girls, and Nancy series; please read Melanie Rehak’s thorough history book about it.
In the 1950s, letters protested inequality. Instead of replacing or removing adjectives, edits bluntly removed everything but the principal action, or rewrote it. It echoes hollowly because it lacks its background and descriptive context. Oddly, Mildred A. Wirt’s old stories had Nancy as a tomboy, the version my Mom knew as a child. The later Nancy was prim.
Miss perfect and Bess described as portly, go to Illinois on a dare to solve a mystery that stumped friends of Nancy’s Aunt. This verb is the right word, for trees are the vessels for clues and treasure in “The Message In The Hollow Oak”. I loved the idea of Père François, no doubt a leftover from the tale ousted from Canada, providing a history of fleeing that region and leaving treasure. Something regenerative like wood makes a fragile concealment place but I loved the forest environment. It made sense that Carson wanted his 18 year-old Daughter billeting in the safety of archaeology students nearby.
Read in a day, my grade tumbled to two stars. There was nothing to this dynamic adventure except the stupidest, forced, artificial action. A criminal stays quiet and does not out himself with scare tactics. The wondrous endings are narrated in a bland fashion and do not illuminate the action that we readers see.
In the 1950s, letters protested inequality. Instead of replacing or removing adjectives, edits bluntly removed everything but the principal action, or rewrote it. It echoes hollowly because it lacks its background and descriptive context. Oddly, Mildred A. Wirt’s old stories had Nancy as a tomboy, the version my Mom knew as a child. The later Nancy was prim.
Miss perfect and Bess described as portly, go to Illinois on a dare to solve a mystery that stumped friends of Nancy’s Aunt. This verb is the right word, for trees are the vessels for clues and treasure in “The Message In The Hollow Oak”. I loved the idea of Père François, no doubt a leftover from the tale ousted from Canada, providing a history of fleeing that region and leaving treasure. Something regenerative like wood makes a fragile concealment place but I loved the forest environment. It made sense that Carson wanted his 18 year-old Daughter billeting in the safety of archaeology students nearby.
Read in a day, my grade tumbled to two stars. There was nothing to this dynamic adventure except the stupidest, forced, artificial action. A criminal stays quiet and does not out himself with scare tactics. The wondrous endings are narrated in a bland fashion and do not illuminate the action that we readers see.
January 31, 2020
In List Review format:
This random-in-no-particular-order list of Persons, Places or Things from The Message In The Hollow Oak (Nancy Drew #12) includes, but is not limited to. . . .
A group of detectives who travel 'cross states to solve a mystery, but after one weekend give up and go home - their ancient relative passes the word to Nancy Drew who just completed her last mystery solve and is a little blue; at that 'cross state location is found an archaeological dig in progress, with a very amiable professor in charge, and who is possessed of a nice house available for lodging extra girl detectives and her friends; bones of all types, including baby fingers; a small metal treasure left by an old priest - who spent a lot of time hammering metal plates with his name and the year onto every hollow oak he came across; many old, beat up hollow oak trees apparently on their sides mostly abused by treasurer hunters, but with metal plates firmly in place after 200 years; a brace of teenagers, all pairing up; one misguided male adds jealousy to hormonal hi-jinx as he moves in on Ned's girl; thigh thumping old guys willing to lend their old trucks to strangers - teenage strangers; nefarious thieves with ridiculous names; 3 shy small boys who sneak up on the teens and steal their carefully prepared lunch and run off into the woods - they are never mentioned again; grown men getting kidnapped willy-nilly requiring Nancy's special touch at finding them; a log that flies through the dining room window, lands on the dinner table and miraculously hurts not one of the many persons gathered round the table; helpful, muscular Ned saves Nancy's life, pulling her out of a grimy white substance in water where she has been submerged - whereupon Ned comments, "Nancy, you should get out of those clothes, and wash your hair as soon as possible. "- ever the romantic, Ned!; good old Dad, Drew Carson on a business trip for the entire book, comes home on the penultimate page just prior to his next flight out; and in a ND epilogue (have never seen one of those so far) Nancy wins an award for her many brave deeds in recovering the ancient treasure divided between deserving community institutions.
Liked it! CHECK! On to #13.
This random-in-no-particular-order list of Persons, Places or Things from The Message In The Hollow Oak (Nancy Drew #12) includes, but is not limited to. . . .
A group of detectives who travel 'cross states to solve a mystery, but after one weekend give up and go home - their ancient relative passes the word to Nancy Drew who just completed her last mystery solve and is a little blue; at that 'cross state location is found an archaeological dig in progress, with a very amiable professor in charge, and who is possessed of a nice house available for lodging extra girl detectives and her friends; bones of all types, including baby fingers; a small metal treasure left by an old priest - who spent a lot of time hammering metal plates with his name and the year onto every hollow oak he came across; many old, beat up hollow oak trees apparently on their sides mostly abused by treasurer hunters, but with metal plates firmly in place after 200 years; a brace of teenagers, all pairing up; one misguided male adds jealousy to hormonal hi-jinx as he moves in on Ned's girl; thigh thumping old guys willing to lend their old trucks to strangers - teenage strangers; nefarious thieves with ridiculous names; 3 shy small boys who sneak up on the teens and steal their carefully prepared lunch and run off into the woods - they are never mentioned again; grown men getting kidnapped willy-nilly requiring Nancy's special touch at finding them; a log that flies through the dining room window, lands on the dinner table and miraculously hurts not one of the many persons gathered round the table; helpful, muscular Ned saves Nancy's life, pulling her out of a grimy white substance in water where she has been submerged - whereupon Ned comments, "Nancy, you should get out of those clothes, and wash your hair as soon as possible. "- ever the romantic, Ned!; good old Dad, Drew Carson on a business trip for the entire book, comes home on the penultimate page just prior to his next flight out; and in a ND epilogue (have never seen one of those so far) Nancy wins an award for her many brave deeds in recovering the ancient treasure divided between deserving community institutions.
Liked it! CHECK! On to #13.
April 28, 2021
This was a really odd Nancy Drew. There wasn't much of substance to the story and it was extremely convoluted and boring. Despite the appearance of Bess and George, as well as Ned and his friends, which I always enjoy, this book simply could not be saved. As a child, I read the 1930s version, which was way better than this messy, racist, boring debacle.
Nancy visits her Aunt Eloise in New York and is presented with a random mystery to solve by a bunch of detectives. They have to find a message in a hollow oak, left by a colonist missionary in hallowed Native American grounds. Nancy follows the trail, locks horns with some other random guy also looking for the treasure (why?!) and succeeds. Two people were also randomly kidnapped for no real reason, and Nancy rescues them. Seriously, odd stuff!
Meanwhile, a woman called Theresa Bancroft runs the most useless and unprofessional archaeological dig in the world, allowing all kinds of amateurs to come at the risk of destroying any finds and digging through the graves of Native Americans. Ned arranges so that Nancy is part of the dig so that she can investigate the "mystery". Everything about this book rubbed me wrong. There was a creep called Art, who went mooning around after Nancy and generally behaving in a creepy, would-be-abuser kind of way. Nancy pushes him off on to Julie Ann, a member of the dig, and I really think poor Julie deserved much better than this badly behaved manchild.
Overall, it just lacked the positive vibe of the Nancy Drew books that used to thrill me and still gives me enjoyment with a splash of nostalgia. This one just enraged me. I am still wondering why a 1970s rewriting is more racist than a perfectly well-written 1930s book!!
Nancy visits her Aunt Eloise in New York and is presented with a random mystery to solve by a bunch of detectives. They have to find a message in a hollow oak, left by a colonist missionary in hallowed Native American grounds. Nancy follows the trail, locks horns with some other random guy also looking for the treasure (why?!) and succeeds. Two people were also randomly kidnapped for no real reason, and Nancy rescues them. Seriously, odd stuff!
Meanwhile, a woman called Theresa Bancroft runs the most useless and unprofessional archaeological dig in the world, allowing all kinds of amateurs to come at the risk of destroying any finds and digging through the graves of Native Americans. Ned arranges so that Nancy is part of the dig so that she can investigate the "mystery". Everything about this book rubbed me wrong. There was a creep called Art, who went mooning around after Nancy and generally behaving in a creepy, would-be-abuser kind of way. Nancy pushes him off on to Julie Ann, a member of the dig, and I really think poor Julie deserved much better than this badly behaved manchild.
Overall, it just lacked the positive vibe of the Nancy Drew books that used to thrill me and still gives me enjoyment with a splash of nostalgia. This one just enraged me. I am still wondering why a 1970s rewriting is more racist than a perfectly well-written 1930s book!!
November 1, 2022
Standard fare for this series...which isn't a bad thing.
June 16, 2021
No snarkiness this time, just an overview and some observations.
Nancy, daughter of lawyer Carson Drew, wins a radio contest – she tells her dad she wants to go into broadcasting – and the prize? A piece of land in Canada.
(Now, this fact dates the story, 1935. This is not a revised or edited version which might have appeared in the 1950’s or later. I did some research and selected the only copy of this book I could find with the original copyright date and no other. We have in this story radio – which is new – and roadsters, which is what Nancy drives. There’s also something about the ‘moving picture colony’ in California, a phrase common for the time. We’d just say ‘out in LA’, or Hollywood now. There’s mention of the ‘World War,’ which was WWI, but didn’t become that until we had WW2. We also have a housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, who believes girls shouldn’t run all over the place, but stay at home. And even though Nancy is at least older than 18, her father only approves of Nancy going north to check out the land she won if she goes chaperoned. There is even a line somewhere near the middle where Nancy fears going somewhere without ‘someone older,' in other words she needs an (older) adult with her to feel safer. Yep, so we are def. dating ourselves.)
Which I like. I often like to fit myself down into the era in which a book is written – which is often different than the era a writer uses for their story. This was written in 30’s and is placed there.
Moving on, I noticed a lot of coincidences at first – Nancy wins the land, but her father just so happens to be working with a man who also owns land up north; he’s a lumberman. This man has a friend, an older woman, who just so happens to be visiting in Nancy’s home town, River Heights, and is returning ‘north’ to home. She’ll be glad to serve as Nancy’s chaperone. (And for Nancy’s two friends, Bess and George, and btw, George, who is somewhat of a ‘tomboy’ has her hair cut as short as ‘allowed.’ Okay.)
No snark here, just the beginning of the book, which also involves a deed to the newly-won land and two men anxious to get hold of it. One accosts Nancy on the street for it, then later fools the housekeeper into letting him into the Drew house to see the deed. Luckily, Nancy gets there in time to wrest the deed away from him. (There’s also a car chase.)
I gotta say something about the car chase, also near the start of the book. Nancy sees a man who’s just stolen a suitcase from the old woman who will be her chaperone. What does Nancy do? Make chase! In her roadster, and even drives ‘alongside’ of the suitcase thief for a while, and then – she drives around in front of him to stop his car! Luckily, passersby help her restrain the suitcase thief and he is hustled off to jail. But I need to say this, too...
When the other man, who accosted Nancy on the street, arrives at the police station to bail the suitcase-stealer out of jail, the police say it might be a coincidence!
Land sakes. I need to say if Hannah Gruen isn’t happy about girls going too far from home, what does she have to say to all of this? I’ll remain kind and condense the rest of the story without giving too much away...
(Btw I used to own this book, can’t find it which is why I borrowed a copy, but it was one of my fav. Nancy Drew books when I was about eleven or twelve.)
Moving on, Nancy does go north to see her land, in the company of an older woman, a chaperone, and her two friends. Then here’s a train wreck! Yikes! Nancy barely survives, but get this: she passes by two people who are stuck in the wreck, including a child under a steel beam. Does Nancy stop to help? No, she’s looking for her friends and chaperone FIRST.
Nancy and friends survive, some bruised a bit. A young ‘authoress’ Nancy meets also survives the wreck, and she has an interesting backstory which sort of gets stuck in among the other plot lines here. We’ve thieves and corrupt businessmen, backwoodsmen who are brave and get into fights, camping out in the woods, traveling by canoe, all to find out just what it is about Nancy’s newly-won land which makes everyone seem to want it – by legal means or other. There’s a love-interest story and kindly people who will give you shelter for the night. There’s so much going on here my eleven-year-old head must have been in a whirlwind figuring it out.
Note: very little snark here, but I am very certain this story, in this form, would never make it to publication today, AND I understand why, in later decades, almost the entire storyline was rewritten.
As for the old oak? It’s used as a sort of ‘relay station,’ where people place messages for other people to find. Really, this happens at least twice in the book.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the buried treasure!
For a Nancy Drew aficionado, try to find the original 1935 copyright book. I found it in a library with a NEW cover on it. Either it was reissued in its old form some time in the 50’s or 60’s, OR this book was rebound. Either way, this was a wild read from a totally different era!
Three stars. (Four if I were reviewing this in 1936.)
Nancy, daughter of lawyer Carson Drew, wins a radio contest – she tells her dad she wants to go into broadcasting – and the prize? A piece of land in Canada.
(Now, this fact dates the story, 1935. This is not a revised or edited version which might have appeared in the 1950’s or later. I did some research and selected the only copy of this book I could find with the original copyright date and no other. We have in this story radio – which is new – and roadsters, which is what Nancy drives. There’s also something about the ‘moving picture colony’ in California, a phrase common for the time. We’d just say ‘out in LA’, or Hollywood now. There’s mention of the ‘World War,’ which was WWI, but didn’t become that until we had WW2. We also have a housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, who believes girls shouldn’t run all over the place, but stay at home. And even though Nancy is at least older than 18, her father only approves of Nancy going north to check out the land she won if she goes chaperoned. There is even a line somewhere near the middle where Nancy fears going somewhere without ‘someone older,' in other words she needs an (older) adult with her to feel safer. Yep, so we are def. dating ourselves.)
Which I like. I often like to fit myself down into the era in which a book is written – which is often different than the era a writer uses for their story. This was written in 30’s and is placed there.
Moving on, I noticed a lot of coincidences at first – Nancy wins the land, but her father just so happens to be working with a man who also owns land up north; he’s a lumberman. This man has a friend, an older woman, who just so happens to be visiting in Nancy’s home town, River Heights, and is returning ‘north’ to home. She’ll be glad to serve as Nancy’s chaperone. (And for Nancy’s two friends, Bess and George, and btw, George, who is somewhat of a ‘tomboy’ has her hair cut as short as ‘allowed.’ Okay.)
No snark here, just the beginning of the book, which also involves a deed to the newly-won land and two men anxious to get hold of it. One accosts Nancy on the street for it, then later fools the housekeeper into letting him into the Drew house to see the deed. Luckily, Nancy gets there in time to wrest the deed away from him. (There’s also a car chase.)
I gotta say something about the car chase, also near the start of the book. Nancy sees a man who’s just stolen a suitcase from the old woman who will be her chaperone. What does Nancy do? Make chase! In her roadster, and even drives ‘alongside’ of the suitcase thief for a while, and then – she drives around in front of him to stop his car! Luckily, passersby help her restrain the suitcase thief and he is hustled off to jail. But I need to say this, too...
When the other man, who accosted Nancy on the street, arrives at the police station to bail the suitcase-stealer out of jail, the police say it might be a coincidence!
Land sakes. I need to say if Hannah Gruen isn’t happy about girls going too far from home, what does she have to say to all of this? I’ll remain kind and condense the rest of the story without giving too much away...
(Btw I used to own this book, can’t find it which is why I borrowed a copy, but it was one of my fav. Nancy Drew books when I was about eleven or twelve.)
Moving on, Nancy does go north to see her land, in the company of an older woman, a chaperone, and her two friends. Then here’s a train wreck! Yikes! Nancy barely survives, but get this: she passes by two people who are stuck in the wreck, including a child under a steel beam. Does Nancy stop to help? No, she’s looking for her friends and chaperone FIRST.
Nancy and friends survive, some bruised a bit. A young ‘authoress’ Nancy meets also survives the wreck, and she has an interesting backstory which sort of gets stuck in among the other plot lines here. We’ve thieves and corrupt businessmen, backwoodsmen who are brave and get into fights, camping out in the woods, traveling by canoe, all to find out just what it is about Nancy’s newly-won land which makes everyone seem to want it – by legal means or other. There’s a love-interest story and kindly people who will give you shelter for the night. There’s so much going on here my eleven-year-old head must have been in a whirlwind figuring it out.
Note: very little snark here, but I am very certain this story, in this form, would never make it to publication today, AND I understand why, in later decades, almost the entire storyline was rewritten.
As for the old oak? It’s used as a sort of ‘relay station,’ where people place messages for other people to find. Really, this happens at least twice in the book.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the buried treasure!
For a Nancy Drew aficionado, try to find the original 1935 copyright book. I found it in a library with a NEW cover on it. Either it was reissued in its old form some time in the 50’s or 60’s, OR this book was rebound. Either way, this was a wild read from a totally different era!
Three stars. (Four if I were reviewing this in 1936.)
October 4, 2023
This was a 3 star read for the original book. The remake of this is terrible.
April 2, 2020
My daughter likes Nancy Drew books and wanted me to read one of the 'original' versions out loud. It really was interesting to read a Nancy Drew book in its original form! I found the writing to be good and the dialogue well-done. The story line was action-packed but still flowed nicely. I much prefer the original to the later edition of this book! I would like to read more of this series in the original version.
June 6, 2019
"A group of professional detective challenge Nancy to tackle a mystery that they have failed to solve: find an invaluable message hidden by a missionary centuries ago in a hollow oak tree in Illinois.While searching the woods for the ancient tree, Nancy and her friends live with a group of young archaeologists who are excavating prehistoric Indian burial mounds on a nearby farm. A shadowy enemy stalks Nancy and harasses everyone at the dig. The young investigator pursues her dangerous adversary to the outlaws' cave, and is threatened hen she discovers an unusual treasure.How Nancy , with few clues to go on, solves this complex mystery will thrill all readers."
- I don't understand why church was added into all the revised texts. Was Harriet Stratemeyer very religious or was there a big church craze in the 1970's? It's ridiculous that even out in the Illinois wilderness they have a makeshift church sermon. I personally have no problem with Nancy attending church but it's always so forced into the text, not natural at all.
- While I was taking noted while reading this I simply wrote down "pg. 38-41" for this because there was just so much I had to remark on. Nancy, Julie Anne, and Clem are out searching for a hollow oak when they stop to have a picnic lunch. Clem entertains the girls with funny old stories such as one about a big catfish knocking over a fisherman, then suddenly changes the subject to his good luck coin: "Clem said there were no more big fish in the river, then abruptly changed the subject, "would you like to see my good-luck coin?"". This is such an awkward turn of conversation. It would make more sense and feel more natural if they had been talking about good-luck trinkets or even old superstitions of the local Native Americans the archaeology students are learning about. The coin has the initials P.F. engraved on them which Nancy immediately decides must stand for Pére François since the coin was found in the area. However Clem never said it was found in the area until after Nancy makes this remark. In fact talking about items found in the area would have been a better conversation to segue into the coin discussion instead of the funny catfish story. Nancy tells Clem the coin is an important find and Clem says he's giving it to Nancy since the coin "don't mean nothin' to him"...but just a minute ago he said it was his good-luck coin. Nancy offers to pay him for it but he declines the offer because "what would i do with a lot o' money?". Gee Clem, I don't know maybe pay your bills, put food on your table, buy your wife a nice gift.
See the rest of my review at VintageGirlsBooks.blogspot.com.
August 8, 2017
I give this a 3-star review, just because my daughter so enjoys being read these Nancy Drew stories. For me, the plots are SO unrealistic. Someone gets kidnapped in almost every single Nancy Drew book! Including this one! Two separate people were in fact kidnapped in this one. Yet both were found unharmed and saved by Nancy. And car accidents. Almost every book Nancy gets in a car accident. Including in this one. Yet she always walks away fine, with either no damage to the car, or just minor damage.
This book is set at an archaeological dig, and I was disappointed in the student's treatment of the skeletal remains that they found. They seemed to be shown off as "trophies", which bones being taken into a barn and wired together by the students to make hanging skeletons. No respect was shown for the remains.
And I feel sorry for Bess (Nancy's friend). She is always described by her weight: "Bess was a slightly plump blond with delightful dimples." And there are always scenes with her involving food, such as in this book when their food gets stolen out of their vehicle by some children, and "Bess sat down on the ground, disconsolate." and her cousin George makes fun of her telling her "It wouldn't hurt you to go without a meal." Why do they always have to focus on her weight and make fun of her eating?
This book is set at an archaeological dig, and I was disappointed in the student's treatment of the skeletal remains that they found. They seemed to be shown off as "trophies", which bones being taken into a barn and wired together by the students to make hanging skeletons. No respect was shown for the remains.
And I feel sorry for Bess (Nancy's friend). She is always described by her weight: "Bess was a slightly plump blond with delightful dimples." And there are always scenes with her involving food, such as in this book when their food gets stolen out of their vehicle by some children, and "Bess sat down on the ground, disconsolate." and her cousin George makes fun of her telling her "It wouldn't hurt you to go without a meal." Why do they always have to focus on her weight and make fun of her eating?
July 24, 2022
This was a wonderful mystery! With Kit Kadle being an absolute creep who always knew Nancy’s whereabouts, in addition to all his cronies… this story didn’t lack suspense. Honestly, the bad guys were bold with some of the schemes they attempted in the daylight hours.
So this story includes Nancy’s girl cousins George and Bess and then all their boy friends Ned, Burt, and Dave. It’s so interesting reading the progression of friendships… this story actually had a weirdish love triangle thing with archeologist Art liking Nancy who was jealous of Ned… Haha, it was just a side thing, but ooo, the drama!
The only person I didn’t like and felt was unnecessary was archeologist Claire. No one liked her and made that evidently clear haha. She just made sassy and rebellious comments any chance she got, and in my opinion, she just wasn’t a good addition.
Overall, I really enjoyed this quick read! Now onto book 13!
So this story includes Nancy’s girl cousins George and Bess and then all their boy friends Ned, Burt, and Dave. It’s so interesting reading the progression of friendships… this story actually had a weirdish love triangle thing with archeologist Art liking Nancy who was jealous of Ned… Haha, it was just a side thing, but ooo, the drama!
The only person I didn’t like and felt was unnecessary was archeologist Claire. No one liked her and made that evidently clear haha. She just made sassy and rebellious comments any chance she got, and in my opinion, she just wasn’t a good addition.
Overall, I really enjoyed this quick read! Now onto book 13!
September 8, 2019
I am an old Nancy Drew fan, and have been re-reading many of them recently on weekends. I have no issues with the stories being quite predictable given they were written half a century ago and were trend setters or the fact that the villains are kind of cute here who never do any real harm and are quite stupid too. But taking into account the fact that it is a children's book and especially because of the fact that it is a children's book, I have some serious issues,
1. What's with Bess' portrayal as a plump girl who eats way more and is the definition of 'girly' because she is usually afraid, her pinkish dressing sense and so on and so forth. The opposite is George. And this reflects in the choice of their boyfriends as well. Why so homogeneous? I know society reflects stereotypes and gives rise to it, and this characterisation belongs to that line of reasoning, but it is annoying(especially in this century when we are trying to break such images).
2. Why are some characters so dumb and pointless? Even then, people weren't. Also, in order to vilify some side-characters, they are given weirdly unrealistic and erratically irrational behaviour.
We should really re-examine our literature. I don't know how popular these books still are, but they I feel still are quite famous amongst the tweens. It is a good book, but re-strengthens some characteristics of a personality which later might evolve into some insecurities and complexes or just a flawed perspective (even though a perspective is that itself- a perspective). And some characters are really well designed for a young mind to be awed and inspired as I was, but maybe we can give a disclaimer? Anyone agrees?
The good thing is that the villains were slightly more vilified in this book though still cute and you always knew who they were, as usual, the jealousy angle with Art and Ned was played well- it is not fresh but okay-ish- adds some teenage drama, Ned is now kind of more boyfriend-ish to Nancy and I really liked that although she really is of evading nature, Ned is patient.
I would have given this book a 2.5, rounded off to 3 stars but the end of the mystery, and the story attached to its inception was perhaps the best of all the Nancy Drew findings and conclusions drawn so far, and is well written to inspire wonder and interest. The excavations of early Indians as well as a real story of an explorer gives it a bit more adventure-y touch, and their implied sad endings hint a touch of reality warped in mystery and tweenage-y stuff to a children's book, although I would have loved a bit more detail. And thus, in spite of so many issues, for me it was again a satisfying read. Sometimes the ending can really save it all. So, 4 stars to Nancy Drew and the message in the Hollow Oak.
Happy reading! :)
1. What's with Bess' portrayal as a plump girl who eats way more and is the definition of 'girly' because she is usually afraid, her pinkish dressing sense and so on and so forth. The opposite is George. And this reflects in the choice of their boyfriends as well. Why so homogeneous? I know society reflects stereotypes and gives rise to it, and this characterisation belongs to that line of reasoning, but it is annoying(especially in this century when we are trying to break such images).
2. Why are some characters so dumb and pointless? Even then, people weren't. Also, in order to vilify some side-characters, they are given weirdly unrealistic and erratically irrational behaviour.
We should really re-examine our literature. I don't know how popular these books still are, but they I feel still are quite famous amongst the tweens. It is a good book, but re-strengthens some characteristics of a personality which later might evolve into some insecurities and complexes or just a flawed perspective (even though a perspective is that itself- a perspective). And some characters are really well designed for a young mind to be awed and inspired as I was, but maybe we can give a disclaimer? Anyone agrees?
The good thing is that the villains were slightly more vilified in this book though still cute and you always knew who they were, as usual, the jealousy angle with Art and Ned was played well- it is not fresh but okay-ish- adds some teenage drama, Ned is now kind of more boyfriend-ish to Nancy and I really liked that although she really is of evading nature, Ned is patient.
I would have given this book a 2.5, rounded off to 3 stars but the end of the mystery, and the story attached to its inception was perhaps the best of all the Nancy Drew findings and conclusions drawn so far, and is well written to inspire wonder and interest. The excavations of early Indians as well as a real story of an explorer gives it a bit more adventure-y touch, and their implied sad endings hint a touch of reality warped in mystery and tweenage-y stuff to a children's book, although I would have loved a bit more detail. And thus, in spite of so many issues, for me it was again a satisfying read. Sometimes the ending can really save it all. So, 4 stars to Nancy Drew and the message in the Hollow Oak.
Happy reading! :)
January 4, 2026
Nancy enters a contest to come up with a title for a Canadian author's latest serialized book and wins! The grand prize? The deed to some property in Canada. After Carson Drew arranges for a suitable chaperone, she, Bess, and George take their first trip outside the United States to take a look at the land--which just happens to be beautiful lakefront property with a rumor of gold attached to it. Soon Nancy is battling for her right to the property while an unscrupulous owner of mining company starts digging up gold on her land. Carson is already representing someone else in a dispute with the same company and comes to Canada to look into both matters.
Meanwhile...on the way to Canada, Nancy meets up with Ann Chapelle, the author of the book, who is on her way home to Canada for the first time in decades. She left home after being disappointed in love and a falling out with her grandfather (who didn't care for the young man in the case) and hopes to make things up with her grandfather. But before reaching their destination, the train is involved in a wreck and Ann is badly injured. She asks Nancy to take messages to both the grandfather and her former love--in case she is unable to do so. As with most of Nancy's cases, she finds that while fulfilling her promise to Ann she is able to discover keys to the other mystery.
Another favorite from my younger days. My family spent a lot of time camping, so I enjoyed this story which takes place in the wilds of Canada. And now that I'm older and have done a canoeing trip with my son and the Scouts in the Boundary Waters, I'm more familiar with the idea of portages between the waterways. I have a much better understanding of how remote some of these areas still are. It just made for exciting reading when I was younger.
But even with that reservation, this is still a good adventure in the Nancy Drew series and I'll leave it with the rating I gave it when young.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Meanwhile...on the way to Canada, Nancy meets up with Ann Chapelle, the author of the book, who is on her way home to Canada for the first time in decades. She left home after being disappointed in love and a falling out with her grandfather (who didn't care for the young man in the case) and hopes to make things up with her grandfather. But before reaching their destination, the train is involved in a wreck and Ann is badly injured. She asks Nancy to take messages to both the grandfather and her former love--in case she is unable to do so. As with most of Nancy's cases, she finds that while fulfilling her promise to Ann she is able to discover keys to the other mystery.
Another favorite from my younger days. My family spent a lot of time camping, so I enjoyed this story which takes place in the wilds of Canada. And now that I'm older and have done a canoeing trip with my son and the Scouts in the Boundary Waters, I'm more familiar with the idea of portages between the waterways. I have a much better understanding of how remote some of these areas still are. It just made for exciting reading when I was younger.
But even with that reservation, this is still a good adventure in the Nancy Drew series and I'll leave it with the rating I gave it when young.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
June 26, 2018
This installment started off interesting - treasure supposedly hidden in a hollow tree. It's one of the first times Nancy flies out to solve a mystery and the airport scenes were amusing in terms of how simple it used to be to just hop on a plane. But things deteriorated quickly for me - again people are kidnapped - she flies all her friends out even though she was with other people which is annoying. Ned, Dave and Burt are just flat characters to me and Bess and George always seem to be falling down embankments or getting hit in the head. I enjoyed the new characters this book introduced and that certainly bumped it from two to three stars plus there was a goat inside the bedroom which was also a funny scene.
August 25, 2023
4 stars & 4/10 hearts. This was a fun story. The excitement and intensity were well done, though the mystery itself wasn't as much a mystery as a treasure hunt. It seemed to me that the treasure wasn't worth everything it put Nancy & her friends through, but that may be just me. I was annoyed by the archaeology aspect, though. I'm not against archaeology but it bugged me that the bones were just casually dug up and hung up in places, as if they were just plastic skeletons or whatnot. It still human remains; and besides it struck me as not at all respectful to the Indians themselves. The whole thing was so cool and offhand, it bothered me. And the whole jealousy angle was annoying too. So yeah. It was a good read, but I don't know if I'd read it again.
October 3, 2020
I love Nancy Drew books, but this one was only fair. I’m not really sure why. This is classic Nancy: she is super talented and always solves her mystery! 🤣
I learned a new word on page 94: hove. “When the helicopter hove into sight he took Julie Anne’s arm and brought her over to where Nancy was standing” (94). Hove means appeared...so the helicopter appeared into sight. I had no clue! 😀
Another thing I had to look up was “ham radio operator” (152), which is amateur radio. 📻 “That was all the ham heard” (152).
Reading always leads to new discoveries! ❤️ 📖
I learned a new word on page 94: hove. “When the helicopter hove into sight he took Julie Anne’s arm and brought her over to where Nancy was standing” (94). Hove means appeared...so the helicopter appeared into sight. I had no clue! 😀
Another thing I had to look up was “ham radio operator” (152), which is amateur radio. 📻 “That was all the ham heard” (152).
Reading always leads to new discoveries! ❤️ 📖
February 19, 2024
Oooooooooo a jealous Ned!!!! Bahahaha, clearly I needed more romance in these installments to keep my interest piqued 😅. Also, fantastic villain with a great name in Kit Kadle.
Huge knock on the dated quality of this story… apparently the original version was even worse. 😬 But, educational to realize we had no qualms about digging up Native American burial grounds at one point in history and using the remains as museum displays! Big yikes!!!
Huge knock on the dated quality of this story… apparently the original version was even worse. 😬 But, educational to realize we had no qualms about digging up Native American burial grounds at one point in history and using the remains as museum displays! Big yikes!!!
April 23, 2020
defo not as good as some others, for me.
December 16, 2019
An average entry into the series, but still a fairly good mystery, especially for younger kids.
January 18, 2024
I'm trying to figure out how Nancy is still 18, but she needed a new car (I think that was in the last one, though).
October 27, 2024
My least favorite Nancy Drew book so far!
August 14, 2024
This was a fun mystery. I enjoyed the intrigues and the characters. (And the mini love triangle:)
March 18, 2021
The girls fix the meals. The boys work in the lab and take charge of guard duty. (Granted, they did all work the dig.) Everyone is in love with Nancy, and the NYC professional detectives are awed by her skills.
The mystery was interesting & the archaeological dig lent some academic gravitas and was led by a woman, but the bad guy & his henchmen and their crimes were nonsensical.
Not sure what the point of Nancy being stuck in the elevator was at the beginning (no point actually) nor the purpose of the character Claire, Miss know-it-all from the dig (maybe as counterpoint to our Nancy of how not to act? The reality & trials of girl jealousy?)
Things we learned a little about: early American French missionaries, native tribes, archaeology, MS River barges, locks & dams, and the area where the Ohio & Mississippi rivers meet. These little educational bits are another of my remembered hallmarks of Nancy Drew books. They were much more pronounced starting in this book. Thinking back, we have learned a bit about wills & estates in Old Clock and Twisted Candles, and a bit about western ranching in Shadow Ranch, but this is the first one with more lengthy descriptions and ‘educational content’.
Ok. I’m officially on ND break for at least another week. Then I’ll give the next dozen a go.
The mystery was interesting & the archaeological dig lent some academic gravitas and was led by a woman, but the bad guy & his henchmen and their crimes were nonsensical.
Not sure what the point of Nancy being stuck in the elevator was at the beginning (no point actually) nor the purpose of the character Claire, Miss know-it-all from the dig (maybe as counterpoint to our Nancy of how not to act? The reality & trials of girl jealousy?)
Things we learned a little about: early American French missionaries, native tribes, archaeology, MS River barges, locks & dams, and the area where the Ohio & Mississippi rivers meet. These little educational bits are another of my remembered hallmarks of Nancy Drew books. They were much more pronounced starting in this book. Thinking back, we have learned a bit about wills & estates in Old Clock and Twisted Candles, and a bit about western ranching in Shadow Ranch, but this is the first one with more lengthy descriptions and ‘educational content’.
Ok. I’m officially on ND break for at least another week. Then I’ll give the next dozen a go.
July 26, 2019
Luin enemmän Vihreitä variksia kuin Neiti etsiviä, joten erityinen nostalgiamatka tämä ei ollut. Alku on herkullisen pelottava, kyttääjäroisto on melko hyvin luotu ja tunnelmaa onnistutaan luomaan taitavasti. Sitten kuvaan astuvatkin juuri sopivasti Paulan eteen tulevia johtolankoja ja vihjeitä + kasa nuoria jotka ovat valmiita tottelemaan Paulaa kuin kenraalia. Lisäksi jutun juonessa ei varsinaisesti alussa ole rikosta vaan juoni keskittyy lähinnä muinaismuiston, joka saattaa olla arvokas tai sitten ei, löytämiseen.
Miten näitä lukevat lapset suhtautuvat siihen, että nuori kidnapataan, mutta poliisia ei kovastikaan kiinnosta tämä kidnappaaminen? Tuntuu kuin virkavallan roolia näissä kirjoissa ei ole osattu ottaa huomioon, joten sen osuus on latistettu naurettaviksi ja epäpäteviksi tolloiksi.
Miten näitä lukevat lapset suhtautuvat siihen, että nuori kidnapataan, mutta poliisia ei kovastikaan kiinnosta tämä kidnappaaminen? Tuntuu kuin virkavallan roolia näissä kirjoissa ei ole osattu ottaa huomioon, joten sen osuus on latistettu naurettaviksi ja epäpäteviksi tolloiksi.
February 16, 2022
After reading this one, I found out that this is one of only 2 Nancy Drew books that were completely rewritten in the 70's. After struggling with this story, I would love to find a copy of the original 1930's version of this book. It has to be more exciting than this one. This story was bogged down with too many things that happened that did nothing to advance the plot -- Nancy getting stuck in an elevator, a log flying through a window, and children stealing their food ( they are literally in the middle of nowhere-- where did the children come from?). It also had some of the worst villains (read unbelievable) in it. Most of the action was Nancy traveling to the town from the dig and calling the police. Overall, not a very exciting additon to the series. If you are reading these as an adult, I recommend skipping right over this one.
November 28, 2023
This book was oddly slow. Not much mystery, it was kind of just cruising, not much happened either. It was more about people and relationships then a mystery for sure. I did not enjoy this one as much, and I was really excited to read it too. In the biginning of the book they talked about how the police and really pro mystery solvers couldn't even solve it and and Nancy did it, but it almost to easy. And it was very unrealistic some times, like car crash! No ones hurt. People falling off cliffs! Not a scratch, I find that annyoing. Carolyn's first 6 books where amazing, but after that they have been just okay. I hopefully will keep reading the series, but I just hope they get back to being great again.
October 28, 2012
Whether or not you know anything about the different versions of Nancy Drew books, the books printed after 1959 are revised versions from the original Nancy Drew books. Only two of the original Nancy Drew books were totally rewritten when they were revised. This book is one of them. The other is The Secret of Shadow Ranch. I recommend reading both versions as the reader gets a better idea of how the original was written and how the revised version is different.
July 7, 2016
Revised edition (haven't read original). Grave robbing. Hated it - Nancy Drew and the other regular characters wouldn't do that. She and the others would have said it was wrong. I like archaeology such as exploring and searching places that aren't burial grounds. Desecrating graves is despicable as well as disrespectful. Forget this book if you want to read Nancy Drew - there are so many great Nancy Drew books you could read instead.
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