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Dana Girls Mystery #30
The Phantom Surfer
Jean and Louise Dana attempt to solve the cases of sabotage and theft at a resort town's restoration project
175 pages, Hardcover
Published June 28, 1968
1 person is currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
993 books3,864 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 13, 2014
my favourite out the ones i've read in the series which is like most of them. I don't know there was something different in this novel from the rest in the series maybe it was because the 2 boys were more involved with helping the Dana girls rather than being sideline love interests.
what i enjoy about these books is that there not just half thought through attempts in the running to become a generic best seller like most books today but to have sensible reading material that matters.
what i enjoy about these books is that there not just half thought through attempts in the running to become a generic best seller like most books today but to have sensible reading material that matters.
October 2, 2008
A good story, one of the better Dana girls novels.
I enjoyed this one.
Very similar in style to the Nancy Drews.
I enjoyed this one.
Very similar in style to the Nancy Drews.
March 22, 2017
The girls go to a vacation on the beach and get involved in a mystery, which they solve.
December 1, 2017
I love Carolyn Keene's books...
February 1, 2023
This is the first time that I got to read a Dana Girls Mystery. We read a lot of Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Three Investigators mysteries in our middle school years, but never chanced upon any Dana Girls mysteries.
I did not find anything remarkable or even interesting about this mystery. The girls are alternately going to the town or the lighthouse in the name of investigating the mystery. The whole thing was predictable. Could be because I ought to have read it 40 years ago.
I did not find anything remarkable or even interesting about this mystery. The girls are alternately going to the town or the lighthouse in the name of investigating the mystery. The whole thing was predictable. Could be because I ought to have read it 40 years ago.
March 18, 2018
Well, it was abit dated, but I enjoyed it. The girls were obsessed with the boys, they were patronized the whole tme and the boys did all the dangerious things. Not terribly impressed.
July 25, 2019
This was definitely a good book, but the older books are way better in story line, and in mystery.
March 27, 2020
Fun adventure and romance for teens
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews