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Dana Girls Mystery #20
The Secret of the Swiss Chalet
While vacationing in Europe, the Dana sisters agree to help a former Austrian prince locate his family's long lost heirlooms, a search that takes them into the dangerous snow-covered Swiss Alps.
181 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
3 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,128 books3,909 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 18 of 18 reviews
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January 2, 2019A lot of mysterious incidents! Energetic young women kept a steady pace that tired me just reading though I'm sure it was more for sake of keeping attention. And the handsome royals needing assistance to find their missing family heirlooms another draw.
I'm sure my own love of travel was influenced by that of mcs of similar series.
#DanaGirls series
#shortathon18
#where in the world - Switzerland
October 20, 2024
A fun book filled with the beauty of the Swiss Alps and the excitement of a treasure hunt for hidden family treasure.
November 11, 2024
Louise Dana, (age 17) and her sister, Jean, (age 16), along with two of their Starhurst schoolmates, Doris Hartland, and Evelyn Starr are on a European vacation, more specifically, in Frankfurt, Germany, when they find out that a former Austrian prince is intent on seeing them.
And after several minutes of excited conversation among the girls, they find themselves face-to-face with Rudolph Krisler. The girls all notice that he’s a little older than them, (early twenties), he’s at least six feet tall, he’s blond, and the fact that he was a handsome young man was lost on none of them!
After the introductions were complete, Krisler lets them know his reasons for coming to see them.
He starts by telling them that he’s heard of the sister’s investigative prowess from their Uncle Ned, or to everyone else, “Balaska” ship Captain Ned Dana. Krisler explained that he’d met, and become acquainted with their uncle, the captain, during one of his many transatlantic trips.
The former prince then went on to tell them the story of his family’s lost heirlooms, and their connection to a long abandoned Swiss chalet named Altberg, located a Jungfrau. He then drew a paper from his briefcase, it was a hand drawn picture of a circle with lines intersecting it at various angles. Krisler explained that he’d found the drawing in with his late father’s papers, and that he’d suspected that they were somehow important, perhaps even a clue as to the location of the heirlooms.
Louise and Jean take a close look at the drawing, and based on its uniqueness, they agree that it might be of value, perhaps a kind of map, they both guess. Jean says they’d need to study it further and gets Krisler’s permission to take the map to the hotel desk to get a copy made, she then gives the original back to him.
Krisler then suggests that the girls could include a look at the chalet as part of their Switzerland itinerary. That’s when Louise and Jean’s aunt, Harriet Dana, their vacation chaperone, (the Dana girl’s mom had passed away several years before) says that they’d have to get the permission of her brother, the girl’s guardian, Uncle Ned.
They send a cable to their uncle, and shortly after he cables them back with a message that Krisler’s claim was authentic, and that they had his permission to investigate the chalet when they arrived in Switzerland.
And so, the adventure begins!
And as I reached the end of the first chapter, I realized that we’d be searching for clues of a royal family’s precious heirloom, and that a storied and abandoned Swiss chalet was somehow connected with the precious artifacts. I was intrigued, and read on with interest, and by the end I was not disappointed, after all, I’d encountered so many fascinating people, places, and situations along the way. A few of which stood out for me, these included…
A few startling encounters, which included: A deadly avalanche, a menacing confrontation with an ornery mountain goat, a piece of porcelain smashing into a girl’s head, and a near collision between a car and a large, speedily rolling wheel of Emmenthaler!
And as far as unique sleuthing techniques are concerned, the Dana Girls were no slouches. They continued the investigative tradition of using commonplace items to help them unlock important clues, in their case, these included a piece of tissue paper, a wooden bottle stopper, and the contents of a hotel room trash basket to name a few.
Also, before I read this book, I had an appreciation of Switzerland as a fascinating and picturesque country, interestingly, this book only increased my fascination. A couple of mental images that stood out for me included the image of a working piano, made of ice, and a charming little chalet that was missed by hikers because it spent the entire year encased in a massive snowdrift.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch on all the new things I learned while reading this mystery. Part of the reason there were so many new learning for me was that I’ve never travelled to Switzerland, (a deficiency I hope to correct in the future). Some of these new facts included:
“Foehn” – A tepid, dry wind that comes down a mountain, as is the case on the north side of the Alps.
“Anise” – A plant of the Parsley family, having loose umbels of small yellowish-white flowers that yield aniseed. Anise is sold as a spice, and its seeds are used as breath fresheners, (among other uses).
“Schuss” – A straight downhill run at high speed, especially when skiing.
“Wassail Bowl” – A vessel, often made of wood, and sometimes mounted in silver, used on ceremonial occasions and drinking toast. Wassail is a beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine, and spices. The drinking of this beverage is known as Wassailing.
“Cembra Pine” – Also known as “Swiss Pine,” is a species of pine tree, predominantly seen in the Alps, and the Carpathian Mountains of central Europe.
And finally, one of the most surprising things I learned while reading this book has to do with Swiss St. Bernard alpine dogs, and the fact they do not carry a small barrel on their necks! I always thought that this was so!
Apparently, the myth of this was originally created by an 1820 painting by Edwin Landseer, titled, “Alpine Mastiffs Resuscitating a Distressed Traveler.” The work depicts two St. Bernard's rescuing a person, one of the dogs is carrying a barrel containing brandy to warm the chilled traveler. According to this story, the small barrels are sometimes placed on a belt around the dog’s neck, but this was done only to please camera happy tourists.
So, all in all, this was a well told story in the youth sleuthing tradition of Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Trixie Belden. Also, as mentioned above, the story was filled with new and intriguing facts. This was a double win as far as this story is concerned.
A solid four stars.
And after several minutes of excited conversation among the girls, they find themselves face-to-face with Rudolph Krisler. The girls all notice that he’s a little older than them, (early twenties), he’s at least six feet tall, he’s blond, and the fact that he was a handsome young man was lost on none of them!
After the introductions were complete, Krisler lets them know his reasons for coming to see them.
He starts by telling them that he’s heard of the sister’s investigative prowess from their Uncle Ned, or to everyone else, “Balaska” ship Captain Ned Dana. Krisler explained that he’d met, and become acquainted with their uncle, the captain, during one of his many transatlantic trips.
The former prince then went on to tell them the story of his family’s lost heirlooms, and their connection to a long abandoned Swiss chalet named Altberg, located a Jungfrau. He then drew a paper from his briefcase, it was a hand drawn picture of a circle with lines intersecting it at various angles. Krisler explained that he’d found the drawing in with his late father’s papers, and that he’d suspected that they were somehow important, perhaps even a clue as to the location of the heirlooms.
Louise and Jean take a close look at the drawing, and based on its uniqueness, they agree that it might be of value, perhaps a kind of map, they both guess. Jean says they’d need to study it further and gets Krisler’s permission to take the map to the hotel desk to get a copy made, she then gives the original back to him.
Krisler then suggests that the girls could include a look at the chalet as part of their Switzerland itinerary. That’s when Louise and Jean’s aunt, Harriet Dana, their vacation chaperone, (the Dana girl’s mom had passed away several years before) says that they’d have to get the permission of her brother, the girl’s guardian, Uncle Ned.
They send a cable to their uncle, and shortly after he cables them back with a message that Krisler’s claim was authentic, and that they had his permission to investigate the chalet when they arrived in Switzerland.
And so, the adventure begins!
And as I reached the end of the first chapter, I realized that we’d be searching for clues of a royal family’s precious heirloom, and that a storied and abandoned Swiss chalet was somehow connected with the precious artifacts. I was intrigued, and read on with interest, and by the end I was not disappointed, after all, I’d encountered so many fascinating people, places, and situations along the way. A few of which stood out for me, these included…
A few startling encounters, which included: A deadly avalanche, a menacing confrontation with an ornery mountain goat, a piece of porcelain smashing into a girl’s head, and a near collision between a car and a large, speedily rolling wheel of Emmenthaler!
And as far as unique sleuthing techniques are concerned, the Dana Girls were no slouches. They continued the investigative tradition of using commonplace items to help them unlock important clues, in their case, these included a piece of tissue paper, a wooden bottle stopper, and the contents of a hotel room trash basket to name a few.
Also, before I read this book, I had an appreciation of Switzerland as a fascinating and picturesque country, interestingly, this book only increased my fascination. A couple of mental images that stood out for me included the image of a working piano, made of ice, and a charming little chalet that was missed by hikers because it spent the entire year encased in a massive snowdrift.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch on all the new things I learned while reading this mystery. Part of the reason there were so many new learning for me was that I’ve never travelled to Switzerland, (a deficiency I hope to correct in the future). Some of these new facts included:
“Foehn” – A tepid, dry wind that comes down a mountain, as is the case on the north side of the Alps.
“Anise” – A plant of the Parsley family, having loose umbels of small yellowish-white flowers that yield aniseed. Anise is sold as a spice, and its seeds are used as breath fresheners, (among other uses).
“Schuss” – A straight downhill run at high speed, especially when skiing.
“Wassail Bowl” – A vessel, often made of wood, and sometimes mounted in silver, used on ceremonial occasions and drinking toast. Wassail is a beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine, and spices. The drinking of this beverage is known as Wassailing.
“Cembra Pine” – Also known as “Swiss Pine,” is a species of pine tree, predominantly seen in the Alps, and the Carpathian Mountains of central Europe.
And finally, one of the most surprising things I learned while reading this book has to do with Swiss St. Bernard alpine dogs, and the fact they do not carry a small barrel on their necks! I always thought that this was so!
Apparently, the myth of this was originally created by an 1820 painting by Edwin Landseer, titled, “Alpine Mastiffs Resuscitating a Distressed Traveler.” The work depicts two St. Bernard's rescuing a person, one of the dogs is carrying a barrel containing brandy to warm the chilled traveler. According to this story, the small barrels are sometimes placed on a belt around the dog’s neck, but this was done only to please camera happy tourists.
So, all in all, this was a well told story in the youth sleuthing tradition of Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and Trixie Belden. Also, as mentioned above, the story was filled with new and intriguing facts. This was a double win as far as this story is concerned.
A solid four stars.
July 4, 2012
I enjoyed this book...light reading mystery. I never read the Dana Girls as a youth and glad my girls can enjoy the series now too.
June 2, 2024
I found this book in a family members basement and having been always curious about the Nancy Drew series, this is by the same author group, picked it up.
I’m also an avid skier and found the setting to be intriguing.
The book itself was pretty vapid and thin plot wise but I mostly liked the characters and finished it pretty quickly.
I loved the descriptions of the setting and found the book in general felt like someone’s love letter to a fond vacation in Switzerland.
I’m also an avid skier and found the setting to be intriguing.
The book itself was pretty vapid and thin plot wise but I mostly liked the characters and finished it pretty quickly.
I loved the descriptions of the setting and found the book in general felt like someone’s love letter to a fond vacation in Switzerland.
July 12, 2018
The Dana girls are in Switzerland with their aunt and a couple of friends. They do some touring and make new friends. While they are out there they find some missing heirlooms. At the same time they inform the police about some thieves and smugglers they discovered. A rather harmless mystery that children might enjoy.
December 22, 2013
I uncovered the Dana girls at a garage sale, never before having heard of their existence. It absolutely blew my mind that books from the same authors as Nancy Drew and the same company as the Hardy Boys had been absolutely lost to us. It blew my mind that though they were made of the same things, the Dana girls were somehow forgotten in supersleuth fame.
The book was pleasant, nothing spectacular, and it won't surpass Nancy Drew any time soon (or ever, but one might consider me biased there. Nancy is the ULTIMATE girl detective in my book) but what really struck me was the transience of literature, of books. The way thousands of copies of a series like this one can be printed, and then fifty years later, not a soul has heard of them. Reading things like Nancy Drew or Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes, one tends to form the incorrect idea that literature doesn't really get lost, that it simply gets passed on through generations. But that isn't true. Sure, some of the books make it, but how many don't? How many, like the Dana Girls mysteries, are left behind? And why?
The book was pleasant, nothing spectacular, and it won't surpass Nancy Drew any time soon (or ever, but one might consider me biased there. Nancy is the ULTIMATE girl detective in my book) but what really struck me was the transience of literature, of books. The way thousands of copies of a series like this one can be printed, and then fifty years later, not a soul has heard of them. Reading things like Nancy Drew or Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes, one tends to form the incorrect idea that literature doesn't really get lost, that it simply gets passed on through generations. But that isn't true. Sure, some of the books make it, but how many don't? How many, like the Dana Girls mysteries, are left behind? And why?
December 29, 2017
I probably would have rated this story itself 3 stars but I've been to Switzerland and it was like a fond memory to read this book. The Danas meet a real prince who tells them that his family's heirlooms were hidden by faithful servants in Switzerland during the war years. They have looked for them for years and no trace could be found. The Dana Girls soon remedy that situation. Throw in an annoying family and a thief, not to mention a rather shady cousin of the Prince and his brother and you have a pretty good story set in a great background.
March 21, 2013
I loved this series of books that I read back in junior high. They are from the same syndicate that wrote the Nancy Drew books and the Hardy Boys, but I much preferred the Dana Girls.
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November 16, 2014good
July 11, 2017
This is the first (and only) book I read where the protagonists get run over by a wheel of cheese.
June 1, 2018
You definitely will want to suspend your disbelief on reading this! The Dana Girls are on a European vacation with friends Evelyn and Doris, accompanied by their aunt Harriet. On the advice of the German police(!), an Austrian prince asks for their help in finding a lost treasure, that he believes has been hidden in Switzerland where his brother lives. Another mystery, regarding international smugglers, also intrigues the girls (I guessed the smuggling method very early on). Besides trying to solve these mysteries, the girls have numerous adventures. Interesting.
July 27, 2018
Considering its time and the fact it was one of these churned out cheap paper-backs it wasn't too bad (better than the last Nancy Drew I read). The best part is the zero tolerance for sexual harassment (even mild) and the way the girls were very active. The worst part was the classism and general predictability of a vapid storyline and some passive aggressive misogynistic comments (eg the way the aunt was portrayed as having no needs and few ideas).
I won't go out of my way to read any more than these but it must be admitted I loved them when I was about 9.
I won't go out of my way to read any more than these but it must be admitted I loved them when I was about 9.
September 7, 2018
Really enjoying re-reading these books from my youth!
January 11, 2020
such a lovely book! fans of Nancy Drew will love it!
March 25, 2020
I enjoyed visiting a bit of Switzerland with the Danas
August 25, 2021
Loving my trip down memory lane, re reading my favourite series from my teenage years. 💕
February 19, 2021
Another fun mystery with the Dana Girls ... nothing spectacular, but nice descriptions of the Swiss Alps.
Lots of description of the Swiss Alps and villages ... a good travelog "sampler" ... and a mystery with nothing too scary. I didn't remember reading on this latest reading 2-21
Lots of description of the Swiss Alps and villages ... a good travelog "sampler" ... and a mystery with nothing too scary. I didn't remember reading on this latest reading 2-21
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews