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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #32
The Scarlet Slipper Mystery
Nancy meets Helene and Henri Fontaine, refugees from Centorvia who run a dancing school in River Heights. Strange circumstances have brought the brother and sister to the United States. When they receive an anonymous note threatening their lives, Nancy offers her help, but she encounters nothing but puzzles. Are the Fontaines involved with the Centrovian underground? Have they been threatened by their own countrymen? When the Fontaines disappear, Nancy and her friends pursue the trail, even though danger lurks around every corner.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1954
132 people are currently reading
2879 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,012 books3,867 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 212 reviews
January 30, 2024
Another great entry in this series.
April 30, 2018
Too many characters ..... :/
But still I liked it....
But still I liked it....
September 10, 2014
Bahaha! When we first meet Bess'n'George, they're attired "in gay cotton skirts and blouses." At one point Nancy gets offended when Ned intimates to a stranger that they're husband and wife.
The teaser picture shows HANNAH GRUEN bound and gagged, which is the first time in the series that anything has happened to her. Apparently some people from a non-existent country are tied up in a jewel smuggling ring, though the plot is rather nonsensical. We discover that Nancy is a skilled ballerina, though she hasn't practiced in years.
No one loses consciousness, but the epic stupidity occurs when the girls enter a house that simply reeks of kerosene, shut themselves in an upstairs bedroom to look over evidence and then are totally surprised eight pages later when the bad guys torch the place.
The teaser picture shows HANNAH GRUEN bound and gagged, which is the first time in the series that anything has happened to her. Apparently some people from a non-existent country are tied up in a jewel smuggling ring, though the plot is rather nonsensical. We discover that Nancy is a skilled ballerina, though she hasn't practiced in years.
No one loses consciousness, but the epic stupidity occurs when the girls enter a house that simply reeks of kerosene, shut themselves in an upstairs bedroom to look over evidence and then are totally surprised eight pages later when the bad guys torch the place.
February 19, 2020
A coup d'état happened in Centrovia.
And after the dust of the overthrow settled, the occupation of the new rulers proved to be much more horrible than ever could’ve been expected by the people of this small, previously independent European nation.
The citizens were terrified at what they were seeing, many attempted to seek refuge in other countries. These attempts, as is the case in many similar crises of nations, occurred with varying degrees of success.
Mr. and Mrs. Provak, for example, sought refuge in France. The odds of them succeeding were higher than most considering that Mrs. Provak was a celebrated, internationally famous ballet dancer who would be warmly welcomed in the vibrant ballet community of Paris.
And while the Provak’s planned to flee for France, they never gave up hope that they would someday come back to their restored native land. Before departing for France, they joined an organization whose goal was to overthrow the new rulers in Centrovia. They promised the other members that they would continue to fight the good fight, even from their new location in France.
The other members of this civilly disobedient organization supported the Provak’s decision to leave Centrovia. They were of the opinion that they were in a unique position to accomplish more for the cause safely inside the borders of France than they would be living in constant terror in their homeland.
As a matter of fact, so great was their confidence and trust in the Provak’s that another prominent family, also from within the secret organization, came forward with a request that the Provaks take a fortune of jewels with them to France. The plan was for them to sell the fortune, bit by bit, sending the money to the Centovian rebels via the financial pipeline of the underground movement.
The Provaks agreed to this risky plan and completed their final preparations for their journey to France. After all, they had another, even more compelling motivation for seeking a safer home…
And that motivation came in the form of their two children, Henri and Helene.
The family successfully completed the journey, arriving in Paris, where they immediately changed their family name from Provak to Fontaine.
Despite their precautions, the new rulers of Centrovia discovered that they’d left with the jewels, which in their minds gave them a golden opportunity to smear the name of this well-respected family. They publicly claimed that the Provak’s had stolen the jewels, then fled Centrovia. This, the new rulers thought, would keep the Provak’s plan to protest the Centrovian Government’s actions “off balance.”
A number of years later, Mr. and Mrs. Provak passed away, the cause not sufficiently explained. This left Henri and Helene alone as two young adults. Sometime after their parent’s death, the siblings received a threatening note, one that they were sure could mean their death.
The two, terrified, moved to the U.S.A., more specifically, River Heights. Once relocated, they opened a dance school which met with an enthusiastic response from the local people as many wished for their children to learn this art form, while others, adult students were eager to reengage in the dance experience they looked back upon with fondness from their childhoods. Still others, such as Nancy Drew’s friend Bess, saw taking dance lessons as a fund way to become healthier and reduce.
Things were going well for Henri and Helene; it had been nearly ten years since the Centrovian coup d'état and nearly two years since they’d received the threatening note in Paris.
Perhaps this time, they’d put enough distance between themselves and the danger…
It was just as they were beginning to enjoy their life and work in River Heights when they received another ominous note. It was discovered, in the dance studio office, at the end of the day, after all of the instructors and students should’ve left for home.
“No, we must flee again,” Helene desperately declares to her brother.
They were unaware that their conversation was being overheard by one of their students, Bess, who’d come back to the studio to retrieve the purse she remembered leaving behind earlier.
Upon hearing that these kind and gentle siblings were in distress, maybe even trouble, Bess turned around and darted back to the parking lot where someone was waiting for her, a certain person she was sure could help the Fontaine’s…
None other than Nancy Drew…
“Nancy, something dreadful has happened to Helene. She and Henri are there all alone, and Helene is crying as if her heart would break…” Bess breathlessly tells Nancy upon arriving back at the car.
“Please come with me to see if we can help her,” Bess persists.
Nancy readily agrees, and together they made their way to the studio office where Bess introduces Nancy to Henri and Helene.
Bess opens the conversation. “If you are in some kind of trouble, perhaps we can assist you…of course, we don’t mean to intrude, but you see, Nancy is a detective and has solved many difficult mysteries…”
Nancy then spoke up, “I’m afraid Bess is giving me too much credit, but I’ll be glad to do anything I can for you.”
Henri and Helene exchanged glances, finally the sister spoke, “We do need a friend, perhaps you girls are the ones to help us…”
Henri then drew an unsigned note from his pocket, hand-printed in French and at the bottom, crudely drawn in red, was a pair of ballet slippers, similar to those hanging on the wall.
Nancy read the note:
“You will lose your lives if you do not leave this area at once. Do not communicate with any friends you have made in the United States.”
“I’m so afraid,” Helene cried out, “This is the second note we have received…”
“Recently?” Nancy asked.
Helene then explained that they’d received a similarly ominous note eighteen months before, when they were still living in France, and that it was what prompted them to make the move to the United States.
She also pointed out that the first note was more specific in it’s threat, claiming that the secret police from Centrovia would kidnap them and them, transporting the two back to their native land to face charges for the theft their family committed years before.
It was then that Nancy remembered her strange encounter with the mysterious Centrovian man earlier that very day on a flight into River Heights.
Nancy asked about their family background to which the Fontaine’s told her everything, all the way back to the Centovian coup d'état and the false claims that her parents were jewel thieves…
Helene looked to Nancy, “Oh, what do you think we should do? Obey the warning and give up our work here?”
Nancy thought about it, then replied, “Please don’t make any hasty decisions. I’m sure I can help you, further, my father is a lawyer and I’ll talk to him.”
The Fontaine’s agreed to delay leaving.
Nancy continued, “Surely, whoever sent the warning note would not expect you to wind up your business affairs on a moment’s notice…in the meantime, I may find a way out for you…”
“Oh, thank you,” replied Helene, “You are a true friend and just think, we have known you only a few minutes.”
The girls said good-by to the Fontaine’s. Nancy promised to get in touch the next day.
By the next day, Nancy has spoken to her father, and came up with a plan.
First, she’s found local people who were qualified to take over the management and teaching in the dance studio. They would then secretly move the Fontaine’s to the Drew home until such a time as the next phase of the plan could be acted upon.
Later, they would take the Fontaine’s to the airport where they would fly out on a private jet. Once they reached their destination, Henri and Helene would return to River Heights. The goal was to confuse anyone who attempted to follow them, the pursuers who would never assume they would be making their way back to River Heights.
Nancy and Bess put the plan into motion, which set off a fantastic sequence of events, including, handkerchief masked intruders, impasto camouflaged jewels, Centronian shouting matches, a housekeeper held hostage, intricate cryptogram messages, a nasty stairway tumble, phony telegrams, a passenger train chase and a witch-thief.
I really enjoyed the part Nancy played in this story. She’s bright, curious, diligent and is a loyal friend. She promises apple pie to Ned and has her portrait painted by a Centrovian.
“The Scarlet Slipper Mystery,” a shining example of why he Nancy Drew Mystery Series is so wonderfully enduring!
And after the dust of the overthrow settled, the occupation of the new rulers proved to be much more horrible than ever could’ve been expected by the people of this small, previously independent European nation.
The citizens were terrified at what they were seeing, many attempted to seek refuge in other countries. These attempts, as is the case in many similar crises of nations, occurred with varying degrees of success.
Mr. and Mrs. Provak, for example, sought refuge in France. The odds of them succeeding were higher than most considering that Mrs. Provak was a celebrated, internationally famous ballet dancer who would be warmly welcomed in the vibrant ballet community of Paris.
And while the Provak’s planned to flee for France, they never gave up hope that they would someday come back to their restored native land. Before departing for France, they joined an organization whose goal was to overthrow the new rulers in Centrovia. They promised the other members that they would continue to fight the good fight, even from their new location in France.
The other members of this civilly disobedient organization supported the Provak’s decision to leave Centrovia. They were of the opinion that they were in a unique position to accomplish more for the cause safely inside the borders of France than they would be living in constant terror in their homeland.
As a matter of fact, so great was their confidence and trust in the Provak’s that another prominent family, also from within the secret organization, came forward with a request that the Provaks take a fortune of jewels with them to France. The plan was for them to sell the fortune, bit by bit, sending the money to the Centovian rebels via the financial pipeline of the underground movement.
The Provaks agreed to this risky plan and completed their final preparations for their journey to France. After all, they had another, even more compelling motivation for seeking a safer home…
And that motivation came in the form of their two children, Henri and Helene.
The family successfully completed the journey, arriving in Paris, where they immediately changed their family name from Provak to Fontaine.
Despite their precautions, the new rulers of Centrovia discovered that they’d left with the jewels, which in their minds gave them a golden opportunity to smear the name of this well-respected family. They publicly claimed that the Provak’s had stolen the jewels, then fled Centrovia. This, the new rulers thought, would keep the Provak’s plan to protest the Centrovian Government’s actions “off balance.”
A number of years later, Mr. and Mrs. Provak passed away, the cause not sufficiently explained. This left Henri and Helene alone as two young adults. Sometime after their parent’s death, the siblings received a threatening note, one that they were sure could mean their death.
The two, terrified, moved to the U.S.A., more specifically, River Heights. Once relocated, they opened a dance school which met with an enthusiastic response from the local people as many wished for their children to learn this art form, while others, adult students were eager to reengage in the dance experience they looked back upon with fondness from their childhoods. Still others, such as Nancy Drew’s friend Bess, saw taking dance lessons as a fund way to become healthier and reduce.
Things were going well for Henri and Helene; it had been nearly ten years since the Centrovian coup d'état and nearly two years since they’d received the threatening note in Paris.
Perhaps this time, they’d put enough distance between themselves and the danger…
It was just as they were beginning to enjoy their life and work in River Heights when they received another ominous note. It was discovered, in the dance studio office, at the end of the day, after all of the instructors and students should’ve left for home.
“No, we must flee again,” Helene desperately declares to her brother.
They were unaware that their conversation was being overheard by one of their students, Bess, who’d come back to the studio to retrieve the purse she remembered leaving behind earlier.
Upon hearing that these kind and gentle siblings were in distress, maybe even trouble, Bess turned around and darted back to the parking lot where someone was waiting for her, a certain person she was sure could help the Fontaine’s…
None other than Nancy Drew…
“Nancy, something dreadful has happened to Helene. She and Henri are there all alone, and Helene is crying as if her heart would break…” Bess breathlessly tells Nancy upon arriving back at the car.
“Please come with me to see if we can help her,” Bess persists.
Nancy readily agrees, and together they made their way to the studio office where Bess introduces Nancy to Henri and Helene.
Bess opens the conversation. “If you are in some kind of trouble, perhaps we can assist you…of course, we don’t mean to intrude, but you see, Nancy is a detective and has solved many difficult mysteries…”
Nancy then spoke up, “I’m afraid Bess is giving me too much credit, but I’ll be glad to do anything I can for you.”
Henri and Helene exchanged glances, finally the sister spoke, “We do need a friend, perhaps you girls are the ones to help us…”
Henri then drew an unsigned note from his pocket, hand-printed in French and at the bottom, crudely drawn in red, was a pair of ballet slippers, similar to those hanging on the wall.
Nancy read the note:
“You will lose your lives if you do not leave this area at once. Do not communicate with any friends you have made in the United States.”
“I’m so afraid,” Helene cried out, “This is the second note we have received…”
“Recently?” Nancy asked.
Helene then explained that they’d received a similarly ominous note eighteen months before, when they were still living in France, and that it was what prompted them to make the move to the United States.
She also pointed out that the first note was more specific in it’s threat, claiming that the secret police from Centrovia would kidnap them and them, transporting the two back to their native land to face charges for the theft their family committed years before.
It was then that Nancy remembered her strange encounter with the mysterious Centrovian man earlier that very day on a flight into River Heights.
Nancy asked about their family background to which the Fontaine’s told her everything, all the way back to the Centovian coup d'état and the false claims that her parents were jewel thieves…
Helene looked to Nancy, “Oh, what do you think we should do? Obey the warning and give up our work here?”
Nancy thought about it, then replied, “Please don’t make any hasty decisions. I’m sure I can help you, further, my father is a lawyer and I’ll talk to him.”
The Fontaine’s agreed to delay leaving.
Nancy continued, “Surely, whoever sent the warning note would not expect you to wind up your business affairs on a moment’s notice…in the meantime, I may find a way out for you…”
“Oh, thank you,” replied Helene, “You are a true friend and just think, we have known you only a few minutes.”
The girls said good-by to the Fontaine’s. Nancy promised to get in touch the next day.
By the next day, Nancy has spoken to her father, and came up with a plan.
First, she’s found local people who were qualified to take over the management and teaching in the dance studio. They would then secretly move the Fontaine’s to the Drew home until such a time as the next phase of the plan could be acted upon.
Later, they would take the Fontaine’s to the airport where they would fly out on a private jet. Once they reached their destination, Henri and Helene would return to River Heights. The goal was to confuse anyone who attempted to follow them, the pursuers who would never assume they would be making their way back to River Heights.
Nancy and Bess put the plan into motion, which set off a fantastic sequence of events, including, handkerchief masked intruders, impasto camouflaged jewels, Centronian shouting matches, a housekeeper held hostage, intricate cryptogram messages, a nasty stairway tumble, phony telegrams, a passenger train chase and a witch-thief.
I really enjoyed the part Nancy played in this story. She’s bright, curious, diligent and is a loyal friend. She promises apple pie to Ned and has her portrait painted by a Centrovian.
“The Scarlet Slipper Mystery,” a shining example of why he Nancy Drew Mystery Series is so wonderfully enduring!
December 5, 2022
I've collected Hardy Boys books most of my life, and having completed that, I decided to give collecting Nancy Drew a try. Some of the books, especially the modern paperbacks, are no longer in print and a challenge, and I've also enjoyed reading the stories! The Scarlet Slipper Mystery is one of the classic hardcovers, written in 1954 and totally rewriten in 1974, now nearly 50 years ago! Some of these classic stories have aged well; others have not; this one is a mix of the two. The story itself is pretty interesting and realistic-- jewels stolen from revolutionaries in a fictional central american nation are mixed into the thick paint of modern art, and the revolutionaries run a ballet school. Nancy and her friends are drawn into this interesting, plausible adventure that includes smuggling, hiding, and revolution. But some parts of this book are very dated. Nancy is of course a "girl detective" not taken seriously time and time again by men and has to be protected by her boyfriend. Her friend Bess is described as "plump" and her weight is often made fun of. Of course this is the product of the times the book was written in, but having read a bunch of Nancy Drew books, I thought these anachronisms were more marked in this volume than even some of the older titles. A good adventure, an interesting read fans of the series will enjoy, but maybe in need of a new updating!
Read
April 30, 2021When Nancy becomes a kids dance teacher. Too many stories about stolen jewellery. Please gimme something else.
October 11, 2020
No doubt about it! Nancy can do anything. She's in the midst of helping her dad solve cases, sniffing out a smuggling ring involving gems and art, making friends with immigrants from France, keeping Ned at bay, but reassured, and when the neighborhood ballet school's star teacher has to leave who is called to come in and handle her classes just until they find a replacement??? Who? Who could just drop all and fill in as a professional ballet instructor? Yep. Our girl. Nancy Drew!
Oh, and she solves the mystery, escapes a number of abductions - really rather Houdini-like, and the ending made me smile. In a close call as the story is reaching it's big reveal, Ned and Nancy are interrogating someone they think is a friend. Ned has a feeling and all of a sudden refers to Nancy as "dear" and that they have to leave right away. As they go she chides him and asks why he acted as if they were husband and wife. He quickly replies, "Well someday I hope it'll be true. . . ." (Gotta say, my 12-year old heart beat a little faster. She's still in there, that girl. It's Nancy Drew, for goodness sake! Kind of embarrassing. Kind of dear.)
4 stars. Because of Ned finally showing his colors. (From the last page:
Henri nodded and said, "Nancy, I haven't forgotten my promise of a gift to you to show my appreciation. I shall finish your portrait and it will be my finest work."
"and it should be titled," Ned said, smiling at Nancy, " 'America's Loveliest Sleuth.' " )
Oh, and she solves the mystery, escapes a number of abductions - really rather Houdini-like, and the ending made me smile. In a close call as the story is reaching it's big reveal, Ned and Nancy are interrogating someone they think is a friend. Ned has a feeling and all of a sudden refers to Nancy as "dear" and that they have to leave right away. As they go she chides him and asks why he acted as if they were husband and wife. He quickly replies, "Well someday I hope it'll be true. . . ." (Gotta say, my 12-year old heart beat a little faster. She's still in there, that girl. It's Nancy Drew, for goodness sake! Kind of embarrassing. Kind of dear.)
4 stars. Because of Ned finally showing his colors. (From the last page:
Henri nodded and said, "Nancy, I haven't forgotten my promise of a gift to you to show my appreciation. I shall finish your portrait and it will be my finest work."
"and it should be titled," Ned said, smiling at Nancy, " 'America's Loveliest Sleuth.' " )
May 20, 2024
This was a weird book with made-up international politics. Nancy comes across a brother and sister duo through her dancing school. Dancers and artists themselves, the siblings are refugees from Centrovia, a country going through political upheaval. When Nancy realises they are being threatened and need help, she takes them under her protection and tries to solve a mystery centring around red ballet slippers and a painting of the Centrovian sister.
I found this one hard to get into. The made-up country certainly contributed to this but I also felt that the plot was kind of weak and ran all over the place. There are far too many Centrovians in the small town of River Heights, which should make them rather conspicuous immediately? Similarly, there appear to be too many villains, and too many side characters to keep track of. The whole thing was too convoluted and complicated to make any sense.
I'm beginning to not like Ned; in this book, he goes around implying that Nancy is his wife to random villains. Why?! The end part of the book was rather weird too, with Nancy being dumb enough to walk into danger TWICE. The only time I found the discussion sensible was when George pointed out that maybe the siblings are not what they seem. But apparently, the other girls' "feelings" are more important than logic. Nancy had far too many feelings over the Centrovians in this book to be credible.
One of the weaker mysteries of the series.
I found this one hard to get into. The made-up country certainly contributed to this but I also felt that the plot was kind of weak and ran all over the place. There are far too many Centrovians in the small town of River Heights, which should make them rather conspicuous immediately? Similarly, there appear to be too many villains, and too many side characters to keep track of. The whole thing was too convoluted and complicated to make any sense.
I'm beginning to not like Ned; in this book, he goes around implying that Nancy is his wife to random villains. Why?! The end part of the book was rather weird too, with Nancy being dumb enough to walk into danger TWICE. The only time I found the discussion sensible was when George pointed out that maybe the siblings are not what they seem. But apparently, the other girls' "feelings" are more important than logic. Nancy had far too many feelings over the Centrovians in this book to be credible.
One of the weaker mysteries of the series.
November 21, 2011
I did actually enjoy this book it was full of many surprises.It was about a picture of a famous dancer wearing a pair of scarlet ballet slippers. The picture was stolen from Paris and Nancy and her friends soon find out why. Four smugglers hid jewels in the picture and snuck it into the United States. Nancy kept running into these people and started to suspect something. Her friend Mr. Fontain she met painted the painting and was a dark person, just like the people she suspected of stealing the artwork. Also they were the only dark people in town. The bad guys were also sending threatening letters to the painter, to make him leave. These people will do anything to keep Nancy from knowing the truth about them. They even tried to kill Nancy. This book is great for anyone who likes reading of adventures and suspenseful stories.
August 9, 2014
One of my least favorites so far---boring and confusing.
June 27, 2022
Nancy Drew meets Eastern European smugglers. This story is full to the brim with Centrovian* characters--refugees from an oppressive government, smugglers, and just plain bad guys taking advantage of the political situation. We begin with a man seated across the aisle from Nancy in an airplane heading to River Heights. One of the engines has gone out and he's just certain that they're all going to die--and probably because of the top secret papers in his brief case (we learn later that the top secret stuff has to do with an underground movement of Centrovians). Nancy does her best to calm his fears. The plane lands safely and the man disappears from Nancy's life...for a while.
Her next contact with Centrovians is with Henri and Helene Fontaine, two Centrovian refugees, who have opened a dance school in River Heights. Bess Marvin has been taking a class there and when she & Nancy go back to the school in search of Bess's purse, they find the Fontaine's in great distress. The siblings have received a threatening letter telling them they should leave River Heights. It's not the first one...they got one while still in France (where their family had initially fled unrest in Centrovia) which made them flee to the States. Now they don't know what to do. Nancy, of course, cannot resist a mystery--especially when Centrovia keeps cropping up--and insists that the Fontaines drop out of sight by hiding at her house while she and her friends try to get to the bottom of things. She'll need to discover the meaning behind cracked figurines, a pair of scarlet dance slippers, twelve paintings of a ballet dancer, and some missing Centrovian jewels. There are also a horde of Centrovians claiming to be friends of the Fontaines and Nancy must determine who is truly friend and who is foe.
Oh my. There certainly are a lot of Centrovians in River Heights these days. As Jennifer White notes in her review of this Nancy Drew title, it is one of the things most difficult to suspend one's belief over. Of all the places in the United States, why did they all decide to descend on Nancy's home town? [Well, of course, the obvious answer is...to provide Nancy with another exciting adventure.] Once I got over that hurdle, I settled down to enjoy the mystery. And I found it quite enjoyable even if it was difficult to keep all the Centrovians straight. I remember this one fondly from my younger days, though I would never have listed it in my top ten. The action is good and for once Ned is given a fair amount to do in assistance. I do have to agree with Jennifer that Nancy absolutely should have paid more attention to that kerosene smell towards the end of the book. Why on earth would she and Bess ever suppose that the policeman was doing anything with it? Those two points (hordes of Centrovians & Nancy being a bit slow on the uptake) keep it just shy of a full four stars. ★★★ and 3/4 [but rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Her next contact with Centrovians is with Henri and Helene Fontaine, two Centrovian refugees, who have opened a dance school in River Heights. Bess Marvin has been taking a class there and when she & Nancy go back to the school in search of Bess's purse, they find the Fontaine's in great distress. The siblings have received a threatening letter telling them they should leave River Heights. It's not the first one...they got one while still in France (where their family had initially fled unrest in Centrovia) which made them flee to the States. Now they don't know what to do. Nancy, of course, cannot resist a mystery--especially when Centrovia keeps cropping up--and insists that the Fontaines drop out of sight by hiding at her house while she and her friends try to get to the bottom of things. She'll need to discover the meaning behind cracked figurines, a pair of scarlet dance slippers, twelve paintings of a ballet dancer, and some missing Centrovian jewels. There are also a horde of Centrovians claiming to be friends of the Fontaines and Nancy must determine who is truly friend and who is foe.
Oh my. There certainly are a lot of Centrovians in River Heights these days. As Jennifer White notes in her review of this Nancy Drew title, it is one of the things most difficult to suspend one's belief over. Of all the places in the United States, why did they all decide to descend on Nancy's home town? [Well, of course, the obvious answer is...to provide Nancy with another exciting adventure.] Once I got over that hurdle, I settled down to enjoy the mystery. And I found it quite enjoyable even if it was difficult to keep all the Centrovians straight. I remember this one fondly from my younger days, though I would never have listed it in my top ten. The action is good and for once Ned is given a fair amount to do in assistance. I do have to agree with Jennifer that Nancy absolutely should have paid more attention to that kerosene smell towards the end of the book. Why on earth would she and Bess ever suppose that the policeman was doing anything with it? Those two points (hordes of Centrovians & Nancy being a bit slow on the uptake) keep it just shy of a full four stars. ★★★ and 3/4 [but rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
June 21, 2024
AHH why do these ones suck so bad lately haha 😵💫. The rewrites were all done by the same person and BOOO they stink!
Redeeming qualities: Ned’s moments, the car jacking, and the barn fire. 🏠🔥
This mystery was peak Cold War fanfiction. I think the point of this story was RUSSIA BAD USA GOOD.
I literally still don’t know who the bad guys are at the end of this story lmao. Too many names and aliases!
Redeeming qualities: Ned’s moments, the car jacking, and the barn fire. 🏠🔥
This mystery was peak Cold War fanfiction. I think the point of this story was RUSSIA BAD USA GOOD.
I literally still don’t know who the bad guys are at the end of this story lmao. Too many names and aliases!
September 23, 2011
Nancy Drew must solve a case of extortion in this addition to the book series.
May 14, 2019
I was most impressed in the first chapter, where Nancy, Bess, and George toss out three different words for "purse." They also use "handbag" and "pocketbook." Said item has been misplaced by Bess, who left it somewhere in Ballet School. She has been taking classes in a recent effort to "reduce."
In these books, Bess, almost always described as "plump," has one of two different personalities. Either she loves food and eats whatever she wants, or she loves food but feels guilty about it, and hopes to "reduce" herself to match the slim silhouettes of her friends.
At any rate, she wants her bag, so Nancy drives her to the school, where our heroine officially meets a set of siblings who manage the school and teach the classes. They are immigrants from Centrovia, possibly near France, seemingly inspired by eastern European countries that have been invaded by Russia. The siblings have fled the country, but not before creating a series of paintings that keep appearing in the River Heights area. These paintings are related to a gem smuggling scheme, as usual being conducted by ill-tempered, lowerclass people who know how to use a post office. It seems like a post office is a big destination when Nancy is investigating smugglers and international business.
The Centrovian siblings are perhaps the enemy of one or two other Centrovians who appear in the River Heights area. One bad man, and one man who is hopefully not bad. Or is this the same character? I lost track.
Cool but amazingly impractical spoiler about how (not) to smuggle: It is probably not a good idea to hide gems inside gobs of paint on a canvas, made to look like a picture. How long would that take to dry? Transportation would be difficult and bulky.
The plot in this one did not gel for me, even though many elements were amusing. And it did contain one glaring instance of Nancy's bad judgement. While she is volunteering in the ballet school, she BORROWS a leotard! No idea who it belonged to; was it in a lost and found box or something? The idea seems gross to me. When was the thing last washed?!
In these books, Bess, almost always described as "plump," has one of two different personalities. Either she loves food and eats whatever she wants, or she loves food but feels guilty about it, and hopes to "reduce" herself to match the slim silhouettes of her friends.
At any rate, she wants her bag, so Nancy drives her to the school, where our heroine officially meets a set of siblings who manage the school and teach the classes. They are immigrants from Centrovia, possibly near France, seemingly inspired by eastern European countries that have been invaded by Russia. The siblings have fled the country, but not before creating a series of paintings that keep appearing in the River Heights area. These paintings are related to a gem smuggling scheme, as usual being conducted by ill-tempered, lowerclass people who know how to use a post office. It seems like a post office is a big destination when Nancy is investigating smugglers and international business.
The Centrovian siblings are perhaps the enemy of one or two other Centrovians who appear in the River Heights area. One bad man, and one man who is hopefully not bad. Or is this the same character? I lost track.
Cool but amazingly impractical spoiler about how (not) to smuggle: It is probably not a good idea to hide gems inside gobs of paint on a canvas, made to look like a picture. How long would that take to dry? Transportation would be difficult and bulky.
The plot in this one did not gel for me, even though many elements were amusing. And it did contain one glaring instance of Nancy's bad judgement. While she is volunteering in the ballet school, she BORROWS a leotard! No idea who it belonged to; was it in a lost and found box or something? The idea seems gross to me. When was the thing last washed?!
January 26, 2025
“Nancy Drew: The Scarlet Slipper” Mystery by Carolyn Keene is a fun quick read. I picked it for my book that has Scarlet or Gray in the title for the OSU Alumni reading challenge. Nancy and her friends run into a friend who used to be in their dance class when they were little. Maggie is performing in a ballet production with many up-and-coming young dancers who hope to impress an important critic. The problem is that someone is trying to sabotage Maggie so she can’t be in the production. Can Nancy and her friends figure out who the culprit is in time to save the show? This is a cute little mystery that I will suggest to my students.
February 6, 2021
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This was quite the intriguing mystery! It really made me question almost everyone. I never knew whom I could trust! The plot/storyline was really exciting and interesting too. The only thing I disliked were a couple pictures of Nancy/other girls in leotards & a mention that she was running in the streets with one on. I also wish Togo didn't keep disappearing and then reappearing between the books! ;P I think the Nancy books are not quite well done in the aspect of keeping up with each other. Regardless, I enjoy them, and I really liked this mystery :)
July 19, 2019
Oh Nancy! You’re so clever! A fun, nostalgic read for me.
December 24, 2025
very mid book.
January 27, 2018
Sadly this doesn't stand the test of time.
July 14, 2019
I loved the suspense, the kidnapping, the danger, and the mystery. It was amazing! If you like action, I highly recommend reading this book.
December 23, 2025
I myself am not that much fond of mystery books, until I found this Nancy drew series I am obsessed with this book!! The scarlet Slipper is planned out neatly, I could understand what was happening in the moment. I could see everything clearly. Outstanding work!
April 13, 2025
I actually really enjoyed this one but I read the 1954, 214 page original. I find that the pre-rewrite books often have more engaging plots probably because they weren't chopped down to fit the proscribed 176 page required by the 70s rewrites. Of course there are still a lot of convenient coincidences and not one but two people end up bound - that might be wrong, there might be more, but at least two women including Nancy which seems to be par for the course - but it was an twisty, turny smuggling plot that even had me guessing who the real baddies were at one point.
January 21, 2022
This has to be one of the most convoluted Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. Trying to keep track of all the villains gave me a headache.
October 6, 2024
This book felt so much different from the others in this series. It took over halfway through before we got some answers to what was actually going on, and it kept me guessing throughout. I also loved getting to see more of Ned, Bess, and George, who all played much more of a roll in this book than previous installments. There were a few things that I of course had to hand wave away, but overall I had a great time with this one. Definitely one of the strongest of the series!
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May 3, 2021Kun yhteen kirjaan mahdutetaan mystisen valtion kapinaliike ja sotilasjuntta, uhkailua, jalokivivarkauksia, kidnappauksia ja tuhopolttoja ja aivan liian monta sivuhahmoa, on tuloksena aikamoinen sekametelisoppa. Onneksi Paula kykenee hallitsemaan myös tällaiset sekavat kokonaisuudet.
May 6, 2020
3.5☆☆☆
November 10, 2020
I always like reading Nancy Drew's mysteries. This one confused me a little bit and I could never decide if I trusted someone or not!!
June 15, 2025
Exciting plot, I liked the dancer content
The villain names got kinda confusing at the end
The villain names got kinda confusing at the end
June 22, 2025
Poolside read @ moms because I finished my other books lol
August 1, 2024
One of the best Nancy Drew mysteries that I have read! Excellent premise and not predictable.
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