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Nancy Drew Files #45
Out of Bounds
Part of the re-launch of the popular "Nancy Drew" series, this story concerns a waitress unfairly dismissed for stealing. Girl detective Nancy Drew traces the trail of suspicion directly to the local football team.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
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354 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
948 books3,858 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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
January 19, 2023
A typical Nancy Drew mystery but a bit more realistic than usual.
September 30, 2016
Like usual, this series delivers.
October 27, 2017
Nancy Drew is back at it again when she is attending a football after party and a friend of hers if fired due to cash missing out of the registers. Nancy must figure out where the cash is going and who is stealing the cash.
For those wanting a clean mystery novel, this book is perfect for young adult readers who are looking for a quick read. This novel is also a classic. Plus, who doesn't love mystery and sports put into one?
For those wanting a clean mystery novel, this book is perfect for young adult readers who are looking for a quick read. This novel is also a classic. Plus, who doesn't love mystery and sports put into one?
April 15, 2021
Nancy Drew books are always awesome. The mystery in this book was awesome. Nancy was trying to figure out multiple things at once, who was stealing money from the restaurant and why the football players were acting the way they were. On top of all this, the football players were her friends and that made it harder. She figured out the person who was stealing was also the person supplying the football players with steroids, so bad for you!! Nancy did it again!
November 27, 2019
Think I got this confused with another similar book! Nancy investigates drug use and theft in a local football team. I have to say that some of the players were pretty creepy and overtly hostile to Nan while being sweet as pie to her mates. Not suspicious at all there guys!
February 3, 2019
I absolutely love this Nancy Drew series and like always, it delivered. It's fun, fast paced, and well thought out. Love love love
February 27, 2021
I am still enjoying this series a lot!
May 8, 2022
not too memorable (a lot of football)
June 29, 2023
3 stars. This was a lot of fun. It gave me After School Special on the dangers of drugs and it was wacky and action packed. I was thoroughly entertained.
October 18, 2025
Blackmail, roid rage, missing money, a drug ring scandal, & Nancy tries her hand at undercover waitressing. A fun mystery equipped with a 90s “just say no” PSA of the dangers of drug use.
April 4, 2019
I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys throughout my school and college days.
Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.
Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.
Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.
Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.
October 30, 2019
When a new friend is accused of stealing from the restaurant she waitresses in and is fired, Nancy agrees to find out what really happened. The mystery links up to the local football team and Bess' new boyfriend.
This book is more than 20 years old so I was shouting out the answer to the mystery very quickly and getting frustrated that Nancy couldn't see it. The climactic reveal was a little over the top, but it was a fun light read, as Nancy should be.
This book is more than 20 years old so I was shouting out the answer to the mystery very quickly and getting frustrated that Nancy couldn't see it. The climactic reveal was a little over the top, but it was a fun light read, as Nancy should be.
April 26, 2015
Nice, entertaining quick read. I am always a fan of Nancy Drew. The book had some nice twists throughout the book but it was still a little predictable. This was not one of my favorite Nancy Drews but it was a quick read so it didn't bother me.
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March 31, 2009Files #45
April 17, 2009
A good story but another one set in the world of the NFL which is a theme she has explored before.
Overall a good read though.
Overall a good read though.
April 24, 2013
AWESOME!!!!!!
April 2, 2023
Solvable. My least rated so far... 70/100
May 4, 2013
Don't remember much but I liked Nancy and the mysteries.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews