Nancy Drew 59: The Secret in the Old Lace

My granddaughter is a real fan of Nancy Drew as was her mother when she was young. These older books are very well done and should not be confused with the ragged mess of political correctness currently being published as Nancy Drew. Stick to the older books.

Eighteen-year-old amateur detective, Nancy Drew, is thrilled to have the opportunity to put her own spin on a true century-old mystery involving a pair of lace cuffs, a Belgium man, and a priceless treasure that all disappeared without a trace. She instantly begins working hard on her entry, in an attempt to win the prize money that the magazine is offering. After all, while Nancy may not need the prize money, she is determined to win it to donate to a good cause that she has been following. However, after Nancy completes her short story, she discovers that her contest entry has disappeared. Nancy instantly knows that it hasn't simply been misplaced. She believes that it was stolen, and is set on finding the culprit. Before she can even begin searching for the person who stole her tale of mystery and intrigue, however, she learns that another contestant has entered a story identical to hers. Now Nancy knows that there is a real mystery here, that needs to be solved instantly. Enlisting the help of her best friends, and fellow detectives, Bess and George, the three girls head to Belgium, in search of the truth involving not only the century-old mystery that Nancy was writing about, but how it ties in with her short story. Now, as the three detectives begin entering dark tunnels, hidden rooms, and ghostly canals, they realize that there is something much more sinister going on. Someone is trying to keep something hidden, while others are attempting to steal priceless jewels, and items that have become beautiful heirlooms. But what intrigues the three sleuths even more than all that is the romantic mystery that is slowly becoming uncovered. One that illustrates how important love is, and how far people will go to be together - even when their families forbid it. I have read very few NANCY DREW books, preferring to stick to the TRIXIE BELDEN series. However, when I stumbled upon Carolyn Keene's THE SECRET IN THE OLD LACE, I found that it looked too good to pass up. As a fan of international travel, magazine writing, and mystery, I found that this particular Nancy Drew installment was right up my alley. It contained all of the aspects that I am interested in, and combined them in a delightful way that truly brought the story to life, and made the reader feel as if they were right there, alongside Bess, Nancy, and George, as they visited museums, saw the sights of Belgium, and work to solve a mystery that was absolutely thrilling. Nancy is such an appealing character, whose bravery and determination is admirable; while her ability to overcome and challenge anything from ghosts to thieves is exciting. Her two best friends each bring a dash of pizzazz into the story, and make it even more intriguing. Keene has penned a novel that certainly stands the test of time, and really brings a bit of wholesomeness to a dying genre. A thrilling tale of suspense and international travel that keeps you reading long into the night! Erika Sorocco Freelance Reviewer

I thought this book was cool. Nancy, Bess, and George go to Belgium to help a friend of Bess's mother. A lot of creepy, awful things happen. Nancy enters a mystery contest, but her manuscript gets stolen, someone tries to break in their house, and in Belgium lots of things happen, too. There are many suspicious people there, Ms. Marvin's friend's diamond pendant is stolen, there are lots of creepy trapdoors and passageways, even a ghost! I guarantee that you'll love this book if you read it.

It's nice to sit back and have the story readto you. I can close my eyes and let my imagination take over. The story lives up to the Nancy Drew series with twist and turns in the plot (not wanting to ruin the plot i won't go into it here).It was read with a lot of energy and excitment that realy added to the expiernce. I wish they would release more of the series like this. I would highly recomend the expierence to anyone who enjoys Nancy Drew.