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Posts tagged ‘Nancy Drew’

The Disoriented Express

9781597070669By: Stefan Petrucha, Sarah Kinney and Sho Murase

Nancy Drew Girl Detective Graphic novels – book 10

Nancy and her friends are on a high tech train, transporting a very special tank across country. They thought getting the tank would be the hard bit, that is until someone hacks into the trains computer brain and hijacks it. Speeding out of control, with key people unconscious Nancy and her friends race against time to find out who has control of the train, why and to what end.

This is a fun, easy to read series. It is mostly in keeping with the original series but I have to say there are a couple of things about it that bother me as I was such a fan of the original books. In this version Nancy is a little scatterbrained about certain things such as filling her car up, and they have given her a pretty, wealthy, bimbo nemesis, (and yes they use that word which seems silly because all Dierdre is after is Nancy’s boyfriend, she really isn’t a challenge to Nancy in anyway). That aside they are entertaining reads, fun little mysteries.

Publisher: Papercutz

Published: 13 September 2007

Format: Paperback 112 pages

Categories: Graphic Novels, Mystery

ISBN 13: 9781597070669

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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The Girl Who Wasn’t There

9781597070126By: Stefan Petrucha & Sho Murase

Nancy Drew Girl Detective series – Graphic Novels bk 4

Nancy needs technical support to help fix her stuff, she finds herself talking to a girl in India. Soon the two become phone friends. One night Nancy receives a mysterious call that makes her think her friend is in big trouble. Nancy and her friends jump on a plane to India. When they try to find her it seems no one will admit to knowing Kalpana. Good thing for Kalpana that that sort of set back doesn’t stop a determined Nancy Drew. Even when it turns out her friend may have been kidnapped by the local crime lord.

This is a dark story being based around a missing person and a organised crime syndicate, however it still is tight and has fun moments often provided by Bess and George. Nancy is as determined as ever and seems to have a blind spot when it comes to her own safety. None the less it is an entertaining story.

Publisher: Papercutz

Published: 20 February 2006

Format: Paperback 96 pages

Categories: Mystery, Graphic Novels, Crime

ISBN 13: 9781597070126

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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The Haunted Dollhouse

9781597070089By: Stefan Petrucha & Sho Murase

Nancy Drew Girl Detective Graphic Novel series bk 3

It is Nostalgia Week in River Heights and so many people are in the historical mood. People are committed to trying to live as if it was the 1930’s. The fun though is interrupted when a dollhouse that is up for auction, starts depicting strange crimes before they actually happen. Nancy is convinced something other than ghosts is responsible but at many turns she finds herself thwarted. Soon she sees a crime scene that shows her as the victim, the perpetrator didn’t count on Nancy’s friends though and Nancy soon gets to the bottom of the case.

A fun little ghost story. Nancy and her friends work well as a threesome, they always have and they do well at complementing each other in this updated series. The story is mysterious, not too easy to guess and entertaining. I good read for lighter moments or when you don’t have a lot of time. Also graphic novels are a good choice for those who are a little unwilling to pick a book up and read.

Publisher: Papercutz

Published: 29 November 2005

Format: Paperback 96 pages

Categories: Graphic Novels, Mystery, Ghosts

ISBN 13: 9781597070089

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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The Demon of River Heights

9781597070003By: Stefan Petrucha & Sho Murase

Nancy Drew Girl Detective Bk1 – Graphic Novel

Nancy and her friends Bess and George are helping out on a student film about a demon monster. When the film makers go missing the girls set out to find them the problem is the monster might find them first. There is also the question of what Canton Angley is doing in River Heights. It is all very mysterious which is just how Nancy likes it.

The story is mysterious, has more than one thread and moves at a pretty good pace. The illustrations are fairly simple with faces and details often being a bit blurry. Thing is though if you want a good short mystery read, and/or you have a child who isn’t all that into reading, these are a good thing to try. They won’t challenge and they will at least get some reading happening.

Publisher: Papercutz

Published: 01 May 2005

Format: Paperback 96 pages

Categories: Graphic Novels, Crime, Mystery

ISBN 13: 9781597070003

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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Trails of Treachery

By: Carolyn Keene

Part of the Nancy Drew Girl Detective series

George has decided to compete in the grueling La Ruta mountain bike race in Costa Rica. It is a three day even and Nancy and Bess are joining her as her support crew. Before the race even starts they learn that someone has been threatening top US cyclist Derek Woodhall. It seems some one doesn’t want him to win. There are a few suspects but who has a motive to take such deadly action?

A straight forward mystery story set against the backdrop of a grueling sporting event in an exotic location. The characters in this story stay fairly true to the original incarnations. Nancy is the driving investigative force, George the girl of action and Bess the loyal, brave friend who is more interested in enjoying life. The crime is interesting but in no way graphic in it’s description. If you are looking for a good mystery story for a middle grade reader then these are a pretty good choice. The original stories are still available in some places and it was a favourite of mine at that age.

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks

Published: 21 August 2007

Format: Paperback 160 pages

Categories: Sports Crime

ISBN 13: 9781416935247

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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A Pocketful of Eyes

By: Lili Wilkinson

Bee is very happy at her summer job working in the taxidermy department at the Museum of Natural History, that is until things take a startling turn. Her boss is found dead in the Red Rotunda. It is being written off as a suicide but Bee doesn’t believe he killed himself, there are just too many things that don’t make sense. There is the mysterious museum benefactor, employees of the museum acting mysteriously and a pocketful of glass eyes that were found on the body. Bee is meticulous, methodical and loves a good mystery and this time she has found herself in the middle of one and she just can’t walk away from it. Added to the mix is the boy who just started working with her, he has a weird knowledge of animals and an attraction she hasn’t felt before. Will she ever find out what happened to her boss.

This is a funny and smart read. Bee is a quirky character who is quite simply, very appealing. She is the adult in the relationship with her mother, a methodical and somewhat serious girl. She is by no means the only quirky character, her mother is a geek of a whole other level and Toby has enough odd moments in amongst his spouting of trivia that leaves you wondering just what his agenda really is.

I like Bee in part because she references the girl detectives I grew up with (Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew) as well as other favourite literary detectives. This is a rare read in that it is a YA mystery novel that has an interesting puzzle at it’s core that doesn’t have paranormal or other influences. Wilkinson has created a thoroughly modern girl detective with more than a littl etip of the hat to nostalgia.

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Published: 01 May 2011

Format: Paperback 324 pages

Categories: Crime

ISBN 13: 9781742376196

Purchase: use logo on side of page to go to Booktopia

Category:

Young Adult Fiction

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Mall Madness

By: Carolyn Keene

Illustrated By: Macky Pamintuan

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew series bk 15

It is time to go shopping for new school supplies so the Clue Crew is heading to the mall. George is super excited about the new computer displays and runs off while Nancy is shopping for shoes. The Pencil Box is one of their favourite shops but before the girls can choose even one notebook it looks as though they have another mystery to solve. Nancy’s neighbour, Rodger, is working his first day at the Pencil Box and it’s not going so well. There is money missing from the register and all evidence seems to point to Rodger, who was in charge of the register. Nancy doesn’t believe Rodger is the thief but she needs to follow the clues and check out all the suspects.

The original Nancy Drew books were a childhood favourite of mine, I still have my copies (in a box somewhere as a result of our last house move). The Clue Crew books have the same three girls; Nancy, George and Bess though much younger, solving mysteries. The mysteries are age appropriate and the style of writing is great for early chapter book readers. The girls already have very distinctive personalities and if you’ve read the other books these will be familiar. A solid alternative to the many fairy books, definitely worth looking at if you have a reader interested in something other than dancers, fairies and animals.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: 22 August 2008

Format: Paperback 96 pages

Categories: General Crime

ISBN 13: 9781416959007

Purchase: here

Category:

Fiction 4-9

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