Litsy

Nancy Drew 21: The Secret in the Old Attic | Carolyn Keene

What is the secret in the old attic? Never fear…Nancy will figure it out! Discussion of this 21st in the series will take place July 15th.

All are welcome to join. Please comment if you wish to be added to or removed from the tag list. #NancyDrewBR

rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Julies_Bookshelf_Adventures, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze

Librarybelle @LitsyEvents 7h

Ruthiella Looking forward to finding out the secret! 🤫 5h

Librarybelle Yes, @Ruthiella ! 5h

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BarkingMadRead Can‘t wait! 5h

Honeybeebooks Would love to learn how it works. 5h

Librarybelle Yay, @BarkingMadRead ! 5h

Sace Can‘t wait! I love the monthly ND discussion. 😁 5h

Librarybelle @Honeybeebooks The #NancyDrewBR group is reading through the original Nancy Drew mysteries, one a month. The group reads at its own pace, and we discuss the book on the 15th of the month. I post discussion questions, and the group jumps in whenever they are ready. I hope this helps, and I hope you join us! 5h

Librarybelle They are so fun, @Sace ! I plan to jump in on the discussion tomorrow! 5h

TheBookHippie How many concussions ?? 4h

JenlovesJT47 Dang I got behind. Going to try to finish this week! 3h

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dabbe

The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

#nancydrewbr @Librarybelle
A solid middle-tier Nancy Drew entry. Nancy assists Madame Alexandra, a former queen living incognito in River Heights, in locating her long-lost grandson—the sole surviving heir to her royal lineage. Along the way, Nancy encounters pickpockets, a suspicious imposter, and a jeweled Easter egg that holds a cryptic message. Ideal for nostalgic ND readers or those seeking a light, classic whodunit.

Librarybelle Nice photo concept! 7h

dabbe @Librarybelle I tried! 7h

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DGRachel

Nancy Drew 20: The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

pick

A fun mystery for Nancy and crew. So much happens in this one! Kidnappings. Pickpockets. Ferry crashes. You name it, Nancy survives it and solves it! I actually found this one delightful despite the non-stop chaos. #nancydrewbr

Librarybelle

Librarybelle It was delightful! 1d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 20: The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

I was able to post the #NancyDrewBR discussion points earlier than I anticipated! You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.

Next month, we find out The Secret in the Old Attic, which has slightly different story lines depending upon the version you read, but nothing drastic. Official post tomorrow!

Bookwormjillk I just finished! Off to discuss ❤️ 2d

DGRachel Oh no! I got my days mixed up and thought I had a couple of days left to get started! 😭😭 I know what I am doing this afternoon! 2d

Librarybelle No worries, @DGRachel ! I also did not remind everyone in a timely fashion. Jump in whenever! 2d

Ruthiella Just finished this morning! 👍 2d

DebinHawaii Finshed it last weekend & just tried to remember it! 😉 1d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 20: The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

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5. I have to bring up Ned for his own discussion point; Ned seemed to me to be a little tired of Nancy always having a mystery. He seems game to help, but I kinda feel like he would also just like to have a regular date without Nancy sleuthing... 😂

Thinking of our other regulars, it did not seem like we saw a lot of George and Bess this time, and Hannah and Carson did not appear as much, or at least in the 1972 edition. #NancyDrewBR

BarkingMadRead Poor Ned will never come first 🤣 Hannah was a lovely background character bringing things together, but still very much in the background! 2d

Bookwormjillk Ned is getting on my nerves. Mr Drew was around a bit more, but I agree the background characters were very much in the background this time. 2d

Sace George and Bess were practically invisible in this one. I assume more room was needed for Katherine and the queen. 2d

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bookandbedandtea @BarkingMadRead Poor Ned, indeed! He's always game to help but I think he realizes Nancy will always prioritize mysteries. I liked having Helen pop up again, even though we got less of our other usual characters. 2d

MariaW At some point it was mentioned Nancy had admitted herself Ned was her favourite admirer. That does sound like jovial feeling towards him, but not like love. He and the the other two boys are the muscle/extra number of people she sometimes needs for her sleuthing. 2d

MariaW I liked Katharine as a warm background character, but then again what is the chance of three expatriates/refugees of the same country ending up inRiver Heights through three different circumstances? 🤦‍♀️ (edited) 2d

Ruthiella I feel that Ned‘s comments are said with a wink. Sure, he might like an uninterrupted date now and again, but he likes Nancy as she is and supports her. 2d

CogsOfEncouragement I didn‘t appreciate Ned in the last book or this one. They should have kept him an ever supportive - do whatever Nancy needs no matter what or when Nancy needs it. Little girls shouldn‘t be told that a boyfriend acts this way with no apologies. 2d

DGRachel I should have read all the questions first! As I mentioned in my answer for the last question, I don‘t like Jealous Ned. I get that we‘re not going to have modern YA romance with these, but like @CogsOfEncouragement noted, his behavior is not something girls should be taught is okay. 🚩🚩🚩 1d

DebinHawaii I could do with less Ned.🙄 And it does seem like when new friends or a returning one like Helen come in, George & Bess get pretty sidelined. 1d

kwmg40 I don't have strong feelings about Ned either way, but I liked that there wasn't any fat-shaming of Bess in this book (unless I recall incorrectly). In fact, there is one point where George, and not Bess, declares that she is really hungry! 1d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 20: The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

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4. Nancy's adventurous episodes are not as dramatic as in prior stories, but she still has troubles! I would have been so upset over the stealing of the hair piece, even if it was fake! Any thoughts on the “dangers“ this time around? #NancyDrewBR

BarkingMadRead I always think about modern times when these things happen to her. She would have been dead like 10 books ago! People have definitely killed for less! So many scary incidents 2d

Bookwormjillk The Ferris wheel part had me a bit freaked out. 🎡☠️ 2d

Sace As we read through this series I feel like there‘s pressure in the author to up the danger ante. It‘s why the books start to feel more like disconnected episodes of “The Perils of Pauline”. Like the reckless driver…no real connection to the mystery, just random danger/excitement. 2d

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Sace @Bookwormjillk another bit of danger completely unconnected to the plot…unless it was imperative to the plot to have yet another sighting of the pickpocket and for Nancy to be late. 2d

MariaW The boat accident in the second chapter seemed very far-fetched as well. There seems to be a lot of traffic on the waters surrounding River Heights. ⛴️⛴️⛴️ 2d

Ruthiella I enjoyed how Nancy herself committed two felonies: breaking into Mrs. Alexandra‘s house and kidnapping “Michael”. 😅 2d

DGRachel @Ruthiella Nancy‘s own misdeeds and everyone‘s rush to be helpful and tell her private information on her cases never ceases to amaze me. I knew we were in for another action packed story when the storm came up out of nowhere and the ferries crashed. The Ferris Wheel thing seemed more like a “we need more pages, people. What can we throw into the story” It made Ned seem like a jealous jerk, though, forcing Nancy to the fair, and I didn‘t like that 1d

DebinHawaii I would not have liked to be trapped in the Ferris Wheel at all! 🎡🫣 And I kind of forgot about the ferries—I think unless it is exploding oranges 💥🍊 or a #NNK the side dangers in the books run together a bit. 1d

kwmg40 The episode that disturbed me the most was Nancy's dress for the show being damaged by the barb wire. It was great that our heroines all repaired the dress sewing late into the night, though I found that bit very implausible. 😂 1d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 20: The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

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3. The other piece to this story line involved finding a missing prince...who happened to be in River Heights! This leads me to think of the secondary characters in this one. Any standouts, for good or bad? Personally, I'm glad the gang left Francis/Michael/fake prince to find his own way off the island. What a horrible person! #NancyDrewBR

BarkingMadRead That was a fun trick 🤣 he was wretched, and so stupid to act that way right off. He could have been stealthier and stretched it out more! 2d

Bookwormjillk Loved that part. He deserved it. 2d

Sace I disliked him and I hated that the dog didn‘t get a redemption arc!! 2d

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bookandbedandtea That imposter was pretty dumb. Instead of being a jerk and robbing the old lady for temporary gain, he could have been nice and settled down to live a pampered life without anyone knowing. 2d

MariaW @bookandbedandtea & @BarkingMadRead This is how most imposters are put to justice, they want to much too fast. 🤦‍♀️ He could‘ve tried to disguise himself at least instead of being his natural self. 2d

Ruthiella I definitely copped on to the pick pocket double long before Nancy did. It was nice to see Helen and Jim again and Katherine and Mr. Ellison‘s rapid romance was fun. 2d

DGRachel I liked Mrs Alexandra and I loved Anna. I figured out the ruse with the pickpockets early on and was a bit disappointed with how obvious it was that Stanley or whatever is real name was, was an imposter. @Sace I‘m just glad they didn‘t kill the dog. I liked seeing Helen again. 1d

DebinHawaii I commented in my review that I love how everyone shows up in River Heights, which apparently is “The Riviera” of the Midwest. 😳🙄The deposed Queen, her subjects including an antiques dealer & a fashion designer & finally the lost prince— not to mention all the criminal gangs. It does make it easier for Nancy to solve the local mysteries. 1d

kwmg40 The fake prince was definitely detestable. I cheered when he was exposed! 1d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 20: The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

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2. Did you have a jewel box with a secret compartment? What would you hide in it?

I found this interesting talk about the history of jewelry boxes. Link in the comments! #NancyDrewBR

Librarybelle https://nycjewelryweek.com/unlocking-the-jewelry-box-a-visual-history/ 2d

BarkingMadRead I don‘t and now I‘m sad 🤣 I do have a Gone With the Wind ceramic music box that we keep random old keys in though 2d

Bookwormjillk I wish. Not sure what I‘d hide. Some fabulous secret. 2d

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Sace I had a metal jewelry box with cheap red velvet lining and a broken hinge. I also had a beat up ballerina jewel/music box. I‘m sure I just kept junk in it. 😂 2d

bookandbedandtea Like many little girls of my generation I had a twirling ballerina jewelry box. 🩰 I have a wooden jewelry case now but no hidden compartment, sadly. 2d

MariaW Like @Sace and @bookandbedandtea I used to have a twirking ballerina jewelry box for the cheap sparkling jewelry I owned as kid - without any hidden compartment either. I am not sure if I ever owned something that precious to make me hide it somewhere hidden. But I am assuming in my wild teenage years I would have used it to store away cigarettes or 🌿. 😂 (edited) 2d

Ruthiella Like everybody else, I had the ballerina jewelry box with no secret compartment! If I had, I‘d have probably stashed money in it! 😅 2d

DGRachel I never had a jewelry box with a ballerina or a secret compartment, but I do have one that is a music box. I can‘t imagine what I would have secreted away, but I am a little sad that I don‘t have one with secret compartments. 1d

DebinHawaii I always wanted a box or jewelry box with secret compartments -not that I had anything good to keep there! Alas, I had the ballerina musical jewelry box too.🩰 1d

kwmg40 No hidden compartment, but I had a jewelry box that mimicked a stereo cabinet containing a turntable with a tiny record. It played “The Blue Danube“ when I moved the turntable arm. 1d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 20: The Clue in the Jewel Box | Carolyn Keene

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1. Here we go! Once again, the 1943 and the 1972 editions are fairly similar, so everyone read the same story line. Yay!

Mildred Benson wrote the original 1943 story, and Priscilla Baker-Carr wrote the 1972 revision.

Overall, what did you think of the story? Thinking of a few of our more recent adventures with Nancy, how did this compare? #NancyDrewBR

BarkingMadRead The one was fun, an almost kidnapping, but I read it a couple weeks ago, and now I can‘t remember if there was a Nancy knockout 🤣 the two guys were a fun twist that I suspected early, but it was a fun mystery 2d

Bookwormjillk This was a good light read for a summer weekend, but not super memorable. 2d

Sace I enjoyed this one. There was just enough going on and it felt a little more straightforward. 2d

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bookandbedandtea I thought this was fun. It was nice that the whole thing was set in River Heights this time and I liked the various mysteries. 2d

MariaW After reading 20 ND novels now, I certainly have to put myself up with the fact that there are always two mysteries that are inexplicably connected to each other and a lot of weird accidents/incidents. Now I am not shaking my head and rolling my etes anymore, I am just enjoying the read. 🤣 2d

Ruthiella This was fun, though I wondered why Nancy never seemed to have her car and the river and ferry kept coming up. It‘s like each book has some tidbit not really connected to the larger story (like golf or sailing) that they shoehorn in. 2d

CogsOfEncouragement It was a nice change up that others were kidnapped and/or tied up rather than Nancy. I‘m old, so I caught on the look-alikes were working together early in. But I thought that was a fun twist for a chapter book. 2d

DGRachel @MariaW Yes! I have found these much more enjoyable when I am able to let go of any expectations of reality! 😂 (except for the exploding oranges one. That was deplorable) 1d

DGRachel I really liked this one even though it felt like something was constantly happening and I‘m always a little disappointed when we don‘t get a #NNK. I‘m with @CogsOfEncouragement - it was nice that Nancy wasn‘t (usually) the one in mortal peril. 1d

bookandbedandtea @MariaW I have my childhood love of these books to get me through them now and I'm sure it helps that I remember them so fondly! When they are (often) over the top I just remind myself that they are children's books and carry on. 😄 1d

DebinHawaii Nancy‘s noggin needed a break after two knockouts the last book, so I‘m glad there was a little less action & danger for her in this book. While not the most exciting, it was a good entry & I remembered the pickpocket twist & the foot mark from childhood. 1d

kwmg40 I enjoyed this one a lot. I thought it was well paced and had good side characters. 1d

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