The Secret of the Old Clock

Nancy Drew sets off on her own in her very first case. As she tries to find the lost will of old Josiah Crowley. Along the way she runs into some old classmates who have given her a hard time.
As she tries to find the missing will, she comes across many who were promised money from the older gentleman, but have been left out in the cold by the will that was produced by the Topham family. Knowing that an newer will has to be around somewhere, Nancy is determined to find it.
Along the way, she runs into some rather unsavory characters....

What a fun read! I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed these! I read them while I was younger, and jumping back into these was a fun foray into the past. I might have to find a few of the others and enjoy another walk down memory lane.

I read this to compare to the CW TV series and as I expected, the only thing they have in common is the names and the color of her car.
This was OK, a little clumsy both in writing and plot. I'm probably not going to read others.

Original Review

The Secret of the Old Clock is the first book in the hardcover Nancy Drew series (flashlight editions). I read the Nancy Drew books as a young girl and through them, fell in love with reading. That they are still in print and parents are still buying them for their children makes my heart so happy.

This year, I???m attempting to reread all of the original 56 books - about one per week, with some weeks doubled up. I???ve started with book one and it was such a delight to read it again. These mysteries carry so much nostalgia for me, and reading them again feels so comforting - like drinking a hot cup of tea, wrapped up in a cozy blanket on a cushioned window seat listening to the rhythm of the rain; a warm hug for my soul.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Secret of the Old Clock again. I love how the story is set in the 1930???s and carries with it that decade???s unique atmosphere, yet is still so timeless.

My sister once told me she didn???t like Nancy Drew much when she was younger because Nancy is too perfect in the books and I think that is a fair criticism (she is unrealistically perfect and very privileged; some of the circumstances are a bit too tidy as well), but I also think that is one of the things I liked about her stories. Reading them allowed for a bit of escapism and stoked my imagination, and that was still true for me as an adult reading this installment again.

There???s a scene in the story that made me want to find a 1930???s recipe similar to Hannah???s cinnamon cake to bake up and serve with hot applesauce. Why is this not a popular pairing anymore? It sounds delicious!

I???d recommend Nancy???s mysteries for anyone who is interested in a fast-paced, lighthearted middle grade book, for reluctant readers, or for anyone who read them when they were younger and is looking for a serving of nostalgia.

I love the references to things from the 60s. Like not being able to leave the house without her handbag and hat. Nancy Drew is fabulous.

Rating: 3.75 leaves out of 5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 3/5
Story: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Genre: Classic/Mystery/Thriller
Type: Audiobook
Worth?: Yeah

Read this for a buddy read and was shocked to say it was pretty darn good. I didn't think I would like it. I saw the new series and hated it so I assumed I would hate the books as well. How wrong was I. Also, don't know why I didn't pick this up when I was a kid!

Although it took many, many pages to warm up to Nancy, it finally began to happen. I was at first taken aback by her amazing kindness and hospitality; you do not meet many Nancy Drews in 2010 America and she seemed unrealistic and one-dimensional.

After I made comments of this sort on my blog, all the Nancy Drew fans ganged up on me and urged me to reexamine my thoughts about Nancy with gentler, pre-2010 eyes. So I did. Who wants to risk being beaten up by a horde of Nancy Drew aficionados?

So I will revise my initial impressions of Nancy as a goody-two-shoes to that of a genuinely nice person who has learned to always be kind and helpful to the young and the poor and the elderly. Such a person could exist. Right?

One can only hope.

Hahaha how is this a kid's book? I mean, it doesn't have anything inappropriate in it but it's soooo dull. What kid wants to read about the settlement of a will? Nothing much really happens in this book really, it's just Nancy finding a will. Fun? Well I'm gonna chalk it up to how old this book is, entertainment was different back then after all. Thing is, I don't regret reading this because I really love Nancy Drew as a character and this is her first case. I imagine the cases will only get bigger and crazier from here. It's actually fitting that she starts out small since she's such an amateur in the first book. I guess I can forgive her first case for being lack-luster. I look forward to book 2!

P.S. I love the yellow hardcover copies I have of these books, they just feel and look really nice. Plus, the retro covers are really beautiful.

Now I have read my first Nancy Drew mystery :-D
Acceptably good reading, short, entertaining. Enough excitement and mystery. Also, it's good that she is very self-sufficient. She changes the tire on her car, and fixes the motorboat motor, without sitting there and wishing for a man to arrive and rescue her.

You know, I never read any Nancy Drew as a kid. So, why not now? I totally get it, why girls love her. It is a little hokey and antiquated in the writing, but there is something about it that I quite enjoyed.

Charming and winsome, and just as fun as I remember.

Nancy drew was/still is everything I want to be. A strong-willed stubborn female who solves problems... and always has awesome adventures. She taught me to love reading. As I child, I read all of the Nancy Drew books and have been an unashamed book-nerd ever since. I think I will have to re-read a few for old times sake. And of course, if I ever have a little girl will let her take a swing at Nancy Drew. And a little boy... Hardy Boys. What is childhood without the adventurous depth of these books? TV/movies will never compare.

This is the book that started my love of mysteries.

Carolyn Keene's The Secret Of The Old Clock is the first book in the Nancy Drew mystery series. The book was published in 1930 and was an instant success. It has been reprinted many times and is still popular with readers today. The book is set in the small town of River Heights. Nancy Drew is a sixteen-year-old girl who is very curious and loves to solve mysteries. She is asked to help her widowed father, Carson Drew, who is a lawyer, with a case. Mr. Drew is representing Luke Royce, an elderly man who is being accused of theft. Nancy is eager to help her father and sets out to solve the mystery. She is aided by her two best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne. Together they try to figure out who stole the clock from the old clock tower and why.

The book is fast-paced and exciting. It is well-written and suspenseful. Nancy is a likable and relatable character. The book is appropriate for ages eight and up and is a great book for anyone who loves mysteries. It is the perfect book for young readers who are just starting to read mysteries. It is sure to keep them entertained from beginning to end.