Customer Reviews
The Clue in the Diary 
2007-09-15
This was my very first Nancy Drew book. Yep, and I a little older than what would be considered young adult these days! Tee Hee! I am hooked. I will tell you I was a little afraid of starting with Book 7, but I didn't feel left out at all. The author made it possible for me to catch up with Nancy, her family and her friends. I even got to meet the new "guy". I love stories about diaries, add in a mystery, a fire, some great adventures and a romantic interest, and I was extremely happy. Now, I will say that I did find some parts that dated the book, but for the most part I was very happy living in Nancy's world and I expect to do so again very soon.
A wounderful read 2007-07-14
I think the book is great and full of suspense. Nancy, Bess and George are driving in a beautiful neiborhood when suddenly a grand house bursts into flames. Nancy later learns it was home to Felix Raybolt. "Foxy Felix" stole peoples inventions, and one of his victems is Joe Swenson. Joe is getting acused for setting the Rabolt house on fire, and only Nancy Drew can clear his name...
Strong and determined young female characters, very rare for the 1930's. Excellent female role models. 2006-07-18
When I was in elementary school most of the boys read books in the Hardy Boys series and a lot of the girls read books in the Nancy Drew series. While I have read many of the Hardy Boys books, this is the first Nancy Drew book that I have read. I spent a lot of brain cell electricity contrasting the two series as I went through the pages. In the Hardy Boys series their father is a detective and in the Nancy Drew series her father is a lawyer. Nancy has two best chums, the plump Bess and the masculine George. They go everywhere together sharing adventures and concerns.
While there is some boy interest in this book, the girls do not fawn over the fact that an attractive male their age is present. That is an aspect of the story that was impressive. The girls are business-like, trying to solve the problems at hand and determine who is guilty of what. The crime is the apparent arson destruction of a house owned by a wealthy man who has made a lot of enemies. Nancy and her friends are there when the house explodes and Nancy sees a man fleeing the scene. He is the prime suspect, as he is an inventor whose invention was stolen by the owner of the house. Since the owner has disappeared, there is a suspicion of murder.
One common thread in this book and the Hardy Boys series is that the local police are incompetent simpletons. They start with a simple theory and refuse to deviate from it, even when it appears to be wrong. Of course, Nancy and her pals solve the mystery and the innocent man is spared a jail sentence. Nancy and her friends are also portrayed as very good-hearted, as they befriend a young girl and her mother who are obviously poverty-stricken.
While reading this book, I kept the historical context in mind. This book was written in 1932, a time when women were still very much considered the "weaker sex." Yet, Nancy drives skillfully and generally avoids accidents, the men are the ones who drive foolishly and recklessly. The girls are all portrayed as being competent and capable, not shrinking from the prospect of danger. Nancy's father is portrayed as being supportive of her endeavors and makes very little attempt to shelter her from the nastiness of the world. Strong female characters were a rare thing in the literature of the 1930's, a fact that makes this book a trailblazer in many respects.
Love these old classics! 2006-01-30
they are just as good as they were when I was 10 years old!!! Nancy and her convertible!!! :-)
NANCY DREW IS SO STUPID!!!! 
2005-12-04
Do NOT read any Nancy Drew books! They're boring and girly. If you want a real mystery, read a good one like Chasing Vermeer or The Witches of Worm. THIS BOOK IS SO STUPID, I CAN'T BELIEVE ANYONE LIKES IT!!!!
Great starter set for niece 2005-08-23
Nancy uses a lost diary to exonerate an innocent prisoner.
Perfect Gift for Girls ages 8-11 2005-08-10
My cousin's daughter just celebrated her 9th birthday, and I plan on giving her this book, along with some other Nancy Drew books, for Christmas. I gave her volumes 1 through 6 for her birthday, and her mom tells me that she is just blazing through each book, because she loves them so much.
It warmed my heart to give her these books, as I remember reading them when I was her age. I used to borrow one book a week from the local public library in the 1970s. Nancy Drew was always a great read.
I think that we establish a great connection with our children when we share with them something that we also loved as kids. It's a joy for all involved.
In my opinion, you can't go wrong. These books are classics, and by encouraging young ones to read them, you help the children in your life to foster a great habit of reading--one that remains with them through their entire life. I think books of this nature also help to make them better critical thinkers and better writers.
this was a great book! 2005-02-01
i fell in love with these books from the first one i read:the mystery of the brass bound trunk. i have read 17 nancy drew books. i think you
Dated Classic 2004-05-12
If you want to get started reading Nancy Drew, this book would be the place. Of all the ND series, I think I enjoyed this one the most. While Nancy and her friends' activities and dialogue seem a bit dated (don't forget most of these stories were written long before you were born) Nancy is a wholesome character who is constantly busy observing her environment and sticking her nose into places it may not belong. Of course, this kind of behavior is what makes a story interesting. This book deals with arson, stealing patents, and helping an innocence victim find justice.
Wild bill recommends this book for mystery lovers aged 9-12.
Great Book! 2003-08-05
After I bought the starter set that included the first six, I had to buy this one, because I wanted to start my own colection. This was probably the best out of the first seven to be honest. It's more complex than the others and I just love a good mystery. Buy it today!
