BOOKS

When my mom first introduced me to Nancy in middle school, I was immediately turned off by the ugly yellow hardcover and the old-fashioned illustrations throughout the book. But surprisingly, when I reluctantly opened the book and started reading, I was hooked. 

Not only is Nancy intelligent, loyal and generous, she is always up for some kind of adventure. Whether it involves nasty villains, dangerous sleuthing, puzzling clues or exciting car chases, there is no mystery that Nancy can’t solve.

From counterfeiters and embezzlers to robbers and imposters, author Carolyn Keene tackles every possible type of mystery in this series, with Nancy always acting as the calm and graceful heroine, no matter how dire her situation is.  When she is caught in the secret meeting of the horrible Black Snake Cult in “The Secret of Red Gate Farm” or bound and gagged in a closet during “The Quest of the Missing Map,” Nancy uses her ingenuity and courage to continuously (and successfully) outwit her captors. Plus, her friends Bess, George and Ned are perfect examples of loyal pals—just the kind of people I’d want next to me if I was investigating secret bungalows, dark dungeons and abandoned mansions!

Love her or hate her, you have to admit that Nancy is one brave chick. For all you interested gals, pop over to your local library and borrow a couple mysteries. I recommend starting at the beginning—“The Secret of the Old Clock” is a classic.

Not into Nancy? What heroines do you love to read about? Let me know!

by Amy Wilson | 2/1/2016