The Nancys - the first Nancy Drew-Inspired Mystery

This book came recommended through a Facebook group to which I belong. I am a huge Nancy Drew fan, as anyone who knows me can attest, so any books that feature Nancy Drew heavily in them, I am more than excited about picking up and reading. So, when I heard about this book, I immediately went to Amazon to buy it - only problem is, I couldn't find it on Amazon. In fact, I couldn't find it on any American site. Come to find out, it was only published overseas. Sooooo, a good friend who was ordering a copy for herself went ahead and ordered a copy for me, too! I got it some time ago, and with this wonderful quarantine in effect, I've been catching up on so many books, and this happens to be one of them.

The Nancys, written by R.W.R. McDonald, is the story of 11-year old Tippy Chan, who not-so-long-ago lost her father in a tragic accident. As Christmas approaches (the first one without her father), Tippy's Uncle Pike (her mother's brother) and his boyfriend, Devon come for a visit to watch Tippy while her mothers goes on a two-week cruise, and suddenly, Tippy's life is turned upside down. First, one of her good friends, Todd, falls from a bridge and is in the hospital in a coma (just as her father was before he died). Then, she witnesses two teachers from her school get into a nasty fight outside of the hospital where Todd is. Then, the body turns up - without a head and without any clothes! And if all of this weren't enough, her uncle and his boyfriend are busy helping her rebellious next door neighbor, Melanie, win the local beauty pageant. What's an 11-year old girl to do?

Why, take up the mantle of her favorite sleuth, Nancy Drew, and solve the mystery of who murdered her headless teacher?!?!

Before going any further, I should warn you - this book is not for the faint-at-heart, nor for anyone who is easily offended. The characters are not afraid to express their feelings with expletives (including the f-bomb), and the book is replete with sexual innuendoes and references. In addition, Uncle Pike and Devon are over-the-top stereotypes of a bear and a flamboyant interior decorator, respectively, who always refer to one another as "she" and "her." Now, these things could be taken in two ways - one, as offensive and stereotypical, or two, as poking a bit of fun at reader's expectations and having a blast with it. For me, it was definitely the second choice! The curse words and sexual references in the first couple of pages nearly turned me off of the book (considering the main character is only 11-years old!!!), but the further I read into the book, the more I realized it was meant to be over-the-top, and the author carefully plays the innuendoes so that while we adult readers may get the joke, 11-year old Tippy doesn't get the meaning.  And Devon often enough says, "Inapprops!" at Uncle Pike's off-color comments.

All that being said, the mystery itself is quite a doozy! Someone has killed Tippy's teacher. Now, mind you, this teacher was a bit of a witch (with a "b') and did not exactly treat anyone with kindness, so her death may not be as much of a loss to the community as it otherwise could have been; however, to leave the poor woman headless and with no clothes (except for one shoe) is a bit too far. The prime suspect is the other teacher with whom she had a fight with in front of the hospital, and soon enough, the dead woman's scalp is found on Sally Homer's house, it is enough for the police to arrest her.  Case closed! Or, is it?

Tippy sees this murder (and her mom's absence) as a chance to be her hero, Nancy Drew. She has read all of her uncle's Nancy Drew books that were handed down to her, and she is ready to find out the truth and solve the mystery! With the help of Uncle Pike and Devon, the three form "The Nancys," and they set out to find clues and uncover the truth behind her teacher's death. But this is not a typical Nancy Drew mystery, and true danger abounds at every turn. Everyone is a suspect, and the one eyewitness, a five-year old girl who is nothing but a spoiled brat, may be the only one who can offer the clue needed to find the true murderer.  Of course, when Tippy's mom comes home early and they accuse the wrong person of the crime, Tippy's days as a sleuth may be at an end.

But what about those white origami flowers...?

McDonald writes a fun-filled, through-provoking mystery filled with humor, plenty of red herrings, and even some heart-touching moments.  Every character has his or her moment, and it seems everyone has secrets that come to light over the course of the book.  The book is nearly 400 pages long, but trust me - it is so engaging, you'll be turning page after page to get to the end, and once there, you'll be wishing there was more!  In two words:  highly recommend!

RATING:  10 plastic snail cellotape dispensers out of 10 for giving us a group of sleuths that definitely break the stereotype and offer some humor and drama along the way!

Canteen Kate - The Collected Edition

Matt Baker, who is probably most well-known for his work on the character Phantom Lady for Fox publications back in the day, also drew a lesser known strip for some of St. John Publishing Company's war comics - Canteen Kate. Running from late 1951 to the beginning of 1953, Canteen Kate appeared in a total of 13 comics: eight issues of Fightin' Marines, three issues of her own comic book, and her last appearance in the first issue of Anchors Andrews, cover dated January 1953. The stories were fun, showcasing the crazy antics of Canteen Kate and her boyfriend, Marine Private Al Brown.

I honestly had never heard of this character, and likely never would have had a friend not turned me on to some of the war-themed mystery books published by Whitman books back in the '40s. While doing some searching online to find those books, I stumbled across this little gem and figured it was worth a try.  And without a doubt, it was WELL worth the try!  The art of Matt Baker is exceptional, and while not the flashy T&A art that was so prevalent in the Phantom Lady comics, it definitely displays his talent as an artist for drawing people and faces so well.

The stories in Fightin' Marines were all six pages, except the last one, which was only five pages. But those pages were jam-packed with story and zaniness, as Kate inevitably involved Al in some lame-brained scheme of hers, which invariably would up with Al in the brig! Such simple things as "borrowing" an air conditioning unit from the major's barrack to sewing better-fitting fatigues for her boyfriend turn into major catastrophes for Canteen Kate, as she always bungles things up. Quite frankly, these short little stories read very much like an episode from a '60s television show, where the best of intentions usually lead to a world of trouble, but things work out in the end. In fact, now that I think about it, Kate and Al read very much like Lucy and Ethel!

The three issues of Canteen Kate comic ran simultaneously with her last three appearances in issues 7, 8, and 9 of Fightin' Marines.  Canteen Kate featured four or more short stories, ranging from single page quickies to nine-page romps. Her first issue even featured a two page prose tale that was apparently printed on the inside front and back covers.  The stories are most definitely a product of their time, as some of the characters, particularly the children depicted, would be deemed racist by today's standards - however, reading them in the context of the time, they create humorous situations for poor Kate and Al to find themselves in time and time again.

One thing I did notice while reading these stories is that despite Kate's nutty nature, she is definitely, by far, a strong female lead. She knows what she wants and goes for it (although usually not in the best of ways!), and she is never afraid to express her opinion, nor does she back down from a man, even one in authority (which, in the 1950s when these stories were written, was not acceptable behavior of a lady). As such, it made reading the stories that much better, particularly in light of my love of female comic book characters.

All in all, this is a winning book and a definite must read for comic fans who enjoy a bit of humor in the comics!

RATING:  10 mysteriously missing bugles out of 10 for good, clean fun in comic form!

Samantha Wolf Mysteries, Book Six - A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island

It feels good to get back into the world of Samantha Wolf and her friends. Although it always takes me a bit to really get into each of these books (less because of the story and more because of the present-tense narrative which is difficult to swallow when 99% of the books I read are all written in the standard past tense), but by the half-way mark, I get accustomed to it and don't notice it as much. Plus, by the half-way point, the story is starting to reach its crescendo, the girls are fully delving into the mystery, and there is considerably more action!

A Mysterious Christmas on Orcas Island is set - big surprise! - over the Christmas break. The girls are out of school for the holiday, and Sam and Ally get invited to visit their friend, Sandy Hollingsworth, on Orcas Island. The girls originally met Sandy back in the second book of this series, when they solved a mystery at Camp Whispering Pines (and the book indicates that the camp was "the summer before," indicating that time is definitely moving forward for these characters in this series). It's nice to see that author Tara Ellis does not create throw-away characters. The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books are famous for introducing "good friends" of the sleuths into various books, who seem to be central to that particular mystery, but then those characters are never seen, heard from, or even mentioned ever again (despite their "good friend" status). So, to have a series where characters are mentioned or, better yet, re-appear from time to time creates a believable world that is considerably enjoyable to read and fall into.

The mystery is not apparent at first - in fact, Ellis gives readers a major red herring - well, actually, TWO major red herrings regarding the mystery with which Sam, Ally, and Sandy will become involved. Why are Adam and Cece acting so strange? What was the conversation Sam overheard? Who is the strange Bikeman that was watching them on the Ferry? Are the flashes of red that Sam keeps seeing in the woods really the ghost of "Alice"? What is the mysterious project that Sandy's father is working on? So many questions, and Ally thought this trip to Orcas Island was going to be a nice, relaxing break. She should have known better, since mystery always has a way of following Samantha Wolf wherever she goes!

One thing about this story that makes it special is the fact that Orcas Island is a real place off the coast of Washington state, as is the village of Eastsound on the island. The Moran Mansion, named Rosario, also exists in the real world, and the legend of Alice the ghost is actually real (the legend - whether she does actually appear or not is a whole 'nother story!). Thus, while the mystery itself and the characters are all a work of fiction, the real setting gives the story a measure of believability that draws the reader in. And when that snow storm hits, trapping Sam, Ally, and Sandy on the freezing cold island with a desperate criminal who will do just about anything to succeed in his/her plan - well, let's just say it results in a kidnapping, an assault, a daring rescue attempt in a blinding snowstorm, and an ingenuous escape plan that would make Nancy Drew proud!

Aside from the present tense narrative, this series is absolutely one that I enjoy and would recommend - the characters are fun, the mysteries are well-plotted, and the supporting cast is always growing.  Hope that Ellis keeps the series going for some time to come!

RATING:  8 games of foosball out of 10 for putting the girls in an entirely new environment that offered up some great new dangers in solving this mystery!

Doctor Who: The Day She Saved the Doctor

***Four Stories From the TARDIS***

One of the best things about Doctor Who has always been the Doctor's companions.From Ian, Barbara, and Susan all the way to Yaz, Graham, and Ryan - the companions are always the ones who keep the Doctor grounded. They remind the Doctor of his/her need for compassion, but at the same time, they exhibit the best traits of humanity - loyalty, determination, and a willingness to fight for what is right. And let's face it - with the situations the Doctor seems to always get into, those are qualities that are much needed!

"Sarah Jane and the Temple of Eyes" by Jacqueline Rayner features the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith, a companion that has met multiple incarnations of the Doctor and who has definitely touched the hearts of many generations of fans throughout the years. The story finds them in Ancient Rome, where they must find out why the wives of some of the influential men of the city are going blind. It all seems to lead to the cult of the Bona Dea, which was a cult of women about which very, VERY little is known and nothing is recorded.  Sarah Jane shines as she must conquer two of her greatest fears if she is to save the Doctor's life from a new alien threat...

"Rose and the Snow Window" by Jenny T. Colgan (whose name I recognize from other Doctor Who novels) tells the story of the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler, who find themselves in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in search of a rip in time. From an apartment window of a high rise building, Rose spots an anomaly across the way - in one of the windows in the other building, she seems to be watching a man from early 19th century Russia in his castle. But when they run across the street to check, the apartment appears to be normal. Of course, with the help of the TARDIS, the Doctor and Rose can go back in time to St. Petersburg to see if they can ferret out the reason they can see this man through the window. In order to save the Doctor and the universe, Rose must not only find a way to get the Russian prince back to his own time, but she must convince him to potentially sacrifice his family's future for the sake of time itself...

"Clara and the Maze of Cui Pulta" by Susan Calman is a tale of the Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald, wherein they visit Cui Pulta, who the Doctor says has been voted the most beautiful city in the galaxy three times in a row! It is beautiful, and the sun glimmers off of all the buildings - but Clara begins to grow uneasy as she realizes that there is absolutely no one in the city. In fact, it is very oddly empty of life. The Doctor shrugs it off, but Clara can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Until they find the maze. Clara gets excited at the prospect of finding their way through a maze; but after convincing the Doctor to go in, they both quickly learn that everything is not what it seems. They continue to go in circles, and there appears to be no way out! Then they find the skeleton. And they find writing on the walls to indicate others tried to find their way out. And then, Clara and the Doctor get separated - and Clara uncovers the secret that has been holding them in the maze...

"Bill and the Three Jackets" by Dorothy Koomson finds the Twelfth Doctor and Bill Potts back on Earth, where Bill is getting ready for a date. But she must have the perfect outfit, so she leaves the TARDIS to go shopping and happens across a new little shop where the clerk helps her try on three of the most amazing jackets she has ever seen. No selfies are allowed, so Bill is unable to see them on herself to compare, but the clerk does use an old Polaroid to take photos. However, when Bill goes to a nearby coffee shop to consider her choices, something strange happens - she closes her eyes and wakes up to find that she is not herself - literally! No one recognizes her, not even the Doctor! How can she stop whatever machinations are in the works before her doppelganger takes over her life for good? Only someone from her past will be able to help Bill save the Doctor before it's too late...

Each story has its own voice, and each author manages to capture the various companions nicely. It really felt like reading episodes from the television show - all four of these ladies (the authors, not the companions!) should be writing for the show!  A thoroughly good read and a great way to satisfy that Doctor Who fix until the next season comes around.

RATING:  9 pieces of sticky caramel corn out of 10 for showing the strength of the Doctor's companions!

Forgiving Troy - a true story of murder, mental illness, and recovery

I previously read Thom Bierdz' memoir, Young, Gay & Restless, a very revealing tell-all about the soap opera star's life, his coming to terms with being gay, and his decision to be himself regardless of what others said or thought. That book spoke to me in so many ways, and I think I was most surprised to find that someone I thought of as a huge Hollywood star had the same insecurities as me, faced many of the same problems as me, and had so many of the same thoughts and feelings as me. It opened my eyes to the reality that television and movie stars really are no so different from us "common folk" after all. So, after reading the book, I contacted Thom directly on Facebook to share my thoughts on the book. I found him to be a very open, personable man, and as a result, I bought his other two books (as well as one of his art books) to learn more about this artist/actor/author.

Forgiving Troy tells an entirely different side of Thom's life.  Back in 1989, just after Thom had left his role as Phillip Chancellor III on the daytime drama, The Young & The Restless, he received the news that his mother had been killed - by his own younger brother, Troy. Now, being completely honest, I don't know how I could cope with that. My own mother passed away a little over two years ago now (heart attack and other health issues), and I am still coming to terms with that and learning how to process it. But to learn that your mother was murdered by a member of your own family? I can't even fathom that kind of trauma. Yet, Thom not only dealth with it - but he faced it in the most amazing way possible!

In this book, Thom shares the story of Troy's life - from his birth, all the way up to the present (2009, which I'm assuming is when the book was first published). He shares the family issues with their parents' separation and divorce; he shares the ongoing struggles of Troy's instability; and he shares his own struggles with what he did, didn't do, could have done, should have done, and would have done differently, and how those could have affected the outcome.  If I had to describe this book with only one word, that word would be:

Courageous.

I cannot think of one other person that I have ever known (outside of Christ, Himself) who could not only face a tragedy such as this in the matter that Thom did, but to open himself up and share it with the entire world - that bloody well takes more courage than anyone I know of could possibly possess. It took courage for Thom to go see his brother in prison after he was convicted and sentenced.  It took courage for Thom to sit with his brother and talk to him not just once - but again and again, as he tried to make sense of it. It took courage for Thom to see that his mother was now free of all of the pain and suffering.  It took courage for Thom to face his siblings and tell them how he felt about what Troy did.  It took courage to create a self-made film with dolls and puppets to retell his mother's story, despite the fact his siblings did not want him to do it.  It took courage for Thom to face his father and develop a relationship once again with a man who had been so distant for all of those years.  It took courage for Thom to see his older brother gone, having committed suicide.  It took courage for Thom to stand his ground and stay faithful to visiting Troy on a regular basis, getting him the psychiatric and medicinal help he needed in prison. It took courage to remain persistent until the day when his father went with him to visit Troy ... until the day his sister went with him to visit Troy.

I have no doubt, whatsoever, that Phyllis Bierdz is looking down on her son, her smile wide as she beams with pride for the amazingly courageous and loving man that she brought into this world, a young man who follows in her footsteps and is now looking after the troubled son that she cared for herself for so many years up until she left this mortal plane.

Forgiving Troy will make you cry, there is no doubt about it.  It will make you examine your own family relationships.  It sure did mine.  I mean, there is one statement in the book, made by one of Thom's ex-boyfriends, that I know now is so true - "The mother is the glue that holds the family together."  It was true of Thom's family, and it sure as heck was true of my family.  Every Easter, every Christmas - birthdays, anniversaries - it was always my mother that got the family together.  Now that she is gone - my father has moved away to Kentucky; we never hear from my oldest brother; and my other brother and I, who live less than 50 miles apart, are lucky to see each other once a year at Christmas.  That one sentence, near the beginning of the book, hit me so deeply, that I realized this was going to be a difficult book to read.  And it was. But, it was so well worth the read.

Thom shares his pain, his loss, his anger, his confusion, his doubt, his disbelief - but most of all, he shares his love.  He opens up his heart, he bares his soul, and so few people in the world rarely, if ever, do that - and yet, Thom does it here, willingly, for the whole world to see. And his story - Troy's story - it's one that needs to be read.  To read Thom's growth over the years; to read how he overcame his own issues, his own self-doubts, and how he came to terms with his brother and what happened - it will teach you the one concept that means more than anything else in the world.  You must learn to forgive.

Matthew 6:14-15 - For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Ephesians 4;32 - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, ven as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

If Thom's story does not represent the ultimate in love and forgiveness - an example of Christ's own love and forgiveness for the world that spurns and denies him - I don't know what does.  It's so easy to love and forgive our friends, those people who stand by us and seek out our forgiveness. But how difficult is it to forgive someone who doesn't ask for your forgiveness? Someone who has threatened to kill you?  Forgiving Troy will show you the answer.

RATING:  10 games of UNO out of 10 for sharing from the heart and soul a story of love, courage, and forgiveness - - and hope!

Short Lived Comic Series #13 - Evangeline (Comico 1984, First Comics 1987)

I can still remember the excitement I experienced when my parents took me to my first comic store back in the early '80s.  I started buying, reading, and collecting comics in 1979, but I didn't know that there were stores devoted totally to selling comics and comic-related items until a couple of years later - I always bought my comics at the local convenient food mart, where the comics were on a spinning rack.  When I discovered comic book stores, however, my whole world was expanded exponentially, as I discovered there was so much more to comic books than just DC, Marvel, and Disney comics!  Companies like Comico, Eclipse, Pacific, and others lined the shelves amidst the DC and Marvel comics, and I found titles such as DNAgents, Somerset Holmes, Elementals, and a unique little title with a female lead called Evangeline.

I've always been a sucker for female-led comics - from Wonder Woman to Supergirl to Ms. Marvel to She-Hulk.  So, this comic book with a gun-toting female that told the story of a nun (a very different kind of nun, that's for sure!) who was off-world saving the lives of the innocent - well, I could not pass it up.  So, I bought the first issue, and then the second ... and then, nothing. I waited for that third issue, but it never came. As with so many independent comics of that day that came and went, poor Evangeline lasted two issues at Comico, and then - poof! - it was gone. The stories by Chuck Dixon (who has since become quite the prolific comic book writer) were exceptional - a nun on the service for the Vatican, ensuring that the Catholic relics and traditions are protected, and that the lives of those who serve the church are protected from those who would destroy such organized religion.  The art by Judith Hunt (a female artist in the '80s!  talk about a gold mine!) was beautifully rendered, with some superb action scenes, as well as exceptional emotions expressed on the faces of her characters. In the first issue, Sister Evangeline took vengeance on a man who murdered her sisters at a church on Mars simply to get the land on which it was built; and in the second issue, she reluctantly teams up with criminal Jonny Six in order to stop a group of men who have taken over the ship on which she is traveling.

Flash forward a couple of years, and Lodestone Publishing put out an Evangeline special, which reprinted those first two Comico issues, but included extra epilogues after each story, that connected the first and second issues and then gave a preview of what was to come. Only, as with Comico, sadly, nothing further came out of Lodestone.  Thus, Evangeline's second chance at a series ended just as quickly as it started.  I was ready to just give up.  Then, along came First Comics...

First Comics was putting out some fantastic titles - Grimjack, American Flagg, among others, and they had become known for picking up titles cancelled by other companies - E-Man, Nexus, Badger, and Whisper, to name a few. So, in 1987, I was thrilled when Dixon and Hunt revived their series at First, beginning with an all-new issue 1, even though the story picked up exactly where the Comico and Lodestone stories had ended.  Landing on a planet filled with dinosaurs and a research facility - only, the hijackers from the spaceship from which they escaped are also there, and Evangeline, Jonny, and their new friend, Bernie Miller, must face off against them before they can be free.  The quality of stories by Dixon and the art by Hunt never falter, and with issue 2, Dixon and Hunt begin to reveal the "origin" of Evangeline - how did this young woman become the vengeful arm of the Catcholic church?  From there, we get stories of Evangeline hunting down gold that had been stolen from the church, rescuing a group of slaves from a nuclear wasteland, stopping a company from experimenting on human beings, exposing a space station spa that is brainwashing high ranking members of the church to destroy it from within, saving young women from sex traffickers, and ultimately crushing a group that is holding an entire planet hostage.  Along the way, we get more glimpses into Evangeline's past and see how she was trained in both warfare and subtlety to create the perfect weapon for the church.

Some may disagree with me, but one thing I liked about this series, and particularly about the character, is that not only was she strong and independent (she had male companions in the series, but she was far more capable then any of them), but she was not a stereotype.  She was firm in her religious beliefs, she knew right from wrong, and she never backed down from her morals and ethics.  In today's world, there seems to be a lot of criticism for female-centric titles written by men; yet, Dixon has proven time and again that he is more than capable of writing female characters that are not weak, that are not simple, and that are not anything more than fodder for gratuitous sex or violence.

While Dixon remained writer for the entire series at all three companies, Hunt vacated the art chores after issue 4 of the First Comics title.  Cara Sherman Tereno took over the art chores for issues 5 and 6, and honestly - her style was so similar to Hunt's that readers are unlikely to even notice the difference in artists.  Starting with issue 7, however, John Statema took over the art; and while it is still crisp and clear, the faces of his characters are much softer and rounder, and his backgrounds are not quite a gritty visually. He stayed with the book through issue 10, following which, Jim Balent took over for issues 11 and 12.

Unfortunately, Evangeline was not destined to last, and First Comics cancelled the series with issue 12.  And while the two-part story in issues 11 and 12 was nicely wrapped up, it is a shame that the character didn't have the opportunity for more stories and adventures. In today's more dark and gritty comics, perhaps now is the time for a revival of this series. I, for one, would love to see where Dixon would take his character now.

RATING:  8 blood-soaked rosaries out of 10 for giving comic-readers of the '80s a strong, no-nonsense female character who could stand on her own against the evils of mankind!

Nancy Drew: The Curse (Based on the Hit CW TV Show)

What better way to celebrate Nancy Drew's 90th anniversary than with a new Nancy Drew book? Yes, today marks 90 years since the first three Nancy Drew books were published way back on April 28, 1930.  Hard to believe she's been around that long - even moreso when you consider that very few series have continued publishing new stories on a regular basis for such a great length of time (Hardy Boys and Boxcar Children being the only two that come to mind).  And there is so much to celebrate this year - new comic book series that have been published in recent years from Dynamite Entertainment; new books published in the Nancy Drew Diaries and Nancy Drew Clue Book series; a new coloring book last year from artist extraordinaire Ruth Sanderson; the release of the new HER Interactive video game last Fall; and more recently, the new CW television series that brings Nancy, Bess and George to the small screen each and every week.  It is this new TV show that this book is based upon.

Nancy Drew: The Curse is a prequel of sorts to the CW hit television show.  Thus, fans of Nancy Drew who have never watched the new show may find some very jarring changes about Nancy and her world when reading this book. First, in this series, Nancy lives in Horseshoe Bay, not River Heights. Second, her mother did not die until Nancy was much older (meaning she is still alive in this story, set prior to the first episode of the television show). Third, Nancy's friends at this time are not Bess and George. However, in spite of these changes, some things remain the same.  Carson Drew is still a lawyer who dotes on his daughter. Chief McGinnis is still the local law in town. And Nancy Drew is still the determined sleuth who will set out to right any wrong and help anyone in need.  So, despite any changes, the true essence of Nancy Drew is still there!

That being said - the mystery in this book centers around the Horseshoe Bay Naming Day Curse. A curse that no one seems to know anything about. A curse that has no visible footprint online, nor any mention in the local town newspapers. A curse that - in a town filled with legends and ghost stories - seems to be hidden deeper than any other secret in Horseshoe Bay (which is really saying something). But when one of Nancy's friends, Daisy Dewitt, is selected to play a lead role in the upcoming Naming Day Reinactment  play, strange things start to happen. A raven carrying a warning note crashes against the window of the school newspaper. A threat is spray painted inside Daisy's locker. The word "Beware" is written on Nancy's windshield. Then one of the students disappears, and suddenly what started out looking like pranks turns into something much more serious.

While the book gives hints at supernatural elements (the television show, for those who don't watch, is filled with the supernatural), the author, Micol Ostow, keeps Nancy Drew grounded in reality. She questions things she sees, dreams she has, and things that occur, but ultimately, she is able to find logical, real explanations for everything.  A second disappearance, along with a warning to shut down the Naming Day Celebration or else puts Nancy on edge, knowing she has to solve the mystery before her best friend winds up dead.  Doing things the old-fashioned way, like going to the library, looking through public records, driving out and interviewing witnesses - it was great to see Nancy Drew in her real element again.  Fans who dislike the television show should really give this book a chance, as it definitely hearkens back to the Nancy Drew of days gone by!  And although there are no Bess and George, there are Daisy and Lena, who definitely channel elements of Bess and George (Daisy is the Bess archetype, while Lena tends to be more like George).

Fair warning: there are several profanities thrown out by the characters, so the book is not exactly squeaky clean. However, the words are mild (no f-bombs) and do not appear frequently.

Hope Simon & Schuster puts out some more novels like this one, based on the television show - it's a great way to expand on the characters and storylines from the TV show, plus provide fans with even more Nancy Drew!

RATING:  9 fat striped tabby cats named Sprinkles out of 10 for feeding the fans' need for more of the CW Nancy Drew!