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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #90
The Puzzle at Pineview School
The Pineview girls’ soccer team attempts to raise money by selling a pair of brooches, but a thief who substitutes phonies may bring disgrace on the school if Nancy cannot solve the case.
154 pages
First published August 1, 1989
17 people are currently reading
1046 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,058 books3,925 followersCarolyn Keene is a writer pen name that was used by many different people- both men and women- over the years. The company that was the creator of the Nancy Drew series, the Stratemeyer Syndicate, hired a variety of writers. For Nancy Drew, the writers used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene to assure anonymity of the creator.
Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.
Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.
Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.
Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 4, 2017
A wonderful book.. suspecting any person any time.. couldn't figure out who the criminal really was till the right end!
April 10, 2012
A very good mystery but a little bit predictable. As I was reading I'm thinking don't drink the hot chocolate, just don't do it... Year 9-10.
March 21, 2013
Another mystery solved.
June 15, 2022
I’ve been on a Nancy Drew kick lately. Maybe too much because Nan’s friend, Bess, is getting on my nerves, haha. So i was relieved that she barely tags along in this mystery!
She’s there in bits and drabs and offers her panic to a harrowing situation, otherwise it wouldn’t feel like the familiar camaraderie of the detective three.
In earlier books I thought Bessie was sweet and felt bad for her—Nancy and mostly George, Bess’ female cousin, fat-shame her appetite a lot. But after many books in a row, her “scaredy cat-itis” clawed at my patience.
( Believe me, I’d shriek too if I hung out with Nancy Drew. They’re always getting kidnapped, hit in the head, drugged, receiving threats, and going to exotic places)
So if Bess’ constant screaming annoys you too, you’ll delight in solving a puzzle in peace this time.
Some reviewers said this jewel robbery at the private Pineview School was predictable, but I didn’t think so. There were at least four convincing slight-of-hand suspects detouring my train of thought.
And If you like sports, there’s a soccer tournament in the midst, mean girls on the team, and as usual, lots of danger in store for Nancy and George.
She’s there in bits and drabs and offers her panic to a harrowing situation, otherwise it wouldn’t feel like the familiar camaraderie of the detective three.
In earlier books I thought Bessie was sweet and felt bad for her—Nancy and mostly George, Bess’ female cousin, fat-shame her appetite a lot. But after many books in a row, her “scaredy cat-itis” clawed at my patience.
( Believe me, I’d shriek too if I hung out with Nancy Drew. They’re always getting kidnapped, hit in the head, drugged, receiving threats, and going to exotic places)
So if Bess’ constant screaming annoys you too, you’ll delight in solving a puzzle in peace this time.
Some reviewers said this jewel robbery at the private Pineview School was predictable, but I didn’t think so. There were at least four convincing slight-of-hand suspects detouring my train of thought.
And If you like sports, there’s a soccer tournament in the midst, mean girls on the team, and as usual, lots of danger in store for Nancy and George.
March 7, 2025
I thought this one was a bit boring as I don't like football or any sport lol 🤭
October 24, 2025
Loved Nancy Drew as a child, still loved reading it to this day.
February 13, 2015
George is an assistant soccer coach at Pineview school for girls, things are going great, the team is about to compete for the Canadian Cup, but then, valuable brooches that are supposed to be auctioned off and the money donated to the school and the soccer team are found to be fake! The real gems have been stolen. Nancy is asked by Janine, the daughter of the owner of the brooches to help prove her mother didn't take the brooches to collect the insurance money. There's a sinister figure in Pineview school, Nancy must watch her back before she's expelled, permanently.
January 31, 2015
An adequate ND mystery. Niagara Falls, Canada used briefly as a setting. These later books feature less of the relationships among Nancy and her chums and the fun extras like food and clothes and domestic scenes as they focus mostly on the action. I never really like the ones set as schools, but that's more a personal preference.
July 15, 2011
Read this with Izzy and she loved it. She picked up on the older style language and giggled a bit but the story kept her very interested. She's less and less interested in me reading TO her now-a-days but stories like this she really enjoys.
October 7, 2011
Read this with Izzy and she loved it. She picked up on the older style language and giggled a bit but the story kept her very interested. She's less and less interested in me reading TO her now-a-days but stories like this she really enjoys.
April 26, 2017
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews