The Lighthouse Mystery

Nancy Drew: Notebooks #60

by Carolyn Keene, Paul Casale (Illustrator)

This is one spooky spotlight! Nancy and her friends are on a fun-filled trip to the coast of Maine. But when they find out that the historic town lighthouse might be haunted, the girls are spooked! And when they find mysterious clues that seem to lead them on a treasure hunt, Nancy knows she has a mystery on her hands. Who wrote the clues? And where could they lead? Maybe this lighthouse really is haunted like everyone thinks. One thing's for sure -- it's up to Nancy to shed some light on this case before they are all left in the dark!

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction

80 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

Carolyn 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one spooky spotlight!Nancy and her friends are on a fun-filled trip to the coast of Maine. But when they find out that the historic town lighthouse might be haunted, the girls are spooked! And when they find mysterious clues that seem to lead them on a treasure hunt, Nancy knows she has a mystery on her hands. Who wrote the clues? And where could they lead? Maybe this lighthouse really is haunted like everyone thinks. One thing's for sure -- it's up to Nancy to shed some light on this case before they are all left in the dark

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second of two Nancy Drew Notebooks I read during a marathon reading session that read more like an actual mystery.

[Julesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, cute, young Nancy Drew mystery with a summertime theme. The mystery is pretty simple for very young readers, including ghost hauntings at the lighthouse.

[emma grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute for younger readers; like many other series, they're all pretty much the same, the title and theme just change.