What do you think?
Rate this book
Nancy Drew Diaries #22
A Capitol Crime
Nancy, Bess, and George look for Nancy’s missing father in the twenty-second book in the Nancy Drew Diaries series, a fresh approach to a classic series.
While Nancy’s dad is away at a conference in Washington, DC, she invites Bess and George over for a slumber party. The girls are having a great time until Nancy gets a call from a number she doesn’t recognize. Her dad never showed up for his panel and he isn’t in his room. No one’s seen him since the night before, and he isn’t answering his phone.
Worried, Nancy and the gang hop the next flight to DC to investigate. The girls scour the hotel for clues with little luck until Nancy finds her dad’s cell phone in the hotel basement. She’s pretty sure he left her a message on the home screen, if only she could figure out what it means.
The hunt takes them across the US capital, retracing Mr. Drew’s steps to figure out what went wrong or who might be out to do him harm. If they don’t solve this mystery, it may cost Mr. Drew his life.
While Nancy’s dad is away at a conference in Washington, DC, she invites Bess and George over for a slumber party. The girls are having a great time until Nancy gets a call from a number she doesn’t recognize. Her dad never showed up for his panel and he isn’t in his room. No one’s seen him since the night before, and he isn’t answering his phone.
Worried, Nancy and the gang hop the next flight to DC to investigate. The girls scour the hotel for clues with little luck until Nancy finds her dad’s cell phone in the hotel basement. She’s pretty sure he left her a message on the home screen, if only she could figure out what it means.
The hunt takes them across the US capital, retracing Mr. Drew’s steps to figure out what went wrong or who might be out to do him harm. If they don’t solve this mystery, it may cost Mr. Drew his life.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2021
85 people are currently reading
349 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,050 books3,923 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 22, 2022
New Nancy Drew is a little silly.
June 24, 2021
I'd like to know what the true reading level for this book is. I know the publisher says it's for 8- to 12-year-olds, but honestly the story reminded me of the books in the Nancy Drew Files series -- minus the romance -- and those were for 11- to 16-year-olds (roughly). And that's not a bad thing. With a more adult take on Nancy Drew airing on TV, now would be a good time to see if a new young adult/teen series will sell.
A CAPITOL CRIME had an interesting plot, a red herring or two, and a solution with enough of a twist to catch me by surprise -- even with a real broad hint earlier in the book.
Highly recommended!
A CAPITOL CRIME had an interesting plot, a red herring or two, and a solution with enough of a twist to catch me by surprise -- even with a real broad hint earlier in the book.
Highly recommended!
August 17, 2021
This was a hard one for me to rate. The story is exciting and fast-paced, but it was hard for me to suspend disbelief so often in this novel, most specifically with the drastic change of character in Carson. Since the beginning of the Nancy Drew series, he's always been a stickler for the law, and I had trouble believing he was so willing to put Nancy and her friends potentially in danger by getting them involved in a case just because he felt bad for someone. I understand the message the ending was trying to portray, but it still sat wrong with me. I feel it could have been done better.
January 31, 2025
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone in middle school or high school. It doesn’t have a lot of violence but guns and choking are involved but in a very non gruesome way. The mystery has lots of twists and turns and is definitely a pretty easy read which personally I like!
I will definitely be reading more of this series in the near by future. I think it’s a great story of how three friends can work together so well.
I will definitely be reading more of this series in the near by future. I think it’s a great story of how three friends can work together so well.
June 2, 2021
These keep getting more, and more mature and honestly I'm enjoying it.
July 26, 2021
Sandra review
This wad a very good book thank Nancy drew and her friends het dad and helped the lady with her son get out of jail
This wad a very good book thank Nancy drew and her friends het dad and helped the lady with her son get out of jail
January 13, 2023
I really liked this one! It was also kind of cool to actually have been to the same places in D.C. where they were in the book.
10/10, A+, would recommend👌
10/10, A+, would recommend👌
April 2, 2023
4.3/5
Nancy’s Dad is missing!!!
Best one yet!
Nancy’s Dad is missing!!!
Best one yet!
March 13, 2026
Pretty crappy. Does a bad job of trying to moralize away Carson getting kidnapped at gun point. It only gets two stars, and one of them is for the fact most of the book takes place in Baltimore.
October 7, 2021
I can't believe I finally caught up with all the published books in this series!
With the exception of the completely bizarre one a few books ago, I have absolutely loved this series. I really hope there are more to come!
With the exception of the completely bizarre one a few books ago, I have absolutely loved this series. I really hope there are more to come!
December 18, 2023
I feel like this mystery was a little too real-world and criminal for me to suspend my disbelief that it would hold up in court when all of the evidence was uncovered by a teenage girl breaking-and-entering, coercing confessions, and flat-out stealing from the cops. (Also, HILARIOUS when Nancy said she didn't relish stealing evidence. Nancy, you ALWAYS steal your evidence. Every case.) And I did not like that there was a gun.
May 27, 2021
I give this book 4 stars. Don't get me wrong, the story was great! It was written with great care, and some parts were very intense making me sit at the edge of my seat. The reason for my rating is the twist in the book. I like it when all the details are at the beginning: not a lot of surprises. That's probably just me though. Anyways, I do recommend to everyone.
June 7, 2021
There really isn’t anything like a Nancy drew book to make up for all the less than amazing books I’ve been reading. I enjoyed the twist (didn’t see it coming from a mile away) and I still couldn’t figure out the crime, so I take that as a win. I really enjoyed this one.
December 31, 2022
For this and other book reviews, including more Nancy Drew, subscribe to my newsletter at www.bargain-sleuth.com
If The Capitol Crime were a Nancy Drew book from the 1960’s and 70’s, it most certainly would be a travelogue mystery, with lots of interesting facts plugged in to the book so it was not only entertaining but educational. But that’s not the case with this volume of The Nancy Drew Diaries. There were actually two mysteries to solve. One leads to another, as often happens with Nancy Drew books, and you can almost assuredly assume they are interrelated.
Nancy steals files from a police station, which was a bit unusual for a modern book. Not that Nancy skirted the law as a means to an end. Good heavens, you can go back to the earliest Nancy Drew books written in the 1930’s to find her doing the same, but in 2021, I thought it was a bit out-of-place. However, it gives Nancy the chance to muse, ” I’ve solved a lot of cases, and I know that people break the law for all sorts of reasons. Most of them are good folks who got themselves in bad situations and made a poor decision.” So, she’s owning up to her bad decision-making, even though it helped her solve the case.
Without breaking down into too many details, I just want to say that it seems like the publishers have finally found a decent ghostwriter who pays respect to the past of Nancy Drew while bringing a modern sensibility to the characters. The past few books have been great to read because they’re not all about sabotage, like the earlier books. In fact, Nancy even points out how she always seems to be solving cases of sabotage, giving a nod to reader laments like mine who wish Nancy would do more. In The Capitol Crime, she does, with the help of Bess and George, of course.
If The Capitol Crime were a Nancy Drew book from the 1960’s and 70’s, it most certainly would be a travelogue mystery, with lots of interesting facts plugged in to the book so it was not only entertaining but educational. But that’s not the case with this volume of The Nancy Drew Diaries. There were actually two mysteries to solve. One leads to another, as often happens with Nancy Drew books, and you can almost assuredly assume they are interrelated.
Nancy steals files from a police station, which was a bit unusual for a modern book. Not that Nancy skirted the law as a means to an end. Good heavens, you can go back to the earliest Nancy Drew books written in the 1930’s to find her doing the same, but in 2021, I thought it was a bit out-of-place. However, it gives Nancy the chance to muse, ” I’ve solved a lot of cases, and I know that people break the law for all sorts of reasons. Most of them are good folks who got themselves in bad situations and made a poor decision.” So, she’s owning up to her bad decision-making, even though it helped her solve the case.
Without breaking down into too many details, I just want to say that it seems like the publishers have finally found a decent ghostwriter who pays respect to the past of Nancy Drew while bringing a modern sensibility to the characters. The past few books have been great to read because they’re not all about sabotage, like the earlier books. In fact, Nancy even points out how she always seems to be solving cases of sabotage, giving a nod to reader laments like mine who wish Nancy would do more. In The Capitol Crime, she does, with the help of Bess and George, of course.
July 17, 2023
Another edition that was not only well written, enjoyable, but also had some depth to the plot. What begins as a girl’s weekend while her father Carson Drew is attending a legal conference ends up with Nancy, George, and Bess along for the ride in D.C. and involved in solving another crime involving a diamond heist. Most of all what drug Nancy and her crew to D.C. in the first place was when Carson Drew found himself kidnapped. Who would be responsible for the kidnapping and will Nancy be able to find her dad, and in doing so solve the mystery behind the diamond heist? Again, through the journey we see the human side of Nancy (especially funny when she hangs up the phone in a matter of not discussing a concept that wasn’t up for discussion) and how her friendships really contribute to the storyline, especially the varying perspectives. One of my favorite lines through the story was when Nancy is having a discussion surrounding justice and Carson brings up the concept of “justice isn’t always about locking someone up behind bars. Sometimes, it’s about helping them heal” (p. 198). There were definitely aspects of the story that pulled at my heart strings and would be one that I would highly recommend and potentially reread if I find a way back to it. Nancy eventually figures things out and this time it was actually a brilliant ending.
October 15, 2023
I’m way behind on reviews due to a nexus of things going on. For the last month I’ve managed to read four books and two featured Ms Nancy Drew. I’m so glad that my goodreads friends reintroduced me to Nancy Drew this year. She is a timeless character who is a positive role model to young girls. The modern diaries have brought Nancy Drew to the the 21st century so that she remains relevant to new generations of readers. In this case, Nancy and her friends Bess and George are off to Washington, DC to find Nancy’s father who has been kidnapped. I enjoyed seeing Mr Drew more in this case and hope he reappears in future installments. I also appreciate how in these contemporary books Bess and George figure more in solving crimes whereas in the original series they were just there for the ride. I would like to see a book where Ned appears rather than just being thought of and in phone calls, but you can’t have everything. I do hope that these diaries continue because there are always girls out there who have not discovered Nancy Drew yet.
4 stars
4 stars
June 6, 2024
I've enjoyed Nancy Drew mysteries ever since fifth grade when Miss Hill would read a chapter or two after lunch recess. Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew Diaries, #22, A Capitol Crime finds the teenage sleuth and two of her gal pals in the streets of Washington, DC, as she tries to solve a diamond ring theft where a young employee has pled guilty even though he and his soldier mother both claim his innocence. Add to the twists and turns, Nancy's father is mistaken for the DA who was the prosecuter in the case is held hostage until the crime is solved and Nancy doubts the young man's innocence but that doesn't stop her from pulling all the delightful stops. Definitely a book for young adults and for those who are young at heart.
June 13, 2021
Overall, not bad. I enjoyed this one. Nancy, Bess & George go to the rescue for Nancy's Dad who was mistakenly kidnapped at a lawyer convention. He was mistakened for another person who's a prosecutor. The prosecutor sentenced the kidnappers son for a crime he didn't commit. That's why the kidnapper wanted to get the prosecutor. But since she got Nancy's dad, he was able to convince her to let Nancy look into it. She finally agreed. After looking into the clues, talking to a few people & stealing a copy of a transcript from a police station, the girls were able figure out that the boss of the kidnappers son was the bad guy & was easily able to blame the boy Walker. They were able to clear the boys name & send the real bad guy to jail & Nancy was able to get her father back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2023
In this Nancy Drew Diaries, Mr. Drew disappears at a conference in Washington, D.C. Nancy, George, and Bess jump on a plane to find out what happened to Nancy's father and are determined to find him. A Capitol Crime is a fast moving book, lending to the suspenseful time element to solve the mystery and save Carson Drew. Does Nancy sometimes bend the law the case, yes, a bit. Is there something more nefarious than the kidnapping of Mr. Carson, yes, there is. This particular mystery didn't have as many red herrings, but it is suspenseful and I enjoyed the location of the book. Recommended to fans of Nancy Drew.
September 24, 2023
The story was interesting and had a wide range of suspects; thankfully, it was not a political mystery, as the title and image would suggest.
The only weird moment in this book was the overemphasis on how great the monuments in Washington are. Your friend's dad is missing, but yeah, let's take a moment to cry at a monument.
P.S. All the books in this run of the Nancy Drew series have oddly different vibes from each other, I know that "Keene" doesn't exist, but the authors of one series should at least agree on a vibe and characteristics of Nancy.
The only weird moment in this book was the overemphasis on how great the monuments in Washington are. Your friend's dad is missing, but yeah, let's take a moment to cry at a monument.
P.S. All the books in this run of the Nancy Drew series have oddly different vibes from each other, I know that "Keene" doesn't exist, but the authors of one series should at least agree on a vibe and characteristics of Nancy.
December 18, 2021
The same Nancy Drew that I loved, just updated. She uses cell phones and goes to the mall, and continues to solve mysteries.
*my only issue is the "situational ethics" dilemma....she and someone else break the law. It is so against "Nancy Drew's " integrity and character that I grew up with. Think it could have been written different where she would not have been put in the situation., or somehow made a better choice.
*my only issue is the "situational ethics" dilemma....she and someone else break the law. It is so against "Nancy Drew's " integrity and character that I grew up with. Think it could have been written different where she would not have been put in the situation., or somehow made a better choice.
April 20, 2023
The low rating is for the content of the book and not the story line. The story itself is fine, but I don’t love the idea of Nancy constantly lying to get the information she wants. It’s all throughout the book! Also, at one point in the book, she justifies stealing something from a police station to help her solve a crime about stealing. Obviously as an adult I can separate the story from the morals. Considering the age group this series is targeting though, I’m not a fan.
March 19, 2022
It was difficult for me to suspend my disbelief on how Nancy and her friends, especially Nancy, could get away with all the lies she had said in this book.
Sure, lying may be a part of investigating cases, but it was just lie after lie after lie after lie. I couldn't believe how the adults couldn't recognize a teenager when they see one.
Sure, lying may be a part of investigating cases, but it was just lie after lie after lie after lie. I couldn't believe how the adults couldn't recognize a teenager when they see one.
October 24, 2024
Whoever S&S has overseeing these later volumes is doing an excellent job. Another dynamic book, that has a dynamic amount of character growth for Nancy as she struggles to reconsider what justice means when the law and justice system were wrong, and how actions that are technically crimes could be made for misguided good.
August 17, 2022
This was pretty high stakes and good but I think the book could have been shorter
January 30, 2023
It has brought me to a shock that her father got kidnapped! But we always know Nancy will definitely find a way for the search. Kidnapped father, a robbery case...tragic. I thought ruby was the criminal all this time, but Mr.Bowen do have a clear motive.
June 30, 2023
I enjoyed listening to its audio version. Eines Tages, I’ll work politically as well. Mark my words. Having this is mind while listening appealed to me; therefore 5 out of 6 starts. Honestly i dunno why I lowered the grade.
January 19, 2024
Interesting
I read this simply to see how Nancy was being interpreted in modern terms. The characters still held my attention but seemed shallower and had less personality than the original characters. How sad.....
I read this simply to see how Nancy was being interpreted in modern terms. The characters still held my attention but seemed shallower and had less personality than the original characters. How sad.....
April 18, 2025
This is arguably one of the most intriguing ND books of all time (or at least that I’ve listened to/ read). From
Carson Drew going missing to a pretty intense case after the initial case, this book is one that I won’t soon forget. 10/10 recommend!
Carson Drew going missing to a pretty intense case after the initial case, this book is one that I won’t soon forget. 10/10 recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2025
Did this as an audio book, first time with one of the newer ones. Plenty of Drew-typical twists, though I don’t get the tie pin clue (or the cufflinks). Also, I don’t remember Nancy committing quite so many crimes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews