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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #70
The Broken Anchor
A quest for pirate treasure takes clever detective Nancy Drew and her friends to a small island in the Bahamas.
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
4 people are currently reading
1340 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,058 books3,924 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 25, 2020
This is my favorite Nancy Drew, not necessarily because of the story (though it's not bad) but because of the memories associated with it. The first time I read this was on a very stormy New Year's Eve (I think 1997) when I read this aloud with my parents by lanternlight after our power went out, and it was the perfect story for that setting since they lose power on the island at one point and there is also a big storm. I remember the wind whooshing down the chimney and rain battering the windows, but being cozy inside reading an exciting story by lanternlight!
Rereading, the story is still pretty good. I'm hiding inside for a different reason now and I'm across the country from my parents, so it's nice to remember that special New Year's Eve.
Rereading, the story is still pretty good. I'm hiding inside for a different reason now and I'm across the country from my parents, so it's nice to remember that special New Year's Eve.
April 20, 2020
1st read: *****
Reread: ****
Really interesting but its lacking in details here and there and too much time was spent not on the actual island. But still a satisfying read.
Reread: ****
Really interesting but its lacking in details here and there and too much time was spent not on the actual island. But still a satisfying read.
September 8, 2025
The reading slump was going hard but this brought the fun back into reading. We love icon Nancy Drew!
November 23, 2020
I really enjoyed this Nancy story. It had a good, coherent plot and involved some real sleuthing. Nancy received a mystery prize for a holiday in the bahamas, although she doesn't remember entering. She sends Beth and George ahead while she helps her father who is involved in the investigation of an abandonned boat. Of course the two are linked and Nancy and her father head to the resort to meet the girls and continue investigation. When they arrive they have many mysteries to solve, quite and adventure exploring hidden caves and they finally get to the bottom of the mystery! Fun as usual!
August 10, 2014
This one is good. The deserted island is a great setting and I was totally worried about Bess. There's no big showdown in the end which was nice.
March 14, 2022
Et nous démarrons cette nouvelle semaine en mode nostalgie, avec une nouvelle lecture de la série « Alice Détective »
REWIND : pour ceux qui n’étaient pas là l’année passée, petit récap : je m’étais lancé le challenge de relire les classiques jeunesse. Les classiques « classiques », et mes classiques à moi, dont la série Alice Détective fait partie.
Ce dimanche 13 mars 2022, j’ai lu « Alice et l’ancre brisée », de soi-disant Caroline Quine. Soi-disant, car Caroline Quine est en réalité un pseudo, derrière lequel se cachent plusieurs auteurs et autrices qui nous ont offert des aventures de l’intrépide détective à travers les époques.
Cette fois-ci, Alice Roy a été sélectionnée par la station balnéaire de Sweet Springs, aux Bahamas, pour y passer une semaine de rêve avec la personne de son choix.
Seulement… elle n’a jamais participé au moindre concours !
Au même moment, son non moins célèbre père lui propose de participer à une affaire qu’on lui a confiée : une sombre histoire de bateau abandonné, à l’intérieur duquel de nombreuses coupures de presse des affaires qu’Alice a résolues ont été trouvées. Les deux affaires sont-elles liées ?
Quel pur moment de nostalgie… Bien sûr, maintenant, je suis grande, et j’ai résolu l’enquête en moins de deux (euh…)
Mais les souvenirs de la petite fille que j’étais et qui rejouait les enquêtes d’Alice dans la cours de récré en pensant qu’elle aussi était assez badass pour tout entreprendre et tout réussir, me sont revenus en mémoire. Et c’était bien de grandir avec une telle foi en son potentiel.
Oh, pour ceux qui l’ignorent, l’héroïne légendaire qu’est Alice Roy est connue internationalement sous le nom de Nancy Drew. Alors, d’une manière ou d’une autre, vous avez dû entendre parler d’elle.
Elle est iconique. Classique parmi les classiques.
REWIND : pour ceux qui n’étaient pas là l’année passée, petit récap : je m’étais lancé le challenge de relire les classiques jeunesse. Les classiques « classiques », et mes classiques à moi, dont la série Alice Détective fait partie.
Ce dimanche 13 mars 2022, j’ai lu « Alice et l’ancre brisée », de soi-disant Caroline Quine. Soi-disant, car Caroline Quine est en réalité un pseudo, derrière lequel se cachent plusieurs auteurs et autrices qui nous ont offert des aventures de l’intrépide détective à travers les époques.
Cette fois-ci, Alice Roy a été sélectionnée par la station balnéaire de Sweet Springs, aux Bahamas, pour y passer une semaine de rêve avec la personne de son choix.
Seulement… elle n’a jamais participé au moindre concours !
Au même moment, son non moins célèbre père lui propose de participer à une affaire qu’on lui a confiée : une sombre histoire de bateau abandonné, à l’intérieur duquel de nombreuses coupures de presse des affaires qu’Alice a résolues ont été trouvées. Les deux affaires sont-elles liées ?
Quel pur moment de nostalgie… Bien sûr, maintenant, je suis grande, et j’ai résolu l’enquête en moins de deux (euh…)
Mais les souvenirs de la petite fille que j’étais et qui rejouait les enquêtes d’Alice dans la cours de récré en pensant qu’elle aussi était assez badass pour tout entreprendre et tout réussir, me sont revenus en mémoire. Et c’était bien de grandir avec une telle foi en son potentiel.
Oh, pour ceux qui l’ignorent, l’héroïne légendaire qu’est Alice Roy est connue internationalement sous le nom de Nancy Drew. Alors, d’une manière ou d’une autre, vous avez dû entendre parler d’elle.
Elle est iconique. Classique parmi les classiques.
August 31, 2023
Little Free Library Nancy Drew from 1983. Nancy gets a letter that she's won a trip to Sweet Springs Resort on Anchor Island in the Bahamas. She's sure she didn't enter a contest, but her travel agent says the resort is real and the plane tickets are confirmed. And it's the 80s, so why not?
Nancy's dad Carson is working on a case in Florida. He calls and asks her to come help him. He's trying to find the owner of an abandoned boat and, in the boat is a folder with clippings about all the mysteries Nancy has solved. She sends Bess and George to the resort and heads to Miami to meet Carson.
The obnoxious local Sheriff believes that the Drews must somehow be at fault since they're mentioned in these papers. Nancy searches the boat for clues and discovers a hidden gold piece with etching on it. She and Carson decide to take it to a jewelry restoration place instead of to the obnoxious Sheriff. They figure out the boat belongs to the DeFoes, who also own the resort. Then the boat disappears. Meanwhile, no one has heard from Bess and George at the resort. When the Drews try to call, they can't get through and are eventually told it's closed for the season. They take a float plane to the island and make their way to the resort. They're met by George and the owner's granddaughter Penny. There's no one else around and now Bess is missing. It's very tense as those on the island attempt to figure things out while some other mysterious men try to thwart them.
This one has more tense adventure than most - sort of Scooby Doo meets Treasure Island. All the unlikely happenings are explained in the end, even if the explanations are also pretty unlikely. The glimpse of the 80s era Caribbean brought back memories of some fun, low budget adventures there.
Nancy's dad Carson is working on a case in Florida. He calls and asks her to come help him. He's trying to find the owner of an abandoned boat and, in the boat is a folder with clippings about all the mysteries Nancy has solved. She sends Bess and George to the resort and heads to Miami to meet Carson.
The obnoxious local Sheriff believes that the Drews must somehow be at fault since they're mentioned in these papers. Nancy searches the boat for clues and discovers a hidden gold piece with etching on it. She and Carson decide to take it to a jewelry restoration place instead of to the obnoxious Sheriff. They figure out the boat belongs to the DeFoes, who also own the resort. Then the boat disappears. Meanwhile, no one has heard from Bess and George at the resort. When the Drews try to call, they can't get through and are eventually told it's closed for the season. They take a float plane to the island and make their way to the resort. They're met by George and the owner's granddaughter Penny. There's no one else around and now Bess is missing. It's very tense as those on the island attempt to figure things out while some other mysterious men try to thwart them.
This one has more tense adventure than most - sort of Scooby Doo meets Treasure Island. All the unlikely happenings are explained in the end, even if the explanations are also pretty unlikely. The glimpse of the 80s era Caribbean brought back memories of some fun, low budget adventures there.
June 5, 2022
3.5 stars. Mostly I liked the IDEA of this book. It sort of resembled a locked room mystery in which the characters are all trapped in the same isolated place. I loved the eeriness of the abandoned resort and the mysterious vacation tickets popping up out of nowhere. The first half of the book went by very quickly because I was genuinely so interested in the story.
Unfortunately, it did start to fall flat after they found out Bess was kidnapped. If my best friend went missing, I would be spending every minute of the day combing the island for clues. Forget eating and sleeping. The characters are way too chill in this book. But then, I guess that’s pretty similar to the PC game. In fact, it was extremely similar in general, which hasn’t happened much so far and is certainly not something I expected from this game in particular. Helps to explain why it is the way it is, I guess.
I liked that Carson was a big part of the book, but as an adult figure I found him kind of an idiot sometimes. They all should’ve been posting guards and conducting stakeouts from the very beginning. Every chapter Carson just encourages everyone to give up and stop looking for a while.
I thought it would’ve been really clever if Penny (the only new character on the island) turned out to be the villain. It could’ve been some crafty foreshadowing if all her advice to not bother looking certain places etc. was actually meant to lay them off the scent. Instead the culprits are two random characters we never hear of till the end (the bearded dude on the cover is also a spoiler.) Too bad the ND ghost writers are never that creative.
Unfortunately, it did start to fall flat after they found out Bess was kidnapped. If my best friend went missing, I would be spending every minute of the day combing the island for clues. Forget eating and sleeping. The characters are way too chill in this book. But then, I guess that’s pretty similar to the PC game. In fact, it was extremely similar in general, which hasn’t happened much so far and is certainly not something I expected from this game in particular. Helps to explain why it is the way it is, I guess.
I liked that Carson was a big part of the book, but as an adult figure I found him kind of an idiot sometimes. They all should’ve been posting guards and conducting stakeouts from the very beginning. Every chapter Carson just encourages everyone to give up and stop looking for a while.
I thought it would’ve been really clever if Penny (the only new character on the island) turned out to be the villain. It could’ve been some crafty foreshadowing if all her advice to not bother looking certain places etc. was actually meant to lay them off the scent. Instead the culprits are two random characters we never hear of till the end (the bearded dude on the cover is also a spoiler.) Too bad the ND ghost writers are never that creative.
August 4, 2022
This Nancy Drew novel was a surprise compared to the last few I've read. A plot that moves at a steady pace, with great plot progression and an actually decent mystery? Hooray! I liked that Nancy is truly on the case this time, with a real mystery that had a few layers to it. It was a fun read and actually felt like there were stakes, including missing peoples lives! I thought it would annoy me that Carson took such a forward role in this novel, but based on the story, having an older adult ended up being a real boon.
Honestly, I'd even say its better than the ND: Ransom of the Seven Ships game.
Honestly, I'd even say its better than the ND: Ransom of the Seven Ships game.
May 15, 2020
I enjoyed this book. I'd love to find lots more Nancy Drew books to read.
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June 14, 2021189 pages
July 2, 2021
I liked how this story was on an island. Far from River Heights. No where to go, and it made the story more eerie. This was a good book.
March 5, 2022
Nancy and the gang hit the Bahamas and save the world. Review coming soon.
February 11, 2010
A search for pirate treasure in the Bahamas
September 12, 2025
Best nancy drew amazing ide
January 16, 2015
great story.
September 24, 2016
great book
Read
February 3, 2017Placeholder for reread of Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
April 25, 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 - 20 of 20 reviews