Nancy Drew sees a country mansion explode into flames and finds a mysterious diary nearby, the first clue in a case of fraud and a missing inventor
A fire, a diary and a stranger
Driving home from a country carnival with her friends Bess and George, Nancy Drew sees a handsome mansion explode and catch fire. In the confusion, she spots a man running from the scene and finds a diary lying on the ground, written partly in a language she cannot read and full of puzzling drawings. The clues lead her to a struggling family whose father, an inventor, has disappeared, and to someone who has been stealing his work.
Who will enjoy it
Young mystery fans, readers who have enjoyed earlier Nancy Drew books, and adults revisiting a childhood favourite.
What you will get
A classic Nancy Drew mystery that begins with a burning mansion and a strange diary and leads to a struggling family and a stolen invention.
The Clue in the Diary Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Children’s Books · Nancy Drew · Burning house · Mystery diary
Length
174 pages · ≈ 5 h
More about this book
The opening, with the sudden explosion and fire, is one of the most dramatic in the series, and the mysterious diary is a satisfying puzzle for young readers. Nancy has to decode its contents, track down its owner and work out how it connects to the fire, and each step is clearly signposted for readers to follow. Short chapters, each ending on a small hook, make it a good choice for reading aloud over several evenings.
This book is also notable for introducing Ned Nickerson, who became Nancy's steady companion for decades, and his easygoing charm adds a pleasant new element. The family Nancy helps is drawn with real sympathy, and her determination to see justice done for them gives the story warmth. Bess and George provide their usual contrast, one nervous and one bold, and their banter keeps the tone light even when the danger rises.
As with the other early titles, the edition in print uses a revised text from the nineteen sixties, simplified and faster-paced than the original. The villain is easy to spot, and the dialogue can sound stiff. For a lively, kind-hearted mystery with a memorable opening, it remains one of the stronger early entries in the series. About 174 pages in the Grosset & Dunlap hardcover; retail listings say 192.
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The City of Ember
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer
The Secret of the Old Mill
Theodore Boone: The Abduction
The Tower Treasure
Theodore Boone: The Accused