The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, Bk 3) [Abridged] [Audio Cassette]

Carolyn Keene (Author), Mildred A. Wirt (Author), Laura Linney (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

Nancy believes her friend’s guardians are trying to steal her inheritance. As she investigates, she has a perilous experience near the deserted bungalow.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Read by Laura Linney
approx. 3 hours
2 cassettes

Nancy believes her friend's guardians are trying to steal her inheritance. As she investigates, she has a perilous experience near the deserted bungalow. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Carolyn Keene is the pen name for Edward L. Stratemeyer who originally began the series. It is not proven, but said, that his daughters updated and continued the series after their father's death in 1930.

Laura Linney's extensive film credits include her Academy Award(R) nominated role in You Can Count on Me, as well as The Truman Show, Absolute Power, Primal Fear, and The Mothman Prophecies. She has also appeared on Broadway in The Crucible and starred in the critically acclaimed PBS miniseries Tales of the City. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House (a) (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807207624
• ISBN-13: 978-0807207628
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,534,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon are the pseudonyms under which many ghostwriters penned the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, respectively. Both series were created by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate book packaging firm, in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet, and syndicate writer Mildred Wirt Benson were the two people primarily responsible for bringing the iconic character of Nancy Drew to life in the minds and hearts of millions of readers around the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Case of Nancy Drew: An Adult Reader's Thoughts on BUNGALOW MYSTERY, September 19, 2006

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, Bk 3) (Hardcover)

Originally written by Mildred Wirt Benson from outlines by Edward Stratemeyer, the Nancy Drew series was first published in 1930s. THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY was the third book in the series, and it and those that followed presented its heroine as a rich, headstrong, and distinctly reckless teenager who sometimes carried a pistol and who wasn't above breaking the law when it suited her purposes.

As the series progressed and other writers began to generate Nancy Drew novels, the character changed and Nancy was "toned down;" instead of flatly rich, she became reasonably affluent; recklessness was replaced by commonsense caution; and while she might be willing to bend the law a bit she would never knowingly break it. In the 1950s and 1960s the earlier novels were re-written to reflect this change in character.

THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY opens with Nancy and friend Helen aboard a small boat--which begins to sink in a sudden storm. Helen is hurt, and although Nancy is a strong swimmer they are soon in danger of their lives. Fortunately, they are rescued by Laura, a recently orphaned teenager who is in the area to meet her new guardians. Nancy soon becomes suspicious of Laura's guardians and determines to investigate the matter; at the same time her father, attorney Carson Drew, is investigating the theift of bonds from a local bank. As is the way of Nancy Drew stories, these two plots soon link, and Nancy finds herself facing a ruthless gang of kidnappers and con artists.

The book is very much of its era: you will not find any cell phones, computers, or similar modern gadgets between its covers. Nancy herself is the "perfect good girl" according to the standards of the day: she tends toward skirts and jackets, wears gloves for social occasion, and is never too busy to whip up a quick luncheon (chicken salad always seems to be a favorite) for family or friends. And she is always prepared, even to the extent of having an overnight bag in the trunk of her car complete with two changes of clothing and a swim suit, just in case!

The Nancy Drew books are not great literature by any stretch of the imagination--they are too distinctly formula for that--but they are competently written, literate, and never talk down to their target audience. They are also good "comfort reading" for grown-ups who recall their childhood reading fondly.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second Best, July 27, 2001

By 

k - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, Bk 3) (Hardcover)

This was the 2nd best book in the series, only to its predecessor, The Hidden Staircase. The book kicks into action around page 70 and is non-stop suspense from there on. Its actually one of the few books that has a good mystery in the story and the cliff hangers at the end of each chapter are well thought out. In my opinion most of the Nancy Drew books were awful. The set is over rated. Of the original 56 books, about 25 of them are good. Half the set. This ranks in at #2 with me.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an exciting adventure, June 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, Bk 3) (Hardcover)

This book was one of the best Nancy Drew books. It captivated your interest and was suspenseful. It was a story of friendships made and renewed. You'll like the surprise ending and how Nancy goes about solving the case.