Nancy Drew Movie Novelization [Paperback]

Daniela Burr (Adapter)

Book Description

Series: Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew, the cleverest sleuth in River Heights, is always on the case -- no matter how dangerous it may be. Now Nancy's taking her sleuthing to a whole new level as she accompanies her father to Los Angeles, though her dad thinks she's renounced sleuthing forever. After discovering a long-unsolved crime involving the death of a beautiful movie star, Nancy vows to uncover the mystery. With a little help from some new friends, Nancy is well on her way to cracking this case. But is Nancy in over her head in the fast-paced world of Hollywood?

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Simon Spotlight; Original edition (May 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416938990
• ISBN-13: 978-1416938996
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,251,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars keeps with the tone of the original series..., May 14, 2007

By 

Daniel W. Kelly (NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Nancy Drew Movie Novelization (Paperback)

Diehard fans of Nancy Drew books will definitely want to add this one to their collection. Although it is a novelization of the movie plot, it is written in the style of the actual Nancy Drew mystery series--having not seen the movie yet, I didn't feel like I was reading a script, it is a full-fledged Nancy Drew mystery story, with all the usual suspects, including Bess, George, Ned, Hannah, and Carson Drew. At 125 pages, it is pretty much the same length as any book in the regular series as well. There's no doubt that in years to come, this book will be well out-of-print and a much sought after collector's item.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An ideal way to gear up for the release of the film!, May 30, 2007

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nancy Drew Movie Novelization (Paperback)

Amateur sleuth, Nancy Drew, has always been quite content within the tiny town of River Heights. In River Heights, Nancy doesn't stick out like a sore thumb simply because she wears old-fashioned clothes, and prefers sticking her head in a good book as opposed to going to parties. The fact that she always has the opportunity to chase criminals in her roadster - always obeying traffic laws, of course - and manages to solve crimes on a daily basis doesn't hurt much, either. And she can't forget her best friends, Bess and George, along with her potential love interest, Ned. Basically, Nancy couldn't be happier with her life. But then the unthinkable happens. Her father, Carson Drew, is offered the chance to earn some big money by relocating to the City of Angels - Los Angeles - for a few months, and he's taking Nancy with him. Nancy doesn't want to leave her friends behind, or abandon her beloved housekeeper, Hannah, but to please her father, she boards a train and heads for La-La Land. Of course, once she arrives there, Nancy realizes that her father has one very important ground rule set in stone that he wants her to obey wholeheartedly - no more sleuthing! Nancy can't believe her ears. Sleuthing is like second-nature to her, and she can't possibly wrap her head around the concept of renouncing it completely. But she wants to keep her father happy, and agrees to his terms. What he doesn't know, however, is that Nancy has chosen a house with quite a bit of history - and a huge mystery - for them to reside in for the next few months. A beautiful movie star known as Dehlia Draycott, whose career was at its all-time prime when she suddenly died, posed quite a difficult time for the authorities years ago. The killer was never discovered, and Dehlia's Last Will & Testament was never uncovered. Nancy instantly takes an interest in the case, and vows that before she leaves Los Angeles, the mystery surrounding Dehlia Draycott will be solved. But solving the Dehlia Draycott mystery has to take a slight backseat to acting like a "normal teenager." Carson Drew is determined for Nancy to act like other kids her age, and wants her to make new friends. So, to fill the void left by her separation from Bess, George, and Ned, Nancy works to befriend Inga, Corky, and Trish - three of her classmates from Hollywood Hills High, who happen to be the epitome of LA style. Nancy feels that by being friendly to everyone she meets, she's sure to make new friends. But that's not the case. The kids at Hollywood Hills High look at her like she has just stepped off a UFO, and seem intimidated by her confidence. But Nancy doesn't let their cold shoulders rub her the wrong way. In fact, she takes their behavior in stride, and only works harder to be liked. Now, however, as she gets closer to solving the Dehlia Draycott mystery, Nancy realizes that she'll have to enlist the help of her new friends to capture the killer, before she finds herself swimming with the fishes.

The fact that a NANCY DREW film is hitting the big-screen in a month has me absolutely thrilled. And, being the Nancy Drew fan that I am, I found myself incapable of resisting the urge to pick up the movie novelization. While many movie novelizations read like a poorly written script, Daniela Burr manages to bring Nancy's true personality to the forefront, and create a novelization that reads quite like the other books found within the NANCY DREW series. Nancy, as always, is a lovable individual, whose uniqueness shines through on every page. Her confidence, determination, and ability to see the good in everyone - no matter how they treat her - is admirable; and the fact that she appears to win over just about anyone she comes in contact with is quite entertaining. Her intelligence regarding quite a few subjects - from Algebra to laws - is refreshing, and certainly makes her an irresistible character. I found it slightly disappointing that Bess and George make one three-minute appearance throughout the whole tale, and missed Ned's ever-adorable presence. However, the characters of Inga, Trish, and Corky did add a nice contrast to Nancy's conservative character. Inga, Trish, and Corky are the epitome of LA, whose quirky style, and personalities work to make them an accurate, humorous portrayal of La-La Land residents. Though I found their sudden departure from the story to be slightly...abrupt. The ending seems to be fairly hurried, and doesn't really give the reader the chance to see what happens to certain characters - such as Nancy's LA friends. I suppose, of course, this is due to the fact that a sequel could be in the works. Even with the rushed ending, Burr manages to translate the NANCY DREW film script into a fun novelization that provides enjoyment for readers of all ages - both young and old. An ideal way to gear up for the release of the film!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer