Customer Reviews

The Secret in the Old Attic (Nancy Drew, Book 21)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This review concerns the original 1944 edition and the revised 1970 edition which closely follows the plot of the original, with a few small changes. Elderly Mr. March approachs Nancy seeking her help to find his deceased son's unpublished sheet music. Mr. March desperately needs the money to care for his granddaughter, Susan. Unfortunately, a thief has been secretly entering the March house and stealing whatever songs that he can find and publishing them himself. I really enjoyed this book. In my opinion, it is the second or third best of the series (I can't decide between it and The Bungalow Mystery; The Hidden Staircase is my #1). I found it to be well-written, highly descriptive, and had quite a bit of action. The climax of the book, when Nancy finally finds the music and is confronted by the thief, is perhaps the best scene of the series for its originality, excitement and suspense. The only thing that I did not like about this book, was how the thief was caught because Nancy had pretty much nothing to do with actually capturing him.

Nancy Drew books are very good. I have read a lot of them andthis is one of my favorites I've read it twice and I know I'll read itagain. My mom read these books as a child and now I'm reading them! This book will keep you wondering into the last pages. You must read this book!! It's a mind challenger and a thriller. There are times when you will feel baffled and times when you will feel scared. Nancy will stop at nothing to help a person in need, and in this case to find Phillip March's unpublished music which is hidden somewhere in his fathers home Pleasant Hedges. Nancy must find the music and stop the man who is stealing from getting any more. At the same time, figure out the intruder's secret means of getting in the mansion! I think this is one of the best books I've ever read. And I read A LOT!!!!!!!!

The Secret in the Old Attic is my hands-down favorite. Its subject matter, popular music, is close to my heart, in that I collect records, work for a record distributor, and am a musician myself, having played the clarinet in bands through public secondary school and college. Indeed, the missing music, composed by Philip March Jr. (aka Fipp), a casualty in WWII as Philip March Sr. had been a WWI vet, was the kind I most often played in college band. I could see the logical sequence, with
Nancy and friends Bess and George finding various keepsakes, selling them to enable Grandfather March to pay bills, and Nancy's lending Mr. March and Susan her radio, on which she heard songs of Fipp's that had been burglarized by Riggin "Bushy" Trott
and sold to textile executive Lawrence Dight's brother-in-law Ben
Lally, who published the stolen songs first under the alias Ben Banks, then used a NEW alias-- Harry Hall. Hearing THAT enraged Mr. March, as the song that he heard was his deceased son's, NOT composed by any Harry Hall! It was interesting that Riggin Trott
was the chemist who had stolen a synthetic silk-making process consisting of chemically treating spider thread, a WW II expedient, as was Nancy's train ride with Bess and George to distant town to question that crooked music publisher Milton Jenner (A-card limited her driving). The ending was delightful,
with Riggin (Bushy) arrested, and the stolen music recovered
(though the story did not explicitly mention that). At all events, Old Attic is my favorite. Like all the original Nancy
Drews, this one represents an earlier era, when, for instance, there were no televisions, not even Muntz TV's!

I thought this book was totaly great. THis book really has a lot of edge to it. Iy will keep you hanging after EVERY chapter. THis book is about when Nancy goes to find music hidden in a old masion own by Mr. March (he's old). THis mansoin is really creapy. Mr. March needs this music to take care of his grand child. This book is one you will remember forever.

My Grandma suggested I should read this book! I loved it! EERIE ATTICS... what a great investigating place! This book also involves other interesting mysteries! You should read it!

My Grandma suggested I should read this book! I loved it! EERIE ATTICS... what a great investigating place! This book also involves other interesting mysteries! You should read it!

I loved this book i never wanted to put it down totaly 5 stars if you love mysteries get this book

MY DAUGHTER IS STARTING TO COLLECT THESE BOOKS. I WISH I HAD KEPT MINE FROM YEARS AGO. BOOK 21 DOES NOT MATCH THE FIRST 20 NOT SURE IF IT CHANGED THEN OR WHAT. BUT STILL GOOD

A deceased composer's music has gone missing, and his elderly father, Mr. March, approaches America's favorite spunky girl detective, Nancy Drew for help. Mr. March really needs that money now to support his granddaughter, Susan.

There's a lot of twists and turns to this story, but what really shines is Nancy. She's not only on the case, she will stop at nothing to help out people in need.

I recommend The Secret in the Old Attic as one of the best of the Carolyn Keene novels.

The book arrived quickly and in perfect condition. It was great to see such an old story so well preserved.