The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, Book 1) [UNABRIDGED] (Audio Cassette)

by Carolyn Keene (Author), Laura Linney (Reader)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-Girl sleuth, Nancy Drew, is introduced in this audio version of the first book in the series. After aiding an injured child, Nancy accidentally stumbles upon the mystery of Josiah Crowley's missing will. While several of Crowley's impoverished relatives claim that he had included them in his will, his arrogant relatives, seem to possess the only copy, which leaves them in total possession of the deceased man's fortune. Nancy is intrigued by the situation and begins searching for Crowley's missing antique clock, an object that reportedly contains a clue to the will's location. During her investigation, she encounters a series of obstacles, one of which is the theft of the clock by thieves. Nancy's rescue of the clock ultimately leads to her discovery of the real will. Narrator Laura Linney (The Mothman Prophecies, The Truman Show) delivers a pleasant listening experience with clear pronunciation and excellent timing. While the voices of some characters are more clearly delineated than others at times, the exchanges between characters are still easily followed. Background music is occasionally used, usually to indicate moments of tension. Libraries with a demand for fiction featuring girl detectives will want to add this to their collections.
Paula L. Setser, Deep Springs Elementary School, Lexington, KY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
Summer 2005 (Volume XLVIII, Number 2, pp 248-250) Cover Story Septuagenarian Nancy Drew Still Solving Mysteries (Photo of The Hidden Staircase) "Since 1991, Applewood Books has been publishing exact replicas of the Original Nancy Drew Mystery Series from the 1930s--twenty to date. The originals feature a sixteen-year-old Nancy who was a bit more independent than her 1950s "revised version" who was eighteen and much more demure." --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Imagination Studio; Unabridged edition (May 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807207543
• ISBN-13: 978-0807207543
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,197,686 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 1 in The Nancy Drew Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best books ever!, March 3, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, Book 1) (Hardcover)

the first time i read this book, i couldn't put it down. it was so interesting. now i have the book and have read it a couple times now. i'm trying to collect the nancy drew hardbacks, and so far, i have #'s 1-15. but out of all the nancy drews that i've read, i think this one was one of the best. it's about nancy trying to find a missing will in a clock that will help nancy's friends receive money. there's so many suspenseful occurences in the book, and this is one of the best parts about it. if you love mysteries and nancy drew, then surely, you'll love this book.....also, if you're trying to collect the nancy drew hardbacks, then you should probably start out with this one, the very first one in the whole series. hope you like the book!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Case of Nancy Drew: An Adult Reader's Thoughts On OLD CLOCK, September 12, 2006

By	Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Written by Mildred Wirt Benson from an outline by Edward Stratemeyer, THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK was first published in 1930. It was the first book in the Nancy Drew 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 SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK was significantly rewritten in 1959, and the 1959 version is the only version currently in print. Given its era, you will find nothing in the way of cell phones, computers, or the like; Nancy's fashion sense includes gloves; and she always seems find time to whip up a credible meal from scratch for friends. This particular story finds Nancy involved in a search for a missing will. She is assisted in this by her father, who is a noted attorney, and by her older friend Helen Corning. (The re-occuring characters of George, Bess, and Ned do not appear in the earliest books.) As her investigation progresses she not only finds herself at odds with unworthy heirs, but confronting furniture thieves as well.

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. THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK is not, at least in my opinion, the "best" of the series, but it is no less amusing for all that. Innocent fun.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It all Started Here, February 14, 2003

By	Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Nancy Drew is heading home when she witnesses a little girl almost get hit by a truck. This chance meeting with Judy and her aunts leads Nancy into her first mystery. The aunts were counting on inheriting money from their cousin Josiah Crowley. But other relatives have produced a will that leaves everything to them. When Nancy begins to realize the plight of everyone left out of the will, she feels she must investigate. But where might the real will be hidden?

I read many of Nancy's mysteries while growing up, but I realized I'd never read this one before. The story seemed a little more straight forward then I remember others being, but it might just be me. Still, Nancy tackles the case with her usual enthusiasm. I was most surprised to discover the Bess and George weren't present for this first adventure. Frankly, I missed them.

I simply must share the line that drew lots of laughs from me. A villain is confronting Nancy and says, "This will be the last time you'll ever stick your nose in business that doesn't concern you!" If you only knew, fella....

Nancy may not represent the best literature available, but she's fun escapism that everyone needs. Over 70 years old, she's proved her staying power. This is the perfect series to make life long mystery lovers out of kids. Sure worked for me.