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rmadden's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The hypers thing with George is getting really annoying. But this was a fun mystery. Nancy is iconic- getting her boyfriend to invite another man she thinks is attractive to his dance- again just iconic. I also really loved that they made the prisoners dig up the treasure.
hstapp's review
3.0
They really worked as many keys into this story as they could. So many keys so little time.
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
2.0
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Iām at the half-way point of the original Grosset & Dunlap Nancy Drew Mysteries, which are the first 56 books in the series. The Clue of the Black Keys was published in 1951 and revised in 1968. I read the Original Text for this review.
From the publisher: āDuring an archaeological expedition in Mexico, two professors, the senior Dr. Joshua Pitt and young Terry Scott find a clue to buried treasure. The clue was a cipher carved on a stone tablet. Before the older professor had time to translate it, he and the tablet disappeared! Terry tells Nancy of his suspicions of a Mexican couple, posing as scientists, who vanished the same night as Dr. Pitt. Nancy follows a tangled trail of clues that lead to Florida and Mexico and a secret of antiquity that can only be unlocked by three black keys.ā
I found this book okay, but not great. I looked at my rating from 5 years ago when I read the series last and rated The Clue of the Black Keys two stars. And now I remember why after revisiting the tale. For much of the book, not a lot happens. Sure, Terry Scott also gets kidnapped and Nancy has to track him down, and Nancy loses consciousness when one of the bad guys takes down a road construction sign and she crashes into a ditch. But thatās just another day in Nancy Drewās world. I felt like the first half of the book was just filler, until Nancy gets to go to Florida with a college group. In order to go with the group, Nancy must pass a college exam, and is able to after cramming for much of one day. Not bad, Nancy, so why arenāt you in college?
A group of professors are seeking an ancient treasure in the shape of a silver frog. But beware treasure hunters, it may also bring āthe destruction of mankindā?! The bad guys have the three black obsidian keys that will unlock a treasure chest. Much of the book had Nancy holding one half of one of the keys despite many attempts to steal it. Finally, the crooks get ahold of it while they are in Florida, and they charter a plane to Mexico where the treasure is located. But Nancy and her helpers (sorry, Bess and George, who complain about not being able to afford a trip to Florida and arenāt with Nancy this time) have summoned the police and catch the bad guys.
The police and Nancy and the professors (who have all been found) make the bad guys dig for the treasure. When they find it, the chest opens with the black keys, and itās full of little silver frogs, one of which contains a powder that is either a deadly powder or a restorative herb depending on which professor you ask. The professors decide to bring the frog and the substance to a university laboratory where it can be determined what it really is. And then the book just ENDS! Thereās no follow-up and weāll never know the results because Nancy is already looking forward to her next case.
Iām not quite sure what the ghost writer was doing with the Terry Scott character because heās described as young and very attractive and Bess teases Nancy about him. The fact that Ned doesnāt feel threatened by Nancyās sudden closeness with the professor isnāt surprising, either. Nancy uses and abuses Ned throughout the series and he puts up with it because he realizes that Nancyās real love is for mysteries, not another man.
As with many of the Nancy Drew books written in the first half of the last century, there is an issue with stereotyping people, and this book is no exception, this time with the Hispanic bad guy, who is described as ādark and swarthy.ā The revision really didnāt get rid of the language, either. Itās not as bad as the first few books of the series, but it still makes me cringe.
Iām at the half-way point of the original Grosset & Dunlap Nancy Drew Mysteries, which are the first 56 books in the series. The Clue of the Black Keys was published in 1951 and revised in 1968. I read the Original Text for this review.
From the publisher: āDuring an archaeological expedition in Mexico, two professors, the senior Dr. Joshua Pitt and young Terry Scott find a clue to buried treasure. The clue was a cipher carved on a stone tablet. Before the older professor had time to translate it, he and the tablet disappeared! Terry tells Nancy of his suspicions of a Mexican couple, posing as scientists, who vanished the same night as Dr. Pitt. Nancy follows a tangled trail of clues that lead to Florida and Mexico and a secret of antiquity that can only be unlocked by three black keys.ā
I found this book okay, but not great. I looked at my rating from 5 years ago when I read the series last and rated The Clue of the Black Keys two stars. And now I remember why after revisiting the tale. For much of the book, not a lot happens. Sure, Terry Scott also gets kidnapped and Nancy has to track him down, and Nancy loses consciousness when one of the bad guys takes down a road construction sign and she crashes into a ditch. But thatās just another day in Nancy Drewās world. I felt like the first half of the book was just filler, until Nancy gets to go to Florida with a college group. In order to go with the group, Nancy must pass a college exam, and is able to after cramming for much of one day. Not bad, Nancy, so why arenāt you in college?
A group of professors are seeking an ancient treasure in the shape of a silver frog. But beware treasure hunters, it may also bring āthe destruction of mankindā?! The bad guys have the three black obsidian keys that will unlock a treasure chest. Much of the book had Nancy holding one half of one of the keys despite many attempts to steal it. Finally, the crooks get ahold of it while they are in Florida, and they charter a plane to Mexico where the treasure is located. But Nancy and her helpers (sorry, Bess and George, who complain about not being able to afford a trip to Florida and arenāt with Nancy this time) have summoned the police and catch the bad guys.
The police and Nancy and the professors (who have all been found) make the bad guys dig for the treasure. When they find it, the chest opens with the black keys, and itās full of little silver frogs, one of which contains a powder that is either a deadly powder or a restorative herb depending on which professor you ask. The professors decide to bring the frog and the substance to a university laboratory where it can be determined what it really is. And then the book just ENDS! Thereās no follow-up and weāll never know the results because Nancy is already looking forward to her next case.
Iām not quite sure what the ghost writer was doing with the Terry Scott character because heās described as young and very attractive and Bess teases Nancy about him. The fact that Ned doesnāt feel threatened by Nancyās sudden closeness with the professor isnāt surprising, either. Nancy uses and abuses Ned throughout the series and he puts up with it because he realizes that Nancyās real love is for mysteries, not another man.
As with many of the Nancy Drew books written in the first half of the last century, there is an issue with stereotyping people, and this book is no exception, this time with the Hispanic bad guy, who is described as ādark and swarthy.ā The revision really didnāt get rid of the language, either. Itās not as bad as the first few books of the series, but it still makes me cringe.
ejpass's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
zenithharpink's review
3.0
I really enjoyed this mystery, it was fun, but a bit shallow-on a story that really should have had more depth. There was more prominent sexism than usual, and it was pretty grating, but not distractingly so.
I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys Nancy Drew mysteries, who is interested in reading a Nancy Drew mystery, or is looking for a good juvenile mystery read.
I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys Nancy Drew mysteries, who is interested in reading a Nancy Drew mystery, or is looking for a good juvenile mystery read.
the_ghost_penguin_reader's review
adventurous
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
hannahsutherland's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Reading this definitely had a nostalgia factor, but overall I found it to be quite a bland story. No character development at all and the answer to the mystery didn't feel satisfying to me.Ā
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism, Misogyny, and Sexism
brighthappyness's review against another edition
1.0
Wish Nancy would just leave these cultures alone like I was honestly more invested in Nancy's potential love triangle even though the other guy was kind of too old for her, but it's just like after a while these stories kind of blend together, you need something new and that Scott guy was the answer to that.
manwithanagenda's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I had just about given up hope on enjoying any of these remaining early Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Dana Girls novels. As the 1950s continued the pre-revised texts edge closer to the bland, authority-respecting versions of our young sleuths. Of course, the revised editions allegedly fix the racist and sexist elements, too, which is admirable, but often more problems were created then fixed. If parents are concerned about these issues they're better off selecting one of the many, better, options available to young readers today.
Anyway, 'Clue of the Black Keys' was actually enjoyable. It had plenty of the campy elements I'd been missing in other recent reads. Nancy puts herself and is put in some over-the-top danger by dasterdly villains, proves smarter than tenured professors, and doesn't forget to pack her swimsuit. The plot is a young dishy professor seeks out Nancy after her father recommends her for his problem over a lawyer. At a dig site in Mexico some obsidian keys have been unearthed that could open a valuable treasure chest.
These...Mayan? Aztec? keys are stolen by some unscrupulous so-and-sos and Nancy must decifer the remaining clues to track the crooks down. Along the way she unmasks other swindlers and finds clues in a sea captain's diary leading to the Florida Keys. Of course, she has to test her way into a college-level course halfway through term to get a seat on the plane!
Everything about this is absurd and I loved it. There's even a cutting edge bit of ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY at the end. Think the famous synthetic spider's silk that Nancy agrees will revolutionize the fashion industry in 'Secret in the Old Attic' and multiply it by a jillion and you'll be close. This is the only book I have by ghost writer Wilhelmina Rankin, which is a pity, I could have done with a few more of these.
Nancy Drew Mysteries
Next: 'Mystery at the Ski Jump'
Previous: 'The Secret of the Wooden Lady'
Anyway, 'Clue of the Black Keys' was actually enjoyable. It had plenty of the campy elements I'd been missing in other recent reads. Nancy puts herself and is put in some over-the-top danger by dasterdly villains, proves smarter than tenured professors, and doesn't forget to pack her swimsuit. The plot is a young dishy professor seeks out Nancy after her father recommends her for his problem over a lawyer. At a dig site in Mexico some obsidian keys have been unearthed that could open a valuable treasure chest.
These...Mayan? Aztec? keys are stolen by some unscrupulous so-and-sos and Nancy must decifer the remaining clues to track the crooks down. Along the way she unmasks other swindlers and finds clues in a sea captain's diary leading to the Florida Keys. Of course, she has to test her way into a college-level course halfway through term to get a seat on the plane!
Everything about this is absurd and I loved it. There's even a cutting edge bit of ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY at the end. Think the famous synthetic spider's silk that Nancy agrees will revolutionize the fashion industry in 'Secret in the Old Attic' and multiply it by a jillion and you'll be close. This is the only book I have by ghost writer Wilhelmina Rankin, which is a pity, I could have done with a few more of these.
Nancy Drew Mysteries
Next: 'Mystery at the Ski Jump'
Previous: 'The Secret of the Wooden Lady'