the_ghost_penguin_reader's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.5
nerdistrob's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
brighthappyness's review against another edition
3.0
Spoiler
If I had a nickel for every time a missing heir was proven to be the true heir through their feet, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twicebschweig717's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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
3.75
This was not very hard to solve early, but was a nice story.
wickedplutoswickedreading's review
3.0
Good mystery but overly dramatic at times. And there's an unfortunate scene with a Black character that's kinda racist. This was written in 1947 but still....yooooo.
manwithanagenda's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
3.5
Nancy must find the heiress to Heath Castle before the clock runs out on the will and the estate is sold to developers. She wouldn't want the wrong kind of people coming to River Heights. I love a good spooky setting for a mystery. I also learned something about buttons and commercial dyes.
We're in the process of setting up our own will and I am beginning to take notes on all of the convoluted and absolutely legitimate ways I can have my heirs prove their identity. I'd also like something in the line of hidden objects in walls and vague riddles. All of this is safer than a bank, or, I don't know a curio cabinet in the living room.
Nancy Drew
Next: 'Mystery of the Tolling Bell'
Previous: 'The Secret in the Old Attic'
We're in the process of setting up our own will and I am beginning to take notes on all of the convoluted and absolutely legitimate ways I can have my heirs prove their identity. I'd also like something in the line of hidden objects in walls and vague riddles. All of this is safer than a bank, or, I don't know a curio cabinet in the living room.
Nancy Drew
Next: 'Mystery of the Tolling Bell'
Previous: 'The Secret in the Old Attic'
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
I loved Nancy Drew books as a kid, and wanted to see whether they held up or not. The answer is that they are a bit dated, with some questionable attitudes, but the writing is still fine. I just stopped caring about getting to the solution -- I might skip to the end and find out some of the details, but I'm just not invested in getting to where this story is giong.
eustasskid's review against another edition
1.0
quite possibly the most annoying nancy drew book i’ve read
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
4.0
When four rose bushes disappear from Nancy Drew's garden, she's plunged into another mystery. The bushes are stolen by Joan Fenimore, a poor little girl with a love of beautiful plants. Joan and her widowed mother are living in reduced circumstances and are convinced that if only the mother's sister, Florianna Johnson--a famous dancer--could be found, then things would change for them.
Florianna was engaged to Walter Heath, heir to a fine estate and the family business. But she disappeared nearly ten years ago. Her health had been bad and she'd been advised to take a break from work and go on a vacation. She never returned. Walter loved her and believed she'd come back, but died five years later. His will revealed that he had left everything to Florianna, provided she was found within five years of his death. There are only three weeks left and if the dancer isn't found the estate will revert to the county to be turned into a park.
Nancy promises the Fenimores that she will do all she can to find the missing dancer. There is also a rumor of clues to be found and the Heath estate so she and Bess and George make it their business to investigate. They discover that someone has been damaging the walls of the gardens and buildings--evidently in search of something. Nancy soon discovers a plot to defraud the missing dancer of her inheritance and she must race against the clock to find Florianna, as well as the valuable secret hidden at Heath Castle.
The Clue in the Crumbling Wall was one of my top ten favorite Nancy Drew stories when I was young. And the mystery still holds up forty-some years later. There are good clues for Nancy to follow and just the right amount of danger and adventure. The girls are attacked at various times, but never seriously hurt and they manage to outsmart the crooks very cleverly. It was nice to see Nancy working with her Dad on this one--he and Nancy follow a lead to Florianna in a nearby town. Usually, Carson Drew is off doing lawyerly things and just gives Nancy little "that-a-girl" pep talks when he appears. I really like the ending--how Florianna uses her new-found wealth and the happy ending for Joan and her mother.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Florianna was engaged to Walter Heath, heir to a fine estate and the family business. But she disappeared nearly ten years ago. Her health had been bad and she'd been advised to take a break from work and go on a vacation. She never returned. Walter loved her and believed she'd come back, but died five years later. His will revealed that he had left everything to Florianna, provided she was found within five years of his death. There are only three weeks left and if the dancer isn't found the estate will revert to the county to be turned into a park.
Nancy promises the Fenimores that she will do all she can to find the missing dancer. There is also a rumor of clues to be found and the Heath estate so she and Bess and George make it their business to investigate. They discover that someone has been damaging the walls of the gardens and buildings--evidently in search of something. Nancy soon discovers a plot to defraud the missing dancer of her inheritance and she must race against the clock to find Florianna, as well as the valuable secret hidden at Heath Castle.
The Clue in the Crumbling Wall was one of my top ten favorite Nancy Drew stories when I was young. And the mystery still holds up forty-some years later. There are good clues for Nancy to follow and just the right amount of danger and adventure. The girls are attacked at various times, but never seriously hurt and they manage to outsmart the crooks very cleverly. It was nice to see Nancy working with her Dad on this one--he and Nancy follow a lead to Florianna in a nearby town. Usually, Carson Drew is off doing lawyerly things and just gives Nancy little "that-a-girl" pep talks when he appears. I really like the ending--how Florianna uses her new-found wealth and the happy ending for Joan and her mother.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.