the reading chronicles

Nancy Drew's keen mind is tested when she searches for a missing will. [ synopsis (stretching a bit calling it that) from goodreads ]

So I recently found this book at Goodwill and bought it on a whim. Yeaaaars ago, my mom gave me what she had of the series but she didn't have the first couple. So apparently I'm trying to complete my set?? Well, after buying it, I couldn't remember if I'd ever even read this one? So I decided to try it.

There's a reason why these are typically recommended for younger readers. I had such a laugh at so many things in this book. Has Nancy always been so ~moral?? (There was literally a part where she was chasing the criminals and was like "oh! I see to be exceeding the speed limit!" ..... You're chasing a thief and you're worried about speeding?!?! Yeaaaaaah. That makes perfect sense.)

So as an adult this book definitely seems like a "kid's book". But I think the more "adult books" you read, the more the things you read when you were a kid seem like kids books. But I guess that's just part of growing up and progressing in your reading levels/interests.

Overall, this book wasn't that bad. The mystery was pretty good (though now I lean more toward Agatha Christie than Nancy Drew so it wasn't up to *those* standards but, then again, who is?) and even Nancy's abundant insistance at taking the moral high ground stopped getting on my nerves as much. (It probably proves how low I've sunk as an adult that all the "lessons" in this book literally drove me up the wall. As a kid I probably agreed with her. Now I'm more like "yes. You're very moral. We get it. Shut up.")

I would still recommend this book for kids though. It was interesting to go back and read it now. But I'll just say, I'm glad my reading level has advanced beyond this and that I do enjoy reading other things more. That's not to say this book is by any means bad. It just means that I have learned to love other books.

And as much as I complained about this one in this review, I also bought books 2 and 3 when I bought this and I've already started the next one. Or rather, I'll be continuing with what I've already read of it when I remember which box I packed it in. (I'm moving rn.) So apparently I'm rereading this series now. And you can look forward to similar delightful reviews such as this one ("That's sarcasm, Mary.") in the future. (I'm honestly so pleased for you, right now. I know that's exactly what you wanted to hear. Woot.)

(Oh and I only gave it four stars because of how it translated as an adult. Child me most assuredly would've given it five. So there's that, I suppose.)

review originally posted on goodreads