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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #5
The Secret of Shadow Ranch
This cool paperback blank journal features one of the most memorable cover images from the classic Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series.TM & 2006 Simon & Schuster, Inc.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1931
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About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,020 books3,874 followersCarolyn Keene is a writer pen name that was used by many different people- both men and women- over the years. The company that was the creator of the Nancy Drew series, the Stratemeyer Syndicate, hired a variety of writers. For Nancy Drew, the writers used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene to assure anonymity of the creator.
Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.
Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.
Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.
Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,059 reviews
March 21, 2020
Ah. . . the 1930s. . . it was a sweeter, gentler time. . . a time with neither Coronavirus nor market looting.
Yes, there was something called The Great Depression and you may have heard the rumors that there was some nasty racism, too, but none of these ugly matters plague our young heroine, Nancy, in this, or in any other, of her adventures.
For “titian-haired Nancy was a trim figure in her olive-green knit with matching shoes” and, even when she and her young female friends are threatened at the Phoenix airport and stranded alongside the road in the hot, Arizona desert, help is never far away for a stunning young detective at whom “admiring glances were [always] cast.”
Life is good for a white, affluent female on vacation in 1930s Arizona with tanned farmhands standing by, helping her mount her steed for a vigorous ride or pulling up hard on the rope to give her release.
But Nancy's not alone. Yes, it's true; her dearest companion, Helen Corning, has disappeared, poof, with no further explanation (so cold, Nancy!), but Bess and George, Nancy's future companions in most or all of the remaining stories, make their debut here, in book 5.
Ned, Nancy's future “preferred date,” makes his first “appearance” in this one, too. As the hunky farmhand, Dave, asks Nancy out to a barbecue, George jokes, “What'll poor Ned do?”
A saucy Nancy replies, “We'll be home by the time he gets back from Europe.” (You go, girl!)
When I declared to my daughter that there seemed to be actual flirting going on here, in book #5, she rolled her eyes and said, “That's because you flirt with everyone, Mom.”
Well, I'm not sure about that, but when the hunky Tex is asked to make a chocolate walnut cake with the three super attractive amateur sleuths in the kitchen, the reader is told:
Tex grinned as he picked up a nutcracker. “Boys, we hired out to punch cows and here we are, peelin' nuts!”
Now, am I reading too much into that??
The Secret of Shadow Ranch is different in several ways, especially when compared to the first four books in the series. So much so, I wonder if this was the first instance of a change of author, since “Carolyn Keene” was the pen name that many different authors used to write for the same series.
And, as far as multiculturalism goes, there is almost a little, in this one. There's a character in this story, Mary Deer, who is referred to as “The Indian girl.” Even though Mary Deer is an adult shopkeeper in town, and apparently is grown up enough to pay taxes on her store's revenue, she is known as “the Indian girl.”
This gave me another opportunity to stare down my 11-year-old and say, for the 400th time, “You do know that a woman is not a girl and a girl is not a woman, right?”
And, when “the girls” go to Phoenix for a day of shopping, they “[stroll] down the street to a Spanish restaurant. Here they ate a delicious lunch of tacos and spicy chili.”
I do believe the author meant “Mexican” and I wonder if any of the servers at the restaurant were brown? They weren't mentioned, but I could almost picture them there.
Perhaps the ghost writer for Carolyn Keene was actually P.L. Travers, who, around the same time (1934) wrote the most racially disturbing children's novel of all time (Mary Poppins)?
All in all, despite my wisecracks about the obsessive focus here on people's appearances and the lack of characters of color, the writing in this series is so solid, it's hard to scrutinize, and the stories continue to be page-turners.
Nancy, despite her white-entitled lifestyle, remains a source of girl power, and I wonder if it's a coincidence (or intentional), that the writer included a scene with Nancy chasing bad guys while broncobusters, in the background, perform rodeo acts on wild horses that will essentially render the male riders eunuchs?
You decide!
Yes, there was something called The Great Depression and you may have heard the rumors that there was some nasty racism, too, but none of these ugly matters plague our young heroine, Nancy, in this, or in any other, of her adventures.
For “titian-haired Nancy was a trim figure in her olive-green knit with matching shoes” and, even when she and her young female friends are threatened at the Phoenix airport and stranded alongside the road in the hot, Arizona desert, help is never far away for a stunning young detective at whom “admiring glances were [always] cast.”
Life is good for a white, affluent female on vacation in 1930s Arizona with tanned farmhands standing by, helping her mount her steed for a vigorous ride or pulling up hard on the rope to give her release.
But Nancy's not alone. Yes, it's true; her dearest companion, Helen Corning, has disappeared, poof, with no further explanation (so cold, Nancy!), but Bess and George, Nancy's future companions in most or all of the remaining stories, make their debut here, in book 5.
Ned, Nancy's future “preferred date,” makes his first “appearance” in this one, too. As the hunky farmhand, Dave, asks Nancy out to a barbecue, George jokes, “What'll poor Ned do?”
A saucy Nancy replies, “We'll be home by the time he gets back from Europe.” (You go, girl!)
When I declared to my daughter that there seemed to be actual flirting going on here, in book #5, she rolled her eyes and said, “That's because you flirt with everyone, Mom.”
Well, I'm not sure about that, but when the hunky Tex is asked to make a chocolate walnut cake with the three super attractive amateur sleuths in the kitchen, the reader is told:
Tex grinned as he picked up a nutcracker. “Boys, we hired out to punch cows and here we are, peelin' nuts!”
Now, am I reading too much into that??
The Secret of Shadow Ranch is different in several ways, especially when compared to the first four books in the series. So much so, I wonder if this was the first instance of a change of author, since “Carolyn Keene” was the pen name that many different authors used to write for the same series.
And, as far as multiculturalism goes, there is almost a little, in this one. There's a character in this story, Mary Deer, who is referred to as “The Indian girl.” Even though Mary Deer is an adult shopkeeper in town, and apparently is grown up enough to pay taxes on her store's revenue, she is known as “the Indian girl.”
This gave me another opportunity to stare down my 11-year-old and say, for the 400th time, “You do know that a woman is not a girl and a girl is not a woman, right?”
And, when “the girls” go to Phoenix for a day of shopping, they “[stroll] down the street to a Spanish restaurant. Here they ate a delicious lunch of tacos and spicy chili.”
I do believe the author meant “Mexican” and I wonder if any of the servers at the restaurant were brown? They weren't mentioned, but I could almost picture them there.
Perhaps the ghost writer for Carolyn Keene was actually P.L. Travers, who, around the same time (1934) wrote the most racially disturbing children's novel of all time (Mary Poppins)?
All in all, despite my wisecracks about the obsessive focus here on people's appearances and the lack of characters of color, the writing in this series is so solid, it's hard to scrutinize, and the stories continue to be page-turners.
Nancy, despite her white-entitled lifestyle, remains a source of girl power, and I wonder if it's a coincidence (or intentional), that the writer included a scene with Nancy chasing bad guys while broncobusters, in the background, perform rodeo acts on wild horses that will essentially render the male riders eunuchs?
You decide!
July 26, 2018
As I began to read, I sensed something different in this fifth volume in the Nancy Drew mysteries. In fact, there are several differences.
First, the book starts with Nancy in Phoenix. In the previous books, Nancy is at home in River Heights, or at least not too far away, and the mystery comes to her. She is sought out for her sleuthing skills and to solve the mystery. In The Secret of Shadow Ranch, she goes to Arizona to meet up with friends and discovers the mystery at hand.
That brings us to the introduction of her two best friends, George and Bess. This is the first book in the series where they are mentioned and become supporting characters. I must also note the brief mention of Ned Nickerson, who in later books is Nancy's boyfriend.
Also, Nancy is much more of an independent detective in this volume. Her father, Carson Drew, and her housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, are not there to offer guidance and support. Sure, she has her friends close at hand, but there is a feeling of more independence and tightened focus on Nancy's sleuthing abilities.
I found this complex mystery to be slightly more sinister than the previous ones Nancy has solved, but perhaps that is due to the nature of the ranch scene and the rugged characters. Young readers will learn new vocabulary relating to cowboys and rodeos.
Overall, a solid mystery with several elements for the young reader to puzzle out.
First, the book starts with Nancy in Phoenix. In the previous books, Nancy is at home in River Heights, or at least not too far away, and the mystery comes to her. She is sought out for her sleuthing skills and to solve the mystery. In The Secret of Shadow Ranch, she goes to Arizona to meet up with friends and discovers the mystery at hand.
That brings us to the introduction of her two best friends, George and Bess. This is the first book in the series where they are mentioned and become supporting characters. I must also note the brief mention of Ned Nickerson, who in later books is Nancy's boyfriend.
Also, Nancy is much more of an independent detective in this volume. Her father, Carson Drew, and her housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, are not there to offer guidance and support. Sure, she has her friends close at hand, but there is a feeling of more independence and tightened focus on Nancy's sleuthing abilities.
I found this complex mystery to be slightly more sinister than the previous ones Nancy has solved, but perhaps that is due to the nature of the ranch scene and the rugged characters. Young readers will learn new vocabulary relating to cowboys and rodeos.
Overall, a solid mystery with several elements for the young reader to puzzle out.
December 23, 2011
This continues my series of comparative reviews of the 1930s and 1950s editions of the Nancy Drew books.
Shadow Ranch was the mystery with the biggest divergence of story so far. I've been trying to read them more or less in parallel, but that was pretty much impossible here - they're basically two distinct stories with different plots entirely.
In the 1930s version, there are two main mysteries - what happened to Alice's father, and what's the deal with the little blonde girl who lives with the mysterious old women in the mountain shack. The majority of the book takes place on horseback in the mountains, where the girls have various adventures and Nancy shoots a lynx and a rattlesnake, leads them across raging floodwaters, and finds them shelter when they're lost overnight. Her clever deduction and a telegram back to her father for research solves one mystery, and the other gets wrapped up almost coincidentally.
In the 1950s version, a phantom horse is frightening the inhabitants of the ranch and Nancy learns about the legend of an outlaw's treasure hidden somewhere on the property. Alice's father is still missing, but it's on a much shorter timeframe (months instead of years) and a much less subtle solution. Nearly all of the sleuthing takes place in the farmhouse, with hidden clues and trapdoors and all, or in town. There are a couple of wilderness excursions, but not nearly as many, nor does Nancy do anything particularly butch - even the flood rescue is credited entirely to her "water horse." Obligatory shopping and cooking scenes are inserted, and much is made of the girls' clothes and hair at every occasion.
These are basically not the same book at all, despite the title in common, and the 1930s version is by far the more interesting one.
Shadow Ranch was the mystery with the biggest divergence of story so far. I've been trying to read them more or less in parallel, but that was pretty much impossible here - they're basically two distinct stories with different plots entirely.
In the 1930s version, there are two main mysteries - what happened to Alice's father, and what's the deal with the little blonde girl who lives with the mysterious old women in the mountain shack. The majority of the book takes place on horseback in the mountains, where the girls have various adventures and Nancy shoots a lynx and a rattlesnake, leads them across raging floodwaters, and finds them shelter when they're lost overnight. Her clever deduction and a telegram back to her father for research solves one mystery, and the other gets wrapped up almost coincidentally.
In the 1950s version, a phantom horse is frightening the inhabitants of the ranch and Nancy learns about the legend of an outlaw's treasure hidden somewhere on the property. Alice's father is still missing, but it's on a much shorter timeframe (months instead of years) and a much less subtle solution. Nearly all of the sleuthing takes place in the farmhouse, with hidden clues and trapdoors and all, or in town. There are a couple of wilderness excursions, but not nearly as many, nor does Nancy do anything particularly butch - even the flood rescue is credited entirely to her "water horse." Obligatory shopping and cooking scenes are inserted, and much is made of the girls' clothes and hair at every occasion.
These are basically not the same book at all, despite the title in common, and the 1930s version is by far the more interesting one.
December 19, 2020
In this 5th adventure of brilliant girl detective Nancy Drew, there are phantom horses, cute cowboys, rockslides and apple pies - all you'd expect from a good Nancy adventure. My daughter might already be outgrowing these stories - her rapidly maturing 8-year old mind is already deep into Harry Potter - but I still loved reading this little classic to her with wild horse rides, square dancing (is that even still a thing?), and hijinks galore.
June 6, 2025
Nancy Drew on a ranch in the summer? Thank you very much. During these long summer days and nights I could read a mystery, police procedural, thriller, a day. The temperature calls for fast paced books and movies, and I am always up for a whodunit. Earlier this year I finished the modern diary series. Other than taking place in the 21st century, I find these books cliched and a little too politically correct to fit the needs of today’s generation of girl readers. Not wanting Nancy Drew to exit my life, I decided to return to the original series and what a pleasureIt has been to revisit them. First written in 1930, Nancy Drew books received a face lift in the 1960s, and the books all speak to that era frozen in time. In this installment, Nancy, Bess, and George are set to spend a summer on Summer Ranch in Arizona. They are excited for a summer of fun but a phantom seeks to sabotage the ranch. Will Nancy find who is behind the attempts to sabotage the ranch before it is too late? Between the time period and the seasonal read. I knew that I had to read to find out who is behind a cruel idea of fun.
Bess and George’s aunt and uncle Rawley have purchased Shadow Ranch outside of Phoenix and invited the girls along with Nancy to spend the summer. Before Nancy arrived, the Rawleys told the girls to leave because a phantom horse is making things too dangerous around the ranch. Of course , Nancy arrives, and, of course, she takes it upon herself to solve the mystery. One clue I got that this version had to have gotten a facelift is both the ease at arranging flights and the fact that Shadow Ranch has all of electricity, water, and lights. In the 1930s this would not have been a foregone conclusion. Also, Phoenix was hardly a blip on the radar in the ‘30s. By the 1960s, the city had emerged as a center in the west with a large airport. There would still be rural areas that don’t have access to expressways, such as the road to Shadow Ranch, but the city Nancy and her friends arrived to had been modernized. Nancy is an expert rider and is looking forward to spending her summer on the ranch. She is also determined to solve two mysteries- the person responsible for scaring the Rawleys and the person or people who kidnapped Bess and George’s uncle Ross Regor. With a sleuth’s head on her shoulders , Nancy is determined to solve these cases and still enjoy a summer vacation.
Readers are introduced to a slew of characters. Dave Gregory has eyes for Nancy, but we discover that Ned is in the picture. Unlike the modern series, Nancy is ok with flirting here and even accompanies Dave to a dance. Besides Ned is in Europe and both will be home before too long. Got to love that scene. We find out that Dave is the descendant of the original owner of the ranch. He came to Shadow Ranch to find a treasure that his ancestor’s desperado boyfriend Valentine left for her. He could use the money to put his younger siblings through college. Meanwhile, Bess and George’s cousin Alice asks Nancy to find her father who has been missing since his bank was robbed. The family is worried but has not lost hope that he is alive and being held somewhere. Of course, Nancy takes on both cases. Of course, one of the ranch hands always seems to pop up when something fishy goes on, leading her to deduce that he is the one responsible. The character development of this Shorty is cliched and fits with the time period, but who cares. It is all in good fun. While trying to enjoy her vacation, Nancy now has two mysteries to solve- they just find her. She also has to look her best for the upcoming dance and whip up a chocolate cake. Is there anything she cannot do?
While I find most Nancy Drew books to be cliched leading me to figure the culprits about halfway through, I know I am not the intended reading audience. I doubt that the creators of Nancy Drew way back in 1930 believed that their new girl detective would be around for one hundred years. In every case in this series men doubt that Nancy can solve mysteries meant for the police and tell her to stay out of trouble. Bess and George point out that she is the best detective in River Heights and has solved quite a few cases. Then, the police and main male protagonist step aside and let Nancy detect. In this series, sometimes Bess and George assist Nancy in her detecting, as they do here, and sometimes they sit back and enjoy their vacation. What remains consistent over the years is their friendship without rivalries; these three could have coined the phrase girls supporting girls. They have unique interests and skill sets and remain the best of friends. These girls are great literary role models for girls who I hope discover this original series, even if it is a little more sinister and flirtatious than the current iteration. Besides Ned never needs to know about Nancy’s interactions with Dave.
In the end, Nancy solves the crime. She gets a lot of help from her friends and all is well. As the sheriff rounds up the bandits, I evoked the line from the original Scooby Doo series that “I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you kids.” That is Nancy Drew in the 1960s to t. Whether it is in summer or winter, River Heights or vacation, Nancy always solves the case. Her deduction skills make her America’s most famous youth detective. There is something about warm summer months that make it perfect for reading mysteries. I know that Nancy Drew is geared for middle grade readers, but that is not going to stop me from reading about her. It is women who continue to read Nancy Drew that had allowed her to endure as long as she has. With the summer just getting started I look forward to see what mystery she has in store for us next.
4 stars
Bess and George’s aunt and uncle Rawley have purchased Shadow Ranch outside of Phoenix and invited the girls along with Nancy to spend the summer. Before Nancy arrived, the Rawleys told the girls to leave because a phantom horse is making things too dangerous around the ranch. Of course , Nancy arrives, and, of course, she takes it upon herself to solve the mystery. One clue I got that this version had to have gotten a facelift is both the ease at arranging flights and the fact that Shadow Ranch has all of electricity, water, and lights. In the 1930s this would not have been a foregone conclusion. Also, Phoenix was hardly a blip on the radar in the ‘30s. By the 1960s, the city had emerged as a center in the west with a large airport. There would still be rural areas that don’t have access to expressways, such as the road to Shadow Ranch, but the city Nancy and her friends arrived to had been modernized. Nancy is an expert rider and is looking forward to spending her summer on the ranch. She is also determined to solve two mysteries- the person responsible for scaring the Rawleys and the person or people who kidnapped Bess and George’s uncle Ross Regor. With a sleuth’s head on her shoulders , Nancy is determined to solve these cases and still enjoy a summer vacation.
Readers are introduced to a slew of characters. Dave Gregory has eyes for Nancy, but we discover that Ned is in the picture. Unlike the modern series, Nancy is ok with flirting here and even accompanies Dave to a dance. Besides Ned is in Europe and both will be home before too long. Got to love that scene. We find out that Dave is the descendant of the original owner of the ranch. He came to Shadow Ranch to find a treasure that his ancestor’s desperado boyfriend Valentine left for her. He could use the money to put his younger siblings through college. Meanwhile, Bess and George’s cousin Alice asks Nancy to find her father who has been missing since his bank was robbed. The family is worried but has not lost hope that he is alive and being held somewhere. Of course, Nancy takes on both cases. Of course, one of the ranch hands always seems to pop up when something fishy goes on, leading her to deduce that he is the one responsible. The character development of this Shorty is cliched and fits with the time period, but who cares. It is all in good fun. While trying to enjoy her vacation, Nancy now has two mysteries to solve- they just find her. She also has to look her best for the upcoming dance and whip up a chocolate cake. Is there anything she cannot do?
While I find most Nancy Drew books to be cliched leading me to figure the culprits about halfway through, I know I am not the intended reading audience. I doubt that the creators of Nancy Drew way back in 1930 believed that their new girl detective would be around for one hundred years. In every case in this series men doubt that Nancy can solve mysteries meant for the police and tell her to stay out of trouble. Bess and George point out that she is the best detective in River Heights and has solved quite a few cases. Then, the police and main male protagonist step aside and let Nancy detect. In this series, sometimes Bess and George assist Nancy in her detecting, as they do here, and sometimes they sit back and enjoy their vacation. What remains consistent over the years is their friendship without rivalries; these three could have coined the phrase girls supporting girls. They have unique interests and skill sets and remain the best of friends. These girls are great literary role models for girls who I hope discover this original series, even if it is a little more sinister and flirtatious than the current iteration. Besides Ned never needs to know about Nancy’s interactions with Dave.
In the end, Nancy solves the crime. She gets a lot of help from her friends and all is well. As the sheriff rounds up the bandits, I evoked the line from the original Scooby Doo series that “I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you kids.” That is Nancy Drew in the 1960s to t. Whether it is in summer or winter, River Heights or vacation, Nancy always solves the case. Her deduction skills make her America’s most famous youth detective. There is something about warm summer months that make it perfect for reading mysteries. I know that Nancy Drew is geared for middle grade readers, but that is not going to stop me from reading about her. It is women who continue to read Nancy Drew that had allowed her to endure as long as she has. With the summer just getting started I look forward to see what mystery she has in store for us next.
4 stars
July 3, 2025
3 stars ⭐️ Children’s Classic [Yellow Flashlight revised 1961 edition - Listened to Penelope Heaven’s audiobook of this on YouTube]
This one has always been a least favorite for me in the Nancy Drew series, but I listened to it with my mom while she’s been under the weather and it was really fun to do that as it’s been a long time since she’s read any Nancy Drew books. As far as the mystery and story, it's still mediocre for me.
This is the first mystery/book where Bess and George are apart of it, and there’s the first mention of Ned as well.
Main Content notes for parents-
Nancy sees the “ghostly” horse a few times and chases after it before it seems to disappear into thin air.
Mentions of a “phantom” horse and ghosts (which some side characters comment about and seem to believe to be real, but Nancy is determined to find out the truth about it as she believes it to be a trick); Mentions of an outlaw cursing the sheriff’s property as he was dying and saying his horse will haunt it & some comment on/believe it to be true or currently happening; Mentions of luck & bad luck.
Dangerous Situation Counter: Being threatened with a note, a dangerous item, & with harm; Chasing after thieves; Going through a sandstorm; An overheated radiator & being stranded in the desert; A dog snarls at Nancy; Being grabbed (x2); Stopping a robber; Being caught in a rockslide and falling through the floor of a building; Being caught in a bad storm outside and cross a raging river on a horse; Being locked/trapped in a room; An accident between horses causes Nancy to hit the ground and black out; Being on a rearing horse and hanging on; Being followed; Almost being kidnapped; Being held captive.
A villain is sarcastic in a comment.
All about & many mentions of sabotage, outlaws, a missing person, intruders, & hostages/prisoners; Mentions of the outlaw being shot and killed by the sheriff; Mentions of a young girl’s father missing for months and the theories being that he is being held hostage by robbers or a victim of amnesia; Mentions of stolen items, thieves, burglary, & robbers; Mentions of eavesdropping; Mentions of a missing dog (someone says that the phantom horse got him, but is found injured); Mentions of missing & possibly injured horses; A few mentions of gunshots; A few mentions of a room being destroyed; A couple mentions of a parent’s death; A couple mentions of bones of pioneers being found (which Bess calls a “ghastly” thought); A mention of Indian attacks (in olden days).
Bess quotes her uncle saying that the mystery is “too dangerous for a girl”; Bess is described as a “pretty, slightly plump blonde” (which her weight is not noticeable in the illustrations) and George is an “attractive tomboyish girl with short dark hair”; Bess says she’s so upset about the mystery that her appetite is gone, but orders an ice cream sundae and George teases that she’s “wasting away”; Later when Bess comments on the heat making her want a cold drink and a hot dog to go with it, George comments that “eating is really a very fattening hobby, dear cousin.”.
Nancy is asked out on a triple date with her friends (by a man who was priorly a bit hostile towards her); One if the girls says that that guy is “really flipped” for Nancy and George teases “what’ll poor Ned do?”, but Nancy replied that they will all be home by the time Ned gets back from Europe.
While never called a “forbid relationship”, the outlaw and the sheriff’s daughter were sweethearts and loved each other (the outlaw was eventually killed by her father and she fainted when receiving the news; The outlaw regrets his “misspent life” as he hoped to marry her but knows that law is after him).
A couple mentions of handsome cowboys.
Some things that worked for the time period this book was written/revised in, but might raise eyebrows now: Native Americans are called “Indians” throughout the book; The girls look for “Indian costumes” to wear to a square dance.
This one has always been a least favorite for me in the Nancy Drew series, but I listened to it with my mom while she’s been under the weather and it was really fun to do that as it’s been a long time since she’s read any Nancy Drew books. As far as the mystery and story, it's still mediocre for me.
This is the first mystery/book where Bess and George are apart of it, and there’s the first mention of Ned as well.
Main Content notes for parents-
Nancy sees the “ghostly” horse a few times and chases after it before it seems to disappear into thin air.
Mentions of a “phantom” horse and ghosts (which some side characters comment about and seem to believe to be real, but Nancy is determined to find out the truth about it as she believes it to be a trick); Mentions of an outlaw cursing the sheriff’s property as he was dying and saying his horse will haunt it & some comment on/believe it to be true or currently happening; Mentions of luck & bad luck.
Dangerous Situation Counter: Being threatened with a note, a dangerous item, & with harm; Chasing after thieves; Going through a sandstorm; An overheated radiator & being stranded in the desert; A dog snarls at Nancy; Being grabbed (x2); Stopping a robber; Being caught in a rockslide and falling through the floor of a building; Being caught in a bad storm outside and cross a raging river on a horse; Being locked/trapped in a room; An accident between horses causes Nancy to hit the ground and black out; Being on a rearing horse and hanging on; Being followed; Almost being kidnapped; Being held captive.
A villain is sarcastic in a comment.
All about & many mentions of sabotage, outlaws, a missing person, intruders, & hostages/prisoners; Mentions of the outlaw being shot and killed by the sheriff; Mentions of a young girl’s father missing for months and the theories being that he is being held hostage by robbers or a victim of amnesia; Mentions of stolen items, thieves, burglary, & robbers; Mentions of eavesdropping; Mentions of a missing dog (someone says that the phantom horse got him, but is found injured); Mentions of missing & possibly injured horses; A few mentions of gunshots; A few mentions of a room being destroyed; A couple mentions of a parent’s death; A couple mentions of bones of pioneers being found (which Bess calls a “ghastly” thought); A mention of Indian attacks (in olden days).
Bess quotes her uncle saying that the mystery is “too dangerous for a girl”; Bess is described as a “pretty, slightly plump blonde” (which her weight is not noticeable in the illustrations) and George is an “attractive tomboyish girl with short dark hair”; Bess says she’s so upset about the mystery that her appetite is gone, but orders an ice cream sundae and George teases that she’s “wasting away”; Later when Bess comments on the heat making her want a cold drink and a hot dog to go with it, George comments that “eating is really a very fattening hobby, dear cousin.”.
Nancy is asked out on a triple date with her friends (by a man who was priorly a bit hostile towards her); One if the girls says that that guy is “really flipped” for Nancy and George teases “what’ll poor Ned do?”, but Nancy replied that they will all be home by the time Ned gets back from Europe.
While never called a “forbid relationship”, the outlaw and the sheriff’s daughter were sweethearts and loved each other (the outlaw was eventually killed by her father and she fainted when receiving the news; The outlaw regrets his “misspent life” as he hoped to marry her but knows that law is after him).
A couple mentions of handsome cowboys.
Some things that worked for the time period this book was written/revised in, but might raise eyebrows now: Native Americans are called “Indians” throughout the book; The girls look for “Indian costumes” to wear to a square dance.
July 14, 2019
It’s summer, and Nancy has been invited to spend it with her best friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne on the ranch their uncle Ed and aunt Bet have just bought in Arizona. However, she has barely landed when she learns that things aren’t going well on the ranch. Someone is trying to drive the new owners off the land with acts of sabotage, most of which are foreshadowed by a phantom horse. There is a legend that an old outlaw cursed the ranch, but Nancy thinks the culprits are more modern and very real. Can she figure out what is going on and why?
This may be the fifth book in the series, but this is the first time we are seeing Bess and George, Nancy’s usual sleuthing companions. They jump right in here for another action-packed story. The general plot outline is fairly obvious early on, including a massive coincidence in the story, but that didn’t keep me from turning pages as quickly as I could. As an adult I find the characters thinner than I remember, but we still like them enough to care about the outcome. Since the book was last updated in the 1950’s, some of the language is a little dated (it even stopped me a little), but I doubt it will slow down today’s kids as they race to see how Nancy will piece together this fun mystery.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This may be the fifth book in the series, but this is the first time we are seeing Bess and George, Nancy’s usual sleuthing companions. They jump right in here for another action-packed story. The general plot outline is fairly obvious early on, including a massive coincidence in the story, but that didn’t keep me from turning pages as quickly as I could. As an adult I find the characters thinner than I remember, but we still like them enough to care about the outcome. Since the book was last updated in the 1950’s, some of the language is a little dated (it even stopped me a little), but I doubt it will slow down today’s kids as they race to see how Nancy will piece together this fun mystery.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
September 7, 2019
Charles van Buren
Read the original edition
September 7, 2019
Format: Hardcover
Review by Catherine, grade five. On Amazon it is really hard to tell which edition you are buying. I got the original. There were other editions in the 1960's that made Nancy more girly. I'm not a girly girl. Read the originals.
One of my best friends lives on a horse ranch and riding school so I picked this book for AR at my school. It was a really good mystery and treasure hunt.
Read the original edition
September 7, 2019
Format: Hardcover
Review by Catherine, grade five. On Amazon it is really hard to tell which edition you are buying. I got the original. There were other editions in the 1960's that made Nancy more girly. I'm not a girly girl. Read the originals.
One of my best friends lives on a horse ranch and riding school so I picked this book for AR at my school. It was a really good mystery and treasure hunt.
July 20, 2022
A Quickie Review
Good for what it is...but not as good as the other entries in this series, in my opinion.
Score: 3/5
Good for what it is...but not as good as the other entries in this series, in my opinion.
Score: 3/5
May 9, 2021
The fifth installment of the Nancy Drew stories introduces the two best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne, the faithful sidekicks that I always remember. It’s also the first book that mentions Ned Nickerson( off gallivanting in Europe it seems). This is also the first different location in which the trio travels out of state to a ranch in Arizona. When Nancy is picked up at the airport, George and Bess break the news that their aunt and uncle are going to ask the girls to leave due to problems at the ranch. Convinced that their young friend will be able to solve the mystery, Nancy agrees to pick up the case. Once at the ranch, Nancy finds that there appears to be both a phantom horse, a love story, and strange men in black hats making mischief. But my favourite childhood sleuth is up for the task.
One thing I keep noticing is that Nancy Drew definitely has a knack for finding secret passages in almost every single mystery she's solved. Not that I will hold that against her. What I will point out, however, is a cringe-worthy scene in which Nancy, George, and Bess and their cousin Alice go and buy “Indian costumes” or “squaw dresses” for the upcoming square dance. Again, I am not trying to dissuade anyone from reading this series but if thrusting them in the hands of a young reader- be prepared for some conversations.
Goodreads review published 09/05/21
One thing I keep noticing is that Nancy Drew definitely has a knack for finding secret passages in almost every single mystery she's solved. Not that I will hold that against her. What I will point out, however, is a cringe-worthy scene in which Nancy, George, and Bess and their cousin Alice go and buy “Indian costumes” or “squaw dresses” for the upcoming square dance. Again, I am not trying to dissuade anyone from reading this series but if thrusting them in the hands of a young reader- be prepared for some conversations.
Goodreads review published 09/05/21
November 9, 2024
Woah, in this one, Nancy’s not in River Heights but on a girls trip out west with her BFFs with handsome young cowboys all around.
What?!?!
That was wild to realize as I started reading.
Isn’t she just 16 or did we have a time jump I didn’t catch. I’m only on book #5! She doesn’t even talk to dear oh Dad or the housekeeper Hannah at all - that I recall.
Anyhoo, this one is interesting because….. Phantom Horse! 🐎
I liked most of the story but my only gripe was the unnecessary harm that a German Shepherd got from the bad guys. It was off page but talked about a bit.
What?!?!
That was wild to realize as I started reading.
Isn’t she just 16 or did we have a time jump I didn’t catch. I’m only on book #5! She doesn’t even talk to dear oh Dad or the housekeeper Hannah at all - that I recall.
Anyhoo, this one is interesting because….. Phantom Horse! 🐎
I liked most of the story but my only gripe was the unnecessary harm that a German Shepherd got from the bad guys. It was off page but talked about a bit.
November 14, 2015
Well, of the four I've recently read, The Secret of the Old Clock (#1), The Bungalow Mystery (#3), The Mystery of Lilac Inn (#4) and this one, The Secret of Shadow Ranch (#5), this is by far the best. (I can't find my TWO copies of The Hidden Staircase (#2), so haven't re-read and reviewed it yet.)
This mystery, considering it's the world of Nancy Drew, is well-written, and contains clues, evidence, and a storyline that seems more natural than the others and less 'forced.' Nancy does move from one dangerous situation to the next, but there are interludes where she drinks tea, sings cowboy songs, bakes a cake, goes for a horseback ride and does 'in between stuff' which writers often stick in a book to give the reader a breather between dangerous, exciting, life-threatening stuff.
The story here involves a 'treasure' which a cowboy hid many years earlier for his lady love. Unfortunately the cowboy dies; the lady love leaves and marries another and here we are about seventy-eighty years later trying to find said treasure. Nancy has been told this story, and as a background story it's presented in very detailed form. This shows that someone put a lot of thought into it. I tend to think whoever this 'Carolyn Keene' was, he or she had a background in writing and possibly was an already-published writer under another name. Just a theory...
Anyhow there is no father, prominent lawyer Carson Drew about to drag things down and express his constant concern for his daughter who is always running around, getting tied up, mixing with the wrong crowd, and so on. In this story, Nancy is visiting the aunt and uncle of her two friends, Bess and George, on a ranch outside of Phoenix. (And real places! Not too many unnecessary characters either to keep track of! Less emphasis on hair color, too. :D ) At any rate, the aunt and uncle are having troubles a'plenty: electric lines being cut, fences taken down, their expensive palominos running wild across the prairie, and worst of all, a phantom horse which appears out of nowhere and scares the locals' pants off. (Especially the kindly cook who threatens to leave if that durn phantom horse keeps coming by!) There are hidden passageways, a ghost town, a cabin in the mountains, a raging river to ford, cliff dwellings, a barbecue AND a rodeo, and a sing-a-long AND a square dance. In stereotypical western terms, this book has it all!
(I forgot to mention a subplot involving a bank robbery and a missing father who's an artist, and the fact that one part of this book is a little politically incorrect. At a barbecue the girls 'dress up' as 'squaws,' though there is nothing derogatory in the passage, except that word and the fact they're 'dressing up.' Need to mention that.)
One important fact, this is the first mention of long-time friends of Nancy: Bess (always called plump though she looks pretty skinny to me in the drawings of her) and George (a tomboy, if you can't figure it out from the name.) Ned is also mentioned as a friend of Nancy's - a serious friend, get it? - but he makes no appearance. In fact there's this cowboy who's got his eye on Nancy but being a PG sort of book they don't even so much as hold hands though I KNOW the cowboy would like to take Nancy off into the mountains for a little 'clue gathering.'
(Nancy is forever hunting around for clues, for those who aren't in the know.)
At any rate, the story seems more mature than the first four I read, and I think it reflects the fact that it was written by someone else. Carolyn Keene wasn't a real person, but over time, was several different writers, and at times two or more writers working together, so...
This is the best of the bunch so far.
This mystery, considering it's the world of Nancy Drew, is well-written, and contains clues, evidence, and a storyline that seems more natural than the others and less 'forced.' Nancy does move from one dangerous situation to the next, but there are interludes where she drinks tea, sings cowboy songs, bakes a cake, goes for a horseback ride and does 'in between stuff' which writers often stick in a book to give the reader a breather between dangerous, exciting, life-threatening stuff.
The story here involves a 'treasure' which a cowboy hid many years earlier for his lady love. Unfortunately the cowboy dies; the lady love leaves and marries another and here we are about seventy-eighty years later trying to find said treasure. Nancy has been told this story, and as a background story it's presented in very detailed form. This shows that someone put a lot of thought into it. I tend to think whoever this 'Carolyn Keene' was, he or she had a background in writing and possibly was an already-published writer under another name. Just a theory...
Anyhow there is no father, prominent lawyer Carson Drew about to drag things down and express his constant concern for his daughter who is always running around, getting tied up, mixing with the wrong crowd, and so on. In this story, Nancy is visiting the aunt and uncle of her two friends, Bess and George, on a ranch outside of Phoenix. (And real places! Not too many unnecessary characters either to keep track of! Less emphasis on hair color, too. :D ) At any rate, the aunt and uncle are having troubles a'plenty: electric lines being cut, fences taken down, their expensive palominos running wild across the prairie, and worst of all, a phantom horse which appears out of nowhere and scares the locals' pants off. (Especially the kindly cook who threatens to leave if that durn phantom horse keeps coming by!) There are hidden passageways, a ghost town, a cabin in the mountains, a raging river to ford, cliff dwellings, a barbecue AND a rodeo, and a sing-a-long AND a square dance. In stereotypical western terms, this book has it all!
(I forgot to mention a subplot involving a bank robbery and a missing father who's an artist, and the fact that one part of this book is a little politically incorrect. At a barbecue the girls 'dress up' as 'squaws,' though there is nothing derogatory in the passage, except that word and the fact they're 'dressing up.' Need to mention that.)
One important fact, this is the first mention of long-time friends of Nancy: Bess (always called plump though she looks pretty skinny to me in the drawings of her) and George (a tomboy, if you can't figure it out from the name.) Ned is also mentioned as a friend of Nancy's - a serious friend, get it? - but he makes no appearance. In fact there's this cowboy who's got his eye on Nancy but being a PG sort of book they don't even so much as hold hands though I KNOW the cowboy would like to take Nancy off into the mountains for a little 'clue gathering.'
(Nancy is forever hunting around for clues, for those who aren't in the know.)
At any rate, the story seems more mature than the first four I read, and I think it reflects the fact that it was written by someone else. Carolyn Keene wasn't a real person, but over time, was several different writers, and at times two or more writers working together, so...
This is the best of the bunch so far.
March 31, 2008
I would love to see another edition of this book. In the order of the series, this is number five, but Ned Nickerson, Nancy's longtime and long suffering boyfriend gets several mentions. Too bad he doesn't make his first appearance until book seven! I have the "purple" editions, the double editions that were published two books to each volume as a collectible set. The books have, over the years, gone through a lot of edits to "update" them. I'd love to know if this quirk is particular to a certain edition (ie, the editors knew Ned was Nancy's boyfriend, so they inserted mentions of him, when chronologically they hadn't met).
Read
December 10, 2019Considering it's a small book i did take my time reading this book and everytime i return to this book its almost felt like returning to a friend and i loved every second of it.!!
The characters were so fun and lovey especially the girls were so fun and didn't shy away from the dangers it truly truly fun and a lovely read. Dave is my crush i Loved him . and i would have loved to see Nancy and Dave having a conversation sad that didn't happen !!!!
"!! Her friend smiled. “Work on the sweater I’m knitting for Dad.” She did not know then that soon she would become involved in The Secret of Red Gate Farm.
But George knew that Nancy and mystery were never far apart. She gave a sigh of mock sadness. “I hope your dad doesn’t need that sweater very soon!” !!
The characters were so fun and lovey especially the girls were so fun and didn't shy away from the dangers it truly truly fun and a lovely read. Dave is my crush i Loved him . and i would have loved to see Nancy and Dave having a conversation sad that didn't happen !!!!
"!! Her friend smiled. “Work on the sweater I’m knitting for Dad.” She did not know then that soon she would become involved in The Secret of Red Gate Farm.
But George knew that Nancy and mystery were never far apart. She gave a sigh of mock sadness. “I hope your dad doesn’t need that sweater very soon!” !!
February 22, 2023
This is one of my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries. I especially love the Western theme and the legend of Dirk Valentine.
August 31, 2019
Purty good!
March 24, 2020
This is one of the Nancy drew mysteries and as always is in an interesting location when Nancy is on vacation and comes across a theft she gets to solve, it is a good book for young adults
October 26, 2017
1931 version
Nancy and her gal pals learn to ride horses and on the following days get lost on the dangerous trails five million times. They do not know the 6 "C"s of survival. (Combustion tool, Container, Cordage, Cover, Cutting tool, and Compass) (And yes, the compass had been invented 2000 years ago, so they had No excuse not to have one.)
Also, they meet a super nice little girl who for some reason is being forced to live with a mean ol' hag. (ooooh, mysterious.)
1957 version
Nancy and her gal pals meet cute cowboys and go to a dance. The menu includes "tacos"—italicized in the book because they are exotic delicacies, and an "ice-cold watermelon" that they won as a prize for dancing the best.
The mystery is a glowing horse.
Nancy and her gal pals learn to ride horses and on the following days get lost on the dangerous trails five million times. They do not know the 6 "C"s of survival. (Combustion tool, Container, Cordage, Cover, Cutting tool, and Compass) (And yes, the compass had been invented 2000 years ago, so they had No excuse not to have one.)
Also, they meet a super nice little girl who for some reason is being forced to live with a mean ol' hag. (ooooh, mysterious.)
1957 version
Nancy and her gal pals meet cute cowboys and go to a dance. The menu includes "tacos"—italicized in the book because they are exotic delicacies, and an "ice-cold watermelon" that they won as a prize for dancing the best.
The mystery is a glowing horse.
October 27, 2015
A patron let me borrow a copy of the book in its original 1931 form, and it was such a fun throwback. I particularly liked how when Nancy and Co. couldn't get a man to accompany them on their hike into the mountains, their aunt thought they should at least take a revolver to keep them safe. And spoiler alert...Nancy ends up shooting an animal that is now on the endangered species list because she is one badass beeyotch.
October 26, 2022
Not one of my favorite ND stories, but it fit a challenge I was doing. Still love the character.
June 19, 2020
Nancy Drew and her friends George Fayne and Bess Marvin head to Arizona in this fifth installment of the classic mystery series for young readers. As George and Bess' aunt, Mrs. Rawley, works to get Shadow Ranch into better condition in order to sell it, the girls have a series of exciting adventures in the mountains, confronting wild lynx and cougars, and fording raging rivers. Nancy also finds herself getting involved in a local mystery, as she investigates the nasty Martha Frank and her abusive relationship to her ward, the young Lucy Shaw. In true Nancy Drew style, involving lots of coincidence and serendipity, the resolution of this puzzle also solves another mystery, healing an old wound in the family life of Alice Regor, George and Bess' cousin, who accompanied the girls to Arizona...
The Secret at Shadow Ranch is notable in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series, in that it introduces George and Bess, who become Nancy's best friends throughout the rest of the series, replacing the earlier Helen Corning, who seems to just disappear. I read the Applewood Books facsimile reproduction of the original 1931 edition, rather than the revised and condensed edition put out in the 1950s (the one with the yellow cover and spine), and it featured an introduction from Mildred Wirt Benson, the author who wrote the first twenty-three books in the series, under the pseudonym 'Carolyn Keene.' It's interesting to note that she considered this one of her favorites, of the Nancy Drew books she wrote. Given the western setting, and the date of publication, I was expecting some outdated depictions of Native Americans and/or Latinos, but surprisingly, there was none of that here. Ironically, given the fact that the rewrites done in the late 1950s and early 60s were intended to scrub some of the overt racism of the original books, they apparently added in some patronizing content in that regard. I usually find that these earlier, original editions of Nancy Drew have more outdated, and quite uncomfortable social content, but also better writing and more interesting historical details. Reading them is a trade-off. Here however, you apparently have the best of both worlds! Recommended to fans of Nancy Drew, who enjoyed previous installments of the series.
The Secret at Shadow Ranch is notable in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series, in that it introduces George and Bess, who become Nancy's best friends throughout the rest of the series, replacing the earlier Helen Corning, who seems to just disappear. I read the Applewood Books facsimile reproduction of the original 1931 edition, rather than the revised and condensed edition put out in the 1950s (the one with the yellow cover and spine), and it featured an introduction from Mildred Wirt Benson, the author who wrote the first twenty-three books in the series, under the pseudonym 'Carolyn Keene.' It's interesting to note that she considered this one of her favorites, of the Nancy Drew books she wrote. Given the western setting, and the date of publication, I was expecting some outdated depictions of Native Americans and/or Latinos, but surprisingly, there was none of that here. Ironically, given the fact that the rewrites done in the late 1950s and early 60s were intended to scrub some of the overt racism of the original books, they apparently added in some patronizing content in that regard. I usually find that these earlier, original editions of Nancy Drew have more outdated, and quite uncomfortable social content, but also better writing and more interesting historical details. Reading them is a trade-off. Here however, you apparently have the best of both worlds! Recommended to fans of Nancy Drew, who enjoyed previous installments of the series.
September 1, 2025
Rating: 4 / 5
As the 5th Nancy Drew mystery in the series from the originals, I have to say that this one was just 'fair' for me in terms of liking/disliking it.
This time around, we have Nancy travelling all the way to Arizona to join her friends on their uncle and aunt's new ranch; but, of course, trouble abounds. The ranch seems to be "haunted", and with so many accidents happening, Nancy and her friends might just be sent home. This looks like a job for the one and only teenage sleuth go, and thus the mystery begins.
Now, in terms of the mystery itself, it was nothing grand, and just about what you'd expect it to be. I mean, everything was straightforward in terms of whodunnit, and the cliffhangers at the end of each chapter weren't the best this time around. That is to say, I wasn't on the edge of my seat, or anything like that.
However, it was interesting seeing Nancy away from River Heights and out of her usual environment, and without Hannah or her father to help her this time around. I will admit that the stakes also felt lower this time around because it wasn't anyone close to Nancy who was directly in danger, but it was still good to get a taste of the old west, pardner!
All in all, therefore, I'd say this is a decent middle-path read.
My Nancy Drew Rankings List:
1. The Bungalow Mystery (Book 3)
2. The Secret of the Old Clock (Book 1)
3. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Book 5)
4. The Hidden Staircase (Book 2)
5. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Book 4)
As the 5th Nancy Drew mystery in the series from the originals, I have to say that this one was just 'fair' for me in terms of liking/disliking it.
This time around, we have Nancy travelling all the way to Arizona to join her friends on their uncle and aunt's new ranch; but, of course, trouble abounds. The ranch seems to be "haunted", and with so many accidents happening, Nancy and her friends might just be sent home. This looks like a job for the one and only teenage sleuth go, and thus the mystery begins.
Now, in terms of the mystery itself, it was nothing grand, and just about what you'd expect it to be. I mean, everything was straightforward in terms of whodunnit, and the cliffhangers at the end of each chapter weren't the best this time around. That is to say, I wasn't on the edge of my seat, or anything like that.
However, it was interesting seeing Nancy away from River Heights and out of her usual environment, and without Hannah or her father to help her this time around. I will admit that the stakes also felt lower this time around because it wasn't anyone close to Nancy who was directly in danger, but it was still good to get a taste of the old west, pardner!
All in all, therefore, I'd say this is a decent middle-path read.
My Nancy Drew Rankings List:
1. The Bungalow Mystery (Book 3)
2. The Secret of the Old Clock (Book 1)
3. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Book 5)
4. The Hidden Staircase (Book 2)
5. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Book 4)
May 30, 2021
The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene. ©1993. 175 pages. Simon & Schuster, Inc. Hardcover edition. 5 Stars.
This was an exciting, adventurous read, and my favorite out of the first 7 that I’ve read so far. Nancy Drew—a force to be reckoned with and never one to take a back seat where a mystery is involved—takes risks that would make any parent shudder. Nancy is a gracious though independent thinker—and always a team player. It was fun to read a mystery that takes place on an Arizona ranch.
I believe this edition is one that was revised from the original after 1959. Highly recommend!
This was an exciting, adventurous read, and my favorite out of the first 7 that I’ve read so far. Nancy Drew—a force to be reckoned with and never one to take a back seat where a mystery is involved—takes risks that would make any parent shudder. Nancy is a gracious though independent thinker—and always a team player. It was fun to read a mystery that takes place on an Arizona ranch.
I believe this edition is one that was revised from the original after 1959. Highly recommend!
January 5, 2017
A fun mystery that takes Nancy Drew to a ranch with a phantom horse mystery. Although I have to admit that my favorite character is Chief the dog (who politely asked Nancy if he could ride on a horse with her, to get across the river... too cute!).
October 4, 2023
I didn't care for this book many, many years ago, And now that I've heard that it is not as good as the original, I will not read it.
July 25, 2023
Nancy Drew to the rescue!!!
Last year,I found 2 hardback copies of Nancy Drew's books at the farm that I work at were we rescue abused and neglected farm animals and birds to give them a forever home of love and tender care that they never received. We run on donations, so when I bought these two gems, all the money went to a wonderful cause!
This was a fun read!! I'm not really a fan of westerns, but Nancy Drew made it fun! It was action packed from beginning to end with Nancy having to solve a few mysteries right off the bat. When I read her books as a child, I figured she was the same age as I was. Reading it as an adult, I was surprised to read about her putting on lipstick and driving a car!! I googled up her age out of curiosity and she's 16-18 years old in the series of books written about her adventures.
This is a well written and illustrated story of a solid mystery! Hopefully, it'll get me out of the book slump of awful books!! 🙏The simple times of the 1930's was refreshing to read!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
Last year,I found 2 hardback copies of Nancy Drew's books at the farm that I work at were we rescue abused and neglected farm animals and birds to give them a forever home of love and tender care that they never received. We run on donations, so when I bought these two gems, all the money went to a wonderful cause!
This was a fun read!! I'm not really a fan of westerns, but Nancy Drew made it fun! It was action packed from beginning to end with Nancy having to solve a few mysteries right off the bat. When I read her books as a child, I figured she was the same age as I was. Reading it as an adult, I was surprised to read about her putting on lipstick and driving a car!! I googled up her age out of curiosity and she's 16-18 years old in the series of books written about her adventures.
This is a well written and illustrated story of a solid mystery! Hopefully, it'll get me out of the book slump of awful books!! 🙏The simple times of the 1930's was refreshing to read!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨
February 16, 2021
مغامرة جديدة للمحققة نانسي درو
من منا لا يعرفها
فتاة امتازت بالذكاء والحكمة
بهذه المغامرة تذهب نانسي لزيارة صديقاتها بمزرعة الظل
تحدث أمور غريب بهذه المزرعة تسبب الرعب لكل ساكني المرزعة
تحاول نانسي وصديقاتها اكتشاف مسبب المشاكل بالمزرعة
أحببت القصة
والمغامرة مسلية كالعادة وخفيفه
من منا لا يعرفها
فتاة امتازت بالذكاء والحكمة
بهذه المغامرة تذهب نانسي لزيارة صديقاتها بمزرعة الظل
تحدث أمور غريب بهذه المزرعة تسبب الرعب لكل ساكني المرزعة
تحاول نانسي وصديقاتها اكتشاف مسبب المشاكل بالمزرعة
أحببت القصة
والمغامرة مسلية كالعادة وخفيفه
October 19, 2020
I’m pleased to report that Nancy Drew, my second nostalgia read of the month, has held up well over the years. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Nancy Drew #5) by Carolyn Keene is not a bad little mystery. There’s not a lot of character development, but at least everyone has a distinct personality and the book is fast-paced and enjoyable. The plot isn’t all that believable, but that’s okay.
Super sleuth, titian-haired Nancy Drew and her friends Bess and George head to Shadow Ranch near Phoenix, AZ for a fun vacation. However, they learn that the ranch is being plagued by visits from a mysterious phantom horse and vandalized property. Either the ranch is being haunted by the ghost horse of a killed outlaw or someone is attempting to force the owners from the ranch—the location of the killed outlaw’s mythical treasure. Despite being warned away, Nancy Drew is determined to solve the ghost horse mystery, and the possibly related mystery of a kidnapped bank manager.
The story is a fast read that kept my attention even when it became obvious who the bad guys were (not exactly rocket science). The plot is rather silly though because it’s not believable that
Nancy, the 18-year-old with (constantly described) “titian hair,” is apparently the only person smart enough to solve these mysteries. Of course, she’s a girl, so when the men praise her for her logical thinking it’s always with a faint air of surprise—as in, she has ovaries AND a working brain! Golly gee! The illustrations in the book show the fairly typical 1950s/60s type people—all white, the men square-jawed and the women with short, attractively styled hair. The women wear slacks more often than usual because they are, after all, on a dude ranch and riding horses. The dialogue is hilarious. The gang’s stolen money is constantly described as “the loot” and the sheriff says stuff like this: “I can see you’re a capable gal, Miss Drew, but you got to be extra careful from now on, ’cause those thievin’ hombres’ll want to keep all o’ you tenderfeet quiet” and “I’ll nab the varmints.” There are twenty chapters in this book and every chapter, with one exception, ends with dramatic punctuation like this: “Nancy flew from the saddle and hit the ground so hard she blacked out!” (105). Even the bad guys get overly dramatic lines: “You played your last trick on me, Nancy Drew!” I expect to hear the dramatic music: duh duh DUH! Even Mrs. Thurmond, the cook, gets some drama. When she’s had enough of the phantom horse, she puts on a special hat that apparently means “I’m getting the hell out” and everyone is sad. Not that they will miss her, per se. They just don’t want to do the cooking.
All in all, Nancy Drew and the Secret of Shadow Ranch is enjoyable still. I don’t think I want to read the whole series again, but I’m glad that this particular childhood favorite has (for the most part) stood the test of time.
Super sleuth, titian-haired Nancy Drew and her friends Bess and George head to Shadow Ranch near Phoenix, AZ for a fun vacation. However, they learn that the ranch is being plagued by visits from a mysterious phantom horse and vandalized property. Either the ranch is being haunted by the ghost horse of a killed outlaw or someone is attempting to force the owners from the ranch—the location of the killed outlaw’s mythical treasure. Despite being warned away, Nancy Drew is determined to solve the ghost horse mystery, and the possibly related mystery of a kidnapped bank manager.
The story is a fast read that kept my attention even when it became obvious who the bad guys were (not exactly rocket science). The plot is rather silly though because it’s not believable that
Nancy, the 18-year-old with (constantly described) “titian hair,” is apparently the only person smart enough to solve these mysteries. Of course, she’s a girl, so when the men praise her for her logical thinking it’s always with a faint air of surprise—as in, she has ovaries AND a working brain! Golly gee! The illustrations in the book show the fairly typical 1950s/60s type people—all white, the men square-jawed and the women with short, attractively styled hair. The women wear slacks more often than usual because they are, after all, on a dude ranch and riding horses. The dialogue is hilarious. The gang’s stolen money is constantly described as “the loot” and the sheriff says stuff like this: “I can see you’re a capable gal, Miss Drew, but you got to be extra careful from now on, ’cause those thievin’ hombres’ll want to keep all o’ you tenderfeet quiet” and “I’ll nab the varmints.” There are twenty chapters in this book and every chapter, with one exception, ends with dramatic punctuation like this: “Nancy flew from the saddle and hit the ground so hard she blacked out!” (105). Even the bad guys get overly dramatic lines: “You played your last trick on me, Nancy Drew!” I expect to hear the dramatic music: duh duh DUH! Even Mrs. Thurmond, the cook, gets some drama. When she’s had enough of the phantom horse, she puts on a special hat that apparently means “I’m getting the hell out” and everyone is sad. Not that they will miss her, per se. They just don’t want to do the cooking.
All in all, Nancy Drew and the Secret of Shadow Ranch is enjoyable still. I don’t think I want to read the whole series again, but I’m glad that this particular childhood favorite has (for the most part) stood the test of time.
June 8, 2009
Nancy Drew arrives in Phoenix , Arizona , eagerly looking forward to a fun-filled vacation at Shadow Ranch , but abruptly finds herself involved in a baffling mystery . The Ranch is being huanted by a phantom horse and maliciously damaged by an unknown enermy . Local people believe that the ghostly animal is carrying out the curse of Dir-k Valentine , the romantic outlaw who was killed many years ago at Shadow Ranch , where hee had gone to fulfill a promise to his sweetheart .
Suspecting that a treasure hidden by Valentine may be at the root of the Shado Ranch mystery , Nancy undertakes a challenging search , aided by her friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne . The first vital clue is found in an antique watch and sparks a series of clever deductions and dangerous developements . While seeking further clues , the girls' investigation in a ghost town ends in near disaster when Nancy is trapped inside a building that is toppled by a rockslide-a rockslide which is deliberately caused . But the pretty titan-haired detective remains undaunted in her determination to solve the mystery .
For those who enjoy a suspenful thriller , Nancy Drew's first Western adventure makes truly fascinating readingThe Secret of Shadow Ranch
Suspecting that a treasure hidden by Valentine may be at the root of the Shado Ranch mystery , Nancy undertakes a challenging search , aided by her friends Bess Marvin and George Fayne . The first vital clue is found in an antique watch and sparks a series of clever deductions and dangerous developements . While seeking further clues , the girls' investigation in a ghost town ends in near disaster when Nancy is trapped inside a building that is toppled by a rockslide-a rockslide which is deliberately caused . But the pretty titan-haired detective remains undaunted in her determination to solve the mystery .
For those who enjoy a suspenful thriller , Nancy Drew's first Western adventure makes truly fascinating readingThe Secret of Shadow Ranch
July 8, 2017
Wow, I somehow never read this Nancy Drew canon entry in my youth, but I loved the HerInteractive computer game based on it and this book definitely did justice to my high expectations. Wild West roping, riding, treasure, danger, a great background history love story, and phantoms! I'm barely started in my series read project so I feel it's entirely too soon to name a favorite, but I bet this will be a serious contender. 13-year-old me would have been crazy about this.
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