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Nancy Drew Files #65
Final Notes
While touring the mansion of deceased country singer Curtis Taylor, Nancy discovers a tape the star made the night he died--a tape that could prove that he was murdered.
153 pages
First published November 1, 1991
7 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
993 books3,864 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 20, 2021
A different sort of mystery...but a fun one! This one kept me engaged until the end.
August 10, 2014
So so so boring! Every single chapter, every single page, every single word was so boring. I think they were going for an Elvis type feel with the musician. If you like country music and/or Elvis you might like this one. I however like neither and found this dull and predictable. I mean the culprit was VERY obvious.
November 27, 2019
Nancy, Bess and George solve Elvis! Not really but close. Country singer Curtis Taylor died several years ago, but he has been seen alive again. Is he really dead? Was his death an accident? Why does Bess always get the hot guys?
October 15, 2024
We have a Little Library on our street. My husband bought home three The Nancy Drew Files. I'm not sure why as we have no young children anymore. Can I just say, how adorable he is?! Anyway, the last few days, I've been reading them.
I really didn't care for False Impressions, I gave it an 1. Danger For Hire was better and I gave it a 2 and Final Notes was so much better and I gave it a 3. Kinda interesting how each book got better than the previous.
In Final Notes, Curtis Taylor, a country-western singer, aka Elvis Presley is what I felt like it was, died 5 years ago in a horrible car crash which left his fans and his wife, Melanie devastated. Nancy and friends visits Maywood, his hometown. There is going to be a concert to honour him.
The gang, especially Bess, befriend Curtin Taylor's nephew, Tyrone. I didn't understand how Tyrone took so quickly to Bess and visa versa, like they were best friends. It's a book.
Then things start happening, and maybe Curtin Taylor didn't die in a car crash and instead died some other way? Nancy and friends start looking into it.
Being 58, it was a no brainer who the culprit was. I figured it out from the beginning.
Tomorrow I will walk over and return them to the Little Library for someone else to read.
I really didn't care for False Impressions, I gave it an 1. Danger For Hire was better and I gave it a 2 and Final Notes was so much better and I gave it a 3. Kinda interesting how each book got better than the previous.
In Final Notes, Curtis Taylor, a country-western singer, aka Elvis Presley is what I felt like it was, died 5 years ago in a horrible car crash which left his fans and his wife, Melanie devastated. Nancy and friends visits Maywood, his hometown. There is going to be a concert to honour him.
The gang, especially Bess, befriend Curtin Taylor's nephew, Tyrone. I didn't understand how Tyrone took so quickly to Bess and visa versa, like they were best friends. It's a book.
Then things start happening, and maybe Curtin Taylor didn't die in a car crash and instead died some other way? Nancy and friends start looking into it.
Being 58, it was a no brainer who the culprit was. I figured it out from the beginning.
Tomorrow I will walk over and return them to the Little Library for someone else to read.
May 4, 2018
I enjoyed this book. The mystery was intriguing and the story was pretty suspenseful. There was little to no action though and surprisingly, Nancy doesn't get into any danger in this one, which is kinda rare! Though she does get a threatening letter, which is usual, and the story was pretty fine with hardly any action, though it would have been nice to have a bit more. The characters were interesting and so was Nancy's investigating. I enjoyed the ruse Nancy did for the capturing of the culprit at the end, although maybe a bit unbelievable. The culprit wasn't obvious and there were plenty of good suspects that could have done it. I was kinda sure who it was, but it wasn't. But something between two characters just kinda ended and one of them, a suspect, just leaves the story. Overall, this is a good book, will keep you in suspense and turning the pages. 3 stars.
June 4, 2022
Návrat do dětství
July 25, 2022
Average but entertaining.
July 16, 2023
I really liked this one.
March 1, 2025
3 stars. I really liked the setting and the mystery was fun but super predictable.
September 12, 2016
Nancy Drew is as amazing as always.
May 2, 2015
I love the Nancy Drew Files!!! All the books are so good. This book was suspenseful land that's how I like it!!
April 10, 2016
Naprosto úžasné! Až do poslední chvíle jsem nevěděla kdo je vrah, což jsem mi u jiných detektivních knížek nestává. Pokud knihu někde objevíte určitě neváhejte ! :)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews