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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #102

The Secret in the Dark

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Nancy must work fast to save her friend when she discovers that the concert hall hosting the Seattle music competition is the focus of a conspiracy and that Deirdre, a blind violinist in the competition, is in trouble

148 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1991

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About the author

Carolyn Keene

1,031 books3,877 followers
Carolyn 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Serena.
3,259 reviews71 followers
May 5, 2017
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
Profile Image for Izzy.
698 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2020
I loved Deirdre, and everything with Mr. Wells was a total surprise!
2,847 reviews
June 13, 2020
Really continue to enjoy Nancy Drew.
Profile Image for Avel Rudenko.
325 reviews
September 29, 2011
This book is prestigious! It's about a friend of Nancy's named Deidre, who is blind and a violinist. She's taking part in a music competition. It doesn't take her long to realize that someone's trying to get rid of her permanently. The prize is a beautiful, expensive violin and the competition is fierce! Deidre's performance is impeccable, but it seems for everything else the odds are mellowly stacked against her in an evil plot. High recommendations.
Profile Image for LuAnn.
1,161 reviews
March 5, 2015
Shades of the old travelogue Nancy Drew Mysteries like Clue in the Crossword Cipher: Seattle has underground tunnels with buildings that used to be at street level you can tour! Clever mystery with some good elements like a Stradivarius, an old friend of Bess and Nancy's with a disability in a violin competition, a mysterious wealthy benefactor. Well done. But where is George these days; she's not in many of these?
Profile Image for Hermioneginny.
1,372 reviews
June 24, 2016
Nancy e Bess vanno a Seattle a trovare la loro amica Deirdre, che si sta preparando per un concorso musicale, ma qualcuno cerca di sabotarla. Deirdre non riesce a capire chi possa voler farle del male, anche perché è cieca...

Divertente, scritto bene...devo recuperarne altri di questa serie!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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