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By the Light of the Study Lamp

(The Dana Girls Mystery Stories, First Set #1)

Carolyn Keene,

Ferdinand E. Warren (Illustrator)

4.01 · Rating details · 470 ratings · 41 reviews

Jean and Louise Dana are given a valuable study lamp by their Uncle Ned. The girls plan to place it in their study room at Starhurst when they return for their sophomore year. But before the girls leave, the lamp is stolen! After the sisters return to Starhurst, they discover the lamp in a secondhand shop and buy it back. Unwittingly, the girls make an enemy of their class ...more

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Hardcover, 215 pages

Published 1949 by Grosset & Dunlap (first published 1934)

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Start your review of By the Light of the Study Lamp (The Dana Girls Mystery Stories, #1)

Oct 03, 2008 Nancy rated it liked it

Shelves: mysteries

Even though Thomas Wolfe was right---"you can't go home again," it was still fun to re-discover the Dana Girls. This is the first book in the series of mysteries I read as a (very) young girl. Perhaps the most amusing part of this book (which was originally published in 1934)was the amusing and intrepid behaviour of the young heroines.

They raced after bad guys; borrowed brand new cars from virtual strangers (these are high school sophomores doing this) and decide they'd first try to solve a robb ...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Beverly rated it really liked it

Shelves: jf-mystery

I read this series so long ago, that it is difficult to remember details. All I remember now is that I liked the Dana Girls better than Nancy Drew, although I don't remember why. It may have been the whole boarding school scene that appealed to me. ...more

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Nov 17, 2010 Melanie rated it it was ok

Shelves: mystery, 2010-reads, girls-series

I must say I wasn't a fan of the Dana Girls, the crime solving sister sleuths who were stop #2 on my tour of 1930s girls' mystery series. While I appreciate formulaic fiction with the best of them and find it very cool that there was formula fiction in the 1930 featuring girls doing something other than cooking or sewing or preparing to be Mrs. June Cleaver in another decade or two, I found it hard (okay, impossible) to look past the incredible sense of entitlement that Jean and Louise displayed I must say I wasn't a fan of the Dana Girls, the crime solving sister sleuths who were stop #2 on my tour of 1930s girls' mystery series. While I appreciate formulaic fiction with the best of them and find it very cool that there was formula fiction in the 1930 featuring girls doing something other than cooking or sewing or preparing to be Mrs. June Cleaver in another decade or two, I found it hard (okay, impossible) to look past the incredible sense of entitlement that Jean and Louise displayed. In the opening chapters the girls seemed less horrified that someone broke into their home and robbed them than they did that someone had the nerve to take their special present, and this feeling of just a bit off of the normal emotional response continued throughout (the scene where the police officer arrests them on suspicion of grand theft auto was particularly grating, especially since the girls had in fact stolen the car from the man who originally stole the car from its owner and offered no defense of themselves other than their status as students as at the nearby boarding school). The hated Lettie, the girls' arch nemesis at boarding school, felt uncomfortably similar to Jean and Louise themselves (although unfortunately cursed with larger feet than our heroines), and all the way throughout the novel both girls were constantly obsessed with material objects first and human safety second (pick up the shiny watch on the ground or make sure the battered woman lying next to it is okay? Why, pick up the watch, of course! The battered woman probably stole it in the first place.).

I was also disappointed at how little this novel read like a 1930s boarding school story. While the primary action takes place at school and the girls enjoy the lack of parental involvement/supervision occasioned by the location, the rest of the formula was entirely wrong. No challenging home situations, no threat of poverty, no outsider-looking-in status, no effort to fit in, no ultimate acceptance due to hard work and kindness; instead, all we had were rich, spoiled girls who were assured of their place in the world and that rules were made for everyone but them. ...more

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Jun 16, 2016 Ella rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This series seems comparable to Nancy Drew in a number of ways. I've only read the first entry so I can't say that they are for sure.

It's a simple fast-paced read, nothing too thrilling or overly exciting. The violence in this book was more in line with the violence in the 1980's/1990's Nancy Drew series, and so was the recklessness of the Dana girls.

Obviously since this was a Carolyn Keene book written prior to the 1970's, some racially insensitive material was bound to occur. All I will say o ...more

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May 26, 2018 Bev rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bought-2016, vintage-mystery, young-adult, mystery, american-mystery, mount-tbr-2018

I read a couple of Dana Girls mysteries when I was young (and those books are packed in a box somewhere)--but I really couldn't tell you a thing about them, unlike the Nancy Drew books I read. So when I saw a few titles on one of our antique mall expeditions, I decided to get them and give the girls another try. By the Light of the Study Lamp (1934) was one of the books I picked up--a good place to start since it's the first of the series.

In their first adventure, Louise and Jean receive a surpr I read a couple of Dana Girls mysteries when I was young (and those books are packed in a box somewhere)--but I really couldn't tell you a thing about them, unlike the Nancy Drew books I read. So when I saw a few titles on one of our antique mall expeditions, I decided to get them and give the girls another try. By the Light of the Study Lamp (1934) was one of the books I picked up--a good place to start since it's the first of the series.

In their first adventure, Louise and Jean receive a surprise present from their Uncle Ned--a beautiful antique study lamp that they plan to use when they return to Starhurst (their boarding school). But not long after they open the present, the lamp is stolen from their home. The girls are disappointed and arrive at Starhurst in a subdued mood, but are heartened when Mrs. Crandall, the head of the school tell them that they have been assigned the second-floor study room that they had requested the previous term. Their good fortune earns them an enemy in Lettie Briggs, a spoiled rich girl who had set her sights on that very room. Later, they cross her again when they spy a lamp that looks like their stolen present in a local antique shop and buy it. [Lettie had been in the shop earlier, wanted the lamp, but thought the price too high.]

It winds up that their lamp...and their study room...is the center of an old mystery. Their friend Evelyn Starr used to live at Starhurst--when her family was wealthy and owned the property. But misfortune struck, the family jewels were lost, and Evelyn's brother can barely afford to send his sister to the school in their old home. There are clues to be found in the study and the Danas are led through a maze of crooked shopkeepers, crafty gypsies, and a suspicious handyman before they solve the mystery and come to the aid of their friend.

The Dana Girls are obviously molded in the pattern of Nancy Drew (though they are orphans and don't have a wealthy father to provide all their needs). The mystery is very like those solved by Nancy and the girls show the same resourcefulness and independence. This is a fun, simple mystery from a simpler time. I will say that I don't particularly care for the "mean girls" story line--where Lettie is set up as their rival and enemy. I just don't think that particular angle works well and it definitely is unnecessary. If this remains a prominent story element, then I'm not sure how many Dana Girls I will pick up (and read) in the future.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks. ...more

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Aug 25, 2008 Meg rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Nancy Drew Fans

Read the old versions! Much better! And interesting... the terms they used back then!!!

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Sep 28, 2008 CLM rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, childrensbooks, series, 20th-century, orphans

Although the Dana Girls attend boarding school, this is primarily a mystery series, and I always preferred Jean and Louise to Nancy Drew.

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Mar 21, 2013 Debra rated it liked it

Shelves: mysteries, fiction-juvenile

I loved this series of books that I read back in junior high. They are from the same syndicate that wrote the Nancy Drew books and the Hardy Boys, but I much preferred the Dana Girls.

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Dec 11, 2018 Suziey rated it really liked it

Jean and Louise are due back at their school for the beginning of their sophomore year. As a surprise, their uncle Ned Dana, buys the girls a lamp that is then quickly stolen. The girls manage to track down the would-be thief but without evidence are forced to concede he may not be the criminal they're looking for. Back at school, the girls encounter Lettie Briggs. A spoiled, rich girl that has it out for the Dana sisters. On top of that, the girls are also trying to help their friend, Evelyn St ...more

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Mar 03, 2018 Emily V rated it really liked it

I loved this book! This is an amazing sort and adventure with the Dana Girls. This series is very similar to Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries so if you enjoy reading those types of mysteries you would love this series. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries!

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Mar 01, 2018 Josiah rated it it was amazing

This was an amazing book! As I’ve said in other reviews, the Dana Girls are just as good as Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books. If you get a chance to get a Dana Girls book, grab it because they are all amazing! 5 stars...

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Jan 29, 2017 Katie rated it really liked it

Shelves: modern-classics, children-s-novels, 1930-s, mysteries-crime

Synopsis:
By the Light of the Study Lamp is the first book in the Dana Girls Mystery Stories. It was published in 1934 and was "written by" Carolyn Keene which was a pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. The series was written by a few ghostwriters and this particular title was written by Leslie McFarlane. The Dana girls are two sisters in their teens who live with their Uncle Ned and Aunt Harriet because they are orphaned. At the beginning of the novel they receive an antique lamp from th Synopsis:
By the Light of the Study Lamp is the first book in the Dana Girls Mystery Stories. It was published in 1934 and was "written by" Carolyn Keene which was a pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. The series was written by a few ghostwriters and this particular title was written by Leslie McFarlane. The Dana girls are two sisters in their teens who live with their Uncle Ned and Aunt Harriet because they are orphaned. At the beginning of the novel they receive an antique lamp from their Uncle for them to use for studying while at school. Within ten minutes of opening the gift it is stolen from their home. When they return to the Starrhurst Academy boarding school for girls, they rediscover their lamp in a local secondhand shop. They must find out the mystery behind the lamp and the thieves who want it so badly. Also, they must discover what this mystery has to do with their friend Evelyn Starr and her brother Franklin who were once wealthy and now face potential poverty.

Storyline:
I ended up quite liking the story in By the Light of the Study Lamp. I thought it wasn’t going to be too interesting, but it actually was and I was pretty hooked. It felt quite nostalgic to me as I had grown up absolutely loving the Nancy Drew Books. I know this isn’t a Nancy Drew book and was different, but it had a similar feel to it. I felt like this book had a bit more action to it than some of the Nancy Drew books as well. It was interesting because at some point in Nancy Drew publishing history they went back and revised some of the earlier novels. I think they modernized a few things and cut out some bits that no longer seemed appropriate. These versions lasted and were the ones I grew up reading. With the Dana Girls however, this version I read was not revised. This means that it felt very much of it’s time and that there were also some somewhat shocking moments that were definitely not PC by today’s standards.

Setting:
By the Light of the Study Lamp is partly set when the Dana girls are at their country home in a town called Oak Falls and partly when they go back to Starrhurst boarding school in a town called Penfield. I liked the settings and they seemed cozy and reminiscent of Nancy Drew settings.

Characters:
The characters were pretty good in By the Light of the Study Lamp. The sisters are pretty good characters and I liked their family and friends etc. None of the characters are too fleshed out, but that’s to be expected. There were a couple characters whose description was not PC, especially that of the cook at Starrhurst Academy whose depiction was quite shocking. An interesting observation I made was that there were lots of sibling relationships depicted in this book. The Dana girls are of course sisters, their Aunt and Uncle are siblings, their friends they help are siblings and the thieves they encounter are siblings. I don’t know why that was, but it was interesting.

Did I Like It?:
Yes I did! I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. My brother got me this book and the second one in the series ( which I’m looking forward to reading now!) as a Christmas present for nostalgic reasons because of my love for Nancy Drew growing up and his love for the Hardy Boys. It did feel quite nostalgic and yet I liked the different characters and dynamic. I used to love the juvenile mystery series that were so popular back in the day and still have a special place in my heart for them now as well.

Do I Recommend It?:
I do, if it seems like something you would like. If you didn’t grow up reading some of the vintage mystery series such as Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden, Bobbsey Twins etc. you might not find this as interesting. If you are a fan of that sort of thing though, I’m sure you would find enjoyment in this book. If you’re looking to read this book, I’m pretty sure they’ve been out of print for awhile so you may have to look for it used. ...more

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Jan 16, 2016 Sarah Crawford rated it it was amazing

This is the first book in the Dana Girls series. Louise and Jean are sisters. Louise has dark hair and is serious, whereas Jean is boyish and outgoing. They are orphans and live in Oak Falls with their Uncle Ned. They attend the Starhurst School for Girls in Penfield, and are sophomores.

Cora Appel is an incredibly clumsy and basically useless maid. Aunt Harriet is in charge of the house.

The story starts with their Uncle Ned sending the girls a present of a lamp. It's only a matter of minutes be ...more

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Jul 14, 2014 Kavita rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, school-stories, children, usa

This is a fun girls' series and one must not expect too much from this genre. I enjoyed the old fashioned lifestyle and the sort of detection methods without the help of computers, smartphones or Internet. It is a sort of nostalgia for days gone by, a sort of fascination for a simpler time. From that aspect, I really enjoyed this book. I was, however, hoping more of boarding school action, but there was absolutely nothing. It was rather pointless to set this book in a boarding school and absolut ...more

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Apr 16, 2017 Andrea rated it it was ok

I picked this book out of a Free Library with the intent of comparing my impressions as an adult reader to the impressions I had as a pre-adolescent. First, I was surprised to learn that author Carolyn Keene was not a real person. A number of women wrote the Nancy Drew books and The Dana Girls books under that name. Second, my adult reading of "By the Light of the Study Lamp" was most notable for finding blatant racism: the dark, swarthy gypsy brother and sister are the bad guys. As a pre-adoles ...more

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Sep 22, 2017 Donnell rated it liked it

So fun, via this book, to take a time trip to--1934.

Also notable, is the fact that this is the first of the Dana Girls' mysteries. Here we learn that these orphan sisters are being raised by their sea captain uncle, Ned. Supposedly Ned is not that rich, but he can afford to send the girls to boarding school for high school. Also, the girls think nothing of spending $50 (in 2017 money, that would be more than $900) on a study lamp.

Here in this little mystery for young girls, the ground work was ...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Roxanne rated it really liked it

Thoughts about book.
Like the Nancy Drew series, I found this book to be both engaging and delightful. I enjoyed this as a child and I still remember it years later. It is the tale of two sisters(Louise and Jean Dana)who are orphans. They are currently attending a boarding school. The girls receive a beautiful, valuable lamp from their seafaring Uncle Ned Dana. However, the sisters not long after they received the gift find that has been stolen. The sisters pursue the thief but to no avail. They ...more

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Jul 14, 2010 Chris Curtis rated it really liked it

Shelves: dana-girls, mystery

I never had the chance to read this series when I was young. I remember it being advertised in my Nancy Drew books. Parts of the book are dated but it makes for a fun read that takes you back to an earlier time when girls always wore skirts or dresses, even to slide down banisters to sneak out and chase criminals.

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Oct 08, 2008 Marts (Thinker) rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery

These older versions are always best, however though the Dana girls were quite good, I dont think I could put them above Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. I'll still recommend these books to anyone who wants a good old fashioned mystery!! ...more

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Feb 29, 2012 K.L. rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1900-1950s, kids, classics, mystery, own, stratemeyer, vintage

Jean and Louise try to uncover the secret of a friends misery at Starhurst school, all the while trying to find out who is after the new study lamp they have recently been given. Love these original 1930's Dana Girls! ...more

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Sep 18, 2009 Susan Laine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: children-s-lit

This was the first series I collected as a young girl. I liked it better than the Nancy Drew series, which I also enjoyed.

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Aug 06, 2013 Bryce Ray rated it really liked it

I'm not sure if I liked this book better than the Nancy Drew books or not but overall if you are a fan of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys you will love this book. ...more

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Jul 07, 2014 Ryan Gerig rated it really liked it

Very predictable, but still enjoyable. Much better than the last one I read.

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Apr 22, 2015 Annette rated it really liked it

The 1st mystery in the Dana Girls series by Carolyn Keene.

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Dec 16, 2015 John rated it it was ok

Just felt very formulaic, nowhere near the standards of the Nancy Drew series. How many people can fall and hit their heads? Apparently 3...

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Dec 19, 2020 Joseph rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dana-girls, i-own-it

For my first experience reading a Dana Girls mystery, I decided to start with this first volume (I bought the original 1934 edition). By The Light of the Study Lamp was a delightful, thrilling story that's quite similar to the Nancy Drew mysteries I love. Louise and Jean are very pleasant main characters, Louise being the older and more decisive of the pair, and Jean being the more impulsive and energetic. The plot starts out fairly simple, involving the girls' antique lamp being stolen, but it ...more

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Jan 27, 2019 Carol Palmer rated it really liked it

I read the Nancy Drew books as a kid, but somehow I missed out on The Dana Girls. This series is authored by the same writer, Carolyn Keene, which is actually the pen name of more than one author of both series. Just for fun, I'm reading as many Dana Girls stories as I can find. They are much harder to find than Nancy Drew. The situations and people in this series could best be described as "quaint", but that's OK. The books were written for older teens in a simpler and more innocent time. There ...more

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Jul 29, 2020 Angie rated it liked it

It was cute enough and Jean and Louise are definitely interesting and intelligent and nicely capable which is something you expect from a "Carolyn Keene" branded book. The plot was also pretty jaunty. However, it lacked the smoothness and intelligence of the Drew books. I don't know which ghost-writer did these but it certainly wasn't the ghost-writer used for the Drew books. Mildred Wirt Benson would never have let such sloppy foreshadowing go into print! Things such as "she did not think much ...more

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Sep 29, 2018 Linda rated it really liked it

I read this book a long time ago and I re-read it for an article I'm writing. I really liked this first book in the Dana Girls series. The antique lamp in the story provided lots of intrigue and the Dana Girl sleuths faced some danger as they followed the clues. There weren't too many coincidences in this book either. The girls' nemesis, Lettie Briggs, provides some mischief in the lives of the girls at Starhurst Boarding School. I think part of the charm of this series is that the girls live at ...more

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Jun 10, 2019 LuAnn rated it liked it

The Dana Girls Mysteries were never as interesting to me as the Nancy Drew Mysteries. As two sisters, it's hard to keep Louise and Jean straight, I dislike the "mean girl" trope of Lettie and her mousy sidekick Ina, and I feel the plots themselves just aren't as original and interesting. In this one, I do like the setting of former estate turned into an all girls academy in the 1930s and the customs of the time, loosely applied to the independent Dana sisters, amusing. I guess either the sisters ...more

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About Carolyn Keene

Carolyn Keene

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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 Str ...more