The Mystery at Magnolia Mansion

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #97

by Carolyn Keene

Someone is trying to drive famed author Amelia Beaufort crazy--and Nancy and Bess have traveled to her moss-covered estate to help her out who.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Childrens, Adventure, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Fiction

148 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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.

Reviews

[TurningPages]

In an earlier book, The Secret of Shady Glen, Nancy solved a mystery for a young black woman whose ancestors were slaves who escaped to freedom via the Underground Railroad. In The Mystery at Magnolia Mansion, Nancy and Bess travel to South Carolina to help solve a mystery for a historical romance novelist who is a proud descendant of a Civil War colonel. At no point during the book's 148 pages is slavery mentioned so much as once. This glaring omission and the book's unqualified romanticizing of the South and the Confederacy left me uncomfortable and with a bad taste in my mouth. I love Nancy Drew and I was disappointed that what could have been a fun, spooky mystery was marred by this inexplicable oversight. This book should have been called "The Mystery of Why Everyone's Pretending Slavery Never Happened."

[Jen-Marie]

Loved this book as a kid!

[Aurora]

I am so glad I got this one. It was a really nice mystery!!

[Michelle Villmer]

This story was quite enjoyable. I lived in the south for years and on my honeymoon back in 1986, my husband and I went to Charleston. We visited Magnolia Plantation while we were there. Because of this, much of this book was very easy for me to imagine. Strange things are afoot at the mansion and there are many suspects for Nancy and Bess to sort through. Cranky relatives, angry staff, ambitious realtors and even the host's publisher and associate are up to no good. Bess is a great supporting character in this one, ready to investigate and fully help with solving the mystery. Southern charm and the Civil War background make this a rich, well thought out adventure.

[Chris Comden]

THe Mystery at Magnolia Mansion by Carolyn Keene
Series: Yes Nancy Drew #97
Format: Softcover
Stars: 5
Recommend: Yes
Would Reread: Yes


Reread 10-18-2021

Reread 08-26-26

I give honest reviews and all my opinions are my own.

For more of my reviews go to Heavenly High Seas Books
https://heavenlyhighseasbooks.blogspo...

[V. Arrow]

Once the "traitor" note showed up, I was so hopeful that this was going to be about someone calling Amelia out for glorifying the Confederacy in her dumb romance novels and pointing out that her grandparents were not, in fact, heroes, they were treasonous losers. But alas.

Anyway, two stars knocked off for bad vibes.

[Victoria Budkey]

Mostly read this because it’s one of the very few ND books in Charleston, SC - my hometown. Mystery was pretty interesting but got a bit bland and dry about halfway through. Not super satisfying of an ending, but the characters were neat!

[Carrie]

A little too moony about the glory days of the Confederacy for my Yankee sensibilities

[Amelia]

3.75

[Nicole]

Romantized confederate and full omission of slavery in story.

[The Curious Reader]

I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys throughout my school and college days.

Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.

Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.

[Eric Wood]

Good book. It was suspenseful and intriguing, but I found the explanations kinda far fetched, and some things weren't explained. Also, whenever Nancy and Bess talk to the suspects, Bess keeps giving away their undercover investigation with her big fat mouth! Oh Bess! Lol. So all in all this is a great book to read to pass the time with and it deserves 3 stars.

[Miri]

Author Amelia Beaufort calls Nancy and Bess to her Mansion for help. Someone is terrorizing her in her own home. It's up to Nancy to find out why. Before the Author falls even more behind on her new book.

[LuAnn]

Another clever mystery and fun setting, this time with an favorite author of Bess', though hostile suspects seem to have become mandatory (and are getting old). George must be busy--she wasn't around to help with this one.

[Melmo2610]

This is one of my favorite Nancy Drew titles. I love that an author is at the heart of this mystery and I also loved the historical ties in this story.

[Leah]

So we meet again, Nancy Drew. Been awhile.

[Serena]

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.