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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #51
Mystery of the Glowing Eye
When Nancy Drew eagerly agrees to help her lawyer father solve the mystery of the glowing eye, she has no way of knowing that it will involve the kidnapping of her close friend Ned Nickerson.
A puzzling note in Ned's handwriting sets Nancy and her friends Bess and George on a hazardous search for a bizarre criminal. From their base of operations, the Emerson College campus, the three girl detectives and Ned's college pals follow a maze of clues to locate the kidnapper's hideout and rescue Ned. Not only is Nancy greatly worried about Ned, but also she is alarmed by the high-handed methods of a woman lawyer who tries to take the case away from her.
Every reader will thrill to Nancy's exciting adventures as she unravels this dangerous web of mystery.
A puzzling note in Ned's handwriting sets Nancy and her friends Bess and George on a hazardous search for a bizarre criminal. From their base of operations, the Emerson College campus, the three girl detectives and Ned's college pals follow a maze of clues to locate the kidnapper's hideout and rescue Ned. Not only is Nancy greatly worried about Ned, but also she is alarmed by the high-handed methods of a woman lawyer who tries to take the case away from her.
Every reader will thrill to Nancy's exciting adventures as she unravels this dangerous web of mystery.
181 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
70 people are currently reading
2298 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,017 books3,872 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 138 reviews
November 4, 2019
Quickly Burt slit the envelope and took out the enclosed note. In a hastily scrawled handwriting Ned had written, "Don't know where I am. Prisoner of red-haired nut."
We're near the end of the 50-something original Nancy books. And the writing team has been running out of ideas. We get the idea that we might be in the mid-1970s. One of the main "villains" in this book, aside from the red-haired nut, is a robot helicopter.
And to clarify, said "nut" has a name. He is . . . ready for this? Zapp Crosson. When he's trying to make friends, he asks people to call him "Crossy." When he's busy kidnapping Ned Nickerson and tinkering with evil lasers and magnets, he calls his project "Cyclops."
The fun part of this book is that Nancy has a good time with her friends Bess and George, and also with Burt and Dave, who are the "favorite dates" of Bess and George. The five of them spend the entire book searching for Zapp and Ned, with the help of a local museum curator, and a professor from Emerson University, where the boys have been living and attending as students for the past million years. The boys are members of the nicest fraternity on the planet. Their frat house has a neat and tidy guest room set aside for visitors. In the evenings, they sit around and listen to records together. In the mornings, one boy is always assigned to make breakfast for whoever wants breakfast. It is just the sweetest place!
But anyways, we hope the red-haired maniac doesn't decide to kill Ned. Is it possible that Ned has accidentally created an evil engineering blueprint that Zapp needs to complete his laser mind control device?!
And meanwhile, readers get a taste of red herring. Nancy's father Mr. Carson Drew has taken on a new assistant (female) attorney in his office, and she has a nasty habit of going out to dinner with him!!! What is Nancy going to DO???!!!
We're near the end of the 50-something original Nancy books. And the writing team has been running out of ideas. We get the idea that we might be in the mid-1970s. One of the main "villains" in this book, aside from the red-haired nut, is a robot helicopter.
And to clarify, said "nut" has a name. He is . . . ready for this? Zapp Crosson. When he's trying to make friends, he asks people to call him "Crossy." When he's busy kidnapping Ned Nickerson and tinkering with evil lasers and magnets, he calls his project "Cyclops."
The fun part of this book is that Nancy has a good time with her friends Bess and George, and also with Burt and Dave, who are the "favorite dates" of Bess and George. The five of them spend the entire book searching for Zapp and Ned, with the help of a local museum curator, and a professor from Emerson University, where the boys have been living and attending as students for the past million years. The boys are members of the nicest fraternity on the planet. Their frat house has a neat and tidy guest room set aside for visitors. In the evenings, they sit around and listen to records together. In the mornings, one boy is always assigned to make breakfast for whoever wants breakfast. It is just the sweetest place!
But anyways, we hope the red-haired maniac doesn't decide to kill Ned. Is it possible that Ned has accidentally created an evil engineering blueprint that Zapp needs to complete his laser mind control device?!
And meanwhile, readers get a taste of red herring. Nancy's father Mr. Carson Drew has taken on a new assistant (female) attorney in his office, and she has a nasty habit of going out to dinner with him!!! What is Nancy going to DO???!!!
October 8, 2021
From helicopters, to swamps, to a paralyzing light, to a pushy little broad - a woman lawyer (baby attorney, first year) who sets her cap for MR. DREW! Boy, oh Boy, Nancy has her hands full in #51. AND Ned has to pinch hit flying a helicopter. . .not everyone can do that fresh out of Emerson College.
It was fun to see something happen with Mr. Drew - although he seems to have not recognized the signs of someone wanted to dislodge Nancy and the trap laid for him with many trips alone together - sometimes I do wonder about him. . . .every book has stated that he is very handsome, but still. . .anyway.
Oh, yes. Many red-heads in this one. Don't know why they are picking on the gingers, but they did. The tale starts with a glowing eye, and we never really find out much about it, although one iteration of the light has a paralyzing effect on everyone - like the game FREEZE or Red Light Green Light.
On to #52!
It was fun to see something happen with Mr. Drew - although he seems to have not recognized the signs of someone wanted to dislodge Nancy and the trap laid for him with many trips alone together - sometimes I do wonder about him. . . .every book has stated that he is very handsome, but still. . .anyway.
Oh, yes. Many red-heads in this one. Don't know why they are picking on the gingers, but they did. The tale starts with a glowing eye, and we never really find out much about it, although one iteration of the light has a paralyzing effect on everyone - like the game FREEZE or Red Light Green Light.
On to #52!
November 14, 2014
Nancy seems a lot less mature in this one than in the other ones. Less of a put-together woman and more of an infantilized teenager. She randomly stares into space a lot, I guess from all the concussions, though she hasn't lost consciousness in three books.
In the first chapter a pilotless^ helicopter crashes in Nancy's yard. From it Nancy discovers that Ned Nickerson has been kidnapped (after sussing out a "lost textile process*," natch). Also some 24-year-old attorney proposes to Carson Drew.
Nancy and B&G and some other guy are temporarily paralyzed by a "paralyzing light" and Nancy also adheres to a magnetic wall. The glowing eye thing doesn't make sense at all.
She gets a temporary new boyfriend who is a helicopter pilot until Ned makes his own triumphant return flying the helicopter that crashed in Nancy's yard at the beginning. New Boyfriend and George each give Nancy a vigorous massage after the magnet wall injury.
^ It's a robot helicopter running due to "program tapes" which is a 70s version of computer programs? Seems a little sophisticated for the 1970s.
*Converting energy into laser light without wasting any of the energy.
In the first chapter a pilotless^ helicopter crashes in Nancy's yard. From it Nancy discovers that Ned Nickerson has been kidnapped (after sussing out a "lost textile process*," natch). Also some 24-year-old attorney proposes to Carson Drew.
Nancy and B&G and some other guy are temporarily paralyzed by a "paralyzing light" and Nancy also adheres to a magnetic wall. The glowing eye thing doesn't make sense at all.
She gets a temporary new boyfriend who is a helicopter pilot until Ned makes his own triumphant return flying the helicopter that crashed in Nancy's yard at the beginning. New Boyfriend and George each give Nancy a vigorous massage after the magnet wall injury.
^ It's a robot helicopter running due to "program tapes" which is a 70s version of computer programs? Seems a little sophisticated for the 1970s.
*Converting energy into laser light without wasting any of the energy.
February 20, 2021
5+ stars & 6/10 hearts. WOW. What a great Nancy Drew! This one was really fascinating and intriguing like no other. And the fact that Ned STAYED kidnapped the whole book long instead of being rescued at once?! And that no one else was kidnapped or had any attempted hurt done to them?! And that the mystery had just enough clues to get you going but was still a mystery?! It was the most realistic so far, I think.
December 29, 2018
When Nancy discovers that Ned has been kidnapped, she takes it upon herself to try to find him.
I absolutely loathed this book. It starts off with Nancy being jealous of Marty King, a young, new lawyer working for her father. Nancy is upset that Marty King is taking over a mystery her father had initially mentioned to her. Then it kind of spirals out into the science fiction realm.
A self-piloted helicopter lands on Nancy’s front lawn. In the cockpit, she finds a note scrawled by Ned, warning her against Cyclops. Nobody knows whose helicopter it is or why it landed there. But Burt and Dave quickly inform Nancy that Ned has been missing for a couple of days.
Nancy, Bess and George drive to Emerson College where they discover that another student is also missing. A grad student working in the same lab as Ned. As the case unfolds, Nancy fears that Ned has been kidnapped by the grad student and ties the case to a mysterious glowing eye that appears in a museum.
Ned is MIA for 99% of the book. Dropping breadcrumbs for Nancy and friends. But they seem to be a step behind each time they get close to finding him. Then the glowing eye plotline is introduced. Okay, I have no idea how that glowing eye worked or what the point of it was. It made zero sense. And I still don’t know if the museum’s receptionist was involved or not? She takes herself out of the narrative; whereabouts unknown.
And then the ending. Good Lord. So after everything that Nancy does to find Ned, he rescues himself. Then acts like nothing really happened. He was gone for days. Days! With some lunatic pointing a gun at him and trying to steal his invention. Oh yeah, Ned invented something. What, you ask? To quote Ned,
“My invention is a new way for a scientist to produce laser light so that even a small source of energy will do great feats. It’s done by converting all of the energy into light.”
Boy, I have no clue what you just said.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about Marty King, well I’m pretty sure she’s never appearing again. You see, Mr. Drew asked her to resign. Apparently she proposed to him and admitted to being jealous of Nancy and her sleuthing adventures. Ha! Yes. It was a mutual jealousy-fest.
Ugh. This book was a mess. I’m done. The 70’s were obviously not good to Nancy. I won’t even get into how hideous the cover is. I am so done.
I absolutely loathed this book. It starts off with Nancy being jealous of Marty King, a young, new lawyer working for her father. Nancy is upset that Marty King is taking over a mystery her father had initially mentioned to her. Then it kind of spirals out into the science fiction realm.
A self-piloted helicopter lands on Nancy’s front lawn. In the cockpit, she finds a note scrawled by Ned, warning her against Cyclops. Nobody knows whose helicopter it is or why it landed there. But Burt and Dave quickly inform Nancy that Ned has been missing for a couple of days.
Nancy, Bess and George drive to Emerson College where they discover that another student is also missing. A grad student working in the same lab as Ned. As the case unfolds, Nancy fears that Ned has been kidnapped by the grad student and ties the case to a mysterious glowing eye that appears in a museum.
Ned is MIA for 99% of the book. Dropping breadcrumbs for Nancy and friends. But they seem to be a step behind each time they get close to finding him. Then the glowing eye plotline is introduced. Okay, I have no idea how that glowing eye worked or what the point of it was. It made zero sense. And I still don’t know if the museum’s receptionist was involved or not? She takes herself out of the narrative; whereabouts unknown.
And then the ending. Good Lord. So after everything that Nancy does to find Ned, he rescues himself. Then acts like nothing really happened. He was gone for days. Days! With some lunatic pointing a gun at him and trying to steal his invention. Oh yeah, Ned invented something. What, you ask? To quote Ned,
“My invention is a new way for a scientist to produce laser light so that even a small source of energy will do great feats. It’s done by converting all of the energy into light.”
Boy, I have no clue what you just said.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about Marty King, well I’m pretty sure she’s never appearing again. You see, Mr. Drew asked her to resign. Apparently she proposed to him and admitted to being jealous of Nancy and her sleuthing adventures. Ha! Yes. It was a mutual jealousy-fest.
Ugh. This book was a mess. I’m done. The 70’s were obviously not good to Nancy. I won’t even get into how hideous the cover is. I am so done.
September 25, 2011
Danger and intrigue haunt Nancy Drew in this thrilling addition to the book series.
July 27, 2025
Good, but not my favorite Nancy Drew.
July 31, 2019
3.75 stars.
I enjoyed reading this one but I gave it a bit lower rating than I usually would because there were some elements that I didn’t like about it. It definitely was fun to reread and annotate with my thoughts.
I think the main thing I didn’t like about this one was Nancy’s attitude toward the case. Her boyfriend Ned has supposedly been kidnapped, but she doesn’t seem overly concerned about it. She basically treats it like just another case and when she keeps hitting dead ends her attitude is basically “oh no, fooled me again, but I’ll get you next time”. There was little emotion shown toward the situation, no frustration every time she is so close but ends up not finding him, and barely any thought to what this crazy guy could actually do to Ned. She doesn’t really entertain the possibility that this guy could kill him until we get closer to the end of the book. She was just her normal, perfect self, but in this case I think it was too perfect. I thought that in order to be more realistic more emotion should have been shown because it impacts someone close to her, and when people you love are in danger it would be an emotional situation.
Spoilers!
The other thing I didn’t like was the fact that Nancy didn’t actually get a chance to save Ned. She may have solved the case and captured Crosson but Ned escaped on his own, which robbed us of a chance to see Nancy’s strength. It almost feels like there is some sexism going on here and the author couldn’t let Nancy, a girl, save Ned. Ned didn’t need her to save him and so he is still a strong man who doesn’t need a girl to save him. It wasn’t a really satisfying ending and I think it could have been done better.
I enjoyed reading this one but I gave it a bit lower rating than I usually would because there were some elements that I didn’t like about it. It definitely was fun to reread and annotate with my thoughts.
I think the main thing I didn’t like about this one was Nancy’s attitude toward the case. Her boyfriend Ned has supposedly been kidnapped, but she doesn’t seem overly concerned about it. She basically treats it like just another case and when she keeps hitting dead ends her attitude is basically “oh no, fooled me again, but I’ll get you next time”. There was little emotion shown toward the situation, no frustration every time she is so close but ends up not finding him, and barely any thought to what this crazy guy could actually do to Ned. She doesn’t really entertain the possibility that this guy could kill him until we get closer to the end of the book. She was just her normal, perfect self, but in this case I think it was too perfect. I thought that in order to be more realistic more emotion should have been shown because it impacts someone close to her, and when people you love are in danger it would be an emotional situation.
Spoilers!
The other thing I didn’t like was the fact that Nancy didn’t actually get a chance to save Ned. She may have solved the case and captured Crosson but Ned escaped on his own, which robbed us of a chance to see Nancy’s strength. It almost feels like there is some sexism going on here and the author couldn’t let Nancy, a girl, save Ned. Ned didn’t need her to save him and so he is still a strong man who doesn’t need a girl to save him. It wasn’t a really satisfying ending and I think it could have been done better.
July 31, 2014
As a kid I remember this story in particular creeping me out. Most likely because of the cover. The ending cracked me up because Carson Drew was asked for his hand in marriage by a woman lawyer who was competing against Nancy and worked at his office. That was how the story ended. I am confused about the author's thinking of adding that into the story. Besides that, the story was out together in typical Nancy Drew format. The police are on call for Nancy 24/7, and leave her to do her own police work. Nancy seemed to take a liking to a pilot who flew her all over the place, but after offering his devotion to helping Nancy, he is never mentioned again. My guess is that Ned was found soon after. And of course, Nancy and Ned are "friends" so the pilot can't interfere with that. I love Nancy Drew, and I am glad I am reading them again as an adult. Yet, I find them lacking in so many details that it is frustrating. I would love to hear some more comments from people about the relationships between characters throughout the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2011
This Nancy Drew was published in 1974. If it had existed and I had read it in 1970. I would have given it 4 stars. I enjoyed this book for all the reasons I enjoyed Nancy as a kid-Nancy's independence, persistence in pursuing the clues to a nice tidy mystery ending. (and I'm still envious of her roadster) Nancy investigates a strange eye shaped glowing light in a museum and the kidnapping of Ned. The coincidences of all the clues leading to ending of these mysteries bugged me a lot as a huge Nancy Drew fan in 197. Now I'm way too old and they kind of make for torturous reading.
October 22, 2024
Um this one was INCREDIBLE?!????????????? 👁️👁️👁️👁️👁️
Only negative: somewhat rushed ending, I wanted a more exciting rescue. But I will excuse it because this story was SO GOOD.
This mystery was 🦇💩 crazy and probably completely scientifically inaccurate, but I don’t even care because the whole thing was a RESCUE MISSION FOR A KIDNAPPED NED.
There were robot helicopters, explosions and bombs galore, a crazed kidnapper who actually had gruesome pictures in his lair (rare for a Nancy Drew!), AND a platinum blonde twenty-something working for Carson Drew who absolutely wanted to become Nancy’s stepmother. ☠️
Nancy also got to enjoy the services of a personal helicopter pilot throughout her investigations.
I think the kidnapping mysteries are some of the best ones in the series. I remember loving the Bungalow Mystery waaaay back at the beginning of the series, and this was somewhat similar.
Only negative: somewhat rushed ending, I wanted a more exciting rescue. But I will excuse it because this story was SO GOOD.
This mystery was 🦇💩 crazy and probably completely scientifically inaccurate, but I don’t even care because the whole thing was a RESCUE MISSION FOR A KIDNAPPED NED.
There were robot helicopters, explosions and bombs galore, a crazed kidnapper who actually had gruesome pictures in his lair (rare for a Nancy Drew!), AND a platinum blonde twenty-something working for Carson Drew who absolutely wanted to become Nancy’s stepmother. ☠️
Nancy also got to enjoy the services of a personal helicopter pilot throughout her investigations.
I think the kidnapping mysteries are some of the best ones in the series. I remember loving the Bungalow Mystery waaaay back at the beginning of the series, and this was somewhat similar.
February 14, 2022
I haven't read this series since I was 11-13, but I remember this book being my favourite in the series. I used to force myself to not read it for a month so it would be fresh and interesting again when I wanted to reread it. I loved the entire series and had the pleasure of reading them from older copies of the books my mom saved from her childhood. I found the cover super interesting when I was younger, and when I first read them I counted down the books until I would be able to read it. Five stars!!!!!
August 22, 2025
I love when a Nancy book has it all: ned as a damsel in distress, excessive helicopter rides, a bomb, the power of paralysis, a redhead named Zapp, Bess struggling to invent Uber Eats, swamps, a museum that gets no visitors, random greek mythology references, a gold digger trying to marry Carson that Nancy only hates because she's worried she'll solve more mysteries than her. these books may be short but they contain multitudes.
also imagine if this was a her interactive oc game. im stressed out just thinking about how many times I'd crash that helicopter
also imagine if this was a her interactive oc game. im stressed out just thinking about how many times I'd crash that helicopter
September 25, 2020
Your usual Nancy Drew mystery but I had to read this one because it said it was based at Emerson College, where Nancy Drew's boyfriend Ned went. (Probably not the same Emerson College in Boston but that's why I had to read it.)
November 14, 2022
convoluted, to say the least.
Read
April 27, 2021Anyone can fly a helicopter and you should be careful when there are glowing eyes nearby.
October 10, 2025
I hadn't read a Nancy Drew book in years. It's old fashioned, but still a good mystery. This one was a little weird, but okay. I think others are better.
August 7, 2019
3.5 stars
Mystery of the Glowing Eye has to be a contender for the most bizarre Nancy Drew book. To its credit, that's probably why I remembered so much of it. Nancy spends the book trying to find Ned, who has been abducted because his crazy lab partner wants to steal Ned's highly advanced invention(I guess college students have time to make groundbreaking discoveries in the Nancy Drew universe).
There is so much crazy pseudoscience in the story that it is almost reminiscent of a 50s science fiction B movie. My personal favorite is the magnetized wall that somehow magnetizes human flesh. To be fair, having Ned go missing and adding Marty King into the mix makes the conflict quite distinct from many of the other stories.
But in spite of(and probably partly because of) all the weirdness, I have a strange fondness for Mystery of the Glowing Eye. Love it or hate it, it's undeniably one of Nancy's most unusual adventures!
Mystery of the Glowing Eye has to be a contender for the most bizarre Nancy Drew book. To its credit, that's probably why I remembered so much of it. Nancy spends the book trying to find Ned, who has been abducted because his crazy lab partner wants to steal Ned's highly advanced invention(I guess college students have time to make groundbreaking discoveries in the Nancy Drew universe).
There is so much crazy pseudoscience in the story that it is almost reminiscent of a 50s science fiction B movie. My personal favorite is the magnetized wall that somehow magnetizes human flesh. To be fair, having Ned go missing and adding Marty King into the mix makes the conflict quite distinct from many of the other stories.
But in spite of(and probably partly because of) all the weirdness, I have a strange fondness for Mystery of the Glowing Eye. Love it or hate it, it's undeniably one of Nancy's most unusual adventures!
August 5, 2018
I do not remember reading this one when I was younger. The story was pretty complicated, and I guess for its time (1970s) fairly advanced content-wise. And who knew Ned was working on such high-tech, complicated work in his teens? Oh brother. Too much science-fiction vibe in this one for me.
March 14, 2012
Doesn't this cover creep you out?
May 21, 2012
first book i ever read!
February 3, 2021
Ned Nickerson is kidnapped! What a relief, actually, to have some dramatic stakes. In fact, they kick it up a notch in two other directions: Nancy has a rival working at her father's law firm who is also seeking to uncover the mystery PLUS she is romancing Nancy's dad, all of which turns Nancy into a flaming hot ball of mild irritation and unresolved Freudian complexes. PLUS AGAIN the book opens with a robot helicopter landing in Nancy's yard with a mysterious note ensconced. How could this go wrong?
Well, let me tell you. Like most other Nancy Drew mysteries, it's not actually a mystery. Please understand that. This one may be the worst in that regard as Nancy's only job is to uncover the villain (which she does maybe two chapters in) and locate him (he comes to her because he had to double back to his third of four secret laboratories around the town).
The villain here is ZAPP CROSSON, red-headed graduate student scientist who is after Ned's secret formula for something. But Crosson has also built a paralyzing ray and a autonomous robot helicopter in, like, the 1970s, and can't figure out for the life of himself how to monetize either of those inventions. So he's kidnapped Ned and handcuffed him to a bunk, though he still leaves pens and paper lying around and also isn't quite sure what the invention is that Ned's come up with, but, hey, once you've kidnapped someone, you can't unkidnap them.
This one is just very weird in little spurts. Besides Ned showing up at the end (more on that in a moment), my favorite part has to be Nancy finding a boot print from Crosson in some fresh mud. Noticing it has a carving in it in the shape of a cyclops, she calls up the police, describes the print to them, and they call her back shortly after saying, "Oh, yes, that is the symbol of this ancient wizard cult." Like, not even going off a photograph? And this is supposed to be the police doing this research? And just when between all the kidnapping and elite tech work did Crosson have time to design himself custom boot prints? Like, if I was a master criminal, that may be the last thing I would do.
Crosson gets captured in Chapter XIX and refuses to relay Ned's location, leaving the very real possibility that he will simply starve to death where ever Zapp left him last. However, Chapter XX opens with Nancy taking an early morning stroll around the Emerson campus and, lo and behold, a helicopter lands before her and Ned pops out. Crosson had been careless with some restraints and his helicopter to boot, and now Ned got away, leaving the very real possibility that this would have been the exact same outcome had Nancy not bothered to get involved anyway.
Somehow, Ned is very smug about being kidnapped, and Nancy is just happy for the adventure to be over. Some of Ned's explanations of the events, including a note he left behind in the helicopter where Ned didn't mention Crosson's name "in case he found it!" even though-- well, it makes no sense.
A lot of things Ned does are actually counterintuitive to being rescued. In fact, so much of this book is just wasting time-- Nancy's father never even gets around to explaining the 'Cyclops' mystery until the very end. Just a real missed opportunity here to do something... good.
Well, let me tell you. Like most other Nancy Drew mysteries, it's not actually a mystery. Please understand that. This one may be the worst in that regard as Nancy's only job is to uncover the villain (which she does maybe two chapters in) and locate him (he comes to her because he had to double back to his third of four secret laboratories around the town).
The villain here is ZAPP CROSSON, red-headed graduate student scientist who is after Ned's secret formula for something. But Crosson has also built a paralyzing ray and a autonomous robot helicopter in, like, the 1970s, and can't figure out for the life of himself how to monetize either of those inventions. So he's kidnapped Ned and handcuffed him to a bunk, though he still leaves pens and paper lying around and also isn't quite sure what the invention is that Ned's come up with, but, hey, once you've kidnapped someone, you can't unkidnap them.
This one is just very weird in little spurts. Besides Ned showing up at the end (more on that in a moment), my favorite part has to be Nancy finding a boot print from Crosson in some fresh mud. Noticing it has a carving in it in the shape of a cyclops, she calls up the police, describes the print to them, and they call her back shortly after saying, "Oh, yes, that is the symbol of this ancient wizard cult." Like, not even going off a photograph? And this is supposed to be the police doing this research? And just when between all the kidnapping and elite tech work did Crosson have time to design himself custom boot prints? Like, if I was a master criminal, that may be the last thing I would do.
Crosson gets captured in Chapter XIX and refuses to relay Ned's location, leaving the very real possibility that he will simply starve to death where ever Zapp left him last. However, Chapter XX opens with Nancy taking an early morning stroll around the Emerson campus and, lo and behold, a helicopter lands before her and Ned pops out. Crosson had been careless with some restraints and his helicopter to boot, and now Ned got away, leaving the very real possibility that this would have been the exact same outcome had Nancy not bothered to get involved anyway.
Somehow, Ned is very smug about being kidnapped, and Nancy is just happy for the adventure to be over. Some of Ned's explanations of the events, including a note he left behind in the helicopter where Ned didn't mention Crosson's name "in case he found it!" even though-- well, it makes no sense.
A lot of things Ned does are actually counterintuitive to being rescued. In fact, so much of this book is just wasting time-- Nancy's father never even gets around to explaining the 'Cyclops' mystery until the very end. Just a real missed opportunity here to do something... good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 25, 2023While Nancy is excited to solve the mystery of the glowing eye, a case she has recently taken over from her lawyer father, she finds herself falling off-track when a series of events cause her to tumble down into the well of confusion and despair, one after the other.
From a strange driverless copter crashing in her house garden to some mysterious notes handwritten by her boyfriend Ned, clues like these seem to boondoggle her brains. Apparently, Ned has been kidnapped by someone who, he mentions in his notes as the “red-haired nut”. Plus, this kidnapper seems to have some connection with the Greek mythological one-eyed creature called Cyclops.
The web of the mystery seem to become even more entangled than ever as she further spots a spooky eye emerging in a science museum she visits along with a professor and Glenn, a local tourist pilot. As the red colour of the eye glows from bright to fiery red, Nancy finds herself grappled by a magnetized wall, turning white, only to be saved by the men’s duo at the last minute. Nevertheless, the museum's caretaker, a woman named Miss Wilkins appears as indifferent as ice to provide them with any speck of information. However, soon enough, in a couple of days, Nancy receives the news that the caretaker has abruptly resigned from the job.
And so, while Nancy with her friends, decide to spend a night guarding the museum for clues, they come across a secret diary addressed to Miss Wilkins by Cyclops. Cyclops who seems to have a connection with Ned’s kidnapping. Navigating the upstair rooms of the museum, they also discover a full-fledged laboratory full of chemical bottles, electronic equipment and used linen.
The mystery comes to a closure only when Ned flees away from her kidnapper, who was none other than a student of Ned’s college Zap Crosson, who had been cultivating jealousy pertaining to Ned’s recent experiment, and cunningly plotted to steal his formulae and codes, thereby kidnapping him.
Wrapping up, the mystery of the glowing eye is an intriguing piece of fiction, gripping the reader with interesting scenes and suspenseful details!
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October 17, 2020
As the series progresses, plot elements change. Nancy no longer gets tied up. It’s been replaced with my favorite plot device: Ned gets kidnapped! I love it. I think he is kidnapped twice in one book. Ned is far less annoying in the later books, but it still makes me happy.
In this book, Ned disappears before the book even starts. The villain is one Zapp Crosson. That name is awesome. Sadly, Zapp doesn’t have a lot of run-ins with Nancy and Co., mostly it’s his helicopter. Which is remote controlled!
Nancy is very emotional on this book. She’s worried about Ned and her dad’s new lawyer... Marty King. Who brags that she will solve the mystery before Nancy. Turns out she was going after Mr. Drew and who can blame her?! Surprisingly, her tactic of undermining Nancy does not charm Carson Drew.
Even though Ned has possibly been kidnapped, only his frat and Nancy & Co. look for him. His parents don’t even join in the search! Come on.
While Nancy frets over Ned’s fate, I couldn’t help thinking “It’s only Ned, Nancy. You can do better.” Especially with that cute helicopter pilot!
Of course Ned wouldn’t have been kidnapped if he hadn’t suddenly decided to go with Zapp even though Ned didn’t trust Zapp and Zapp was usually a jerk. But the one time Zapp is nice... off Ned goes with him.
Zapp is supposed to be brilliant, but is very stupid. He lets Ned look around his helicopter after bragging that he will use it to deliver a bomb to Nancy. Then he does not check to make sure the bomb is still there. Spoiler: it is not. Ned somehow hides it on his pocket and then sneakily dumps it in the swamp.
There’s also a light that can paralyze you fit several minutes! Very exciting.
All in all a fun read.
Sadly George is just a jerk. She’s always teasing Bess about her weight or her fear. She’s my least favorite character!
In this book, Ned disappears before the book even starts. The villain is one Zapp Crosson. That name is awesome. Sadly, Zapp doesn’t have a lot of run-ins with Nancy and Co., mostly it’s his helicopter. Which is remote controlled!
Nancy is very emotional on this book. She’s worried about Ned and her dad’s new lawyer... Marty King. Who brags that she will solve the mystery before Nancy. Turns out she was going after Mr. Drew and who can blame her?! Surprisingly, her tactic of undermining Nancy does not charm Carson Drew.
Even though Ned has possibly been kidnapped, only his frat and Nancy & Co. look for him. His parents don’t even join in the search! Come on.
While Nancy frets over Ned’s fate, I couldn’t help thinking “It’s only Ned, Nancy. You can do better.” Especially with that cute helicopter pilot!
Of course Ned wouldn’t have been kidnapped if he hadn’t suddenly decided to go with Zapp even though Ned didn’t trust Zapp and Zapp was usually a jerk. But the one time Zapp is nice... off Ned goes with him.
Zapp is supposed to be brilliant, but is very stupid. He lets Ned look around his helicopter after bragging that he will use it to deliver a bomb to Nancy. Then he does not check to make sure the bomb is still there. Spoiler: it is not. Ned somehow hides it on his pocket and then sneakily dumps it in the swamp.
There’s also a light that can paralyze you fit several minutes! Very exciting.
All in all a fun read.
Sadly George is just a jerk. She’s always teasing Bess about her weight or her fear. She’s my least favorite character!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2020
I am re-reading the first 56 Nancy Drew books. I liked this one more than most.
Mild spoilers ahead -
Ned goes missing, and for once the story is plausible. Not exactly believable of a young college undergrad, but at least plausible. And Nancy is jealous of her dad’s new employee. Nancy, jealous!! She is a 24 year old lawyer her dad hired and who Nancy thinks will get all her detective work. Well Nancy, you could go to college too. You are certainly smart enough and can afford it. But I digress. Though the jealousy angle alone was worth reading this book.
It is incredibly UNbelievable that a helicopter would land in your yard with a letter from your boyfriend, flown by completely by remote control. Where do these people live?? How big is your yard?
Even more UNbelievebale that the FBI – THE Federal Bureau of Investigations – would personally call Nancy to keep her up to date on the case and not Ned’s anxious parents (if anyone at all).
Then, when they get a clue as to where Ned is, or at least where he was recently, they HAVE LUNCH FIRST. How concerned were they??
As they arrived at the location they see a copter flying off – and likely Ned was in it. Was it worth the lunch Nancy and co??
In the end Ned saved himself. He didn’t really need Nancy to help, though she did apprehend his captor.
Nancy Drew books are summed up best when Burt says “As usual more things can happen to Nancy Drew and her friends in two hours than might happen in two years to somebody else”.
Mild spoilers ahead -
Ned goes missing, and for once the story is plausible. Not exactly believable of a young college undergrad, but at least plausible. And Nancy is jealous of her dad’s new employee. Nancy, jealous!! She is a 24 year old lawyer her dad hired and who Nancy thinks will get all her detective work. Well Nancy, you could go to college too. You are certainly smart enough and can afford it. But I digress. Though the jealousy angle alone was worth reading this book.
It is incredibly UNbelievable that a helicopter would land in your yard with a letter from your boyfriend, flown by completely by remote control. Where do these people live?? How big is your yard?
Even more UNbelievebale that the FBI – THE Federal Bureau of Investigations – would personally call Nancy to keep her up to date on the case and not Ned’s anxious parents (if anyone at all).
Then, when they get a clue as to where Ned is, or at least where he was recently, they HAVE LUNCH FIRST. How concerned were they??
As they arrived at the location they see a copter flying off – and likely Ned was in it. Was it worth the lunch Nancy and co??
In the end Ned saved himself. He didn’t really need Nancy to help, though she did apprehend his captor.
Nancy Drew books are summed up best when Burt says “As usual more things can happen to Nancy Drew and her friends in two hours than might happen in two years to somebody else”.
May 18, 2023
Carolyn Keene (or rather, the ghostwriter who used that name) once more achieves a fast-paced quality mystery novel centered on a female protagonist. Nancy, troubled and conflicted over the new female law graduate working for her father, tackles one of his cases once again, determined to prove her value in lieu of Marty King's persistent involvement. However, after Nancy becomes involved her friend, Ned Nickelsen, goes missing. When it becomes apparent that he has been kidnapped, Nancy and her friends work tirelessly to solve the case and find Ned.
The story hits all of the marks of a good Nancy Drew Novel. The characterization is vivid, and this story is even more face-paced than most, taking place over a short period of time as they race to find Ned before he is harmed. The pseudo-rivalry between Nancy and Marty King, who is also working the case as a researcher under Nancy's father, serves to undermine Nancy's characterization in some parts, implying a natural rivalry between two female characters, as if only one of them could exist comfortably within the niche. This waters down the impressiveness of Nancy's bold characterization, failing to support other strong characters within the story. Nevertheless, it was well written, with an interesting plot and satisfying resolution.
The story hits all of the marks of a good Nancy Drew Novel. The characterization is vivid, and this story is even more face-paced than most, taking place over a short period of time as they race to find Ned before he is harmed. The pseudo-rivalry between Nancy and Marty King, who is also working the case as a researcher under Nancy's father, serves to undermine Nancy's characterization in some parts, implying a natural rivalry between two female characters, as if only one of them could exist comfortably within the niche. This waters down the impressiveness of Nancy's bold characterization, failing to support other strong characters within the story. Nevertheless, it was well written, with an interesting plot and satisfying resolution.
July 31, 2021
Drugs played a large role in the 1970s... and possibly the creation of this book. I thought exploding oranges were about as far-fetched as you could get, but 'Glowing Eye' proved me wrong. Robo helicopters, beams of paralyzing light, and human magnetizing walls are all featured in this adventure of Nancy's. Depending on how seriously you take your children's lit you'll either find it so ridiculous it's funny, or so over the top it's unreadable.
Personally, it's not my favorite Nancy Drew. That said, I haven't found a single book in the series that I hated enough to give it a truly scathing review. Yes, they often feature antiquated attitudes and language that we now find offensive- though this one is free from those flaws. Yes, Nancy is often depicted in an unrealistic and perfect manner (seriously, just the amount of times she's been injured, she should have a limp or something!) But if you're looking for a nice nostalgic romp and something you don't have to concentrate too much on, they're great.
Personally, it's not my favorite Nancy Drew. That said, I haven't found a single book in the series that I hated enough to give it a truly scathing review. Yes, they often feature antiquated attitudes and language that we now find offensive- though this one is free from those flaws. Yes, Nancy is often depicted in an unrealistic and perfect manner (seriously, just the amount of times she's been injured, she should have a limp or something!) But if you're looking for a nice nostalgic romp and something you don't have to concentrate too much on, they're great.
July 30, 2020
The book seems to have too many loopholes. Honestly, the case explained here would not have progressed if Nancy Drew's 'hunches' were ineffective. The whole story goes forward with too many guess work. You will never know why Mrs. Wilkins left her job in a hurry, or why was Crosson peeping into Ned Nickerson's room when Nancy was explaining the numbered eye drawing. Once again, how did Nancy come up with the numbered eye drawing formula thing and what is its purpose is still unknown. The pile of clothes in the farmhouse and the 1923 pennies found (though it helped to make out that red haired nut and Crosson are the same guy) are what for is left unanswered.The whole Ned Nickerson's invention about laser light is also not explained properly. Marty King's character was a drag. I am extremely disappointed as this was my first Nancy Drew book. I will receive another Nancy Drew book soon and I hope that will help me change my mind.
July 11, 2021
Ned has disappeared and it's up to Nancy to find him. This is a great plot, but it's bogged down by other plots. Carson has a new legal assistant and Nancy is jealous. Carson has asked Nancy to investigate a different mystery, and she actively pursues it instead of focusing on Ned. Yes, they turn out to be the same case, but it makes Nancy look like she doesn't care that Ned's missing.
I'm not against the 'Nancy jealous' plot, but not in the same book where Ned is missing. Usually, Nancy has no, or very light, personal involvement with the case, so to give her two emotional subplots was a bit much, though since they did have the emotional drama the book didn't have very many 'culprit tries to kill Nancy' scenes. There were a few, but not as many as in other books.
On the bright side, we get a lot of Burt and Dave, and find out that George's father is an electrical engineer. We also get to visit the Nickerson House and Emerson.
I'm not against the 'Nancy jealous' plot, but not in the same book where Ned is missing. Usually, Nancy has no, or very light, personal involvement with the case, so to give her two emotional subplots was a bit much, though since they did have the emotional drama the book didn't have very many 'culprit tries to kill Nancy' scenes. There were a few, but not as many as in other books.
On the bright side, we get a lot of Burt and Dave, and find out that George's father is an electrical engineer. We also get to visit the Nickerson House and Emerson.
Read
May 25, 2022Read as a paired book
Why isn’t Nancy Drew in college?
Mystery of the Glowing Eye has Nancy trying to find Ned, who’s been kidnapped from Emerson. Spoiler alert: of course she solves it. The police are pretty much at her beck and call in this one.
Secret of the Forgotten City has Nancy going on an archaeological dig with students from two universities and a professor, and they all think it’s perfectly normal for her to not only tag along but also for her friends to touch artifacts and glue them back together when they dig them up. Another time, I guess. Nancy’s also solving a mystery of some missing tablets that have been stolen from a woman she just met.
Why isn’t Nancy Drew in college?
Mystery of the Glowing Eye has Nancy trying to find Ned, who’s been kidnapped from Emerson. Spoiler alert: of course she solves it. The police are pretty much at her beck and call in this one.
Secret of the Forgotten City has Nancy going on an archaeological dig with students from two universities and a professor, and they all think it’s perfectly normal for her to not only tag along but also for her friends to touch artifacts and glue them back together when they dig them up. Another time, I guess. Nancy’s also solving a mystery of some missing tablets that have been stolen from a woman she just met.
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