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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #104
The Mystery of the Jade Tiger
In this all-new adventure, Nancy travels to California to investigate a series of break-ins at the home of her father's old friend Terry Kirkland. A Vietnam vet, he came away from that country with a trunk full of memories, but unbeknownst to him, the trunk contains an exotic secret that now threatens to destroy his family.
160 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1991
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886 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,066 books3,891 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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 6, 2018
My first Nancy Drew book and I must say that I'm not all that impressed since the story seemed simplified and just plain silly to me.
I wonder if I had liked the book more if I had started with the Nancy Drew series a bit earlier - both age-wise, for instance, had I been 10 years old, I would've probably liked it better, and also had I started with the 14th book in the series instead of the 104th, the characters would've maybe made more sense to me and maybe I could've gotten the humour behind it all too. The way it was now, the story just felt too simple and simplified for my likes. I didn't understand all that well who all those side characters were and to be honest, I may or may not have mixed a few of them up a couple of times.
But would I recommend the book? Maybe to people who like their mystery stories short and really simple, otherwise stick to the classics such as Agatha Christie.
I wonder if I had liked the book more if I had started with the Nancy Drew series a bit earlier - both age-wise, for instance, had I been 10 years old, I would've probably liked it better, and also had I started with the 14th book in the series instead of the 104th, the characters would've maybe made more sense to me and maybe I could've gotten the humour behind it all too. The way it was now, the story just felt too simple and simplified for my likes. I didn't understand all that well who all those side characters were and to be honest, I may or may not have mixed a few of them up a couple of times.
But would I recommend the book? Maybe to people who like their mystery stories short and really simple, otherwise stick to the classics such as Agatha Christie.
April 27, 2020
fun!!! I really liked Amy, and this also wasn’t as racist as one might expect from an older book
January 1, 2025
J'avais très envie de redécouvrir, acec un regard d'adulte, ce roman qui m'a marqué dans mon enfance. Son écriture est simple, il y a des éléments reprochables mais ça reste, dans l'ensemble, plutôt cool à lire. C'est chouette aussi d'évoquer le comportement des soldats américains au Vietnam l'air de rien. Je m'attendais à des clichés racistes et coloniaux, mais ça va.
March 18, 2009
I read a few of these, but they don't compare to the Nancy Drew Files or the Nancy Drew classics.
September 9, 2020
This is one of the best Nancy Drew paperbacks. Maybe I liked it so much because the story was very personal to me. First of all, it takes place in the Marin area. I live in Westwood Highlands, and I have visited Marin a lot and I knew of all of the places mentioned in this book. Although Cherry Creek is fictional, Nancy also visits Sausalito and Lake Lagunitas, among other familiar locales. The paperback series has a lot of books that take place in Northern California, and I like it because it is very cool to imagine Nancy solving mysteries at places that I visit on a regular basis.
Second, the story. The story is very well thought out. Carson Drew’s friend, Terry Kirkland, has been having mysterious break-ins, so Nancy, Bess and George come over to investigate. Also, Bess’s old neighbor Joanne (who lives nearby where they are going) is getting married, so they can be bridesmaids while solving the mystery. Once they get there, they meet Terry and his daughter Amy. Amy’s mother was Việt-Namese, but she has died. Terry, a veteran of the Việt-Nam war, tells Nancy about a friend of his, Nick Finney, who was reported Missing In Action during a special mission where eleven boys were killed. Before he went missing, Nick gave Terry a special Việt-Namese trunk. It had dragon clasps, and held only some cheap souvenirs of Nick’s that Terry kept. Remember the last time Nancy investigated a mysterious trunk during “The Mystery Of The Brass-Bound Trunk”? Well, here is another mysterious trunk with a mystery attached (another funny point is that the very next book will yet again involve Nancy and “The Clue In The Antique Trunk”).
Terry kept the trunk after the war and now it just holds Amy’s sweaters. But then the trunk is stolen, and the mystery gets really good. A mysterious Việt-Namese boy (he’s the one on the cover) keeps showing up around Terry’s house. He sort of gives Nancy a clue that leads her to a Jade gallery in Sausalito, and then we meet the Jade Tiger. I thought it was a nice touch and kind of funny for the mystery to lead to a Jade gallery in Sausalito, because there are so many art galleries there.
Terry makes stained-glass windows, and at an art show up by the Oregon border something amazing happens that casts a new light on the Nick Finney story. A lot happens, and there is a good twist at the end, during Joanne’s wedding.
And, no, it is not racist. Come on, people.
This story is also personal to me because a similar thing happened to me. A very close friend of mine was reported missing in Việt-Nam, and we never heard from him again, a lot like Nick Finney. I will not spoil the book for you, but unlike my friend, Nick got a happy ending. Because of this, the book made me cry a little. There was also one paragraph that got me:
“ Nancy sat in the kitchen, staring at the telephone receiver. She was eighteen, the same age Nick Finney had been when he disappeared. She shuddered as she tried to imagine what had befallen the young soldier in the jungles of Vietnam. ” (Page 58).
This book was ghostwritten by Ellen Steiber, and I really like her writing. I can appreciate the effort and research that went into this book. Also, George and Bess do not spend all of their time bickering. Bess is not annoying or whiny (I like her, but sometimes she can get on my nerves), and George is not as mean as she can be sometimes. They are both minor characters, though, Nancy is the real star of the show here. I liked Joanne and her fiancé, Keith. Joanne played an important role in one part, and Keith, who studied ancient Asian art, also had some helpful knowledge for Nancy. Some of these paperbacks can quickly get over cluttered with characters, and even though there were a lot in this one, all of them are important, there for a reason, and not too hard to keep track of.
They also kind of tried to show that Northern Californians are hippies, with Joanne’s barn wedding, a female lawyer, and Terry making stained glass. I liked the uniqueness of it, even though it is not true that all Northern Californians are hippies. It also worked well with a story that centers around the Việt-Nam war, whether this was the author’s intention or not. In this book, the police are stupid and annoying, exactly like the earliest books. Even though I prefer co-operative police and the ones in this book bothered me, I liked how it returned to the originals. And we get a great cover here from Aleta Jenks. This is one of her most famous covers, and one of my favorites.
Some of the reviews here said that the story was light and transparent, but I think quite the opposite. A lot of research was done and the writing is very good. Nancy feels like the authentic Nancy Drew, and there is enough suspense to keep you reading chapter after chapter. I could be a little biased for the reasons I mentioned above, but I really loved this book and have read it over and over again, and it never gets old. This is in my top five favorite paperbacks, I would put it just below Captive Witness, my all-time favorite.
Second, the story. The story is very well thought out. Carson Drew’s friend, Terry Kirkland, has been having mysterious break-ins, so Nancy, Bess and George come over to investigate. Also, Bess’s old neighbor Joanne (who lives nearby where they are going) is getting married, so they can be bridesmaids while solving the mystery. Once they get there, they meet Terry and his daughter Amy. Amy’s mother was Việt-Namese, but she has died. Terry, a veteran of the Việt-Nam war, tells Nancy about a friend of his, Nick Finney, who was reported Missing In Action during a special mission where eleven boys were killed. Before he went missing, Nick gave Terry a special Việt-Namese trunk. It had dragon clasps, and held only some cheap souvenirs of Nick’s that Terry kept. Remember the last time Nancy investigated a mysterious trunk during “The Mystery Of The Brass-Bound Trunk”? Well, here is another mysterious trunk with a mystery attached (another funny point is that the very next book will yet again involve Nancy and “The Clue In The Antique Trunk”).
Terry kept the trunk after the war and now it just holds Amy’s sweaters. But then the trunk is stolen, and the mystery gets really good. A mysterious Việt-Namese boy (he’s the one on the cover) keeps showing up around Terry’s house. He sort of gives Nancy a clue that leads her to a Jade gallery in Sausalito, and then we meet the Jade Tiger. I thought it was a nice touch and kind of funny for the mystery to lead to a Jade gallery in Sausalito, because there are so many art galleries there.
Terry makes stained-glass windows, and at an art show up by the Oregon border something amazing happens that casts a new light on the Nick Finney story. A lot happens, and there is a good twist at the end, during Joanne’s wedding.
And, no, it is not racist. Come on, people.
This story is also personal to me because a similar thing happened to me. A very close friend of mine was reported missing in Việt-Nam, and we never heard from him again, a lot like Nick Finney. I will not spoil the book for you, but unlike my friend, Nick got a happy ending. Because of this, the book made me cry a little. There was also one paragraph that got me:
“ Nancy sat in the kitchen, staring at the telephone receiver. She was eighteen, the same age Nick Finney had been when he disappeared. She shuddered as she tried to imagine what had befallen the young soldier in the jungles of Vietnam. ” (Page 58).
This book was ghostwritten by Ellen Steiber, and I really like her writing. I can appreciate the effort and research that went into this book. Also, George and Bess do not spend all of their time bickering. Bess is not annoying or whiny (I like her, but sometimes she can get on my nerves), and George is not as mean as she can be sometimes. They are both minor characters, though, Nancy is the real star of the show here. I liked Joanne and her fiancé, Keith. Joanne played an important role in one part, and Keith, who studied ancient Asian art, also had some helpful knowledge for Nancy. Some of these paperbacks can quickly get over cluttered with characters, and even though there were a lot in this one, all of them are important, there for a reason, and not too hard to keep track of.
They also kind of tried to show that Northern Californians are hippies, with Joanne’s barn wedding, a female lawyer, and Terry making stained glass. I liked the uniqueness of it, even though it is not true that all Northern Californians are hippies. It also worked well with a story that centers around the Việt-Nam war, whether this was the author’s intention or not. In this book, the police are stupid and annoying, exactly like the earliest books. Even though I prefer co-operative police and the ones in this book bothered me, I liked how it returned to the originals. And we get a great cover here from Aleta Jenks. This is one of her most famous covers, and one of my favorites.
Some of the reviews here said that the story was light and transparent, but I think quite the opposite. A lot of research was done and the writing is very good. Nancy feels like the authentic Nancy Drew, and there is enough suspense to keep you reading chapter after chapter. I could be a little biased for the reasons I mentioned above, but I really loved this book and have read it over and over again, and it never gets old. This is in my top five favorite paperbacks, I would put it just below Captive Witness, my all-time favorite.
May 5, 2017
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
October 12, 2020
Good story overall. Good for light reading and a short mystery.
January 16, 2026
It was the first book of my life
August 15, 2015
This ND mystery was different in that it stemmed from an actual modern historic event--the Vietnam War. Contained the usual running Nancy off the road but no head injuries, just smoke inhalation for which Nancy was actually treated at a hospital, and no bickering between Bess and George. A good story.
April 21, 2020
I remember it being one of my favorites as a kid. While I certainly still enjoyed it (you can't go wrong with Nancy Drew) it didn't hold quite the charm as it used to. Still a solid mystery for Nancy and the gang, but more simplistic or predictable than I remember. Still a fun read for youngsters.
February 15, 2010
havnt finished
September 7, 2010
I didn't like this mystery very much. The only part that I liked was Joanne and Keith's wedding preparations.
November 4, 2011
Will turn your face jade with fear each passing moment!mysterious, scary and rare like the Jade tiger.
July 19, 2013
This is a great mystery book who is the blonde haired man with red car?????????????????
August 18, 2013
It is wonderful novel.
March 7, 2016
Used to love Nancy Drew books when I was a little girl.
April 12, 2015
Not my favorite took forever to finish
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews