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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #45
The Spider Sapphire Mystery
Librarian's note: This is an earlier/alternative cover edition of ISBN 0448095459 (9780448095455) found here.
Excitement is high when Nancy delves into the theft of a fabulous sapphire formed by nature millions of years ago. Her father’s client is Mr. Ramsey, a designer of beautiful and unusual synthetic gems. He is accused of stealing the magnificent spider sapphire and exhibiting it as his own creation. In River Heights and while on a safari with a group of college students, Nancy has several thrilling experiences. In Africa, she uncovers a nefarious scheme directed at Mr. Ramsey and locates a missing jungle guide. This book is the original text. A revised text does not exist.
Excitement is high when Nancy delves into the theft of a fabulous sapphire formed by nature millions of years ago. Her father’s client is Mr. Ramsey, a designer of beautiful and unusual synthetic gems. He is accused of stealing the magnificent spider sapphire and exhibiting it as his own creation. In River Heights and while on a safari with a group of college students, Nancy has several thrilling experiences. In Africa, she uncovers a nefarious scheme directed at Mr. Ramsey and locates a missing jungle guide. This book is the original text. A revised text does not exist.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1968
120 people are currently reading
2657 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Keene
1,000 books3,865 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 167 reviews
August 1, 2019
One of the most badly aged of Nancy books. The group goes to Africa. Many insensitive words, cultural appropriation, inaccuracies, whitewashing.
However, Bess leans too close to an embankment while taking a picture of a hippo, and the girl rolls down the entire hill. That was interesting. Also, a baboon of unnatural size runs off with George. A regular sized baboon steals a wig from a mean girl; Bess gives the mean girl a makeover, and the mean girl becomes a nice girl.
While Nancy, Bess, and George are away from the hotel during a tour, someone sets fire to every single piece of their luggage.
While Nancy is looking at lemurs, someone throws a bag over her head.
More potential deaths than usual.
However, Bess leans too close to an embankment while taking a picture of a hippo, and the girl rolls down the entire hill. That was interesting. Also, a baboon of unnatural size runs off with George. A regular sized baboon steals a wig from a mean girl; Bess gives the mean girl a makeover, and the mean girl becomes a nice girl.
While Nancy, Bess, and George are away from the hotel during a tour, someone sets fire to every single piece of their luggage.
While Nancy is looking at lemurs, someone throws a bag over her head.
More potential deaths than usual.
November 19, 2020
Nancy Drew goes abroad to East Africa to delve into the mystery of the theft of the Spider Sapphire. Pretty sure East Africa isn't much like this anymore.
June 2, 2010
Oh yes, I'm still reading Nancy Drew novels. As an adult with far too much literary criticism classes, reading them is a very different experience for me than it was as a kid. Then, reading these books was like watching action blockbusters - sure, in the back of my mind I knew they were silly and outlandish and there were better things I could be doing, but dammit I was having fun. Nowadays, the experience is a little different. Reading Nancy Drew now is like watching a Mystery Science Theater short - one of those 1950's informational ones on personal grooming or careers for ladies. Now the outlandish, outdated absurdity is brought forward into the harsh light of day, and I am suddenly aware of how stupid these books really are. But I still read them, because they're still fun. The casual sexism and racism is just a bonus.
That's why I think Spider Sapphire Mystery is the ideal introductory book for initiating the innocent into the world of Nancy Drew. There's jewel thieves and rich people and lots of attempts to kill Nancy and her friends (Ned even gets kidnapped and then anything that may have remained of his masculinity is destroyed when Nancy rescues him). And the majority of the story takes place in Africa (Nancy and the gang get to go on a safari, yay!), so there's lots of great vintage racism. And at the same time, everything is just so goddamn wholesome it makes your teeth hurt:
"Before long, the chattering, laughing Emerson group hurried aboard the chartered plane. When they were airborne, small groups began singing songs, some of them college numbers, others from musical comedy hits. Once in a while someone would call out a wisecrack and set everyone laughing."
Doesn't that just sound swell? Safaris! Nice, grinning natives! Chartered planes! Musical comedy singalongs! WISECRACKING!
Someone in this group needs to figure out that it's the 60's, and fast. Shrooms and rock music and premarital necking for everyone!
That's why I think Spider Sapphire Mystery is the ideal introductory book for initiating the innocent into the world of Nancy Drew. There's jewel thieves and rich people and lots of attempts to kill Nancy and her friends (Ned even gets kidnapped and then anything that may have remained of his masculinity is destroyed when Nancy rescues him). And the majority of the story takes place in Africa (Nancy and the gang get to go on a safari, yay!), so there's lots of great vintage racism. And at the same time, everything is just so goddamn wholesome it makes your teeth hurt:
"Before long, the chattering, laughing Emerson group hurried aboard the chartered plane. When they were airborne, small groups began singing songs, some of them college numbers, others from musical comedy hits. Once in a while someone would call out a wisecrack and set everyone laughing."
Doesn't that just sound swell? Safaris! Nice, grinning natives! Chartered planes! Musical comedy singalongs! WISECRACKING!
Someone in this group needs to figure out that it's the 60's, and fast. Shrooms and rock music and premarital necking for everyone!
January 3, 2022
This book was written in a different era.
This book was written in a different era.
This book was written in a different era.
This book was written in a different era.
This book was written in a different era.
I had to repeat this to myself more times than I wanted to count as I read this. The writing was terribly passive, characters were flat, and, oh, it was clearly sexist and racist. I was so excited to pull this off the shelf in a Little Free Library, but it was, alas, a mistake. I should have left it. Now I don't know what to do with it? Do I put it back in the LFL? Burn it in some sort of sacred ceremony to celebrate that the original Nancy Drew series was, once, a beacon of literacy?
This book was written in a different era.
This book was written in a different era.
This book was written in a different era.
This book was written in a different era.
I had to repeat this to myself more times than I wanted to count as I read this. The writing was terribly passive, characters were flat, and, oh, it was clearly sexist and racist. I was so excited to pull this off the shelf in a Little Free Library, but it was, alas, a mistake. I should have left it. Now I don't know what to do with it? Do I put it back in the LFL? Burn it in some sort of sacred ceremony to celebrate that the original Nancy Drew series was, once, a beacon of literacy?
October 19, 2021
Nancy, Bess, and George plan to join Ned, Burt, and Dave on an Emerson College trip to East Africa. It will be part pleasure trip, part educational, and--for Nancy--part mystery-solving. Her father, Carson Drew, has become involved in a case centering on a missing rare gem, the titular spider sapphire. Carson's friend and client, Floyd Ramsey has developed a synthetic version of the authentic sapphire owned by Mr. Shastri Tagore, an Indian living in Mombasa, Kenya. Representatives of Mr. Tagore have accused Floyd of either stealing the gem and passing it off as his "invention" or of having stolen and copied the gem (and done who knows what with the original). Nancy will be investigating the African side of things while on her trip. She also picks up a secondary mystery when an East African singer by the name of Madame Lilia Bulawaya (who has a singing engagement at Emerson College) asks the amateur detective to investigate the disappearance of her brother while he was leading a safari.
But Nancy hasn't even left River Heights before trouble starts. Several attempts are made to prevent her from taking her trip--from blocking her parked car in to kidnapping Ned Nickerson. Of course, none of this keeps Nancy from doing what she set out to do. She honks her horn until help arrives at the car and then goes on a search mission to find Ned--ably assisted by Burt, Dave, Bess, and George. More obstacles are thrown in their path once they arrive in Africa, but neither giant baboons nor burned up wardrobes will stop the mystery from being solved. Of course, Nancy finds the sapphire as well as the missing brother and the two mysteries dove-tail into one.
This was one of my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries when I was young...definitely in the top five or so. It has a lot of excitement and action to keep things moving. As an adult, I can see that many of Nancy's deductions are more intuition than anything and there are a lot of coincidences, but it still makes for action-packed reading. And I understand that some of the expressions and viewpoints are very much of the time and wouldn't appear in books today, but nostalgia for my first bookish adventures goes a long way. We can only be glad that we are more aware of stereotypes and racial slurs and keep working to make things better. I rated the story as ★★★★ when I read it back then and I'm going to keep the rating for the sake of ten-year-old Bev.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
But Nancy hasn't even left River Heights before trouble starts. Several attempts are made to prevent her from taking her trip--from blocking her parked car in to kidnapping Ned Nickerson. Of course, none of this keeps Nancy from doing what she set out to do. She honks her horn until help arrives at the car and then goes on a search mission to find Ned--ably assisted by Burt, Dave, Bess, and George. More obstacles are thrown in their path once they arrive in Africa, but neither giant baboons nor burned up wardrobes will stop the mystery from being solved. Of course, Nancy finds the sapphire as well as the missing brother and the two mysteries dove-tail into one.
This was one of my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries when I was young...definitely in the top five or so. It has a lot of excitement and action to keep things moving. As an adult, I can see that many of Nancy's deductions are more intuition than anything and there are a lot of coincidences, but it still makes for action-packed reading. And I understand that some of the expressions and viewpoints are very much of the time and wouldn't appear in books today, but nostalgia for my first bookish adventures goes a long way. We can only be glad that we are more aware of stereotypes and racial slurs and keep working to make things better. I rated the story as ★★★★ when I read it back then and I'm going to keep the rating for the sake of ten-year-old Bev.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
May 17, 2020
Skip this one.
All Nancy Drew books have an element of fat-shaming, as pretty Nancy and athletic George constantly chide the "pudgy, full-figured" Bess for loving food as she does.
But this book is the worst in the series that I've reread so far with regard to discrimination. Not only does it feature the body image taunts, which will subconsciously influence young readers of all genders, but it's extremely racist.
In this book, Nancy and crew head to Africa to go on safari and solve a (very interesting) mystery, and while they are in Nairobi, they encounter "coloreds, blacks, and Indians" (both from the Subcontinent and indigenous tribespeople). Of course, this terminology is "of the time," but the insulting and condescending essentializing of native and urban Africans (e.g., mocking their speech and traditional clothing) is - like with the fat-shaming - not something you want to expose young readers to.
All Nancy Drew books have an element of fat-shaming, as pretty Nancy and athletic George constantly chide the "pudgy, full-figured" Bess for loving food as she does.
But this book is the worst in the series that I've reread so far with regard to discrimination. Not only does it feature the body image taunts, which will subconsciously influence young readers of all genders, but it's extremely racist.
In this book, Nancy and crew head to Africa to go on safari and solve a (very interesting) mystery, and while they are in Nairobi, they encounter "coloreds, blacks, and Indians" (both from the Subcontinent and indigenous tribespeople). Of course, this terminology is "of the time," but the insulting and condescending essentializing of native and urban Africans (e.g., mocking their speech and traditional clothing) is - like with the fat-shaming - not something you want to expose young readers to.
February 16, 2021
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Maybe this sounds weird but it was fun having someone NOT American as the villains & victims! It was also fun to see the Africa of the 1960s or so. I enjoyed the various aspects of the case and the plot line. Also, the kidnapping trope is fun, even if it's not new. XD
August 8, 2021
absolute TRASH. the most racist nancy book i have ever read. i normally don’t rate nancy books but omg was this one HORRENDOUS: the plot was so uninteresting, not one page was free of racist language or microaggressions, and everything that happened was completely ridiculous and unrealistic (and not in a fun way).
December 7, 2021
This is one of the better ones for the actual story line, but Nancy is Nancy and in #45 it is about gems, jewels, thieves, and a trip to Africa! She gets schooled about ancient spiders (they started out in water and so didn't need spinnerets. . . .the spider in the sapphire is ancient and has none. The fraudster wasn't up on his history, and so the synthetic one. . .wait. Sorry. Don't want to spill the beans.
The girls all have their guys with them in this one, and George gets to engage in many judo moves. Poor Plump Bess is kept to shrinking and shrieking, while Nancy stands by and ponders. I'd love to see someone jump stereotype just once.
The girls all have their guys with them in this one, and George gets to engage in many judo moves. Poor Plump Bess is kept to shrinking and shrieking, while Nancy stands by and ponders. I'd love to see someone jump stereotype just once.
November 6, 2014
This book is actually an insanely boring hunt for a sapphire with a fossilized spider inside it.
OMG GUNFIRE! Someone shoots out Nancy's tires. Actually, no, they shoot at her tires while she's parked, but don't manage to actually puncture them. So. Hm.
Safari to East Africa! Wondering when she's going to go to Antarctica to look for Bernadette. If a person is black, they're referred to as "a black," like, "the cab driver was a black wearing a gold chain." There's also some bitchy girl who chills out and is beautiful after a baboon steals her blond wig.
Ned is drugged and kidnapped by unknown assailants. Nancy briefly loses consciousness when someone ties a bag over her head. George gets kidnapped by a "baboon" that ends up being a black in disguise. Ned gets knocked unconscious in a fight. Nancy and Ned get their hands burned by acid.
OMG GUNFIRE! Someone shoots out Nancy's tires. Actually, no, they shoot at her tires while she's parked, but don't manage to actually puncture them. So. Hm.
Safari to East Africa! Wondering when she's going to go to Antarctica to look for Bernadette. If a person is black, they're referred to as "a black," like, "the cab driver was a black wearing a gold chain." There's also some bitchy girl who chills out and is beautiful after a baboon steals her blond wig.
Ned is drugged and kidnapped by unknown assailants. Nancy briefly loses consciousness when someone ties a bag over her head. George gets kidnapped by a "baboon" that ends up being a black in disguise. Ned gets knocked unconscious in a fight. Nancy and Ned get their hands burned by acid.
November 28, 2019
The reread continues! This one had a pretty good mystery, but was full of casual, colonialist racism, which was gross. On the upside, Ned was the kidnappee instead of Nancy, so that was a nice change.
I also looked up whether a spider sapphire could exist, and it turns out insect inclusions are only known in amber and one single weird opal, so I also got to be disappointed about the bad science. Boo.
I also looked up whether a spider sapphire could exist, and it turns out insect inclusions are only known in amber and one single weird opal, so I also got to be disappointed about the bad science. Boo.
July 9, 2021
This just didn't age well. Aside from that, this is probably one of my least favorite Nancy Drew mystery. It just wasn't that exciting for me compared to other books in this series that I've read so far.
September 25, 2011
Nancy Drew must solve this case of fraud, counterfeiting, and blackmail before it's too late!
September 14, 2024
I remember LOVING this one as a preteen, and honestly, the story held up to the test of time.
There was some cringy, outdated verbiage, but despite that, the content was written pretty progressively for its time. I was holding my breath, as the setting was East Africa, but I think this one was WAY more careful than others I’ve read during this journey haha.
I loved Bess’ sweet moment with the initially unlikeable Gwen, who after a makeover was completely a nice person 😂.
Both Ned AND George were kidnapped in this one, and both incidents were exciting and created great suspense, which doesn’t always pan out. I loved the missing brother portion of the mystery, and the “Spider Sapphire” itself was a unique treasure for Nancy to rescue.
FAN CAST UPDATE!!!!!!
Zendaya is my George Fayne. And that means Tom Holland gets to be Burt, as a treat.
Nancy will be impossible to cast because she’s such a Barbie. I keep trying in my head though 😂.
There was some cringy, outdated verbiage, but despite that, the content was written pretty progressively for its time. I was holding my breath, as the setting was East Africa, but I think this one was WAY more careful than others I’ve read during this journey haha.
I loved Bess’ sweet moment with the initially unlikeable Gwen, who after a makeover was completely a nice person 😂.
Both Ned AND George were kidnapped in this one, and both incidents were exciting and created great suspense, which doesn’t always pan out. I loved the missing brother portion of the mystery, and the “Spider Sapphire” itself was a unique treasure for Nancy to rescue.
FAN CAST UPDATE!!!!!!
Zendaya is my George Fayne. And that means Tom Holland gets to be Burt, as a treat.
Nancy will be impossible to cast because she’s such a Barbie. I keep trying in my head though 😂.
December 12, 2024
This was a weirdly excellent Nancy Drew book. They are all so formulaic and similar, but this one had an interesting storyline and I enjoyed the change of pace! I like the predictability, but this was fun.
January 8, 2021
Probably the worst
This was just terrible and the fact that it takes place I Kenya just makes a lot of the language and description incredibly cringeworthy.
This was just terrible and the fact that it takes place I Kenya just makes a lot of the language and description incredibly cringeworthy.
January 13, 2022
aged poorly but kept me busy when it was slow at work
June 20, 2025
The nostalgia I felt while reading this one, I remembered so many of the plot lines! For that we’ll forgive this one for making the indians the villains
December 13, 2019
There was an attempt not to be racist, but it failed.
March 14, 2022
Well this aged like milk. I remember loving this one as a kid. It was either this book or Mysterious Mannequin that I brought with me on our annual Easter trip to visit my aunt and uncle. Nancy is hot or the trail of a possible theft of a spider sapphire and going to Afica on a school trip. Considering they are staying at Treetops which is where our current Queen actually became Queen in 1952 I have to wonder just how wealthy these kids are. My school trip was Toronto and we had to fundraise for months for it. There's a lot happening including Ned being kidnapped a baboon snatching a wig off a girl which cracked me up, then either Bess or George is carried off by a baboon who's a man in costume. Nancy and the girl's clothes are burned, Ned and Nancy burn their hands with acid that was put on her suitcase handle and I know this is fiction but I call BS about many things. First wouldn't the acid have burned through the handle? Or started to? Second Need and Nancy rush to the pharmacy for mineral oil and badger the poor confused clerk and refuse hospital care? For acid burns? Really??? And neither has a scar to show for it? Make it make sense. But in terms of action it's a good story. But the language reminds me of talking to my grandparents or the residents I care for with the Afircans referred to as blacks yeah it didn't age well and wasn't as good as I remembered as a kid.
April 29, 2021
Neiti Etsivä #6 (The Spider Sapphire Mystery, #45)
The Spider Sapphire Mystery
Tämän - kuten muidenkin Neiti Etsivien - piti olla nopa yhden päivän luettava, mutta lukeminen sitten venyi vähän liiankin pitkälle ajalle. Kyseessä on kuitenkin lyhyt kirja, joka etenee nopeasti, eli lukemiseen ei luulisi menevän kauan aikaa. Taidan muutenkin tarvita nyt hieman taukoa Neiti Etsivistä, koska tämä ei oikein napannut. Tiedostan sen, että nämä on luotu nuoremmille ihmisille ja sen takia en näin aikuisena saa niistä paljoa irti tai varsinkaan koe niitä jännittävänä.
Ja jälleen kerran Paulan täydellisyys häiritsi minua. Hän joutui tässäkin kirjassa jos jonkinmoiseen kiipeliin, mutta pelastui aina lähes samantien - joka oman nokkeluutensa, tai jonkun muun avulla. Muutenkin tuntui, että Paula oli jotenkin etuoikeutettu ja miltei kaikki tunsivat hänet, koska hänen isänsä on kuuluisa asianajaja.
Mutta kyllähän tämän nyt luki. Neiti Etsivät ovat kuitenkin minullekin niitä kirjoja, joiden takia aikoinaan lukemiseen tykästyinkin.
The Spider Sapphire Mystery
Tämän - kuten muidenkin Neiti Etsivien - piti olla nopa yhden päivän luettava, mutta lukeminen sitten venyi vähän liiankin pitkälle ajalle. Kyseessä on kuitenkin lyhyt kirja, joka etenee nopeasti, eli lukemiseen ei luulisi menevän kauan aikaa. Taidan muutenkin tarvita nyt hieman taukoa Neiti Etsivistä, koska tämä ei oikein napannut. Tiedostan sen, että nämä on luotu nuoremmille ihmisille ja sen takia en näin aikuisena saa niistä paljoa irti tai varsinkaan koe niitä jännittävänä.
Ja jälleen kerran Paulan täydellisyys häiritsi minua. Hän joutui tässäkin kirjassa jos jonkinmoiseen kiipeliin, mutta pelastui aina lähes samantien - joka oman nokkeluutensa, tai jonkun muun avulla. Muutenkin tuntui, että Paula oli jotenkin etuoikeutettu ja miltei kaikki tunsivat hänet, koska hänen isänsä on kuuluisa asianajaja.
Mutta kyllähän tämän nyt luki. Neiti Etsivät ovat kuitenkin minullekin niitä kirjoja, joiden takia aikoinaan lukemiseen tykästyinkin.
June 11, 2014
Oh, Nancy Drew...
When I was a kid, I'd read a Nancy book a day. I couldn't put them down. The adventures were top notch and she was such a strong female character who had strong female, kick-ass friends. So I wanted to revisit. This is what I hope will be the first of many re-read Nancy books.
As usual, within the first 10 pages, Nancy is in a scrape and some criminals are stealing her purse and trapping her car in a parking lot for no reason. In this mystery, a rare gem is stolen and Nancy is put on the case. Her travels take her to Africa (because she is that cool!) and she ends up having run-ins with thieves, while finding a lost man with amnesia and helping him recover his memory.
The books was a bit racist, but these were written a long time ago. My biggest disappointment is that Nancy's friend George doesn't pull many judo moves in this one.
When I was a kid, I'd read a Nancy book a day. I couldn't put them down. The adventures were top notch and she was such a strong female character who had strong female, kick-ass friends. So I wanted to revisit. This is what I hope will be the first of many re-read Nancy books.
As usual, within the first 10 pages, Nancy is in a scrape and some criminals are stealing her purse and trapping her car in a parking lot for no reason. In this mystery, a rare gem is stolen and Nancy is put on the case. Her travels take her to Africa (because she is that cool!) and she ends up having run-ins with thieves, while finding a lost man with amnesia and helping him recover his memory.
The books was a bit racist, but these were written a long time ago. My biggest disappointment is that Nancy's friend George doesn't pull many judo moves in this one.
July 9, 2015
I remember having read this book, but otherwise very little about it. I got it from the mobile library that used to park on Kirkham Road, Southport, outside the Temperance Hall. I would have been about 8 years old and attracted to it by the spider in the title and on the cover - I liked spiders, and still do.
My rating of 3 stars is rather arbitrary, but as it's stuck in my mind all these years I will give it the benefit of the doubt.
My rating of 3 stars is rather arbitrary, but as it's stuck in my mind all these years I will give it the benefit of the doubt.
April 15, 2020
If you are going to read a Nancy Drew book as an adult you’ve got to expect what they are. That is, far-fetched plots and outdated scenarios but that’s why we read them. I’m not looking for an award winning literary star just a bit of good old fashioned fun, which this is , thanks “Carolyn Keene”
July 29, 2011
I absolutely adored these growing up, much more so than the Hardy Boys, and still carry a fondness for them into adulthood
April 2, 2016
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.
Read
November 18, 2016Placeholder for reread of Ilona Andrews' Magic Rises
August 14, 2017
Loved these books when I was a kid. Have enjoyed rereading them as an adult.
March 24, 2018
Awesome book!!! I have to admit even though that the series is way under my reading level I can always turn to nancy drew for an adventurous quick read!!!
October 8, 2018
The Spider Sapphire Mystery
By: Carolyn Keene
In the book, The Spider Sapphire Mystery by Carolyn Keene, Nancy faces a mystery including a spider sapphire being stolen. Part of the mystery takes place in her hometown, River Heights, and in Africa on a trip. She faces many dangerous encounters while working the mystery. The lexile for this book is 760L.
I think the theme of this book would be to never intentionally do bad things. Over the course of the book the people behind the mystery that stole the gem put people in danger and, of course, stole something. This lead to them being in trouble at the end of the book. As Nancy found out more of the case, they would keep putting her and her friends in danger, which like I said, lead to major consequences. When they made the first threat on Nancy, there were going to be many more. The setting is very important because it shows that no matter where Nancy goes to solve the mystery, they’ll be there to try and stop her. Nancy deciding to work on the mystery and to keep working on the mystery provoked the thieves to harm her. “In an instant Nancy realized that they were parked so close she could not open either of her doors. The two drivers immediately jumped out and hurried away” (p. 1). “Was she being harrassed to make her father give up the case? Nancy wondered” (p. 2-4) “ ‘Nancy, don’t worry. Everything is all right here. But I’m not so sure it will be all right for you in Africa. I want you to watch your step very carefully. Our police got a tip that Jahan and Dhan took off for Africa’ “ (p. 55).
I recommend you read this book because overall it was a good book. Some parts of it were confusing at the beginning and throughout the book but made a little more sense at the end. It wasn’t predictable at all because the author always leaves you in suspicion at the end of each chapter and surprises you with things throughout the book. The author includes sketches throughout the book to help you visualize some things which I think is neat. She also usually evens out the chapters so ones not super long and ones not super short. I think really anyone in middle school could read this book and enjoy it. It keeps you wanting to read more and is at a good reading level.
By: Carolyn Keene
In the book, The Spider Sapphire Mystery by Carolyn Keene, Nancy faces a mystery including a spider sapphire being stolen. Part of the mystery takes place in her hometown, River Heights, and in Africa on a trip. She faces many dangerous encounters while working the mystery. The lexile for this book is 760L.
I think the theme of this book would be to never intentionally do bad things. Over the course of the book the people behind the mystery that stole the gem put people in danger and, of course, stole something. This lead to them being in trouble at the end of the book. As Nancy found out more of the case, they would keep putting her and her friends in danger, which like I said, lead to major consequences. When they made the first threat on Nancy, there were going to be many more. The setting is very important because it shows that no matter where Nancy goes to solve the mystery, they’ll be there to try and stop her. Nancy deciding to work on the mystery and to keep working on the mystery provoked the thieves to harm her. “In an instant Nancy realized that they were parked so close she could not open either of her doors. The two drivers immediately jumped out and hurried away” (p. 1). “Was she being harrassed to make her father give up the case? Nancy wondered” (p. 2-4) “ ‘Nancy, don’t worry. Everything is all right here. But I’m not so sure it will be all right for you in Africa. I want you to watch your step very carefully. Our police got a tip that Jahan and Dhan took off for Africa’ “ (p. 55).
I recommend you read this book because overall it was a good book. Some parts of it were confusing at the beginning and throughout the book but made a little more sense at the end. It wasn’t predictable at all because the author always leaves you in suspicion at the end of each chapter and surprises you with things throughout the book. The author includes sketches throughout the book to help you visualize some things which I think is neat. She also usually evens out the chapters so ones not super long and ones not super short. I think really anyone in middle school could read this book and enjoy it. It keeps you wanting to read more and is at a good reading level.
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