Status Updates From The Secret of the Old Clock

“You’re the bestest batter I ever played with, Nancy,” she declared”

Ugh. Perfect Nancy strikes again.

“Detective work isn’t always the safest occupation in which to engage”
......
“Good!” Mr. Drew exclaimed. “I was hoping you would say that. I’m glad you have the courage of your convictions”

Mr. Drew warns his daughter of danger and at the same time seems unconcerned.

“There must be some clue I’ve overlooked,” she told herself”

Yeah, because there's been no clues. Just some rumors and speculation

Nancy is the detective that thinks the lack of something must mean it exists.
There are no evidence of aliens. Ah Hah! Then they must exist!

“There’s no doubt in my mind now that if there is a later will”

Or further evidence that there isn't a will. Ugh!

“I actually saw them go into Mr. Drew’s office yesterday and it wasn’t to deliver eggs !”

Was she just hanging out outside his door or what?

“Nancy made her way along quietly, with no intention of eavesdropping on the two girls. But suddenly”

“She had gone only a short distance along one of the paths when she caught sight of Isabel and Ada Topham seated on a bench”

I don't like these plot conveniences. Everything in this book is based on chance

“I believe,” he said slowly, “I believe that some day we shall know Allison Hoover as an operatic star!”

What we doing here? Why are we here? Wish fulfillment or what? No build up. No thematic link. You could cut out this tangent and place it anywhere.

“they’ll be fooled when they find I’ve made another will,’ he said with that odd little chuckle of his”

Mystery solved, right?

“Oh, yes.” Allison laughed. “Uncle Josiah was always putting articles away in what he called a safe place. But the places were so safe he never could find the things again!”

...It can't be this easy.

“I like honesty,” she said. “As a matter of fact, this girl knows nothing about what I am asking you”

I like honesty, which is why I'm here in secret behind my friends back.

“You do not look like the kind of girl who would come here on a foolish errand. Ordinarily I do not accept beginners. But in this case I would be willing to hear your friend sing”

? Because it's Nancy asking?

“Just then, the mayor of River Heights was shown into the lawyer’s office, and Nancy arose to leave”

Random. Seems important? Why the mayor?

This "development" is the same as the previous one. Dead old guy promised people money in his will

“the Hoovers and the Turners would receive some much-needed money. I must tell Dad about this latest development.”

What development? That poor people were promised money from an old man?

“Do come to see us again,” Grace called, as the young detective climbed into her car”

Hah. Young detective.

“I have planned a big surprise to make you girls happy”

Another layer to the mystery.

“They weren’t kind to him, and he used to slip away to visit us”

You just met Nancy and you're telling all of this to a complete strange with car troubles.

“He wasn’t really our uncle,” Grace explained. “But we loved him as much as though he were a relative”

I mean, nobody asked you to explain. Nobody.

“I’ve never tasted anything more delicious in all my life,” Nancy said enthusiastically”

OK, Nancy is messing with them now, right?

“but as you know, voice training is pretty expensive”

By the way we're poor. Did I ever tell u how poor we are. Anyways we're poor. Look over there, we're poor.

“I know you are too polite to ask how we manage, Nancy”

Literally just met her. You don't know her.

“Nancy was attracted to both girls and responded to their friendly welcome”

Uh huh.

“My name’s Allison Hoover”

Hey! What good luck!

“I guess I must have scared you silly when I screamed,” said a girl of Nancy’s age, stepping forward”

Did I just read a literary equivalent of a jump scare?

“The next instant, to Nancy’s right, a ball of fire rocketed down from the sky.”

Her bad luck is getting ridiculous. Lightning strikes?

“She pressed the button on the dashboard to raise the top, but nothing happened”

Another indication of bad luck? Witnessing Lucy. Present at the Mall scene. Now car trouble? Isn't this a new car?

“A thunderstorm’s on the way,” she told herself”

Nancy talks to herself a lot.

“I think not,” the judge replied.
Nancy wondered what old Josiah had been doing in Masonville if he had no relatives or friends there”

Judge said he "thought not" about a man he never met and knew very little about. This is not a clue.