Status Updates From The Secret of the Old Clock

“Good idea. I haven’t heard you mention the Crowley case yet today,” Mr. Drew teased”

I mean, she literally just woke up.

“I’m sure Mr. Crowley did make a later will! He hid it some place!”

A bit of a stretch or more of a wish for it to be true.

“And if he did, there would be a chance that it would not be legal?” Nancy spoke up.”

Random question baiting for an answer.

“In this state at least two witnesses are required and three are advisable”

There you go. I'm sure this clumsy interaction is an important detail for later.

“Mr. Rolsted hesitated as though uncertain whether or not he should divulge any further information”

The real mystery is why this lawyer is being so creepy.

“The Royal Hotel was located less than a block away”

Say what.

“Hm,” said Mr. Drew. “It’s not what you’d call evidence, but the old saying usually holds good”

Mr. Drew must be a crappy lawyer.

“Although she was a few minutes ahead of the appointed time”

Perfect Nancy strikes again.

“The fact that Mr. Topham was disturbed indicated to her that he too suspected Josiah Crowley had made a second will!”

Suspected or just feared?

“Last week I heard Ada say to her sister”

Why would a random store clerk start gossiping unprompted with a random customer?

“If you want the dress, he will reduce the price fifty percent”

Ugh.

“The tear was no longer visible and the style of the dress was actually improved”

Perfect Nancy keeps falling up.

“I pity any future husband of hers!” Nancy thought with a chuckle”

Ugh. What a vapid comment from our protagonist.

“In spite of the expensive clothes she wore, Ada was not attractive”

Hm. Ok?

“was rather pretty, but her face lacked character”

Sure?

“Nancy turned to see Ada and Isabel Topham speaking to the floor manager”

Oh, boy. What a forced coincidence.

“Whatever you do, Nancy, beware of those Topham sisters”

A warning.

“In school Nancy had been very popular and had made many friends. But through no fault of her own, she had made two enemies, Ada and Isabel Topham”

Nancy Drew: the attractive, popular, rich white girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. Compassionate, noble, and driven too.

“You mean you might try to find a hidden will if Mr. Crowley wrote one?”
“I might.” Nancy’s eyes sparkled in anticipation.”

“I thought I’d do a little shopping,” she replied. Her eyes twinkled. “There’s a dance coming up at the country club and I’d like to get a new dress.”

No more than 2 paragraphs apart. Gotta assert that Nancy is a "girly girl" too.

“All right. I’ll try to arrange a date. How about joining us?”

Father invites daughter to a business meeting. Huh?

“I had no intention of listening to their conversation, but I couldn’t help overhearing”

“The attorney who specializes in wills and other estate matters?” Nancy inquired.”

What, 18 yr old Nancy is familiar with all the lawyers in the areas? No. This is for the readers benefit

“Mr. Drew was told that the old man had decided”

“but it was whispered about that he frequently”

"I hear that"

“but something did happen which might indicate that”

“His wife had died during an influenza epidemic and after that he had made his home with various relatives. According to rumors, all these people had admitted that he had paid his board and done many favors for them”

Sure is a lot of death already in this book.

Another "thanks Narrator" earned here.

“His wife had died during an influenza epidemic and after that he had made his home with various relatives. According to rumors, all these people had admitted that he had paid his board and done many favors for them”

Sure is a lot of death already in this book.

Another "thanks Narrator" earned here.

“spoke up Hannah. “It’s well known in town that Mrs. Topham and her daughters were unkind”

Out of the way Rich family, but lowly housekeeper keeps then connected to the inside scoops from the rumor mill.

“housekeeper for the Drews, who had helped rear Nancy since the death of the girl’s own mother many years before”

Thanks narrator.
Rich. Check. One missing parent. Check.

“I wonder,” Nancy thought, “if a way can’t be found so the Turners could get a share of the Crowley money. I’ll ask Dad.”

Wait. How old is Nancy?

.................

“NANCY DREW, an attractive girl of eighteen”
“She had just delivered some legal papers for her father.”

Oh, OK. That makes more sense.

That has to be plot related. That's too wild to be a throw-away

“We don’t know who the men were. They just knocked on the door and asked if we had any old furniture that we wanted to sell. We’ll never get the silver back”

What? Craziest thing I've ever heard.

I just read another book with a "missing will" plot.

Must be a common trope.

“to our amazement Richard Topham produced a will which made him executor of the Crowley estate”

Ah, hah! The plot begins to reveal itself...