19) The Secret of the Old Clock

Bibliography: Keene, Carolyn; The Secret of the Old Clock; Grosset & Dunlap Publishers; New York; 1987; 210 pages; ISBN 978-1-440-67364-1.

Plot: Nancy Drew is an 18-year-old girl living in River Heights.  One day she sees a moving van run into a little girl and drive away.  She helps the little girl to her home and is greeted by the elderly Turner sisters.  They are down on their luck and explain to Nancy that they had hoped to receive some assistance from the death of a dear relative.  Unfortunately, the last will states that all of the relative’s, Josiah Crowley, estate go to the Topham family, even though Crowley reassured the sisters that they would be taken care of when Crowley was gone.  The Turner sisters believe that there has to be another last will that hasn’t been found yet.  Nancy becomes intrigued by the family’s story and sets out to find Crowley’s later will.

Review:  Nancy is taken on a whirlwind adventure as she tries to find the later will of Josiah Crowley.  She becomes very involved in Crowley’s family and friends and develops great friendships.  I’m not sure if it’s the number of decades between myself and when this story was written, but I was not a big fan of the novel.  I felt that too much time was placed upon Nancy’s dress and her new convertible.  The story went rather fast, and it seemed a bit predictable.  This would be a good book to refer to an early reader that is looking for a mystery.

Genre: Mystery

Interest Level: age 9-12

Related Books: Shadows on Society Hill by Evelyn Coleman; The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer; Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen.

Awards: 

The book has sold approximately 2.7 million copies.

According to Publishers Weekly, the novel is ranked 53^rd on the list of all-time best selling hardcover children’s books.