# Nancy Drew books...and adult readers



## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

I have wonderful childhood memories surrounding reading Nancy Drew books...as I'm sure many women do.  My question is:  Do any ADULTS read or re-read Nancy Drew books?  Lately, I've been tempted to do just that since I saw they're available on Kindle.  I'm talking about the original 56 books I spent many, many hours devouring.  

Am I the only one considering this?  Hmmmm.  It sounds like a wonderful way to transport myself to a happy, innocent time.

Lynn


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## ShanaMars (Apr 29, 2012)

I've re-read mine, I admit. As you say, a happy time.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

You might be disappointed. I read an article not too long ago that the books (as well as the Hardy boys and others) have been 'updated' to remove anything that might be objectionable to anybody at all, and to make them more 'modern'. I recall that some characters were heavily modified or eliminated.

You can still get the originals in used book stores, but I imagine that any Kindle version is going to be the 'improved' ones.

Mike


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

I enjoyed Nancy Drew (and the Hardy Boys books) as a teenager but don't really see myself reading them again. There are so many great books I haven't gotten to yet that it'll be a long time before I'm ready to turn around and reread anything. Unless it's a James Herriet book. I return to those about once a year.


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

Dara England said:


> I enjoyed Nancy Drew (and the Hardy Boys books) as a teenager but don't really see myself reading them again. There are so many great books I haven't gotten to yet that it'll be a long time before I'm ready to turn around and reread anything. Unless it's a James Herriet book. I return to those about once a year.


Oh, yes! I used to really enjoy James Herriot's books. I think it's time to re-read those!!!


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

jmiked said:


> You might be disappointed. I read an article not too long ago that the books (as well as the Hardy boys and others) have been 'updated' to remove anything that might be objectionable to anybody at all, and to make them more 'modern'. I recall that some characters were heavily modified or eliminated.
> 
> You can still get the originals in used book stores, but I imagine that any Kindle version is going to be the 'improved' ones.
> 
> Mike


That's awful. I'd like to read the exact stories I remember.


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## Eliza Baum (Jul 16, 2011)

I own a few of them. Like, a whole shelf, double stacked.  It's been awhile since I reread any of them, but I've definitely done it in adulthood, and it was great.

This one was my favorite as a kid. (Yeah, not one of the originals, but I didn't know the difference back then.) It was one of those where I couldn't remember the title, could only vaguely remember the plot, and I had to track it down in the years before google was my best friend. And it was worth *every minute of research*.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I reread a Hardy Boys book in my early twenties, and couldn't get into it even as an exercise in nostalgia. Despite being a huge fan as a preteen and early teen. 

I actually did read one Nancy Drew book as a teen, while staying at an aunt's (it had belonged to an older cousin), and it was okay, but you can be sure I never let ANYONE catch wind of that! 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## charlesatan (May 8, 2012)

There's value in re-reading books like Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys or Tom Swift, but as a writer, I tend to absorb their writing style and unfortunately some of their writing techniques have gotten out of style, such as the needless use of adverbs.

But go ahead and reread them. You can even blog about the experience...


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

I recently passed my Nancy Drews to my 8 year old niece. Although she is an avid reader, I have a feeling she won't touch them. I heard her say "ugh, mysteries". Makes me sad, since I received my first Nancy Drew on my 8th birthday. Guess its not "cool". 

As far as the books been rewritten and updated, apparently that has always been the case. My BFF found a huge collection of them from the 30s and read them. She then read her copies from the 70s/80s and said that plots had changed as well as characters.


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

The Hooded Claw said:


> I reread a Hardy Boys book in my early twenties, and couldn't get into it even as an exercise in nostalgia. Despite being a huge fan as a preteen and early teen.
> 
> I actually did read one Nancy Drew book as a teen, while staying at an aunt's (it had belonged to an older cousin), and it was okay, but you can be sure I never let ANYONE catch wind of that!
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


Tooooo funny


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

charlesatan said:


> There's value in re-reading books like Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys or Tom Swift, but as a writer, I tend to absorb their writing style and unfortunately some of their writing techniques have gotten out of style, such as the needless use of adverbs.
> 
> But go ahead and reread them. You can even blog about the experience...


Great idea! If I re-read the books, I will definitely blog about them.


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

mom133d (aka Liz) said:


> I recently passed my Nancy Drews to my 8 year old niece. Although she is an avid reader, I have a feeling she won't touch them. I heard her say "ugh, mysteries". Makes me sad, since I received my first Nancy Drew on my 8th birthday. Guess its not "cool".
> 
> As far as the books been rewritten and updated, apparently that has always been the case. My BFF found a huge collection of them from the 30s and read them. She then read her copies from the 70s/80s and said that plots had changed as well as characters.


I wonder...Was your BFF reading the books thatvwere part of the first (original) 56 or the newer series?


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## cheriereich (Feb 12, 2011)

I loved the Nancy Drew books, but I haven't read any since elementary school. My mom had most of the old ones, and I have some of the new ones. If there wasn't so much new stuff to read, I'd try reading a few again. They were a lot of fun.


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

cheriereich said:


> I loved the Nancy Drew books, but I haven't read any since elementary school. My mom had most of the old ones, and I have some of the new ones. If there wasn't so much new stuff to read, I'd try reading a few again. They were a lot of fun.


I feel the same right now..."too many books, too little time." HOWEVER, Nancy Drew, Cherry Ames, and Trixie Belden were a huge part of my happy childhood. I dooooooo have a wistful pang of wondering whether it's possible to recapture that special feeling.


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## brianjanuary (Oct 18, 2011)

Wow! I haven't thought about Nancy Drew for years! I used to read my sister's copies because I thought ND was hot (even when I was a little kid--lol!). But I used to laugh because they were always going to "luncheon".

Maybe I'll pick one up and see if they hold up!


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Candee15 said:


> I wonder...Was your BFF reading the books thatvwere part of the first (original) 56 or the newer series?


Both. She particularly mentioned that there was one book that originally dealt with a young girl being sexually molested, and that had been completely removed from the editions we grew up with. I can't think of which title that was. She didn't remember the abuse as part of the story. That was what got her to read and compare the original series with the "newer" (I read that the editions being published now have even been updated to reflect modern times.) For us the "new" editions were that nice hardback with the yellow spine, but not the glossy cover you get today.


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## Brownskins (Nov 18, 2011)

Never bothered about the history of ND until now, seeing this thread... Apparently, Hardy Boys was originally written in the 20s and ND in the 30s, and by several authors...

I had to look up this wiki and found the history fascinating

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Drew


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

Brownskins said:


> Never bothered about the history of ND until now, seeing this thread... Apparently, Hardy Boys was originally written in the 20s and ND in the 30s, and by several authors...
> 
> I had to look up this wiki and found the history fascinating
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Drew


You're RIGHT! The history IS fascinating. Nancy Drew was a MAJOR "person" in many little girls' lives.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Candee15 said:


> You're RIGHT! The history IS fascinating. Nancy Drew was a MAJOR "person" in many little girls' lives.


She definitely was in mine - I'm still a mystery lover, and I suspect I owe it all to Nancy & Bess & George. I actually had the Nancy Drew cover for my K2, and a Nancy Drew skin - that was the most difficult part of giving up my K2, having to give up my cover and my one-of-a-kind skin...

I've still got one Nancy Drew book that somehow missed the yard sales at my parents' house - and I love that my dentist has a whole set of them in her waiting room!


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

Meemo said:


> She definitely was in mine - I'm still a mystery lover, and I suspect I owe it all to Nancy & Bess & George. I actually had the Nancy Drew cover for my K2, and a Nancy Drew skin - that was the most difficult part of giving up my K2, having to give up my cover and my one-of-a-kind skin...
> 
> I've still got one Nancy Drew book that somehow missed the yard sales at my parents' house - and I love that my dentist has a whole set of them in her waiting room!


Then it's NOT just me with this Ongoing connection to Nancy Drew?


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Candee15 said:


> Then it's NOT just me with this Ongoing connection to Nancy Drew?


Definitely not - and I probably can also blame Nancy for my continued obsession with mystery/thriller series!


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

Meemo said:


> Definitely not - and I probably can also blame Nancy for my continued obsession with mystery/thriller series!


Me, too...partcularly cozy mysteries. I love reading mysteries that are fun and challenging but not too scary.bright now I'm working my way through Elaine Viets' Dead-End Job series. Fun!


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

Read a few NDs in my childhood - but I preferred Malcolm Saville. Same kind of stuff but edgier!


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Meemo said:


> Definitely not - and I probably can also blame Nancy for my continued obsession with mystery/thriller series!


Not so much Nancy Drew for me as The Hardy Boys. I did read a few of my mom's Nancy Drew when I ran out of other things to read. I enjoyed them.

I think The Hardy Boys is definitely where I picked up my addiction to mysteries, though. And Tom Swift, Jr. for the science fiction addiction.

Mike


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

jmiked said:


> Not so much Nancy Drew for me as The Hardy Boys. I did read a few of my mom's Nancy Drew when I ran out of other things to read. I enjoyed them.
> 
> I think The Hardy Boys is definitely where I picked up my addiction to mysteries, though. And Tom Swift, Jr. for the science fiction addiction.
> 
> Mike


I never read a Hardy Boys book....but should have, I'm sure. I never knew anyone who had those books and somehow just never checked them out. Maybe it's time


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## Alpha72 (May 9, 2012)

I never got into them, but I'd like to give Drew a try.


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## Boatie (May 8, 2012)

I re-read one of the Nancy Drew books that I really enjoyed as a kid and it was a pretty rewarding experience; definitely a trip down memory lane. It was a quick read and I'd recommend doing so if you have the time! I still have my old copy, though, so I can't speak to potential story changes.


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

Boatie said:


> I re-read one of the Nancy Drew books that I really enjoyed as a kid and it was a pretty rewarding experience; definitely a trip down memory lane. It was a quick read and I'd recommend doing so if you have the time! I still have my old copy, though, so I can't speak to potential story changes.


What a great post! That's what I'm hoping for, too. I don't "have the time," but I'll make the time to return to my childhood


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## Lindafaye (Mar 29, 2012)

I read ND, HB, Donna Parker, Cherry Ames, Trixie Beldon, Tippi Parrish and a lot of teen girl books (_Then Came November, Practically Twins, Minnow Vail, The Charmed Circle_ and lots more) and loved them....I hate to see them updated, but that being said...

Has anyone ever re-read the original Bobbsey Twin books? The portrayal of Dinah and Sam is "horrifying" in this day and age. For example, Flossie had a doll that Dinah had given her, but she wouldn't let it sit with her other dolls. One of the original Bobbsey Twin books - _Baby May_ - was about a baby left on their doorstep...in the updated version, Baby May is an elephant!

I don't remember anything of that sort in the ND books but it's been a long time since I've read any.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

There's a TV program that makes the rounds of the PBS stations once in a while titled _The Storied Life of Millie Benson_ that chronicles the career of the author of most of the early Nancy Drew books. It's on Youtube, but at 26 minutes I'm not sure it's the complete show.

Mike


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

It's sad to hear they've been changed.  But that being said, I was never a Nancy Drew fan.  I did like Trixie Beldon, and I know those are available.  I wonder how much they've been changed to modernize them?

Betsy


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## cruising ann (Apr 2, 2010)

The Kindle Nancy Drews, even though they may show the OLD covers, are the updated ones, the 70s update.    I bought one just to see, and the characters are different. 
Bess and George arent in them,  no roadster to drive......... no dressing for dinner...........    what an old mind remembers  

I do have two rubbermaid tubs filled with my nancy Drews, Hardy Boys, Trixie Beleden, Cherrie Ames, and even a couple of Bobsey Twins.  Spent every saved nickle on these books in the late 50's  and early 60s. Never did discriminate when it came to a mystery to read under the covers with a flashlight.  

I also have the Nancy Drew Cover for my Kindle 2.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Hmmm.

I'm not sure how one can have Nancy Drew without Bess and George. (On the other hand I thought Ned was a dweeb so I wouldn't care if he was out of the picture.  ) I can understand taking out some 'dated' elements, but surely having a couple of cousins and a cute car aren't particularly dated.    Call me confused.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Hmmm.
> 
> I'm not sure how one can have Nancy Drew without Bess and George. (On the other hand I thought Ned was a dweeb so I wouldn't care if he was out of the picture.  ) I can understand taking out some 'dated' elements, but surely having a couple of cousins and a cute car aren't particularly dated.  Call me confused.


Seriously, I have a roadster now.  But on the other hand, Nancy's lifestyle was so foreign to mine as a kid, it was one of the things that turned me off of them. Maybe they thought they were making them more accessible... The cousins are a mystery, though!

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Seriously, I have a roadster now.  But on the other hand, Nancy's lifestyle was so foreign to mine as a kid, it was one of the things that turned me off of them. Maybe they thought they were making them more accessible... The cousins are a mystery, though!
> 
> Betsy


See, and I always thought it would be cool to not have 4 brothers and older cousins who thought I was a pain.  The fact of their life being so different is part of what was interesting. . . mind you -- they're teens in the book and I read them between 4th and 7th grade. But, really, the mysteries were the main thing to me. Though even at 10 or 12 years old I recognized the likelihood of all this stuff always happening to the same people was a bit out there.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

One of the things I inherited from my mom after she died was several Nancy Drew books that she got when she was a teen. They are the original format... standard sized hardback, dark blue covers/binding (I don't think they came with dust jackets back then).

Mike


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Cherry Ames! I haven't thought about those books in YEARS!  Wow.  

My mom used to bribe me with Nancy Drew books.  If I got an A on my spelling test, I could have one.  I remember the one time I got that A, I spent hours at the bookstore trying to find the very last in the series so that I could know how it ended just in case I never got another A again.  Little did I know...  there is no end...

I went back and re-read the books as an adult and they are charming.  I was also shocked that the Nancy Drew movie with Emma Roberts was wonderful.  I thought it stayed so true to the feel and pacing of the books.  I also appreciated how they really kept Nancy smart and independent.  It stood out to me and I wanted to buy copies for every little girl in my life.


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## D.A. (Mar 29, 2012)

I went back to read Nancy Drew to one of my daughters a few years ago and put it down by page ten.  I remember really loving these books as a little girl, but I hadn't realized how far women have come, and much of it was ridiculously out-dated.  A good thing, I think, in the long run.


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## Low Kay Hwa (Jun 15, 2012)

Wow I used to love them! From what I remember:

Nancy Draw & Hardy Boys: The antagonist always take the effort to track down them, instead of the other way round. Lots of action, though no real fighting

The Three Investigators & The Famous Five: They managed to find the antagonist instead.

But they're really good reads! I have an elder brother, and I always imagine us as the Low (my surname) Boys. I have two cousins, and we are the Famous Five, less the dog. I used a soft toy instead.


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## Wisteria Clematis (Oct 29, 2008)

cruising ann said:


> The Kindle Nancy Drews, even though they may show the OLD covers, are the updated ones, the 70s update. I bought one just to see, and the characters are different.
> Bess and George arent in them, no roadster to drive......... no dressing for dinner........... what an old mind remembers


I don't think this is true. Yes, some of the kindle versions are from the 50s-70s but others are the originals from the 1930s. You just have to check the publication date before you choose which version to download. You may have selected an updated version but the older ones are there (just not for every single title).

Wisteria


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## pamstucky (Sep 16, 2011)

Absolutely! Several years ago I re-read a few. It's definitely different coming at them with an adult modern perspective, but the stories are still fun and interesting. 

My sister collects the original blue-bound Nancy Drew books. If I remember right, even as early as ... the 80s or 90s there was at least one book that was a COMPLETE re-write. Many books have been combed over for offensive material, but the one book - I wish I could remember which one - was given a completely different story even; the only thing that stayed the same was the title. I wouldn't be surprised if that's true of more than one book now.

Here's one for you: When we were little we somehow were passed down some Lennon Sisters mysteries. Does anyone remember those? I haven't ever met anyone else who read them. The Lennon Sisters, as in the four (?) sisters who sang on Lawrence Welk. A book or two or more were written with them as the main characters, going off on mysteries. I loved those!

Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, The Lennon Sisters, those were all such great books!


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## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

pamstucky said:


> Here's one for you: When we were little we somehow were passed down some Lennon Sisters mysteries. Does anyone remember those? I haven't ever met anyone else who read them. The Lennon Sisters, as in the four (?) sisters who sang on Lawrence Welk. A book or two or more were written with them as the main characters, going off on mysteries. I loved those!
> 
> Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, The Lennon Sisters, those were all such great books!


I remember the Lennon Sisters books! I got one of them for Christmas one year and was thrilled. Don't remember much about it, but I remember I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Also loved Trixie Belden. She seems to me the precursor to Sharon McCone, VI Warshawski, Kinsey Millhone, etc.


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## Lindafaye (Mar 29, 2012)

I also remember reading at least one of the Lennon Sisters....has anyone mentioned the Donna Parker books too?


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## pamstucky (Sep 16, 2011)

I never heard of the Donna Parker books! Now I'll have to find them!

Lennon Sisters high five! I wonder if we still have those somewhere ...


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## Mia Grace (Jun 21, 2012)

RE-read mine till the pages were almost torn.

Nancy Drew was like the Lara Croft back then.

And also anything from Enid Blyton is worth re-reading to me.


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## brianjanuary (Oct 18, 2011)

I used to read my sister's ND books when I was a kid, and I developed quite a crush on Nancy! I do remember they were always going to "luncheon", which we thought was hilarious. I'm afraid I'd be very disappointed if I re-read them now, though!


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

I read Nancy Drew, but my favorites were the Judy Bolton mysteries. I was much more able to relate. Also liked Cherry Ames. I can't imagine reading any of them now, but I do think they inspired my love for cozy mysteries.


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## MadCityWriter (Dec 8, 2011)

I had a collection of mysteries that I called my "library," maybe 3 shelves worth. They were hand-me downs from my older cousin, and I remember how proud I was to own them. 

I had Nancy Drew, but I also remember a series about a girl name Judy Bolton, that I think I liked better.  Does anybody remember Judy Bolton?  I'm going to date myself here and admit this was back in the '60s.


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

MadCityWriter said:


> I had a collection of mysteries that I called my "library," maybe 3 shelves worth. They were hand-me downs from my older cousin, and I remember how proud I was to own them.
> 
> I had Nancy Drew, but I also remember a series about a girl name Judy Bolton, that I think I liked better. Does anybody remember Judy Bolton? I'm going to date myself here and admit this was back in the '60s.


Oh, yes!!! I loved the Judy Bolton books, too. Wow, that takes me back... My favorites were Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, Cherry Ames, and Trixie Belden. And, of course, the Bobbsey Twins when I was younger


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I just saw this book at one of my Overdrive libraries and put it on my wish list. I like Chelsea Cain's "Archie & Gretchen" series, which gives me hope that this could be a fun read.


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