NANCY DREW:
NANCY’S MYSTERIOUS
LETTERS
BY: CAROLYN KEENE
Sarah Fuller
Reading- Miss Roche
Period 5
May 11, 2012

CAROLYN KEENE: BIOGRAPHY
 Carolyn Keene was born on July 10, 1905. While growing up she would
venture out into the woods and fields behind her farm in Iowa. Nancy
Drew, one of her characters, was based off of many of the qualities that
Carolyn Keene developed throughout her life. She was very successful
by writing the first twenty three of thirty Nancy Drew novels. She has
incorporated many of her wild adventures created not only in her mind,
but in the woods and fields located behind her family’s farm. Along with
the Nancy Drew series, she wrote columns, news articles, and other
novels. Unfortunately, on May 28, 2002 she passed away, but her
accomplishments are and will still be acknowledged by all generations.
http://www.orrt.org/keene/

SUMMARY
 Nancy Drew: The Clue in the Old Album is about a
girl named Nancy Drew who witnesses a purse
snatching and runs after the thief. She rescues the
purse, but not its contents, then is asked by the
owner, a doll collector, to do some detective work.
“ The source of light will heal all ills, but a curse will
follow him who takes it from the gypsies.” This is a
key clue that Nancy is given to find an old album, a
lost doll, and a missing gypsy violinist, Rose’s father.
Throughout the novel Nancy’s life is threatened
many times including: being poisoned, run off a road,
and being warned and threatened to leave the case.
Will Nancy find Rose’s father, doll, and the old
album? Read on to find.

CHARACTERS
 Main Characters:
2. Nancy Drew: teenage sleuth, titian-blond, blue-eyed
3. Mrs. Struthers: grandmother of Rose, doll collector
4. Rose: granddaughter of Mrs. Struthers, strikingly pretty girl, 12 years of age
5. Nitaka: gypsy, carrot- red hair
6. Mr. Pepito: father of Rose, gypsy
 Supporting Characters:
 Mr. Drew: father of Nancy, lawyer
 Mrs. Gruen: the Drew’s housekeeper, hard working, kind hearted
 George Fayne: cousin of Bess, short dark-hair, companion of Nancy
 Bess Marvin: cousin of George, blond, slightly overweight, companion of
Nancy
 Ned Nickerson: boyfriend of Nancy, goes to Emerson College, dark hair,
brown eyes
 Tony Wassell: half-breed gypsy, purse crook
 Zorus: king of gypsies
 Anton: gypsy, scar on forehead

PLOT
 Introduction
2. Meet Nancy Drew and friends.
3. Setting: River Heights
 Rising Action
5. Mrs. Struthers purse is stolen.
6. Rose is almost kidnapped.
7. Mrs. Struthers house was robbed of money,
valuables, and some of her dolls.

PLOT CONTINUED
 Climax
2. Rose is kidnapped by the gypsies.
 Falling Action
4. Nancy finds Rose and Rose’s father.
5. Nancy, Rose, and Mr. Pepito are locked up
in the gypsies’ trailers.
6. Nancy’s father finds them and saves them.
 Conclusion
8. Nitaka, Anton, and Zorus were put in jail.

NEW VOCABULARY
1. tirade- n. extended scolding, denunciation
“I thought your conscience would bother you one of these days,” the tirade began.
3. subdued- v. to calm down, to bring under control
When she finished Miss Struthers asked in a subdued voice, “Who did you say you
are?”
5. philosophically- rationally or sensibly calm, patient, or composed
“The violinist probably wasn’t Romano anyway,” George said philosophically. (pg. 88)
7. vindictive- adj. revengeful, retaliatory, mean
“Some gypsies are so vindictive.” (pg. 94)
9. gesticulating- v. to make or use gestures, especially in an animated or excited manner
with or instead of speech
On the floor below, the musician was gesticulating wildly with his bow at the studio
director. (pg. 115)
11. quandary- n. a state of perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do; dilemma
After promising Mrs. Struthers she would do anything possible to find her
granddaughter, Nancy was in quandary. (pg. 153)

STARRING ACTORS:
 Nancy Drew played by: Dakota Fanning
 George Fayne played by: Michelle Thachenberg

STARRING ACTORS:
 Bess Marvin played by: Elle Fanning
 Hannah Gruen played by: Susan Sarandon

STARRING ACTORS:
 Carson Drew played by: Pierce Bronsan
 Mrs. Struthers played by: Betty White

STARRING ACTORS:
 Ned Nickerson played by: Brett Benowitz
 Rose played by: Haley Pullos

STARRING ACTORS:
 Nitaka played by: Kate Winslet
 Anton played by: Ashton Kutcher

STARRING ACTORS:
 Mr. Pepito played by: Andy Garcia
 Tony Wassell played by: Robert Pattinson

SOUND TUNES
1. “Pretty Much Amazing”
By: Joanna
Nancy Drew

RATING
I gave Nancy Drew: The Clue in the Old Album a rating
of
3.5 out of 5 stars.
I thought the concept of the book was very well thought
out, but wasn’t exciting. Some parts of the novel were
expected, which made the novel seem slow and
boring.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
 Other novels written by Carolyn Keene
-The Mystery of the Ivory Charm
-The Whispering Statue
-The Haunted Bridge
-Clue of the Tapping Heels
-Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk
-The Mystery of the Moss Covered Mansion
-The Quest of the Missing Map
-The Clue in the Crumbling Wall
-The Ghost of Blackwood Hall
- The Clue of the Leaning Chimney