Reviews

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene, Mildred Benson

maddy_walock's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

3.5

blondierocket's review against another edition

3.0

The second book of the Nancy Drew series has Nancy searching for the answers behind a ghost who appears to be coming between the home she is visiting and the neighboring house. Not only is she trying to solve a mystery for her friends, but it appears her father is being threatened.

Nancy is torn between who to help when her father suddenly disappears on his way to visit her. In true Nancy fashion, things quickly come to light and she finds herself solving all the mysteries in one fell swoop

I really enjoyed this second introduction to Nancy Drew. The books are quick and easy to read and I am enjoying the slow progress through them.

emilyrosaria's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

briesespieces's review against another edition

2.0

i’m about to start binging these so hard purely for the nostalgia lmao. i liked the first book more than the second book and the mystery in this one wasn’t as entertaining. i’m glad mr. drew was okay in the end

cieralegue's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

It was marginally better than the first one the secret of the old clock but still quite boring as the mystery was easily solved within the first 2 chapters and it dragged on. It was marginally better because their was a little more action and some interesting spots that lasted a few sentences.

alidottie's review against another edition

3.0

I probably gave this a five star rating when I read it first in fourth grade. I stil llove Nancy. I just wish the titles didn't give so much away and having reread the first two now, I am surprised that George, Bess and Ned Nickerson are not even in them! I remember them so well. I must have read dozens back in the day, now I get to go back with my daughter.

jinjthm's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

pauline_b's review against another edition

2.0

Definitely not one of the best Nancy Drew books.
At least not on a re-read as an adult.

celtic_oracle's review against another edition

2.0

Wow - found this old-school Nancy Drew (and a few others) in a box I was rummaging through. I must re-read it. :) Nancy wasn't my favourite in this genre (the Bobbsey Twins held that honour for me), but I remember reading more than a few.

Interesting to realize this is a rewritten version - I'm tempted to track down the original for a comparison...

Review:
So I ended up taking turns rolling my eyes and being unable to put the book down. The writing is definitely dated - and at some points its Twilight bad. I did love the sleuthing bits though, and I remembered why I was so addicted to mystery books as a kid - I still wanted to be Nancy, making all those awesome discoveries.

I might take a run at the other Nancy Drews in that box, just for fun.

alexschmidt34's review against another edition

3.0

I didn’t read Nancy Drew as a kid and yet it is still very nostalgic to read it for the first time! I found this book easy to read and fast paced. Not exactly a gripping mystery, but very Scooby Doo-esque in terms of its complexity, which is very enjoyable. I’ll admit I just don’t think the police would be this responsive to an amateur detective’s theories today. But I don’t mind the nostalgia of a safer more honest world (whether that was real or not).
I think I would’ve loved it as a kid and I would definitely still recommend for young readers!