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A review by chandaferguson
Password to Larkspur Lane by Carolyn Keene
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
#10, “Password to Larkspur Lane” is another middle grade mystery thriller from the Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene, accompanied with vintage illustrations as pictured.
This story immediately begins with a mysterious opening as Nancy finds a carrier pigeon with a peculiar message and no way to track the sender. An additional mystery appears into the plot, along with a special side character, Effie. There’s lots of action and excitement, along with quirky characterization in this story.
“You attract mystery like nectar in a flower attracts a bee, Nancy,” her father Carson exclaims at the beginning of this story, and the mystery in this one is threaded throughout. Is a woman being held hostage? Why is there so much effort put into these mysterious coded messages?
Then there’s the mystery of the flaming blue light and the odd missing housekeeper. About halfway through you really start to gain momentum as parts of the mysteries come together until the mysteries themselves intertwine in the plot, and of course, Nancy approaches the nifty resolutions these novels have.
I think these are such fun stories for those who are enjoying chapter books with characters of a bit older depiction, as well as those who want a comfy or nostalgic read. With excitement, steady pacing, adventure, and strong teachable moments, these are sure to be a favorite. “In the fun and excitement she found it hard to remember the threat of danger,” surely depicts just how light-hearted these juvenile crime classics are.
Book 54/150
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story immediately begins with a mysterious opening as Nancy finds a carrier pigeon with a peculiar message and no way to track the sender. An additional mystery appears into the plot, along with a special side character, Effie. There’s lots of action and excitement, along with quirky characterization in this story.
“You attract mystery like nectar in a flower attracts a bee, Nancy,” her father Carson exclaims at the beginning of this story, and the mystery in this one is threaded throughout. Is a woman being held hostage? Why is there so much effort put into these mysterious coded messages?
Then there’s the mystery of the flaming blue light and the odd missing housekeeper. About halfway through you really start to gain momentum as parts of the mysteries come together until the mysteries themselves intertwine in the plot, and of course, Nancy approaches the nifty resolutions these novels have.
I think these are such fun stories for those who are enjoying chapter books with characters of a bit older depiction, as well as those who want a comfy or nostalgic read. With excitement, steady pacing, adventure, and strong teachable moments, these are sure to be a favorite. “In the fun and excitement she found it hard to remember the threat of danger,” surely depicts just how light-hearted these juvenile crime classics are.
Book 54/150
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️