New Releases by Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew’s reputation as an amateur detective precedes her when two elderly sisters ask her to look into a haunting at their mansion. Can Nancy help them find the source of the strange happenings before the sisters are forced to sell the house? The Hidden Staircase is the second of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. Carolyn Keene was a pseudonym used by the series’ authors; this particular book was written by Mildred Wirt Benson, who claimed it was her favorite Nancy Drew story that she wrote. It was first published in 1930, and later revised in 1959. This Standard Ebooks edition follows the text of the first edition. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

Nancy investigates a string of accidents at the theater in the twenty-sixth Nancy Drew Diaries, a fresh approach to a classic series. When Ned is cast in a stage production of Macbeth, led by the famous but peculiar director Bear Larouche, Nancy volunteers to help with the set. She’s also allowed to sit in on a few rehearsals, where she gets an earful from the director about theater superstitions: never say “Macbeth” out loud—only refer to it as “The Scottish Play”—never wear blue, no peacock feathers onstage, and so on. The play is off to a promising start until Ned breaks the most important rule and accidentally says “Macbeth” in the theater. And then accidents begin happening during rehearsals. It quickly goes from odd to scary, and the director is ready to cancel the show. Nancy might not believe in superstition, but she does believe in intuition, and hers is telling her that the cause behind these incidents isn’t a curse, but someone in the cast. It’s up to her to find out who before opening night.

Nancy’s Earth Day project turns into chimpanzee chaos in the nineteenth book in the interactive Nancy Drew Clue Book mystery series. Nancy, Bess, and George need to create an Earth Day project for school, and they’ve landed on the perfect idea: Chimpiñatas! These globe-shaped piñatas are enrichment toys made for the chimpanzees at the Hairy Hideaway animal sanctuary to enjoy. The girls have filled them with the chimps’ favorite healthy snacks, like seeds and fruit, but when the chimps crack open the piñatas, they find that one of them is filled with candy! Who could have switched out the Chimpiñata, and why would they want to make the chimps go bananas? If anyone can find the schemer behind this sugar rush, it’s the Clue Crew!

Nancy’s sailing trip to Vermont turns into a hunt for a ghostly saboteur’s lost treasure in the twenty-fourth book in the Nancy Drew Diaries, a fresh approach to a classic series. When a family friend, Grace, opens a sailing club on Lake Champlain at the former site of the Gemstone Islands Resort, Nancy, Bess, and George are invited to enjoy a few days of boating before the club’s official grand opening. But when they arrive, they learn there have been some strange things happening on the property, from missing items to holes dug all over the yard. Is someone trying to sabotage the club, and could it have anything to do with the fire that destroyed the old resort twenty years ago? As Nancy tries to pry information from the tight-lipped locals, all clues lead back to Captain Richard Stone, the enigmatic Revolutionary War–era pirate whose tavern once stood on the same site as the resort and sailing club. Legend has it that Captain Stone’s ghost still haunts the property, guarding the treasure he buried there. But it isn’t a ghost that punches a hole in Nancy’s sailboat, leaving her and the girls to sink in the middle of the lake when an unexpected summer storm rolls in. Unraveling the mystery of Captain Stone’s treasure will be the key to finding out who’s been sabotaging Grace’s club. But first, Nancy and her friends will have to make it back to shore in one piece…

Nancy, Bess, and George look for Nancy’s missing father in the twenty-second book in the Nancy Drew Diaries series, a fresh approach to a classic series. While Nancy’s dad is away at a conference in Washington, DC, she invites Bess and George over for a slumber party. The girls are having a great time until Nancy gets a call from a number she doesn’t recognize. Her dad never showed up for his panel and he isn’t in his room. No one’s seen him since the night before, and he isn’t answering his phone. Worried, Nancy and the gang hop the next flight to DC to investigate. The girls scour the hotel for clues with little luck until Nancy finds her dad’s cell phone in the hotel basement. She’s pretty sure he left her a message on the home screen, if only she could figure out what it means. The hunt takes them across the US capital, retracing Mr. Drew’s steps to figure out what went wrong or who might be out to do him harm. If they don’t solve this mystery, it may cost Mr. Drew his life.

Nancy and her friends search for a stolen camera in the fourteenth book in the interactive Nancy Drew Clue Book mystery series. Nancy is ready for fun in the sun when she joins Bess and George’s families on a trip to Hawaii. The girls are excited to take surfing lessons, swim with manta rays, and experience the beautiful sights of the Big Island. At a luau one night, the girls get to taste all kinds of yummy local specialties and are even invited up to help with a hula performance. But during the show, one the other guests has his fancy camera stolen, and he’s sure someone there is the culprit. Luckily, Nancy, Bess, and George are on the case! Can the Clue Crew see the big picture and zoom in on the thief in time to enjoy the rest of their trip? Or will this island adventure be a total washout?

Nancy must figure out the connection between a mysterious diary and a suspicious house fire.

Nancy and her friends must unravel the secrets of mysterious conspiracy and track down a ring of counterfeiters.

NANCY''S JOINED A WEDDING PARTY IN WHICH SOMEONE HAS TAKEN A DEADLY VOW. Nancy''s old friend Angela Chamberlain is getting married, and Nancy''s come to her family''s opulent Long Island estate to be a bridesmaid. But love and money can be a very volatile mix. It becomes clear, before the ink is dry on the invitations, that the date is set for danger and that Nancy will have to stand up for Angela in more ways than one. The romance between Angela and her fiance has suddenly taken an ugly turn. Sinister rumors, hints of scandal, and whispers of betrayal have begun to surface. With them come a series of near fatal "accidents" culminating in attempted murder. If Nancy doesn''t uncover the culprit soon, Angela''s dream wedding could end in a nightmare!

When Nancy arrives at the McGuire’s fitness ranch in Arizona, she discovers that the future of the ranch is being threatened by unexplained accidents. Teaming up with a ghost, Nancy begins her search for a precious collection of ancient Kachina dolls that may unlock the motives of her elusive adversary. Will the person determined to prevent the ranch from operating succeed?

Nancy joins her boyfriend Ned’s expedition to Yellowstone National Park to research the marmot. But the natural wonders of Yellowstone have turned into a setting for unnatural danger, as the furry little mammal becomes the focus of human greed and a criminal plan to steal them from their home!

When her father’s coworker is murdered, Nancy sets out to find the killer. The victim has left a long list of enemies to work from, but the people in River Heights have their own ideas about who is responsible—Nancy’s father! Desperate to find the truth, Nancy sets out to find the culprit before her father takes the blame.

On a tour of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Nancy is asked to look into a series of threats against the staff. But the controversial curator, whose stand against industrial pollution had sparked conflict, is immediately killed. Nancy races to solve the crime before the murderer strikes again.

When Nancy’s boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, looks into insurance fraud as part of his job as an insurance company investigator, the perpetrator ends up dead—and Ned’s prints are on the weapon. Can Nancy intervene before her boyfriend ends up behind bars?

A special treat for Nancy Drew fans, and any reader who''s new to the series! We''re releasing a stunning new edition of an old favorite: The Bungalow Mystery, the third book in the incredibly popular, long-running series. It''s the same exciting mystery that readers have fallen in love with for more than 80 years—Nancy Drew has to help Laura Pendelton retrieve her family jewels, but they have to act quickly! Now with a brand-new look, this is an edition that collectors won''t want to miss!

Nancy’s holiday at a California college turns into an investigation of a mysterious drowning, and she discovers that some sorority girls are far from innocent.

When someone tries to rig the Far West Regional Water-Skiing Championship, Nancy Drew and her old friend, Katie Cobb, who is favored to win the competition, search for a dangerous saboteur.

Romance and adventure await Nancy on the craggy coast of Cornwall, England. There to help a friend who could be in danger, Nancy finds more than she bargained for!

Mystery writer Monica Crown hires Nancy to prove her jailed daughter is innocent of a diamond heist. Can Nancy find the real culprit before it’s too late?

Nancy can hardly believe it. While visiting an amusement park owned by the world-famous Royal Chocolates Company, her friend Bess tears open a million-dollar candy wrapper in a contest. But when they go to collect, they’re told that someone else has won. And then they’re accused of tampering with the winning wrapper! Something is rotten in chocolatetown. The proof comes when Nancy and her friends are treated to a near-death experience in the park’s animal safari. Someone’s pulling a million-dollar swindle, and getting Nancy and her friends out of the way seems to be the icing on the cake. If Nancy isn’t careful, she just might learn the real meaning of “Death by Chocolate.”

Nancy and George are thrilled to take part in the filming of a pirate movie onboard the Swift Adventure, a reproduction of a centuries-old sailing ship. Twin brothers Andrew and Daniel Wagner are producing the low-budget film, and they’ve asked their friends to help out. With Nancy as assistant director and George set to play a notorious female pirate, the girls can’t wait to jump in. But a series of robberies at the hotel where the cast and crew are staying, plus the discovery of gold doubloons at the crime scenes, has almost everyone in the production under suspicion. Could the robberies be a publicity stunt staged by one of the brothers? An angry crew member trying to sabotage the film? With her own safety in jeopardy, Nancy needs to figure out who in a big cast of characters is masterminding this criminal production.

A DAY OF SLEDDING SNOWBALLS INTO A BAFFLING MYSTERY! Hurray! The ground is covered with thick snow and that means no school. As soon as Nancy gets the news, she, George, and Bess head straight for the park to go sledding. Everybody is there, including Molly Angelo with her brand-new sled. Molly''s sled is really fast, and everyone wants to borrow it. But after the girls take a hot-chocolate break, they return to find it''s gone! So who took it? Just like snowflakes, no two mysteries are alike -- and Nancy better figure this one out before the snow melts!

IS HANNAH GOING AWAY FOREVER? Hannah''s more than a housekeeper. She''s almost part of Nancy''s family. But Hannah has a secret, and Nancy thinks she knows what it is: Hannah''s got another job -- with rich and grumpy old Mrs. Garfield! Nancy will do anything to keep Hannah, even clean the house. And what a mess she''s making -- dust and dirt and soap suds all over! But it''s so scary. Hannah won''t really leave, will she?

WHAT''S ON TV? IS IT NANCY DREW? It''s the Amazing Pet Contest, and the winner gets to go on Mr. Lizard''s Funhouse . . . on TV! Katie''s got a singing parrot. David''s got a gross rat. And Nancy''s got Chocolate Chip, her soccer-playing puppy. . . . But Chip won''t do her trick. Something''s wrong, and Nancy''s afraid she''s sick. She also thinks it just wouldn''t be fair if Chip doesn''t get to go on TV because somebody played a dirty trick on her!

Nancy Drew can’t wait to participate as a flower skater in the Champions on Ice show. She even signs up extra early! But when someone erases her name from the list, Nancy is crushed—and launches an investigation to find the culprit and get herself back in the show.

A thief strikes, and Nancy is on the trail! In #29, The Stolen Bones, Nancy, Bess, and George are volunteering on a paleontology dig. When a priceless fossil goes missing Nancy must figure out which of the volunteers is really a gold digger.

Nancy Drew is on the run when someone starts playing tricks on her soccer team! Who let the air out of the soccer ball? Who added salt to the water on the sidelines? Who put the red glop in the goalie''s soccer shoes? It''s gooey. It''s gross. It''s not fair. Soccer is supposed to be a kick. But somebody''s being a drag. Nancy Drew wants to know who''s playing the silly games with her third grade soccer team

A prince is in River Heights. A prince! This is big news. A prince from a relatively minor royal Italian family has come to River Heights to deliver a painting to Mrs. Mahoney, a friend of the royal family. Everyone excited about the royal visit--so you can imagine how shocking it is when the prince is thrown into jail. His family thinks he stole the painting! Nancy and her dad have reason to believe that the prince is innoncent. But can they prove that to everyone else?

I''m always up for a good mystery, but when the big question is what I should get Dad for his birthday, I don''t have a clue! And then another mystery comes my way -- one that involves Heather Simmons, a leading candidate in the upcoming election for mayor of River Heights. My friends and I are pretty sure that her daughter Leslie, musician extraordinaire, has been kidnapped. But the thing is, nobody is saying a word about it! It''s hard to crack a case like this when no one will even admit that one exists. But I won''t let a little thing like that stop me when I smell trouble....

Who rained on the parade? River Heights Elementary School is putting on an Earth Day parade, and Nancy''s class has a special honor: They get to build the float! Nancy, Bess, George, and all the kids in Mrs. Ramirez''s class have worked hard to make the "greenest" float they can, collecting recycled materials to use for decoration. But someone''s spoiled all the fun and sabotaged the float days before the parade. Who could''ve done something like this -- and why? Sounds like another case for the Clue Crew!