Nancy Drew Challenge May Recap

The Nancy Drew Challenge is a reading challenge for 2010 for readers to attempt to read all 56 original yellow hardbacks that were in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. Click here for more information or to sign up for the challenge. At the end of each month, I will put up a post where participants of the challenge can recap how they did during that month.

May was a slow month for me and Nancy. I have the books from the library but due to going to BEA and doing a reading challenge AND finishing up papers and exams for school, Nancy was last on the list. I did read five of them this month and they were all interesting reads. I think I"m started to get into territory where I've either NEVER read these books before or at the least I've only read them two times or less. I hardly remembered any of these plots.

I KNEW there would be a good reason why I was reading all 56 books in order. The Hidden Window Mystery (no. 34) has almost the exact same opening as Nancy's Mysterious Letter (no. 8). In both books there's a mailman that falls down on the Drews' porch and loses almost all his mail (NML - they get stolen, HWM - the wind blows them away), there's a mystery in it for Nancy that comes through the mail, and there's a woman who blames the mailman for losing her mail. I found it interesting that the book took place in Charlottesville but there was not a single mention of UVA at all.

I found it hilarious that the Amish have even seeped their way into Nancy Drew books. Of course The Witch Tree symbol was written WAY before the latest Amish craze but I find it funny that I can't even escape them here. I don't think though the writer of the book had done a lot of research because there were many aspects of the Amish that were incorrect in the book.

Nancy's starting to travel more..as almost all the books I read this month did NOT take place in River Heights. Papa Drew must have a large income to pay for all her expenses.

How was Nancy Drew for you in May?