"Nancy Drew and her friends are plunged into a network of strange events when they visit Misty Lake. The very night they arrive they meet pretty, red-haired Cecily Curtis, who seeks Nancy's help in solving two mysteries: one concerning Cecily's fiancé, Niko Van Dyke, a popular singer who believes that his record company is cheating him out of royalty payments; the other, involving a family treasure hidden before the start of the Civil War- Cecily's only clue being half of a gold locket.
Nancy's investigations lead her to Pudding Stone Lodge, where the sinister Driscoll family lives. Elusive humming noises, a flashing light in the attic of the lodge, the periodic apparition of an excursion launch which had sunk in Misty Lake years ago, and the fleeting appearance of a frightened girl who strongly resembles Cecily give Nancy plenty of opportunity to test her sleuthing skills.
Braving a series of dangerous situations and discouraging developments, the alert young detective perseveres in her attempts to solve both mysteries and reveal the astounding secrets of Pudding Stone Lodge."
I was excited to re-read this book because I recalled it being one of my favorites however seeing as how my recent re-readings of my favorite Nancy Drew books have turned out I was quite eager to see if this one would still remain a favorite. Like a good amount of the other books I couldn't remember hardly anything from this story. All I remembered was the cottage on the lake, the large stone house, Cecily, Satin, the children, and counterfeit records. I didn't even remember Susan or the ghost ship!
- I think the setting for this book is PERFECT. A cozy little cabin on the edge of haunted, foggy lake with a dark past; it was the perfect setting for a mystery. I also loved the retro touches, which were of course modern at the time, that include the soda fountain, counterfeit vinyl records, and Niko's bands name; The Flying Dutchmen. Its so kitsch, I love it!
- Like most readers I'm pretty disgusted that the girls don't mind Satin catching and eating a mouse inside the little cabin. I mean Nancy changes her clothes anytime she steps foot outside so you'd think she'd be more sanitary cautious.
- The rock throwing incident is ridiculous. The villains throw a heavy rock at the back of the couch which causes Cecily and Niko to fly off it and hit their heads on the fireplace hearth...you know, totally plausible.
- When Nancy and Cecily sneak into the Driscoll's and find Susan they decide to sit down and have a nice lengthy chitchat with her about everything that's happened instead of, you know, getting to safety. I can't stand when these books do this.
Upon this re-reading I found the book to be entertaining. Like I said I thought the setting was perfect, half the mystery was good (the counterfeiting), and I thought the boys joining in worked out really well unlike most of their appearances where they show up solely to take the girls to a dance, party, etc. Strangely enough though I had trouble getting through this. Normally I read Nancy Drew books in 3 sessions but this book was at least 10! I just kept putting it down even though it wasn't boring, annoying, or whatever. It just couldn't keep me going for two long without me needing a break.
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