[.ca] Without a Trace (ISBN 0613953126)

Same ole' Same ole'!:
I was really excited about seeing this new Nancy Drew series. I really thought the character of Nancy would be more mature, and that the characters would be put in more mature situations. But, I was wrong. This book is even more childish then the series was back in the 1930's. Very disappointing. Oh yeah, Amazon will charge you $5 for this book but the cover price is only .99 cents. for US buyers, and Canadians. If you look closing you can see it on the front of the cover. Your welcome.

Nancy Drew is at it again!:
I thought this was a fairly good start to yet another updated Nancy Drew series. All the familiar characters are here, from Nancy's housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, to her boyfriend, Ned Nickerson. The plot is fairly simple in this one; a Faberge egg has been stolen, and it's up to Nancy to figure out who did it. She does, of course, and while it wasn't really a complex mystery to me, I'm sure it will be a little less obvious to younger readers.

Mixed Feelings...:
I remember when I read my first Nancy Drew book over twenty years ago. I had just started third grade. My mother, who had read all of the original texts as a child, was the one to recommend the books to me. I went to the library and checked out "The Clue of the Tapping Heels" - and I was instantly hooked! For the next few years I read every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on. Even when I hit junior high I would still pull my old books out and re-read them for the hundredth time (although I never admitted this to my friends!). I still have all of books from my childhood, and over the years I've added many more to my collection. So of course when I heard about the new series coming out, I had to run out and get the books. My reaction? I think kids who have never read Nancy Drew before will enjoy them. The stories are easy to read, and Nancy and her friends seem like pretty cool role models for younger readers. But I have to say that as a die hard Nancy fan, adults who grew up with the classic hardcover series will probably be a little disappointed with this new series. So far, all of the mysteries take place locally in River Heights. In the original series, my favorite stories were the ones in which Nancy took off to some far away place like Hawaii or Scotland. Also, the myteries themselves seem a lot simpler in this new series. I just can't picture the old Nancy Drew tracking down a zucchini vandal! And the biggest disappointment of all to me? The characters! I know that these new books are trying to make the original characters more realistic and give them more depth, but I had the opposite reaction to them. Ned seems about the same, and George appears to be a more modern version of her old self, but I just can't picture the still ultra-femine Bess with a carpenter's license or working underneath the hood of a car. And Nancy? The old Nancy Drew would NEVER run out of gas because she forgot to check the tank! She used to be the most athletic, coordinated, and graceful girl on the planet - how did she manage to trip on a smashed zucchini and knock herself out? Although the old Nancy didn't pay as much attention to fashion as Bess, she always had the perfect outfit on for every situation. Bess was constanly complimenting Nancy on her looks, not telling Nancy what colors would be best for her to wear! I know the new Nancy is supposed to be human, hence the changes, but in my opinion it was Nancy's original "perfect" character that held all the charm for me. She was exactly who I wanted to be when I grew up! I think it was because my expectations were so high that I didn't enjoy the books as much as I thought I would. But I'm sure there are many people out there who would disagree with me. This series doesn't begin to compare to the original Nancy Drew series, but new readers (and old readers with a more open mind than mine!) may soon have a new favorite on hand!

Meet the New Nancy:
There's a problem in Nancy Drew's neighborhood. Someone has been smashing all the zucchini plants. Is this a case of neighbors turning on each other, or is something else involved? While investigating, Nancy meets Simone. She's recently moved to River Heights. When one of her family heirlooms is stolen, she asks Nancy for help. But who would take something that had more sentimental then monetary value? I must admit I was very curious when I heard about them updating Nancy Drew. I'd read some of the books as a kid, and couldn't resist picking this book up. Ultimately, I liked it. Nancy, Bess, George, and Ned have been given more human make-overs. They could turn into much more interesting characters here then they were in the originals. And the first person narration was a nice touch. I found the crimes a little too mundane compared to what Nancy used to investigate, but the plot was well done with several clues hidden throughout the book. I picked up on some of them, but not all. In the end, this updating is a winner. Here's to the New Nancy staying around for quite some time.

Bland, lacks the spark of the original series:
Without A Trace is an inauspicious beginning to the "All New Girl Detective" series. Firstly and most importantly, the problem is Nancy herself. In the original series, she was feisty, intelligent, loyal, rich, fashionable, and thoughtful. I give these people credit for trying to perserve these qualities (as other spin-off series have not) but it didn't work. In trying to make Nancy more human, they've lost her appeal. She used to be every girl's dream for growing up. Now she's just another fictitious detective, not as smart as most. The first-person narrative is dull reading, and makes Nancy sound dull-witted. The people tried to make her human through the first-person and by making her a "casual" dresser, slightly klutzy forgetful. A beginning reader could probably understand most of the book, including the two simple mysteries. The first-person does distinguish the series from "Nancy Drew Files" and "Nancy Drew On Campus," but it is just boring. The plot tension is lame, too. The only things at stake in the novel are neighborly relations over a couple of vandalized vegetables and a new neighbor's loss of a valuable Faberge egg. The solutions to both mysteries are gimmicky and lacking in the genius of the originals. Bess, George, and Ned have lost their personalities too. Bess is a girly girl--and then, in a random, vain stab at avoiding stereotype, she is also an auto mechanic. George is an internet junkie, in an attempt to modernize the characters, and Ned is a warmhearted, bland doormat with no romantic tension at all. However, the book had a few good points: Nancy is still helpful and polite, volunteering at the animal shelter on the weekends and now driving a hybrid car. The writers have stayed closer to the Nancy we love than the "Nancy Drew On Campus" series, which turned her into a brat. There are a few amusing moments. The book is wholesome, easy to understand, and may be entertaining for younger readers. However, older readers will realize that Nancy has lost her class and her sparkle. Real Nancy fans are better off rereading original series.