REVIEW: The Bungalow Mystery

The Bungalow Mystery
Author: Carolyn Keene

In this 3rd Nancy Drew Mystery, Nancy and her friend Helen are enjoying a trip out of town, when they have a boating accident during a thunderstorm. They are saved by a girl named Laura. Nancy doesn't realize at the time that meeting Laura will draw her into yet another mystery. This time, Nancy suspects Laura's guardians are stealing the orphan's inheritance. She just has to find proof!

I listened to the audio version of this story. Narrated by Laura Linney, the audio is just over 3 hours long. Linney reads at a nice, even pace and gives a great acting performance. The audio (Penguin Random House Audio Publishing) is enhanced by some background sounds, suspenseful music at the end of chapters, and other sound effects.

I enjoyed this story! I'm having a great time re-visiting this series. It's been so many years since I last read these books, that I don't remember whodunnit! It makes the stories seem fresh and new, despite the fact I read all the books as a child. :) The Bungalow Mystery was originally written in 1930, and revised/updated in 1960. The stories are a bit dated, but not enough to impair my enjoyment. I'm having fun listening to the audio books as I work in my yard and garden. The mystery progresses quickly since the books are short, so I can easily finish one in a day.

The books do follow a formula. Usually, the story opens with Nancy in some sort of danger that connects her to a mystery she needs to investigate. At some point, she will be confronted or threatened by the bad guys...barely escape unscathed....and discover some pivotal clue that helps further her investigation. Each chapter ends on a cliffhanger of some sort....pulling the reader to continue on to the next chapter immediately. It's definitely formula....but an enjoyable formula!

This series is totally appropriate for middle grade age kids and up. Nothing graphic or too scary. Nancy is an intelligent and resourceful main character, who occasionally gets help from her lawyer father to solve her cases. The books are short, quick reads so there isn't a lot of character development, but the plots really revolve more around the action and investigation than the characters themselves.

I love to read/listen to children's stories in between more the heavy adult fiction I read. Sometimes a light, simple mystery is a nice palate cleanser after a horror or thriller novel! Plus, I can listen to Nancy Drew books outside in my yard without worrying what the young neighbor children are over-hearing.

Enjoyable and a great dose of nostalgia! I'm enjoying these books just as much at 50 years old as I did at 10! Luckily my local library has these audio books always available with no waiting on their digital site! I can indulge myself with some good ol' Nancy Drew whenever I want! Sweet! On to the next book -- The Mystery at Lilac Inn!