Update: Nancy Drew Movie News

Added to the cast are:

Caroline Aaron as Barbara Barbara
Cliff Bemis as Chief McGinnis
David Doty as Father Murphy

Also, the release date has been set as April 2007--so look for a huge Nancy Drew Sleuth convention in Hollywood, CA in April 2007. When I have more exact dates, I'll post them.

Jenn

News & Clues

Fellow Sleuthers,

Several things of interest!

1. Have you seen this Nancy Drew game? Clues: It's in Norwegian, produced in the 70s in Norway, the game board is similar to the US in graphic style with translated words in Norwegian. I'd love to acquire one--contact me if you come across one.

2. Nancy Drew Movie News: Actress Rachael Leigh Cook has been cast as Jane Brighton in the Nancy Drew movie. It would appear the movie is going to be coming out in 2007--many sites have mentioned it as 2007 and some have suggested 2006, but it's becoming more clear it's not as likely to have a 2006 release unless it gets rushed during post production. Therefore, the Nancy Drew Sleuth convention will be in Chicago in October 2006. http://www.ndsleuths.com

(Snicker Snicker)...Please pass this info onto David Gregory, as he is apparently supposed to be the "go to boy" on "breaking news!" ;)

3. Preview of the upcoming Nancy Drew: Girl Detective book, #16 Dangerous Plays:

"Dad, Bess, and I are all set for London when Ned's Shakespeare professor asks us to do a simple favor: to take a look at his townhouse while we're there, since he can't seem to locate the housekeeper and fears something's wrong. Sounds easy enough, so I take the key.

Eager to cross the favor off our list, we stop by 53 Banbury Square shortly after we land. And let's just say things in the townhouse aren't quite tip-top. And the key? Well, it unlocks a Pandora's box of serious trouble."

Hope the townhouse is spooky!

Jenn

Nancy Drew Movie Cast

An update!

Max Thieriot as Ned
Josh Flitter as Corky
Kelly Vitz as Trish
Daniela Monet as Inga
Tate Donovan as Carson Drew
Emma Roberts as Nancy Drew
Amy Bruckner as Bess Marvin
Kay Panabaker as George Fayne
Laura Harring as Dehlia Draycott

Dehlia is the actress whose death Nancy Drew investigates in Hollywood Hills.

I'd like to take a moment to plug the Nancy Drew stationary items from Chronicle Books! They are so nicely done, I'm very impressed. About a year ago, I was contacted about lending books from my collection to be photographed for their products. Another Sleuth member had also lent them some of her books. I sent in the following book covers which were reproduced:

The Secret of the Old Clock (2nd cover art)
The Bungalow Mystery (2nd cover art)
The Sign of the Twisted Candles (1st cover art)
The Sign of the Twisted Candles (2nd cover art)
The Password to Larkspur Lane (2nd cover art)
The Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion (2nd cover art)
The Quest of the Missing Map (2nd cover art)
The Secret in the Old Attic (2nd cover art)
The Mystery of the Tolling Bell (1st cover art)
The Clue in the Old Album (2nd cover art)
The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1st cover art)
The Clue of the Leaning Chimney (1st cover art)
The Clue of the Velvet Mask (1st cover art)
The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1st cover art)
The Witch Tree Symbol (1st cover art)
The Hidden Window Mystery (1st cover art)

One of my favorite items out now are the postcards shown above and also the address book featuring Mysterious Letter 2nd art cover on the front. Very neat--instead of "name" it has "suspect" and then has "last known address" and also a line for "suspicious behaviors." A lot of the internal artwork from the books is featured too and also endpapers.

The quality is great--they could have just done what some companies do and just slap a cover from one of the books on and do nothing original to the inside nor nostalgic to tie in the books. Instead, they went the extra mile to create something appealing and fun.

http://www.chroniclebooks.com/nancydrew

Jenn

Halloween Nancy Drew Style

I finally got around to sleuthing in my digitals saved on myriads of cds and found two pictures I took of a window silhouetted Nancy Drew silhouette this past Halloween--here's one.

I gave out Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys trick or treat bags which were a hit. These included leftover promo Nancy Drew watches.

I also found digitals I took from the NBC Today Show segment on Nancy Drew--screen caps--which I've added to the website.

MOVIE NEWS: Not confirmed yet...Barry Bostwick playing the character of Dashiel Biedemeyer?

Jenn

Emma Roberts AKA Nancy Drew

Emma Roberts as Nancy Drew during filming--source TMZ--reddish hair but darker than a strawberry blonde. George may be played by actress Kay Panabaker.

Jenn

Nancy Drew Girl Detective: Framed #15

I just read the latest Nancy Drew: Girl Detective book, Framed, #15 and had a few comments. For those of you just tuning in, this is the main Nancy Drew series in print. The original series--Nancy Drew Mystery Stories--ended with #175 in Nov. 2003. This new Girl Detective series replaced it in 2004 starting over at #1 and the biggest change was that Nancy speaks to the reader in first person.

I thought the first person concept was great at first since it would allow a reader to get inside Nancy's head as she solves a mystery and goes through life's little moments. Now, I'm not so sure at times that I'd rather have it in 3rd person where Nancy might remain a little more of a mystery to the reader. I go back and forth on this one.

I enjoyed this mystery overall, quick read. But at times, it seemed like Hannah was made to be too bossy. And snippy with this comment to Nancy after she called Nancy to the phone: "I hope my piecrust didn't burn while I was waiting for you." (pg. 2)

In the originals, Chief McGinnis was much more of an equal to Nancy and there was mutual help and respect. I realize that this was deemed to be not very realistic, so it made sense at first that making them more of rivals in the new series and her more of a pest to the police might seem more realistic. But, given the fact that River Heights is not a huge town, a place where everyone knows everyone else, it's not so far of a stretch that she would be held more in esteem with the police department. There was a comment in the book that people in River Heights didn't think Chief McGinnis could find his way out of a paper bag when it came to crime solving. To me, that's taking this reality concept a bit far with his being characterized as so bumbling. It's just very at odds with classic Nancy Drew.

I often wonder what kids think when they read some of the classic books which are still in print--1-56 in those glossy yellow spines which are still very popular sellers apparently, when they pick up one of these new books and see such a contrast in the characterization. I think most kids are smart enough to pick up on the differences.

I half way wished Bess would run off with the prince and become princess Bess!

Overall it was a fun read, typical of this series, but I do wish we could have more suspense, villain foibles and peril for our dear heroine like in the classics--these were tried and true formula hits that kept the series popular for years.

What is everyone's impression of the Girl Detective series so far?

Jenn:)