The Secret of Shadow Ranch

The Secret of Shadow Ranch

By Keene, Carolyn. (2002).

New York, NY: Grosset & Dunlap.

ISBN: 978-0448095059

Reading Level: Grades 4-7

Summary: Teen gumshoe, Nancy Drew is solving mysteries once again. This time she’s in Arizona with her two best friends, cousins Bess Marvin and George Fayne. Bess and George’s Aunt and Uncle recently acquired Shadow Ranch, and there are troubles brewing. Nancy, in her trademark no-nonsense style investigates the sabotage to the property. Someone seems to want to scare the owners off of their ranch, and Nancy and her friends want to know who and why. In a story of twists and turns, hidden treasure, a phantom horse, and the legend of an outlaw and his lost love, Nancy keeps her cool and, despite the bad guys’ attempts to throw her off the path, steadfastly seeks the answers to her questions.

Review: An easy to read novel for younger tweens, The Secret of Shadow Ranch involves suspense and danger, but not too much. Nancy is a confident and brave, but modest, teen detective who solves her cases intelligently and tidily. With detailed references to outfits the girls wear and language of times past, The Secret of Shadow Ranch, like other Nancy Drew Mysteries, feels old-fashioned, but Nancy herself is a strong female character. With almost exclusively European American characters, and written from a decidedly European American perspective, there is much to be desired with regard to cultural representations in the novel, but Nancy Drew does hold a place in a tween core mystery collection. Nancy Drew mysteries have demonstrated their longevity, as the first novels were published in the 1930’s and they are still being published today. They are some of the most popular tween mysteries, particularly for girls, with suspense and action and a likeable heroine who always manages to figure out the truth.