Whether you’re a life-long Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys fan or haven’t even heard of them, make sure “The Mysterious Case of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys” is on your personal banned books list. Trust me: you’ll be glad you did.Reading a book about the series may seem like a good idea at first. Outside of devouring both series, which have been around for more than 80 years, in one night, reading a book about the series might be your best bet. It’s fun for fans and non-fans alike. However, if you want an accurate portrayal of the series, skip this book.
It starts out innocently enough: praise for the series and fun facts thrown in. Don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of interesting facts that most fans would never be able to tell you, but the agenda of the authors floods the trivia and good information so much that appreciating the book becomes impossible.
The portrayal of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys often strays from the series. If you’re not a long time or knowledgeable fan of the series, you won’t be the wiser.
Not only does the author’s agenda throw the book out of whack, but contradictions also add to the overall mess. One moment the author claims that the characters are held by strong moral standards, but within a paragraph, another statement asserts they have no morals to be held to. This is just one of many that fill the book.
Bottom line? That’s right. Skip the book. If you want to know Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys better, I recommend books such as “Clues for Real Life” and “The Lost Files of Nancy Drew.” Or check out websites such as “Nancy Drew Sleuth,” “The Unofficial Hardy Boys Fan Page,” and “ND and HB Central.” Fans on that site will give you the overall gist of the series in an accurate portrayal along with all of the trivia you could ever want.
Even better, try opening the binding and explore one for yourself.