GB Books

Nancy, Bess George and Mr. Drew fly off to France to work on a couple of cases. First, a wealthy financier, Monsieur Leblanc, has been frightened into selling large amounts of stocks and bonds and Mr. Drew has been hired by some Leblanc's associates to discover what has frightened the man so much. Second, Nancy has been asked by a Frenchwoman living in River Heights to unlock the secret of a dream she keeps having where she is blindfolded and about to fall down a flight of steps with someone whispering "99 steps". The dream actually happened to the woman when she was a child growing up in France, but she doesn't remember where the 99 steps are located. This is another tour guide with Nancy and her friends going to Notre Dame, the Louvre, Versailles and stopping in Orleans to learn about Joan Of Arc. Somewhere amongst all of this touring, Nancy manages to find time to solve the mystery; unfortunately, it's not before the book manages to bore you to tears.

Nancy Drew is going on a quest to France to sol;ve her friends strange dream. Just before she leaves the U.S., An unknown man who calles him self "Monsieur Nuef" bumps into her several times.

He is at her door acting as a postman to send her a letter to make her stay in the U.S., and ruin her plans to go to France. He also catches Nancy in her car when sha was driving home. He tried to make her stop by acting as an ill homeless man so she could help him and he could capture her, but that didn't work.

When she gets to france, she finds out that Monsieur Nuef was put into jail. But she iws discovering the beauty and mysteries of France. BUt suddenly she spotted a man that ironicly looked like Monsieur Nuef. Is it him? Howwill they find out? To do this, read the mystery of the 99 steps!!!

This book is full of excitment and mystery. After every chapter, it leaves you off of the edge of what will happen next. IT makes you want to go on and on. I loved this book. Nancy Drew and all of the mysteries in France makes my body shake, and my mind trying to figure out what will happen next. It is full of detailes, great discription, and unbelieveable dialoge!

You should read this book, and discover what Nancy's feelings are, and her discoveries will touch your heart and make your mind do things you never thought it could do. REad thid book and see for your self!

(...)

Nancy, Bess George and Mr. Drew fly off to France to work on a couple of cases. First, a wealthy financier, Monsieur Leblanc, has been frightened into selling large amounts of stocks and bonds and Mr. Drew has been hired by some Leblanc's associates to discover what has frightened the man so much. Second, Nancy has been asked by a Frenchwoman living in River Heights to unlock the secret of a dream she keeps having where she is blindfolded and about to fall down a flight of steps with someone whispering "99 steps". The dream actually happened to the woman when she was a child growing up in France, but she doesn't remember where the 99 steps are located. This is another tour guide with Nancy and her friends going to Notre Dame, the Louvre, Versailles and stopping in Orleans to learn about Joan Of Arc. Somewhere amongst all of this touring, Nancy manages to find time to solve the mystery; unfortunately, it's not before the book manages to bore you to tears. The mystery is pathetic and dull and the book has very little suspence and action. I'm getting bored just thinking about the book as I write this review. Don't waste your time on this book, it's not worth it.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling is a great book because of its twist. I?m not going to tell what the ending is because you?ll have to read it. I like this book because its addictive. It makes you keep reading and reading until you finish the book.

I am going to tell you about the twist. First Siars Black escapes from Azkaban, which is a jail for wizards. So Dementors surround Hogwart so nobody gets hurt. Finally, Potter meets Black. To find out the rest, read the book. The moral of the stories is not to be afraid take on anything. I hope you read this book.

"The Mystery of the 99 Steps" finds Nancy, her father Carson Drew, and her friends Bess and George on a trip to France. In between touring Notre Dame Cathedral and learning about the patron saint of France, Joan of Arc, the girls stay on the trail of a mystery.

Several times Nancy is warned by srange characters to stop her investigations, but she persists and is rewarded by uncovering a blackmail scheme involving one of her father's clients, wealthy financier Monsieur LeBlanc.

Carolyn Keene found the right formula many years ago to thrill young readers, and to secure their loyalty as lifelong fans. Courageous, resourceful Nancy charms successive generations. Highly recommended.

Simply commenting on the writing style: very well done. Follows Strunk & White's Elements of Style. Factual too. Every point is rebutted by a counter point, giving a nuianced view. I don't usually give a book five stars (see my other reviews) but this one merits it.

A spendid book that can be easily read in an afternoon. Covers the topic fully and moves along as it does.

An excellent short history of the Parthenon. Entertaining writing style. But what were the Greeks trying to tell us on this most sculpted temple of Greek antiquity? Like most of the rest of modern classicists and mythologists, Ms. Beard hasn't a clue. It took the artists 15 years to complete the sculptures. They were meant to mean something to us, meant to be understood. For that understanding, I recommend THE PARTHENON CODE: MANKIND'S HISTORY IN MARBLE.

This is an exhaustive, fabulous treatise on one of the most venerable monuments to classical history the world has ever known. Beard takes us through the entire history of the Parthenon. She details for us its probable early use as a temple to Athena (as well as some other theories) as well as its less known utility as a Christian church and Mosque in later ages.

Along the way, Beard offers us statements concerning the Parthenon from various historical and modern personages. Some are profound, some are not. Some simply advertise their ignorance (such as the not-so-venerable Shaquille O'Neal). From the vantage points of different epochs we are able to discern how the Parthenon has been seen down through the ages.

Of course, no work on the Parthenon would be complete without examining the highly(!) controversial exploits of one Lord Elgin. As hoped, Beard delivers in giving a thorough description of all the forces at play in both England & Greece. She does not take a position on the issue, so her discussion of this sensitive topic is not apt to offend anyone. Then again, since she refrains from taking a position, perhaps that in itself WILL offend some people? I don't know.

There is also a background section on the disastrous explosion of 1687. It was caused by the Ottoman Empire using (mis-using!) the Parthenon as an arsenal. Not suprisingly, this made it a target for the Venetians and.....you can guess the rest. What is less known is that 300 people perished when the Parthenon exploded. That's an unfortunate detail that is many times overlooked in history classes. As usual, Beard does an excellent job of giving the whole story of what took place.

If you possess an interest in the Parthenon and / or ancient Greece in general, this book is a can't miss. For anyone who wishes to tour Greece (or the British museum in London), this book is highly recommended as well. Even if you only have a passing interest in history per-se, this book will give you an avenue to enjoy the Parthenon & all of its frieze and sculptoral splendor.

One chilly February morning, just as dawn was arriving and the shops and offices were still clad in the cold grey of the fading night, I saw by the dawn's golden glow the full splendour of the Parthenon floating serenely above the narrow streets of Athens.

The sun had risen just enough to light the Parthenon. For a moment or so it floated; the Acropolis could have been a cloud with the Parthenon as a vision of the front door to the home of the gods. It was a perfect metaphor for the reputation of ancient Athens as a city committed to beauty, elegance, grace and the sensitivity to express artistic values.

Mary Beard has done a superb job in this concise and poignant history, undoubtedly the finest structure of its kind in the world. The ancients didn't consider it one of the Seven Wonders of the World, they seem to have based their values on volume instead of quality. Perhaps the Parthenon, even today in its ruined state, should be considered first among the Seven Beauties of the World.

Her book is a treasure for anyone who has visited the Acropolis; it is essential for anyone who plans to visit Athens and do more than drink ouzo in some seedy taverna. It's more than a bare-bones history; she recounts the scandals in getting it built, and the subsequent sins of omission and commission during the past 20 centuries during which this gem was defaced.

Maybe my view is warped because of my first magic view; however, I still regard it as a gift of the gods which mortal humans have spoiled. Beard doesn't offer any such speculation; instead, she does offer a nuts-and-bolts history of this gem from the past. That is the strength of her book, she ignores the nonsense and concentrates on facts.

It is also the weakness, in my view. The history is brief but fascinating, but she doesn't understand the psychic importance of Athena to the Athenians. For a comparison, think of the 'Liberty Enlightening the World' statue in New York harbour and its significance to all Americans, whether they have seen it or not. Both statues embody the ideals of the society in which they are displayed; I suggest when you read this book, to keep this comparison in mind to get a full appreciation of just how much each means to the world.

England, of course, hasn't built a monument since Stonehenge. England builds little statues to honor its heroes; think of the Albert Memorial. Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square is a mere 59 columns short of a full Parthenon. How about the Millenium Dome to celebrate two centuries of ? ? ? The Statue of Liberty wasn't an American idea, it was a gift from France. It's not easy to come up with an artifact that expresses the ideals of a society through time.

The Parthenon is a timeless monument. Regardless of what or how you think of it, this book will add to your understanding, appreciation and enjoyment. When you think of how many of today's architectural "gems" will still be visited 2,500 years from now, it gives you an appreciation of what the Athenians accomplished.

Beard tells you how they did it, and then what happened. It's a superb book.

Along with Dixit & Skeath, Schelling is a great intro read for anyone interested in game theory.

Since its first publication in 1960, the strategy of Conflict is still relevant today. His concepts of strategic moves and random strategy can still be applied to the increasing complicated international affairs. It's definitely a timeless classic for game theoretical study of international relations.

"The Strategy of Conflict" changed the development of game theory in several ways, but none was more important than Schelling's focus on real life examples, situations or games that are relevant to what we encounter in our daily lives. Before Schelling, game theory analysis was abstract and mathematical; it focused on zero-sum games, where interests were purely conflicting and there were no incentives to cooperate. Game theorists built convincing abstract models for these types of games, but its application was limited, since most interactions were a mixture of conflict and mutual dependence. In other words, analysis focused on pure conflict, a limiting cases of real world interactions, while in "The Strategy of Conflict" Schelling attempts to generalize game theory analysis to richer games that are `played' in the real world. His generalization introduced the concepts, commitments, threats, promises, communication systems, focal points, and randomization of strategies into game theory (chapters 1~8), which was then used to analyze the its applications in national security (chapters 9 and 10).

If you are studying game theory, this book is a must read. If you are just interested in game theory, I'd recommend reading this book too.

The 2005 Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to Robert Aumann and Thomas C. Schelling. Schelling is professor of Economics at the University of Maryland and applied game theory to conflict. His focus was on the weapons issues but his ideas have been applied to a host of business issues.

In this review, we will apply some of Shelling's concepts to how companies fire employees.

Schelling says "uncertain retaliation is more efficient than certain retaliation" when bargaining and "the capability to retaliate is more useful than the ability to defend." Now let's get practical.

GOODBYE SCENARIO

As a verb, "goodbye" is the act of parting. It is also an acknowledgement of parting. A goodbye scenario assumes that once employees physically leave the building, they will never be a factor for the company's future. The relationship was transactional and the transaction is now over.

If the firm defines the termination as a goodbye scenario, the firm should be guided by a business model that says, "What's the least expensive way of terminating this relationship?" And Board members should ask tough questions about paying too much.

AUWIEDERSEHEN SCENARIO

"Auwiedersehen" is German for "Until we meet again." It has a more open-ended quality than the English "goodbye." In an auwiedersehen scenario, the assumption is that once employees physically leave the building, they may continue to be a factor in the firm's future. But it is unclear what that factor may be.

After their non-compete contracts are over, they may join a smaller competitor and become potential allies or opponents in your firm's efforts to develop strategic alliances or acquire the firm.

They may join firms that touch your industry and become potential referral sources of new business for you or a potential source of caution to others about using your company.

They may attend alumni programs at their schools and encourage/discourage graduates from joining your firm.

Each of these scenarios assumes capability of retaliation plus uncertainty of retaliation.

The best practical defense in terminating employees under these conditions is "Treat people with dignity on the way out because the assured costs of such positive treatment are less than the potential downside retaliatory risks.

AUWIEDERSEHEN VS IT'S NICE TO BE NICE

We work with companies that treat departing leaders with dignity
on the grounds that "it is good public relations and good for morale if we help former employees achieve a `soft landing.'" This positive rationale works only in cultures supportive of such a rationale.

The Schelling rationale does not depend on an organizion having a specific culture for treating people with dignity.

It develops a contingency approach to management based on a risk assessment.

There may be times when a "goodbye" scenario does indeed make good sense. There are other times when "auwiedersehen" makes better economic sense.

In applying Professor Schelling's theories, management's failure to take defensive measures with those possessing abilities and options to retaliate is is just bad economics. One sees it at work every day.



(...)

A great analysis of the strategy of conflict grounded in the framework of Game Theory. Thomas Schelling applies Game Theory to deconstructing cold war negotiations and other fairly well structured "conflicts". As such, he offers the student of history a very interesting set of tools. However, it is unlikely that one can apply any of the outcomes to today's environment as more contemporary communication tools (instantaneous, distibuted, portable and user generated) are absent from a book written in 1960.

I agree that this book is only a brief introduction into the thoughts of Schauberger but hopefully many people are inspired by this book to move forward into the area of water research in an effort to uncover many more truths about what really makes water healthy.

Unfortunately there is so much...on the market, evolving around new-age water products, which in-no-way copy Mother Nature as Viktor had stressed. All these people need to purchase this book in order to obtain some form of initial clarity if they are going to be involved in water research or water products of any kind. Living-water; revitalized-water; restructured water; clustered & micro-clustered-water; alkaline water; Pi-water; crystal-water; snowflake-water; cupcake-water; energized-water; polarized-water; magnetized-water; and all the many others that are on the market have obviously never read any of Viktor's work or at least understood it. Let us all use Viktor's work as a basis to change the planet and make this world a better place to live.

Although it occasionally veers into new-age speculation or pseudoscience, this book offers a rare look at truly alternative ideas about water and energy. The description of Schauberger's early work with flumes is enthralling, and the brief exposition of "flow forms" towards the end of the book is valuable. Search "flow forms" in any web search engine to see some of the sites around the world espousing a fascinating technology that unites water pollution control with esthetics.

I have to say - I got very AGGRAVATED by some portions of this book , because it TOTALLY agreed and expanded on my very own frustrations with our retarded "modern" technologies.

I have ALWAYS dreaded NOISE - I haven't done empirical research on this subject, but my gut instinct has led me to run from & truly hate noisy machines. I feel like someone were stabbing me when I am exposed to a Harley Davidson on the road ! The only friends I really have in this matter I think are the ANIMALS - have you ever noticed the DREAD & FEAR with which ANY animal reacts to our machines ( most notably our motors - be they lawnmowers, drilling machines ... ) Even birds totally abhor the NOISE from our aircraft & automobiles .. notice their flight, as from terror, when they are flying over traffic !

Now I see that IMPLOSION is essentially a NOISELESS phenomenon !! And this is the technology that truly supports the LIVING ! My question - FOLKS, WHEN WILL WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE NOT MACHINES ?? AND OUR SPIRITUALITY IS NOT SOME GOD-DEVIL-CRAP but a PHYSICAL manifestation of the higher ????

" They have eyes, but they don't see ..... "

This is a good introduction to the theories and life of Viktor Schauberger, an Austrian naturalist and inventor. Born in 1885, Schauberger started life as a forester who tried to understand and copy Nature. From watching mountain streams he developed unorthodox theories based on vortex movement about water and its use. He started out designing highly efficient log flumes that used water in vortex motion and at its densest temperature of 4 degrees Centigrade. He then proposed cleaning up the Rhine River by rebuilding the natural curves which stimulate vortex motion in the water. He said that this vortex motion in the Earth caused spring water to be more alive than plain water. He believed that plants grew better in this living water and developed laboratory sized egg-shaped water energizers to activate water.

He also developed theories about the harmfulness of iron and steel tools in agriculture and proposed replacing them with copper ones. He designed an egg-shaped composter that was supposed to develop Noble compost which would be much more beneficial in gardens.

Around the Second World War his theories and experiments take a much different direction and he starts talking about Implosion energy as opposed to combustion explosion energy. He starts developing machines that generate more energy than they use and that run on water and air. Out of this research he claims to have developed a domestic power station that generates large outputs of energy from slight streams of running water. Even more fantastic is a flying saucer that used a 1/20 horsepower electric motor as a starter and then ran on the surrounding flow of air. The research on these inventions was destroyed at the end of the war. Schauberger and his son Walter never seem to have been able to find the resources to develop working models again.

Today his theories on vortex motion of water are taught at the Anthroposophical Emerson College in England. His copper farming tools are sold from the school his son Walter started, the Pythagoras Kepler Schule in Austria. His water, forestry, and farming theories have been accepted by Biodynamic Farming communities and may be helpful to organic farmers today.

There are two appendices at the end of the book by New Age science experts on the underlying theories of vortex energy. I find these actually detract from the book rather than help it. A Bibliography also is less than useful. Most of the sources are to obscure journals or original Austrian publications. These types of resources are less than helpful in such an introductory text.

This is an excellent, brief introduction to the thought of Viktor Schauberger, and I hope it inspires works which are more complete. Callum Coates' books reach in this direction, but what is really needed are more people to read these books, synthesize their information, and come up with new and original books which take us further into depth in these areas. This will probably involve synthesizing the work of Schauberger, Grander, Bienveniste, and others.

An understanding of Schauberger is very important for those attempting to reconstruct an Indigenous European Perspective. Schauberger has the elements of a modern water shaman, and his shamanic / intuitive techniques of letting his body float with the water should be closely correlated with what Hans Peter Duerr has to say about "out of body" experience in his tome "Dreamtime". Although Schauberger lived in the 20th Century, his perspective allows us to imagine back what earlier indigenous practitioners may have been like. The Colonial, Imperialist Europe is only one side of the coin of Europe. We must also include the suppressed indigenous, pagan, and green sides. Significantly, the Inquisition represents a watershed in European history where a great deal of the indigenous healers and theorists were wiped out in holocaust proportions. An understanding of Schauberger, coupled with an appreciation of Steiner, Hildegard of Bingen, Hans Peter Duerr, and others, will allow us to reconstruct what a noncolonial, nonimperialist Europe was like.

Understanding water's nature is essential in this regard, for water forms the basis of our understandings of flow. Furthermore, understanding water's energetic qualities will help us understand how it interacts with the body. Traditional Chinese Medicine, for example, would benefit from an accurate and holistic understanding of water's qualities.

In short, this book is an excellent appetizer, but I await the main course ...

I rate this book 5 stars because I am a ND collector and I love each of the books in the series, but this is one that I don't put on my list of favorites. Because the original series was rewritten and updated in the 60's, some of the plots are suspiciously similar. The Clue of the Black Keys is one of several in the series where the villians are a married couple with sinister plans working for another person that Nancy's father put in jail...et cetera. The story itself is intriguing but because it's so similar to some of the other stories, it's not one of the best.

Is it a good book? I say yes because once again Carolyn Keene manages to stump her readers. You start to wondering: where is doctor pit, what happened to the keys, and how will the atractive blond Nancy Drew solve the mystery? The only way you can find out is by reading The Clue of the Black Keys.

This review concerns the original 1951 edition. Nancy is approached by a young college professor who tells her about a treasure that he and some other professors were searching for in Mexico. They had found a stone tablet which they believed would help them locate the treasure, but before they could translate it, the tablet vanished along with one of the professors. Did he steal the tablet or was he kidnapped? Nancy is asked to help find the missing professor and the tablet and to guard a valuable, black, half key which together with another 2 1/2 similar keys would unlock the treasure. This is probably one of the 10 best Nancy Drew books. The mystery, though a little implausible, is quite interesting. The book has a lot of action and suspence and was well-written. I was hooked from beginning to end. This is a very good book and every Nancy Drew fan should have this one in their collection.

I liked this book alot, because it really is a mystery. I still gave it four stars because it was not THE best, even though I liked it. It was about Nancy, and she goes to solve a mystery, with black keys. There are some people who want to get the keys because they are supposed to unlock treasure. They want to get the treasure themselfs.

I'm a 9-year-old in fourth grade named Britany. This book was a challenge for me because it made me predict what might happen in the next chapter. When I was at school I couldn't wait to read this book. I was so interested in the story that when I got home from school I read way over the limit I am allowed to read. Nancy Drew has a life I would like because I like doing mysterious types of things. When I was sleeping at night I had dreams about the book. I mean when I was asleep I'd see the characters move, talk, and do the scenes I had read. In this book there are three black keys and this guy named Jurez Tino who wants all three of the keys to get the treasure. The problem is he only has two and a-half-keys because Nancy Drew had the other half of the key. He is looking for it so he could get to the treasure. There was a house that Nancy and her friends found and they went up to the front and knocked on the door, but no one answered so they knocked again and still no one answered. Then one of her friend's found a window that was open and her friend went inside but she didn't. I don't want to tell you the whole story, but you should get this book and read it. If you like mysteries you will like this book.

This book is about how a detective named Nancy Drew solves a

mystery. She solves The Mystery of the Dancing Puppet. There

are many suspects that Nancy could pick from.

Nancy Drew is a brave character because she solved the

mystery. If she wasn't caring , she would not help other

people. Nancy was a sharing person- she told the police

the clues.

The conflict of this story is that someone was stealing

and hiding jewelry. Many people were accused of hiding the

jewelry and the puppet act. It was hard to see who

started it.

Nancy Drew solved the conflict by finding clues. She

looked at them closely to see who was the suspect. The mystery

was solved when she found out who hid the jewelry and put on the

puppet act, and had them placed in jail.

I would recommend this book to others. If you like a

good mystery, this is the book for you. I enjoyed reading this

book.

if you like mystery books then you will like this one it is
filled with lots of fun and adventure you will truely want this
book . please take it i reccomened it for girls it is a chick
book

I love Nancy Drew books and I have read about half the series and so far this is **one** of my favorites. ( I have a lot of favorites) But you would not like this book if you did not like mysterys, adventure, and suspense books. You would like this book if you like suspense, mystery, and adventure books. If you are a boy you probaly would rather read a book where the main character and most of the characters are boys right? Well then I recomend The Hardy Boys Books.But only if you are a boy. I sometimes read those because I am a girl, but I know that if I were a boy I would want to read the same kind of book but have the main character be a boy. Anyways this book kept me in suspense and kept me up all night because I just did not want to stop reading so I just ended up reading most of the night. I felt like I was Nancy drew and when ever nancy drew found a great clue I would feel excited just like nancy drew would be. Every sentence kept me going. Carolyn Keene is the best author in author history! At the end of the chapter something exciting happens and you just have to go on to find out what happens next. I totally recomend this book and all of the other nancy drew books. Before I ever even knew that these books existed I absolutely would not read. But now all I do is read. Well, you should read this book!
P.S. Sorry if this review is boring!

Nancy, Bess and George join the Footlighters, an amateur acting group located at the nearby Van Pelt estate, so that Nancy can investigate sightings of a dancing life-size puppet which has been haunting the grounds of the estate. Personally, I didn't find the mystery in this book to be all that exciting, the puppet wasn't spooky at all and there wasn't much action to be found. The end of the book wasn't very good as the main criminals are arrested well before the book ends and this happens in a typically boring Nancy Drew fashion. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the book as well written as it was; it certainly is not classic literature, but it was a step up from the atrocious writing found in most of the high (from #35 up) Nancy Drew books. The characters were well-defined and actually had personality, unlike in a lot of the books of the series, where the characters are either good or bad. Isn't wasn't the most exciting book, but at least when I finished it I hadn't felt as though I had just wasted my time.

I really like Nancy Drew books. But this is my favorite! I love
all the action! My favorite part is when Nancy's the lead of the
show.

The story, "Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Pine Hill", written by Carolyn Keene, is about Nancy Drew and her best friends. Nancy is a detective that is very hard working. Nancy had to stay at the Rorick house at Pine Hill. The girls are at Emerson, Ohio having fun at the Emerson University's June Week.

Not only did Nancy and her friends were at Emerson to see the June Week, but also have to solve two mysteries. They have to find the lost wedding gifts of the Rorick family in the 1800's that was buried around Pine Hill. On the other hand, Nancy had to catch a phantom that was going into the house library. It wanted something from it and she has to find out.

This book is great for people who love mysteries or adventures. The story is also good for teenagers to read. It is great for them because it has some stuff that teens could enjoy. It is a very good mystery that readers could think about. The story is also good for people who love mysteries or adventures because it is one of the most interesting stories that a reader could read.

Sally N.

This book was awesome. Nanacy, Bess, and George visit Pine Hill to solve a mystery. Someone is getting into a Library... from a secret passage. I won't tell you anymore to spoil the story. If you love Nancy Drew, you should relly read this book. If you don't read it you'll regret it.

I am nine years old, and this book is quite enjoyable, though I wonder how she can live through being knocked out so many times. I love the exciting, edge-of-your-seat fun and tension, like when she takes chances when attempting to capture the "phantom," lest he outsmart her and escape. But I cannot understand why Mr. Drew lets her take so many dangerous chances! After all, he's already lost his wife, and if he loses Nancy. . . what next?

Nancy, Bess and George go to Emerson University for their annual June Week celebration and are invited to stay at an old mansion on Pine Hill. The owner of the mansion tells Nancy about a phantom which apparently inhabits the library of the home and also he relates a strange story about a French wedding dress and valuable gifts which were lost during the sinking of the Lucy Belle in a nearby cove over 100 years before. This book is easily the best of the Nancy Drew books from the mid thirties and higher. So many of the books from #36 onward are little more than tour guides with a mystery built around them. This book; however, is not like that. The mystery is rather enjoyable and; generally, the book kept me interested until the end. One thing that I particularly liked about this book was that Nancy and her friends actually were involved in capturing the crook, unlike in most of the books where; usually, Nancy does all of the work, but ultimately, it is the police who come in, save the day and capture the criminal. My only complaint with the book was that it could have used a little more action. I think that any fan of the series would enjoy reading this book.

I am 35 yrs old and I still read Nancy Drew. My favorite is Phantom of Pine Hill, it's a classic! The setting, characters and plot are still memorable from when I originally read it, when I was 12. Nancy has and always will be my heroine, she taught me to be sensible and unafraid. She is a great role model for young girls, and this book is the best one to start a collection with! I have been unable to put this story to bed in over 23 yrs.

This was an interesting story. I have read a large number of World War Two historical fictions and this is the first time I have come across this topic. The detective is a good character, sure there are a lot of stereotypes with him but we all expect that and the author uses them to his advantage. The ending was a bit fast; a few more pages would have done the book justice. Overall a good effort that should not take you too much time to read. If you are a fan of this author then you defiantly should read the book

By far the best of Len Deighton's works, SS-Gb works so well because Deighton focuses upon the ordeal of an "everyman" character. In this instance, a detective who becomes caught up in events that are out of his control. A must read for anyone interested in alternative history tales.

I have enjoyed, as far back as I can remember, fiction dealing with a victorious Germany in WW2. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I read Shirer's "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" when I was 8. SS-GB is one of the classics in this sub-genre of speculative fiction.

Britain invaded and under the heel of the Nazi jackboot...what does a career detective do? If he resigns, who will look out for the rights of the people and track down those who are truly guilty? There is still real crime in a conquered country, after all. Is there a time to sacrifice the duty of a policeman for the greater good of the country as a whole?

That's a good part of the appeal of the novel; that is, how does a man of virtue and honor deal with this situation? Especially when one is trying to get the King out of the clutches of the Jerries and on to the USA to give the British Empire a figurehead to rally round. Can it be done? Buy this novel and find out....

SS-GB is undoubtedly Deighton's best work of fiction. The basic premise presupposes a Nazi victory over Great Britain sometime in early 1941, (Presumably after a failed evacuation from Dunkirk and a disasterous Battle of Britain.) The story itself takes place later that year and earily accounts a Nazi occupation of England. While the protagonist falls a little too often into the 'cop on the edge' cliche, the fast paced plot, centering around the rivaly between the S.S. and Wehrmacht, will keep the reader riveted. Must reading for all fans of 'What If' history and more than enough tension for readers of international suspence.

That's the setting for this novel. It's 1941 and Germany is victorious, at least in Western Europe. The US and Germany are not at War. Deighton mentions one of the characters in the book, Barbara Barga, a US journalist (and later the love interest of the main character) having come over to the UK on the inaugural London to New York Lufthansa flight. A flight he slyly mentions Himmler and Goring were on. What business these German power brokers had in the States and who they were meeting the author does not say, nor is it in the least bit important to the story's plot. It's just a neat way of providing information in passing, and to me, shows how attentive to detail and how much fun Deighton has with this 'alternative history' or 'What if' novel.

The story centers on Detective Superintendent Douglas Archer of Scotland Yard and his Sargeant, the elderly Harry Woods who make up the 'Yards murder team, and who are called in by their German superiors to investigate what looks like a simple murder case involving a blackmarketeer. The case quickly develops into something with a wider scope. The SS in Berlin shows interest and sends a senior officer, Standartenfuhrer Huth to supervise Archer. The underground movement, politicians, the German police, the SS, a small resort town in southern England, the King and finally US Marines all have a role to play in the unravelling of the plot.

Ambition, greed, love, jealousy, and political plotting are all motives that drive the characters along. The characters are not stereotypical. Huth, far from being evil SS is one of the more principled, sympathetic and even likable characters in the book.

The only complaint I have is the rather rapid tying up of loose ends in the last few pages, it feels forced. Also, Archer having proven how smart a detective he was throughout the book, suddenly seems rather naive and daft even, as Huth has to explain all the political machinations and subtleties of the plot to him.

I started reading the Nancy Drew Series when I was 5. The book Ringmasters Secret was one of my faves because I liked how Nancy's aunt bought Nancy a replica of the horse charm bracelet, that belonged to Lola (, Lolita's mother,) and was supposed to be handed down to Lolita; but Kroon took away the original 100% gold bracelet, and sold it to a jewelry store.

This book is a very interesting story. It is a combination of realty and fantasy. Some people can really relate to this book.
I enjoyed this book very much because it was so different from all the other books I have read. I also read this book because it was a real eye catching mystery.
My favoriate character was Nancy Drew because she was the main detective. She had solved many mysteries and was kind and extremly modest.
The best part of the book was when Nancy joined the circus. The reason why it was my the best part was because she had only been stunt riding for a little time and she was doing a wonderful job in the circus.
The ending was ironic because you would never thought that the two characters would ever meet again.

This review concerns the original 1953 edition as well as the revised 1974 edition. Both books tell a similar story. Nancy is given a horse charm bracelet as a gift; however, one of the charms is missing. There is also a story connected with the bracelet that says that it was presented to a circus performer by a queen who loved horses. The circus performer later had to reluctantly sell the bracelet, but refused to give her true identity and she is in desperate need of help. Later, Nancy goes to the circus and meets a young girl, Lolita, who has a horse charm similar to the ones on Nancy's bracelet. The girl's parents were trapeze artists, but died many years before and she is now being raised by the cruel ringmaster of the circus and his wife. Many people in the circus believe that Lolita's mother may actually still be alive. Nancy is determined to find the truth and hopefully free Lolita from her cruel guardians. Most of this book is pretty good, the mystery is rather interesting and there is quite a bit of action. However, the ending of the book is not good. Everything happens much to quickly, there is little action and it takes all of one sentence for the criminals to be captured. For the most part this is a good book, it just has a bad ending.

This book is a definite standout when I think of the Nancy Drew books as a whole. It has an intricate, delicately handled plot and the indispensable element of suspense.

It tells the story of a girl, searching for her relations against the will of an evil man, who is also the ringmaster of a circus. It is very, very good among its more ordinary siblings . . . as I said before, a definite standout.

Kidnapping, burgalars, injuries and puzzels. If you like mystery stories, you'll love Nancy Drew The Ringmaster's Secret. It's about three friends trying to help out a trappez girl named Lolita. Lolita was kidnapped and raised by a grumpy man named Kroon. When she found out she was kidnapped, Kroon would not let her escape. Everyone was afraid of him because of his violence. Finally Nancy and her freinds agreed to help her. She did not know at the time that she was not only putting her self in danger, but her friends too. One incident was when Nancy and George were tied up and put on a train headed toward Canada. Another one was when Nancy was stanggeled with a black rope. Kroon knew they were on to him. So he kept planning plots to get them off his track. No matter how bad it was. But Nancy drew out smarted him by contacting Lolita's real parents. Her father was dead, but her mother was still alive. Her name was Lola Flanders. Nancy also contacted the police and told them to meet her there the same time Lola Flanders would. When everyone arrived, Kroon made a run for it. Into the woods he went. Nancy ran after him on a horse named star. She would do trick riding bare back on him. That's when one of Kroon's friends threw a rock, hit her in the head and Knocked her unconscious. Anyways, as Nancy dashed through the forest, the police made a road block on the other side. To find out what happens, read the book The Ringmaster's Secret. Trust me, the ending is really well fitted. I really liked the book because mystery stories are my thing. Also, I love it when I am kept on the egde of my seat. You never know whats going to happen next. And when you get to a really suspensful part, you can't stop reading. I think the Author did a great job of writting the book. She must have really been into mystery stories too, or she wouldn't of written it. If I were to grow up and be a writer, these would be the exact kind of books I would write. Mystery stories. I don't like those other books. lLike the mushy love stuff. Or an every day life. I could'nt handle it.

The Invisible Intruder was a wonderful book.I was so entertained with Nancy Drew and her three friends George,Bess,Ned.If you love mystery books i think you should try this book out.This book had thrilling adventures scary parts and thrillers!I wanted to read it more and more.Everytime you would get to something good you had to keep reading to find out more.It was so fun

Nancy and a group of friends go on a ghost hunt to 5 different locations, each of which is supposed to be haunted. This is an average book of this series. The mystery is somewhat intriguing and Nancy and her friends come into contact with their enemies quite often, so there was a moderate amount of action in the book. One thing that I did find strange though was that all of the places that Nancy's group visited were randomly chosen, yet, in each case the same person was responsible for its being "haunted". This is, in my opinion, one of the better books from #35-56. I find that the books from that period generally read like tour guides, not mystery stories, and have way too much educational material which takes away from the mystery. While this book has a lot of interesting educational material about shells, I didn't think that it took away from the mystery; although, it does seem out of place at points. The thing that I liked least about the book was the ending. In a word, it is awful. Nancy's enemies walk into a room were Nancy and some police officers are hiding and unknowingly confess to everything before being captured. How exciting is that? It's not! It's a unfortunately terrible ending for an otherwise not bad book.

In this astounding series of Nancy Drew the Invisible Intruder is one book that will keep you on your tip-toes. In this story Nancy and her friends go on a ghost hunt to look into five different haunted houses. At first they incounter a supposely haunted canoe that propels itself through Lake Savenee.In the end Nancy captures the invisible intruder in the fantastic room of skulls in the last house. I really loved this book not once did I get bored.

In this book, there was a lot of action and suspense. It wasexciting and interesting. It was the first Nancy Drew Book I read,and it made me want to read more. The Invisible Intruder was something you would have never guessed.

This Was the the First Nancy Drew Book I read. (How long was that...Oh A year!!) Well This was so suspensful, it kept me on the edge of my seat!! I kept wondering, "What is that on the wall with glowing eyes, and a speaker in it???" Nancy's adventure leads her to an old house with lots of skeletons!! If you have not read any Nancy Drew Books, This would be a good one to start with because it has most of the characters and you can get to know them.