Something old, something new

The downpour has let up; now there's only a light drizzle giving a clue that rain came down in sheets just minutes ago.  It's funny that the mystery I'm all set to read this afternoon incidentally starts off with torrential rains, with our young heroine nearly caught in the storm. 

The Clue in the Crumbling Wall by Carolyn Keene (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1945). Cover art: Rudy Nappi

I'm immensely looking forward to poring over The Clue in the Crumbling Wall -- all 25 chapters of it! So this will be a quick post. However, I wanted to share the fact that I have my notes to thank for my being able to more easily recall details of each mystery I've read (well, almost each mystery, as I was remiss with several) this time around. 

Take note: Crooks, comical characters, plot summaries and sometimes even opening scenes make it to my 'black book' for easy recall (and better appreciation) of each mystery

About a month ago, I finished the 20-chapter edition and thought it was pretty interesting. Then quite recently I got hold of a copy of the original-text edition as part of a bundle! What joy! And at a bargain price, too!

As I have expressed in at least one previous post and to some fellow Nancy Drew book enthusiasts, I find the older text more appealing. Written in 1930 through the late 1950s, the unrevised versions make for a more enriching reading experience, in my opinion. 

Well, I am all set to sink into my chair once again to plunge into another adventure via the imagination of Mildred Wirt Benson, the 'Carolyn Keene' behind vol. 22. Would you like a glance at how Nancy Drew starts off on the path to this mystery? Take your pick: 1945 or 1973? 

Chapter 1, page 1 of The Clue in the Crumbling Wall: 1945 (left) and 1973 (right) editions

Now, time to dive into the mystery -- Nancy, Bess and George await! As you ponder on whether or not to get your hands on the book for a bit of nostalgic reading, let me leave an image of the cover you might be familiar with if you happened to have read your mysteries in the 1990s and beyond --