NANCY DREW: THE BLUEBEARD ROOM by CAROLYN KEENE

NANCY DREW

THE BLUEBEARD ROOM

BY CAROLYN KEENE

THE BLURB:-

THE WITCHES' COVEN.

Nancy cautiously approached the disused mine's engine room, alert for any noise, but the night was silent save for the waves breaking on the rocky Cornish shore. Nervously, she entered the empty room. The floor and walls were marked with weird occult symbols and the smell of marijuana hung in the air.

Then across the moors, Nancy heard faint music. As she followed the sound, it seemed to move. Suddenly she realised she was being led into a trap, but at that moment her feet squelched into sticky mud. She struggled but only sank deeper. Nancy gasped in horror- it was quicksand!

THE REALITY:-

What, you may well ask, is the well-read and adult Miss Elaineous, who's just been accepted onto a creative writing Master of Arts degree course, doing reading a book aimed at teenagers? Well, I had my reasons.

After picking up one of the Nancy Drew mystery stories for girls books at a garage sale in the USA, whilst staying with relatives, age 11, I became a pretty avid reader of this series, devouring the books my auntie sent to me as Christmas and birthday presents and also buying more from WHSmith with my pocket money.

Aimed at teenage girls, these novels had been written by various authors since the 1930s, under the blanket name of Carolyn Keene. Given a bit of a modern update for the 1980s, the Nancy we see here has not one, but two suitors. As the book mentions, she's a clever sleuth, with curves as well as brains- you go, girl!

This book has the distinction of being my favourite as it's the only book in the series (that I've read) which is set in England. I read this in 1985, when I was a pretentious 13-year-old with a strong interest in alternative fashion and, not only does it capture London (the place in which I was born, live now, but was not brought up in- and where I wanted to be at this delicate age) in term of tourist attractions, but mentions what was happening on the fashion scene. David Bowie, Boy George and Billy Idol all get a mention, and this is exactly what I was (and still am) into. Add to that a fictional rock band (shades of Adam Ant disguised as Lance Warrick, methinks?) and this was right up my street.

My main reason for picking it up again (after buying it from Amazon- I'm not a hoarder!), however, is that it was set in Cornwall, and I've just been there. Depicted beautifully in the book, with a make-believe town and castle added to real places, this novel really picks up on the haunted, oldest part of England vibe of the place. The rugged landscapes and atmospheric coves are nicely communicated too. Well, in descriptive enough terms to keep a young person happy. I could vaguely remember the antagonists, and I like the way that some figures in authority get cast as villains. Add to that a bit o' art, in the form of the Golden Mab, true folklore with the legend of the Bluebeard Room, witchcraft and a cracking good detective story with intriguing characters, and we have perfection in a teenaged can. Just for the record, the story mentions my favourite painting, entitled The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke, by mad artist Richard Dadd.  I believe that it's right here that I first learned of the existence of this painting, and have seen it in an exhibition since.  Incidentally, when I did my art foundation course, this work inspired my final major project.

The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke, Richard Dadd, 1855-64.

This was why I read it; as I was having a nostalgia trip and also a future trip, as I have designated western Cornwall as my future home. Also, with hindsight, I can see that my life began to veer off track the first time I read this book. I maybe shouldn't have studied fashion and pursued it only as a hobby. The brilliant 80s dressing-up mentality gave way to boring crap. But now I've read it again just after my Masters acceptance, which I really feel IS my right track.

I'm tempted to read the whole Nancy Drew series, and writing ideas are forming, circulating and twirling in my mind...

Note: the cover at the top is of the book I recently read.  But this cover was on my original, back in 1985 and I prefer it...