The Secret in the Old Lace facts for kids
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| Author | Carolyn Keene |
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| Illustrator | Ruth Sanderson |
| Cover artist | Ruth Sanderson |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Nancy Drew stories |
| Genre | Detective, mystery |
| Publisher | Wanderer Books |
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Publication date
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October 31, 1980 |
| Pages | 167 |
| ISBN | 0-671-41119-5 |
| Preceded by | The Flying Saucer Mystery |
| Followed by | The Greek Symbol Mystery |
The Secret in the Old Lace is the fifty-ninth book in the popular Nancy Drew mystery series. It was first published in 1980. The book was written by Nancy Axelrad, but it came out under the famous pen name Carolyn Keene.
The first edition of the book had a special cover and six pictures inside, all created by Ruth Sanderson. Later versions of the book had new covers and did not include these inside pictures.
What's the Mystery About?
Nancy Drew finds herself in a tricky situation when she enters a magazine contest. The contest asks for the solution to an old Belgian mystery about a missing nobleman. Nancy sends in her answer, but then something strange happens! Someone else submits the exact same solution, pretending it's theirs. Nancy now has to figure out who stole her idea and prove that the solution was truly hers.
A Trip to Belgium
While Nancy is dealing with her contest problem, her friend Bess Marvin gets an exciting letter. Bess's mom receives a letter from her friend, Madam Chambray, who lives in Belgium. Madam Chambray has just bought an old house, and it comes with its own mystery! She invites Bess, Nancy, and their friend George Fayne to come stay with her and help solve it.
The girls decide to go on this adventure. But even before they arrive in Belgium, another mystery pops up: Nancy's suitcase is stolen! Despite this setback, the friends continue their journey to Madam Chambray's house.
Unraveling the Secrets
Once they arrive, Madam Chambray tells them about a beautiful cross. It's made of gold, sparkling diamonds, and a blue stone called Lapis Lazuli. This cross was found when she bought the house, and she has no idea who it belongs to. So, now Nancy and her friends have three mysteries to solve:
- Who stole Nancy's contest solution?
- What is the secret of Madam Chambray's old house?
- Who owns the mysterious cross?
As they work on these puzzles in Belgium, a new Belgian friend named Hilda Permeke helps guide them. The girls visit a lace center and learn how beautiful lace is made.
At a museum, Nancy sees a painting that catches her eye. It shows a man on a bridge with a dark figure behind him. Nancy later realizes that the man in the painting is the missing Belgian nobleman from the magazine contest! This discovery helps her solve the real-life mystery that the contest was all about. As the story unfolds, Nancy discovers how the valuable cross, her stolen suitcase, and the stolen manuscript are all connected to each other.
