The Secret of Red Gate Farm facts for kids
Original edition cover
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| Author | Carolyn Keene |
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| Illustrator | Russell H. Tandy |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Nancy Drew Mystery Stories |
| Genre | Juvenile literature |
| Publisher | Grosset & Dunlap |
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Publication date
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1931, 1961 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 188 |
| Preceded by | The Secret at Shadow Ranch |
| Followed by | The Clue in the Diary |
The Secret of Red Gate Farm is an exciting mystery book. It's the sixth story in the popular Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. The book was written by someone using the name Carolyn Keene and first came out in 1931.
Contents
Unraveling the Mystery at Red Gate Farm
This book follows the famous teenage detective, Nancy Drew. She goes on an adventure with her best friends, Bess and George. They uncover a strange secret at a farm.
The Mysterious Perfume Seller
Nancy, Bess, and George are out shopping one day. They meet a very unusual perfume saleswoman. She is French-Chinese and acts very strangely. She doesn't want to sell a certain perfume to Bess. This makes the girls wonder what's going on.
A New Friend and a Secret Code
On their train ride home, the girls meet Millie Byrd. Millie is very thin and looking for a job in the city. Nancy helps Millie with a job interview. While there, Nancy finds a mysterious code in the office. This code seems very important.
Life at Red Gate Farm
Millie's grandmother owns Red Gate Farm. She invites Nancy, Bess, George, and Millie to stay there. They will be paying guests and help with other visitors. Once they arrive at the farm, Nancy discovers something even stranger.
The Black Snake Colony
Nancy learns about a group called The Black Snake Colony. They are a "nature cult" living on a part of Mrs. Byrd's farm. This group seems very secretive. Nancy starts to suspect they are involved in something wrong.
Working with Federal Agents
Nancy finds out that fake money is being passed around. She shares what she knows about the strange colony and the codes with special agents. These agents are from the government. Nancy, Bess, George, and Millie decide to go undercover. They dress in the white robes and hoods worn by the cult members. They join the group in their hidden cave.
Friendship and Adventure
This book also shows how much Bess and George care for each other. They are good friends, even when they sometimes disagree. Their friendship helps them through the mystery.
Changes in the 1961 Edition
The book was updated in 1961. The main story stayed mostly the same. However, a few small things changed:
- Millie Byrd's name was changed to Joanne.
- George gets bitten by a snake in this version.
- One of the federal agents is the son of a guest staying at Red Gate Farm.
- A character named Al Sniggs was renamed Al Snead.
Artwork and Illustrations
The first edition of The Secret of Red Gate Farm had its cover and four inside pictures drawn by R.H. Tandy. He later updated his own front picture in 1943. In 1950, Bill Gillies created new art for the book. This new art was used in many advertisements. It also appeared on part of the endpaper design inside the book from 1953. The most famous picture shows Nancy secretly watching a cave from behind a tree. This artwork was kept for the 1961 updated version because the story was still very similar. This art is still used today.
Images for kids
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Original edition cover
