Nancy Drew #109 Masked Rider, #110 Nutcracker Ballet, and #111 Solaire

In Nancy Drew #109, The Mystery of the Masked Rider, Nancy's friend Colleen Healey plans to compete in an important horse show with her prize horse, Nightingale.  After several accidents, Nancy realizes that someone is trying to sabotage Colleen, so Nancy and Bess travel with Colleen to help guard Nightingale.

This book was published in October 1992.  At that time, a Zorro television series was airing on the Family Channel.  This book has a man on the cover who looks like he is wearing a Zorro disguise.  Coincidence?  I doubt it.  Zorro is mentioned by name on page 84, and one of the characters in this book is named Diego.  I am quite confident that this book gives a nod to Zorro.

I didn't make any notes about this book, but I enjoyed it.

In Nancy Drew #110, The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery, Nancy, Bess, and George help Madame Dugrand prepare for the upcoming performance of The Nutcracker Ballet.  I'm sure you can already guess that someone is trying to sabotage the ballet.  Could we think of some other type of plot?

I couldn't help but think of The Scarlet Slipper Mystery as I read this book.  The story is not at all the same, but both books feature ballet studios.

On page 75, we learn that Lawrence keeps mice in his dance locker whenever he plans to feed mice to his pet snake.  He catches a mouse that is running around on the floor, saying that it was his mouse from his locker.  Er, what?  He places the mouse in his pocket.  Yes, a live mouse.  I'm speechless.

Nancy gets all smart and everything on page 124.  Shana's dress has had jagged lines cut through the bodice.  Nancy examines it and states, "It's been cut with very sharp scissors."  How astute! 

I enjoyed The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery, but not as much as I would have, since I am growing tired of one plot after another concerning sabotage.

In Nancy Drew #111, The Secret at Solaire, Nancy, Bess, and George spend a week at Spa Solaire in Arizona.  Each girl is placed on a diet and exercise regimen, and Bess enters enthusiastically into the program.  Soon after the girls arrive, they notice that the staff escorts the guests to their rooms, and guests are not permitted to be out at night.  Mishaps occur in the exercise room and in the vicinity of the resort.  Or to use another word, sabotage!

Bess is depressed because she has to lose six pounds instead of just five.  This reminds me of the Sweet Valley High series where Jessica eyes her very slender figure in the mirror and moans that she has to lose one pound.  **eye roll**

I think of how overweight many teenagers are these days, and this seems so petty.  Bess is always described as plump, yet she is only five pounds overweight.  It would be more logical for her to be 20 pounds overweight, or perhaps even more than that.

At moments when I read these books, I hear the lines in my head just as though the lines are being said by one of the voice actors from the Nancy Drew games.  Usually it's when Nancy says something like, "It's locked!"  This time I heard Bess from the games on page 59.

Bess shut her eyes.  "I didn't see a candy bar, and I don't smell it.  It's a figment of my imagination."

Perfect.  If you're quite familiar with the Nancy Drew games, you'll know what I mean.

I enjoyed The Secret at Solaire.