Review: Curse of the Arctic Star

Are you familiar with Nancy Drew and her friends Bess and George? Carolyn Keene is the 'author' of the very popular mystery series for grade schoolers, middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults! Did you start with the original series first published 85 years ago or did you jump in and start reading the notebooks, graphic novels, or diaries published more recently?

I'll be honest and confess I have yet to read the original books. I started with the graphic novels several years and enjoyed them. I would recommend them to high schoolers who enjoyed Nancy Drew mysteries or graphic novel enthusiasts. When I read about Curse of the Arctic Star, I was curious. I have a dream of going on an Alaskan cruise and Nancy gets to go with her friends and solve a mystery while on board. Sounds like a winning story to me!

Oasis Audio produced Curse of the Arctic Star (as well as seven other titles in the Nancy Drew Diaries series). Jorjeana Marie narrated this audiobook version of book one. I really enjoyed Jorjeana Marie's voice. Her voice fit very well with Nancy Drew's age. Jorjeana Marie was a fair hand at juvenile and male voices. The various girl characters in the book were also distinctly different from one another. I would listen to Jorjeana Marie again and I was happy to see that she narrated the rest of Nancy Crew Diaries that Oasis Audio produced!

The mystery in Curse of the Arctic Star was very appropriate for young mystery readers. It's set at a good pace with lots of suspects to ponder along with Nancy. It's a story of thoughts and clue rather than using various detective gizmos. The cruise mystery wrapped up, but there is another small mystery cliffhanger that leads readers to book two, Strangers on a Train. The diary part of this Nancy Drew Diaires book is the opening and closing of the whole story. The main text of the story is the usual live action setting with dialog between characters and people going about their lives. I was wondering how Carolyn Keene would draw readers into the series and I will admit I want to hear book two. Well crafted story with a solid audiobook production. Very enjoyable listen that I would recommend to mystery readers or families going on a roadtrip together.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Oasis Audio!

Audio Book Details...
Curse of the Arctic Star by Carolyn Keene
Series: Book 1, Nancy Drew Diaries
Read by Jorjeana Marie
Produced by Oasis Audio
Number of Discs: MP3 download (12 parts)
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Release Date: May 2015
ISBN: 9781621884972