Sleuthing Sundays - Nancy Drew 18, 19, 20

Now I'm back in my groove.  Three books for review this time.  Awesome.
I'm going to do a recap post every other month, I think, instead of every month.  Maybe every three months I'm not sure.

Also Wednesday was Nancy's 80th Birthday!  Happy Birthday to you!  Here's to 80 years more of your adventures!

Oh and poor Ned.  Never gonna get anything out of Nancy.  Funny how Nancy refers to him as her favorite date, but I'm pretty sure Nancy is Ned's only date.

He was glad of an excuse to walk in the moonlight with Nancy.  As they followed the road that wound in and out along the river, Ned felt only the romance of the evening.
But Nancy's thoughts kept reverting to the mystery.  The Clue in the Jewel Box p. 144

Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #18)

George said, "Bess, you know as well as I do that the thrust of a hundred-thousand-pound rocket couldn't force Nancy to give up this case." p.49

Nancy is asked by her father to investigate who is responsible for a shipment of explosive oranges that were delivered to the NASA space center complex.  It seems it is being blamed on a client of Mr. Drew's, but he is innocent.  Now Nancy and her friends travel to Florida to find some answers.
In the midst of her investigation, Nancy also discovers a mysterious moss-covered mansion with strange sounds coming from it and dangerous animals abound.  What is going on there and are the two mysteries connected?  It's up to the young sleuth to save the day for NASA.
This has to be one of the most convoluted mysteries yet.  I know the original story made more sense, but I guess in rewrites, it was decided to include something more current (the space program) so the ending was a little odd.  The villain was like a caricature of a villain even more so than any other Nancy Drew so far.

"Bess, you're the heroine of the occasion!"  George told her cousin.  She grinned.  "And you know I don't say that often." p. 158/159

The Quest of the Missing Map (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #19)

George tried to comfort her by saying, "We're used to Nancy's whizbang brain."  p.88

Nancy is asked by Hannah to investigate a job situation for one of Hannah's former charges.  I, for one, was shocked to learn that Hannah had any other jobs other than at the Drews, but I guess she started working there after Nancy's mom died when she was three (as we are reminded in every single book).  So off Nancy goes to see about how safe this job will be for Ellen Smith.  Ellen also reveals a secret about her family involving a treasure map and two separated twin brothers!  And in a confluence of events that is so outlandish to the point of ridiculous, both the mysteries are intertwined.  I mean I'm willing to give up a lot to this books, but this was the limit.  There is absolutely no reason for this mystery to have work out the way it did, and it seems that Nancy is more lucky than a good detective judging by how this turned out.  *eye roll*

Clue in the Jewel Box (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #20)

 "Then there's no mystery connected with it?" Nancy's voice showed her disappointment.  p. 37

Nancy is shopping for a gift for her dad's birthday when an old lady faints near her.  Good Samaritan Nancy takes her home and learns the old lady's secret.  She was a queen in her country but is now in exile.  She has been searching for her long lost grandson for a while now.  Nancy is called upon to find him.
Her other mystery is a rash of pickpockets in town.  There are two guys that look alike and one is the thief and the other is innocent.  It's up to the girl detective to find who is who.
Oh and Helen Corning Archer is back!  She lives!  This time she is sponsoring a girl in a fashion show.  It's nice to see her around.  I think this is the last time though.