The Quest of the Missing Map is the nineteenth volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. It was first published in 1942 by Grosset & Dunlap under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. The actual author was ghostwriter Mildred Wirt Benson.

Summary (original edition)

In The Quest of the Missing Map, a fragment of sea-stained parchment sets Nancy Drew on a transatlantic chase in this riveting wartime adventure that bridges ocean trenches and family secrets. The story begins when young Ellen Smith inherits half of a cryptic maritime chart from her shipwrecked father—a document that may reveal the location of a sunken treasure or something far more dangerous in wartime waters.

Nancy’s pursuit of the missing map fragment takes her from the musty archives of the River Heights Historical Society to the storm-lashed docks where submarine patrols now dominate the coastline. She discovers how the map’s unusual coordinate system conceals its true value, why a band of “fishermen” carry Geiger counters in their tackle boxes, and what connection Ellen’s missing uncle—a renowned oceanographer—has to recent enemy submarine activity. The danger escalates when Nancy realizes the map doesn’t lead to gold, but to a strategic deep-sea trench where underwater topography could hide entire fleets.

The 1942 original pulses with homefront vigilance—blackout drills mask criminal movements, radio broadcasts carry coded weather reports, and Nancy must distinguish between legitimate Coast Guard patrols and imposters hunting the same coordinates. In one of the series’ most daring sequences, she pilots a borrowed motorboat through minefield waters to test her theory about false lighthouse signals. Unlike later revisions that removed war references, this version retains Nancy’s chilling discovery of a child’s gas mask in Ellen’s attic—a stark reminder that even treasure hunts unfold under the shadow of global conflict.

This novel stands out for its prescient blending of maritime archaeology and military strategy, with Nancy recognizing before authorities that oceanographic knowledge could be weaponized. The map itself becomes a metaphor for fractured families—its torn edges representing siblings separated by war, its faded ink symbolizing how quickly peace-time pursuits can turn deadly. The climax aboard a listing research vessel, where Nancy uses the completed map to outmaneuver enemies while storm waves shatter the portholes, remains one of the series’ most technically sophisticated finales.

Nancy Drew #19 –The Quest of the Missing Map First Edition Book Identification Guide

Only the first few printings of the first/second year are shown. Printings codes are based on the Farrah Guide, 12th printing. Please refer to the guide for later printings.

Nancy Drew #19 –The Quest of the Missing Map First Edition Dust Jacket Identification Guide

Reference:

• Farah’s Guide to Nancy Drew, 12th printing