The Mystery at the Ski Jump is the twenty-ninth volume in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. It was first published in 1952 by Grosset & Dunlap under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. The actual author was ghostwriter Alma Sasse.

Summary (original edition)

In The Mystery at the Ski Jump, Nancy Drew finds herself racing down treacherous slopes to outwit an international fur smuggling ring. The adventure opens with Nancy’s friend, Parisian designer Madame Luret, becoming the latest victim of a daring fur heist. What begins as a simple theft investigation soon plunges Nancy into a dangerous world of counterfeit money and stolen luxury goods, all hidden amidst the glamorous ski resorts of New England.

Nancy’s pursuit of the truth takes her from bustling ski lodges to isolated mountain cabins, where she discovers criminals using hollowed-out ski equipment to transport illegal goods. Going undercover as a ski instructor, she must master the slopes while deciphering coded messages hidden in lift tickets and Swiss banking documents. The cold proves as formidable an opponent as the smugglers when Nancy finds herself trapped in a stalled cable car during a raging blizzard, her breath forming icy clouds as she struggles to escape before freezing temperatures claim her.

The mystery reaches its heart-stopping climax during a whiteout storm on the mountain’s peak, where Nancy must outmaneuver armed smugglers while avoiding triggering a deadly avalanche. Her quick thinking and knowledge of winter survival tactics become her greatest assets in this frozen showdown. The original edition stands out for its authentic depiction of 1950s ski culture and unflinching portrayal of mountain dangers – from frostbite risks to the very real threat of snowbound isolation.

Later revisions softened some of the more intense survival elements, but this version preserves Nancy at her most resourceful, using everything from ski wax to trail maps to expose the criminals. The novel captures postwar America’s growing fascination with winter sports while delivering one of the series’ most physically demanding adventures, proving that even subzero temperatures can’t cool Nancy’s detective fervor.

Nancy Drew #29 –The Mystery at the Ski Jump First Edition Book Identification

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 #29 –The Mystery at the Ski Jump First Edition Dust Jacket Identification

Reference:

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