*Nancy Drew #3 – The Bungalow Mystery* (1930) is the third installment in the iconic Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series, originally penned by Carolyn Keene (a pseudonym for ghostwriters, primarily Mildred A. Wirt Benson in this early era). In this classic whodunit, teenage sleuth Nancy Drew investigates a seemingly idyllic lakeside bungalow that harbors dark secrets. It was the last of three books in the “breeder set” trilogy, released in 1930, to test-market the series. It was the final volume edited by Edward Stratemeyer before his death.
While canoeing on Moon Lake with her friend Helen Corning, Nancy rescues a distressed young woman, Laura Pendleton, from a sinking boat. Laura reveals she’s an orphan sent to live with a mysterious guardian—the cold and secretive Jacob Aborn and his wife. Suspicious of their motives, Nancy uncovers forged documents, hidden wills, and a plot to steal Laura’s inheritance. With daring break-ins, midnight escapes, and a climactic storm, Nancy proves her knack for outsmarting criminals.
