This post is part of the Nancy Drew Review Project; visit the project index here.
The Sign of the Twisted Candles, Nancy Drew’s ninth mystery adventure, was originally ghostwritten by Walter Karig and published in 1933. During the series overhaul in the 50s and 60s, the story was condensed and reissued in a 20-chapter format.
I read both versions of the novel for my ongoing Nancy Drew Review Project.
Both the 1933 text and the 1968 revised version follow the same plot. Nancy and her friends, Bess and George, visit a rural old mansion-turned-inn and meet the building’s owner, the 100-year-old Asa Sidney, as well as a young woman (Sadie/Carol) who works as a waitress at the inn’s restaurant. Later, Nancy’s father is called upon to draft Asa Sidney’s will, and it turns out that there’s a Family Feud involving the Sidney’s and Bess and George’s mothers! Also perhaps the inn’s caretaker is trying to steal the money? Nancy sets it all right, of course, and also unlocks Sadie/Carol’s Tragic Backstory.
1933 Original Text
I suspect, although I am not certain, that I don’t love Walter Karig’s Nancy books as much as Mildred Wirt Benson’s. There’s nothing really wrong with The Sign of the Twisted Candles! I just think the writing is a little more bland and pedestrian, and Karig’s Nancy has a trifle less oomph.
The plot of the original text, as you can read above, is fairly intricate. My little paragraph summary doesn’t fully delve into all of the happenings in Twisted Candles, because there’s so much going on. This isn’t a bad thing! I might not have loved this book as much as some other Nancy Drew mysteries, but I can definitely appreciate the level of sophistication involved in this plot. This one involves a missing treasure, a secret identity, scheming relatives, and friendship troubles. Whether it was the Syndicate who ordered a more mature storyline, or Karig who was able to take the bare-bones outline and elevate it—it worked!
The most interesting thing about Twisted Candles is that, for the majority of the text, Nancy is in a “fight” with Bess and George. Or, rather, Bess and George decide to shun Nancy after they feel she and her father meddle in private family business related to Asa Sidney’s will. I’m certain that this is the only book where the relationship between the three friends is ever portrayed as less-than-perfect, and I liked the way this allowed readers to see a more vulnerable side of Nancy, as she’s pretty hurt that her best friends have abandoned her over a theoretical inheritance. Of course, the fight is resolved quickly (and unrealistically, for teenage girls), but I liked the thought.
1968 Revised Text
Because there was nothing seriously wrong with the original text, the authors didn’t need to do much revising. About 80% of the 1968 text follows the original story beat-for-beat, albeit with some names changed. The orphan girl, Sadie, becomes Carol, for instance. Everything else almost entirely the same, just with a slightly more peachy-keen tone.
But then in the final act, the revised text brings Ned Nickerson, Nancy’s sorta-boyfriend, in to help her investigate, which was interesting. I like Ned fine, of course, but I can’t say that giving him a more prominent role added much to the story. I guess the authors wanted to keep Ned’s role in the series more or less consistent, since in later books he often serves as Nancy’s main sleuthing assistant.
The last few chapters of the book also cranks up the “Shock and Excitement” dial a couple of notches: there are two kidnappings! Surprise. Not only does this up the drama factor, it also enables Nancy to be more of a hero. Now, not only does she resolve the family feud, she also saves herself/others from more certain danger. I was fine with the additions, but as with Ned’s appearance, I don’t think it added much to the story.
Verdict
The Sign of the Twisted Candles is a perfectly good Nancy Drew mystery that has a few staples of the series: a ramshackle old house, a mysterious will, and an orphan of uncertain lineage. My only real complaint is that I felt the story and characters were more subdued than in prior novels. I don’t have a strong preference, but I favor the original text because the longer length gives more time to set the scene for the unraveling mysteries to come.
[Disclaimer: cover art scans are from this site.]
