one of the reasons I adore CRISS CROSS

[bronze_ribbons]

From pages 152-4:

Frank's Featured Cream Puff of the Week was a light blue Mustang convertible, a coupe. It reminded Patty of Nancy Drew, who she hadn't thought about for years.

"Did you ever notice," she said, "that everything good or interesting happens to Nancy Drew, and her friends just get the leftovers? If there's a statue or a painting or a lookalike person, it always looks like Nancy. It never looks like Bess or George."

"And they never mention Bess without saying that she's 'pleasingly plump," or George without saying that she's boying and athletic and has short hair," said Debbie. "Just so you don't forget that nancy is the beautiful one with the perfect figure and the 'titian' hair."

"What I want to know is, where does she find time to learn how to do so many things? You never see her practicing. If there's something she doesn't already know how to do, she's good at it right away. It's always harder for Bess and George."

"I'd like to read a book about Bess and George solving a crime while Nancy is in the hospital with a broken leg."

"Or of on a ski weekend with Ned."

"She's good at skiing."

"She's really, really good. She could probably be in the Olympics. Maybe she breaks her leg, though. An evil criminal rams her into a tree on the ski slope. And Bess and George solve the mystery without her."

"Ned could help."

"Maybe Hannah Gruen could still be in the story. She makes really, really good food."

"She could help, too. They could all help. And they would find out that Nancy isn't the only one who can do things."

"Meanwhile, in her hospital bed, in traction, Nancy is studying marine biology. And Norwegian."

"And brain surgery."

"Have you ever noticed how many evil criminals use River Heights for their headquarters?"

"I know. It sounds like a scary place. I would be afraid to leave the house."

"Maybe you wouldn't be afraid if you had a light blue coupe."

- Lynne Rae Perkins

Comments

[xanthophyllippa.livejournal.com]

What is this book of which you speak? I may have to read it.

[mechaieh.livejournal.com]

There's a good synopsis and author interview chez Powell's (http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-0060092726-0).