Things are getting real in Bayport. Nancy and Pete have found a body, and the murder scene is remarkably like that of Mariana Vega, Pete’s mom, who died seven years ago in the same place. Check out this review of Nancy Drew #3 from Dynamite Entertainment.

NANCY DREW #3

Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Jenn St-Onge
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 8, 2018

Previously in Nancy Drew: Nancy regains consciousness in a cave beneath Deadman’s Cliff and meets Pete, an attractive young man. They climb up to the top and wake Nancy’s friends, and Nancy investigates, finding tire tracks and footprints that indicate someone else had been there too. The following day, Nancy and Pete return to the cave to explore further, much to the consternation of her friends. She finds out Pete sent her the anonymous letter, hoping to lure her back to Bayport to look into his mother’s death. And then they find the body.

BEING A YOUNG INVESTIGATOR ISN’T ALWAYS EASY

In Nancy Drew #3, her friends (Bess, George, Frank, and Joe) drive up to Deadman’s Cliff only to find police cars and the area cordoned off. After a moment of panic, Bess spots Nancy talking to the police. The group of them mob her with hugs, then George scolds her for running off without telling them where she was going. One of the things I enjoy about the writing is that we see some of Nancy’s thoughts (written as though in a journal), so we do get insight into what she thinks and feels, which is vital to this story. The police detective interviews her; she shares her information about the tracks she spotted, and he brushes her off. That’s another thing I like – this is Nancy Drew, but we have one foot in the real world where police detectives do not pay attention to amateur detectives, especially ones who are still in high school.

The gang reconvenes at Bess Martin’s house, where Nancy catches them up on the plot, and asks them to accept Pete’s apology for luring her here, as she has. Then there is a really nice scene where George finds Nancy grieving for the loss of her mother, and they have a good conversation about that loss. It’s handled very deftly. Nancy pulls herself together and splits the group up for their assignments because of course she is determined to investigate.

There are a few trails to follow. Pete’s mom was not a drug user, but had traces of a drug called “eXcess” in her system. Bess hints that she knows something about this, so Nancy sends her to look into it along with Joe. What Bess doesn’t let on is that she knows more than just a little something – this drug is associated with a pop-up rave that happens about once a year, and is going to happen again soon.  George and Frank are relegated to library duty, and Nancy and Pete head out to the restaurant where Pete’s mom used to work. Nancy and Pete have a quiet moment where they discuss their mother’s deaths. I like how open and honest this feels.

As everyone splits up, they agree to touch base every hour or so, which is just good common sense.  Pete and Nancy pull up at the docks, where things feel a little ominous. Across town, at the library, Frank finds something out (but we don’t know what it is yet). He and George call Nancy, but she has left her phone in the car.

BREEZY AND EXPRESSIVE

The more I read of Nancy Drew #3, the more I like the art. There is a lot of emotion in this issue, and these are young people whose faces are open and transparent. We see what they’re feeling, and it runs the gamut. The interactions between all of them feel very genuine – these are friends who have known each other for a long time, and they don’t have to be tactful.

Again, the settings are cleanly drawn and are distinct. The colors are somewhat muted, but the palettes are just lovely. We go from morning to evening in this book, and you can see the time passing, and it’s frankly all really pretty.

BOTTOM LINE: THE GAME IS AFOOT!

The mystery is steadily building. In Nancy Drew #3, we find out a little more about what’s going on, and we find out that there is more we don’t know. There’s a real cliffhanger feel at the end, and it is set up well to entice us back for the next issue. We’re starting to see some individuality among the characters, and the potential for some serious character growth. If you love a good mystery, you should be reading this book!

[taq_review]

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