The Clue of the Velvet Mask
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| Author | Carolyn G. Keene |
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| Language | English |
| Series | 30 |
| Genre(s) | Mystery |
| Publisher | Grosset & Dunlap |
| Released | 1953 |
| Media Type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 192 |
| ISBN | 0-448-09530-0 |
| Preceded by | Nancy Drew: The Mystery at the Ski Jump |
| Followed by | Nancy Drew: The Ringmaster's Secret |
The Clue of the Velvet Mask is the thirtieth book in the original Nancy Drew series. As well, it was Mildred Benson's final ghostwrite for the series, which was subject to major revision prior to publication. In the story, Nancy tries to solve a mystery about a gang of event thieves robbing homes during parties, lectures, musicals, and other social occasions planned or catered by Lightner's Entertainment Company.
A masquerade is the first incident related, where Nancy and friends try to thwart suspicious, masked party-goers from reaching valuable objets d'art on display. At the party, Nancy finds an odd, black, velvet hood, which she retains as a clue. Nancy's acquaintance, Linda, who is an employee of the company, is suspected of wrongdoing. At subsequent Lightner events, Nancy encounters other thieves, and is nearly suffocated by an evil pair of crooks. Nancy and George rent wigs to switch identities; however, George is kidnapped, her disguise removed, put under the influence of hypnotic, mind-altering drugs, and threatened.
Nancy focuses on the executive assistant at Lightner's, Mr. Tombar, while attempting to decode mysterious numbers found in the lining of the mask. Finally, she realizes that the numbers actually mark dates of events that were the scenes of robberies. She and Bess investigate the ramschackle Blue Iris Inn in the nearby countryside, and fall victim to the evil Velvet gang. Only paranoid George knows where they are, and can identify the clothing last worn by Nancy. Will she be able to overcome her fears and help her friends?
The revised version changes Nancy's hair to titian, George's from black to brown, and eliminates subplots and extra descriptive vocabulary. Additionally, the revised version removes questionable (in 1969) descriptive elements of George's drugged status and hypodermics.
[edit] Releases of the book
The original volume was published in 1953, and was the first book to feature cover art by the artist Rudy Nappi. Nappi would go on to illustrate the covers of both the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew from 1953 to 1979. During his long term of employment, Nappi eventually updated cover artwork for books he originally illustrated. The original artwork shows Nancy in a conservative Spanish dancer's gown, on a mansion terrace. She is watching a man climb a trellis, while a masquerade is depicted through the French windows of the house. This art was also used on picture cover editions, from 1962 to 1969.
This book was the first, promotional release for the 1959 debut of the Nancy Drew Reader's Club. The volumes released in this group are two-toned pastels, featuring full color jackets and frontispieces, as well as eight double-page drawings by artist Polly Bolian. Bolian depicts Nancy as a strawberry-blonde, but with the short tousled "Audrey Hepburn" hairstyle worn by many young women at the time, and tailored, preppy 1950s ensembles. Books had internal references to other volumes removed, and contain no clues of sequencing.
The 1969 revised version, still in print, shows Nancy carrying the accessories from her costume, underneath a large image of a head wearing the black velvet domino.
