If Nancy were ... a recent graduate of the police academy in Sweden ... she would be Linda Wallander ... and there would be burning swans and Guyana, ritual murder and sacrifice, and of course Chief Inspector Kurt Wallander of the Ystad police. Ok ... Linda is just a little older ... nearly thirty ... and maybe this books is for "mature" Nancy fans because it is a little violent but Linda certainly has the Nancy instincts as well the ability and nerve to pick just about every lock she sees in the first few pages of the book. Read more about Before the Frost ...

Drew and the Crew for You: River Heights is hosting its first fashion show -- for dogs! Proceeds will go to the Rollover Rescue animal shelter. The Clue Crew is excited because not only will the day be filled with tons of cute pooches, but Nancy's own puppy, Chocolate Chip, will be a model in the show! But of course, there are some bumps along this fashion show's runway when someone steals a special basket of gourmet dog biscuits ...

Need to know more about this or more about other Nancy items? View some Drew suggestions for you ...

Gamasutra Speaks with Her Interactive: This interview marks the 10th year of Her Interactive in the Nancy game business ... as well the recent release of their first DVD game in August, Nancy Drew: The Curse of Blackmoor Manor, where Nancy travels to England to investigate a series of mysterious events at a 14th century mansion ... and the upcoming October release of their 17th PC game in the series, Nancy Drew: The Legend of the Crystal Skull, which sends Nancy to New Orleans with her best friend Bess.

"Her Interactive secured the Nancy Drew license from Simon & Schuster in 1997.

When we first started in the industry, we looked around and saw very few games made for girls. We were surprised, but we realized an opportunity so we created our first PC game and took it to the publishers to put on the retail shelves.

All of them turned us down. They said girls and women would not play video games because they were computer phobic. It was an unbelievable comment, and yet it was pervasive in the industry."

Read more of this interview at Gamasutra ...

Hooked by Nancy: First Book, an award-winning children's literacy organization that provides new books to children in need has announced the results of its What Book Got You Hooked? campaign, revealing that thousands of Americans got hooked on reading by Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew mysteries. Hmmmm ... I know this wasn't true for me ... nope ... it would have to have been the combined collection of Oz and Tarzan books I discovered at my great-grandmother's house a long, long time back that led to where I am now ... dividing my time between Nevada Barr and Henning Mankell. All my other bad habits can be traced to drinking RC Cola and eating Devil Dogs ... well most of them anyway.

First Book is a nonprofit organization with a single mission ... to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. Sounds worthwhile. And apparently First Book has provided more than 50 million new books to children in need in thousands of communities nationwide. To learn more about First Book or to donate, please visit http://www.firstbook.org/ .