the mystery of the tolling bell

Here are some quotes that stood out to me:

"Right now I'm more interested in food." (Bess Marvin, friend to Nancy)
"You shouldn't be!" George [Fayne] said bluntly, glancing at her cousin's slightly plump figure.
Nancy laughed.

"Nancy, you owe your life to George," he [Ned] said soberly.

I picked these quotes because these two girls have been with Nancy for almost every mystery. I say almost because they were not introduced until #5 The Secret of Shadow Ranch. Nancy did The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, The Bungalow Mystery, and The Mystery at Lilac Inn (my Fav) pretty much solo, however, her friend, Helen Corning was present, but wasn't very experienced/good with helping solve the mysteries.

Bess and George have had significant roles in Nancy's mysteries. Bess is more reserved, typically cautious and warns the others not to go on with the mystery. She is described as "blond and plump" and usually mentions being hungry. George is "an athletic-looking girl with short dark hair" and knows judo--criminals do NOT want to mess with her.

In this book, there was like a second when I thought Nancy may die, but I know this couldn't have happened because there are 32 more books after this one!
This mystery takes place in Candleton on the west coast. In my mind, I imagined it to be a town like that of the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer (which, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is one of my favorite movies. SHH! that's a secret) or Capeside (the fictional town in Dawson's Creek)

Nancy is trying to find a bell that Paul Revere made shortly after the Revolutionary War. (I learned from this book that no two bells have the same ring!) Nancy befriends a woman named Mrs. Chantrey (one of Carson Drew's clients) and tries to figure out the connection (if any) between a french cosmetics cart, Mon Coeur, pushed by Madame and a ghostly figure that haunts Bald Head Cave, where rushing waters come just after the tolling of a bell.

I will say, in this book, I found myself being very concerned for the health of most of the main characters. Let's just say, there are sprained ankles and fumes inhaled that make people very drowsy and dizzy.

Keene, C. (1973). The mystery of the tolling bell. New York: Grosset & Dunlap.