Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake is the seventh game in the Nancy Drew adventure series. It is based on the short story "Ghost Dogs of Whispering Oaks" from Nancy Drew Ghost Stories, and Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #167: Mystery by Moonlight. In this game, Nancy investigates ghost dogs haunting a cabin in Moon Lake, Pennsylvania.
This game is dedicated to Mildred Wirt Benson, the first ghostwriter of the Nancy Drew Mystery series. Benson had died in May 2002, during production of the game.
Synopsis[]
Hunt for clues on the trail of a pack of phantom hounds!
You, as Nancy Drew, must pick up the cold trail left by a notorious gangster who once lived in the lakeside cabin recently purchased by your friend, Sally McDonald. The cabin was formerly owned by Mickey Malone, a Prohibition-era gangster, on Moon Lake, Pennsylvania. However, Sally soon becomes very frightened and asks you for help. When you arrive, a tree falls and blocks you in, and Sally is nowhere to be found. Sally soon calls you and tells you why she left - Malone's dogs have apparently returned as ghost dogs, and they viciously attack the cabin each night! Are the ghostly legends true, or is there a flesh and blood answer to the dogs' haunting howls? Decipher cryptic puzzles, search through shadowy wood, creepy old houses, interview suspicious characters, and dodge danger to sniff out the truth behind local legends to solve the mystery.
- Explore a cemetery and speakeasy
- Take photos of birds and collect bugs
- Find your way out of the maze in the forest
Map of game locations.
Characters[]
Red Knott[]
Red is a birdwatcher who has an observation platform near the cabin. Devoted to birding, he finds the company of humans annoying and doesn't have much patience with them.
Emily Griffin[]
Emily runs the nearby junk/bait shop Em's Emporium. She sells Prohibition-era antiques there and insists that they were obtained legally and not by dragging the bottom of Moon Lake.
Jeff Akers[]
Jeff is the local park ranger. He's a stickler for rules and wants the local area to remain pristine and orderly.
Phone Characters[]
The phone is located in Sally's house.
Sally McDonald[]
Sally is a photographer and the owner of the cabin. Although she stayed for approximately a month there, she eventually had to leave because of the ghost dogs.
Bess Marvin and George Fayne[]
Bess and George are cousins and are good friends of Nancy who can give her advice.
The Hardy Boys[]
Frank and Joe are detective brothers Nancy knows. Bess will give Nancy their number after she mentions Jeff Akers. They can give her advice.
Vivian Whitmore and Eustacia Andropov[]
Vivian was Mickey Malone's girlfriend and can give Nancy important information about him. After Nancy's first time speaking to her, she's joined by Eustacia Andropov, who was also a phone friend in The Final Scene.
Trivia[]
- This is the first game to be based on more than one book/story. Mystery by Moonlight was released in August 2002, during production of the game.
- This is the first game to have had a teaser trailer (seen in Secret of the Scarlet Hand).
- This is the only game in the Adventure Series in which Nancy has a PDA.
- This game was released about a month before the 2002 television film.
Continuity[]
- Em's Emporium sells Koko Kringle bars.
- The well is made by Krolmeister.
- Nancy briefly mentions the previous case they worked on while first talking with Eustacia. (The Final Scene)
- In the culprit's lair, there is a familiar Chinese take-out carton and a pizza box. (Message in a Haunted Mansion and The Final Scene)
- The purple ski boots in Sally's shed are the same brand as the ones Professor Hotchkiss has. (Treasure in the Royal Tower)
- Emily is selling the movie Neo, which was a poster seen at The Royal Palladium. (The Final Scene)
- The magazine referencing scarlet handprints and Brady Armstrong in seen in the culprit's lair. (Secret of the Scarlet Hand, The Final Scene)
Foreshadowing[]
- The Haunted Carousel: When Nancy tells Sally about the speakeasy, Sally says she wonders whether she "bought a house or an amusement park." Sally and Nancy's boss in that game would share the same voice actress, Keri Healy.
Easter Eggs[]
- By calling either 555-6266 (MANN) or 555-7658 (SOLV), you will get a message from Nancy congratulating Manon on solving the Secret of the Scarlet Hand mystery in The Final Scene (I think that means to guess that it would be the following case?). You will then receive a digital Easter Egg finder in the form of an actual Easter Egg.
- If you walk around the woods with the egg in your hand, you will get special messages:
- From the yellow ribbon: R, L, R
- From the entrance to the forest: R, L, R, L, L, R, R, R
- From the entrance to the forest: L, R, L, L, R, R, R, R
- If you call again, she will say that you were trying to be sneaky and get more than one Easter Egg.
- If you walk around the woods with the egg in your hand, you will get special messages:
Main/recurring character revelations[]
- Carson Drew's office has photographs by Sally McDonald. Sally is friends with the Drew family, Bess, and George.
- Bess has a birthday in the Spring and got a digital camera as a present.
- Bess has gotten Caller ID.
- Bess has an uncle named Zak, who is a bird hunter.
Allusions[]
- The old aviation poster in Emily's store is a tribute to the first ghostwriter to use the Carolyn Keene pseudonym, Mildred Wirt Benson. In real life, Benson was an avid flyer and had a pilot's license. She died in May 2002, shortly before the release of Secret of the Scarlet Hand, and during the production of Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake.
- Moon Lake was the name of the location of Camp Avondale in The Secret of the Old Clock (book).
Goofs[]
- Alena Saunders was uncredited for reprising her role of Eustacia Andropov.
Walkthrough[]
Gallery[]
Nancy Drew Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake Official Trailer Nancy Drew Mystery Games
Cover Art for DOG
Ghost Dialogs of Moon Lake
Photo of Vivian Whitmore, Mickey Malone's ex-girlfriend.