This eighteenth book in the Nancy Drew series was originally published in 1941.

A friend of Carson Drew’s has been arrested and charged with sending a truck loaded with explosive oranges into the Space Center complex at Cape Kennedy. Knowing that Mr. Billington could not possibly be guilt of sabotage, Nancy and her father rush to the defense of the accused man. During the Drews’ investigation Nancy become suspicious of an old spooky mansion that houses fierce African wild animals on its extensive grounds. Soon, she discovers that something besides the training of wild animals is going on at the mysterious estate. Many dangerous moments await Nancy before she proves Mr. Billington’s innocence and thwarts the plans of treacherous subversives bent on undermining the U.S. space program.

What secret life-giving power does the exquisite ivory elephant charm contain? Can the trinket really protect its wearer from all harm? Nancy Drew finds out when the owner of the Bengleton Wild-Animal Show asks her to investigate one of the performers who may be involved in some mysterious illegal scheme.The girl detective’s assignment becomes complicated when the elephant trainer’s young assistant, Rishi, seeks refuge at the Drew home from his cruel foster father, Rai.While following clues to help the boy find his real father, Nancy learns about an eerie abandoned house. She is harassed by its strange owner, Anita Allison, and the fiendish Rai. How Nancy uses the ivory charm, reunites a maharaja with his son, and brings the evildoers to justice will mystify readers from beginning to end.

Nancy becomes involved in a double mystery concerning a haunted bridge and jewel thieves.

Farah's Guide 12th printing has 556 pages, lists 2745 printings of Nancy Drew between 1930 and 1979, including prices on each book and dust jacket. It contains more than 135 photos of the authors and illustrators, models used for the covers, Nancy Drew collectibles and the oddest items associated with the series. For example, the Guide includes a photo of the ledger page used by Mildred Benson to record her sale of the first Nancy Drew story, a copy of the contract between Benson and the Syndicate for Volume #5, copies of letters between Harriet Adams and Mildred Benson, and between Walter Karig and Mildred Benson, and reproduces the earliest known published article mentioning the series (from 1931), among other great Drewobilia. The Guide includes biographies of Drew writers Mildred Wirt Benson, Walter Karig, Nancy Axelrad, Charles Strong, Margaret Scherf, Alma Sasse, George Waller, illustrators Bill Gillies and Rudy Nappi, and more. The front cover is, well shall we say modestly, a masterpiece.

Nancy, Bess, and George encounter a troublesome stray terrier on their way to the opening festivities of a new park and recreation complex in River Heights. The terrier grabs the handbag of one of the guest speakers and loses it in a nearby pond. Nancy helps groundskeepers retrieve the handbag and uses the notes found inside to prompt the nervous speaker during her address. She also finds a mysterious personal ad in the handbag. In a casual observation, the "clubwoman," a Mrs. Owen, tells Nancy about a statue on a deserted seaside estate.