The Secret of the Old Clock · Character
Ada Topham
One of the condescending Topham women who sneers at heirlooms and, in doing so, lets slip exactly where the Crowley clock was sent.
supporting
Also known as Ada, Miss Ada
First appearance: Visiting the Tophams
As a supporting figure in The Secret of the Old Clock, Ada Topham is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Ada Topham is one of the snobbish Topham daughters who stands to inherit Crowley's fortune.
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Ada Topham presides over the family that inherited Josiah Crowley's estate and treats Nancy's charity-ticket call as an opportunity to condescend about old junk. Her snobbery is her undoing: convinced the shabby Crowley…
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The fuller portrait of Ada Topham sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Ada Topham in Visiting the TophamsCharacter Web
12 connectionsA slice of how Ada Topham sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Rivalry
- Family
- Other
Character groups
- Primary will mystery characters
- Supporting and secondary characters
- Protagonist
+7 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Nancy reaches her emotional and psychological peak of terror and hopelessness here, as she shifts from frantic…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Nancy Drew
rivalry · negative
Ada is a haughty and unfriendly member of the Topham family who resents Nancy's… How this plays out →
- Richard Topham
family · negative
- Nancy Drew
rivalry · negative
Ada is a haughty and unfriendly member of the Topham family who resents Nancy's… How this plays out →
- Nancy Drew
rivalry · negative
Ada is a haughty and unfriendly member of the Topham family who resents Nancy's… How this plays out →
- Richard Topham
family · negative
- Richard Topham
family · negative
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Ada Topham in Visiting the TophamsIn the story
Ada Topham appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- The Lost Will
- II: A Chance Meeting
- VI: An Unpleasant Encounter
- VII: Nancy Turns Sleuth
- Visiting the Tophams
- Visiting the Tophams
- XX: What Nancy Found
- The Coup de Grâce
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Ada Topham unlock in the free preview.
See Ada Topham in Visiting the Tophams