Nancy Drew

Uncategorized

Created by Carolyn Keene
House pseudonym of the Stratemeyer Syndicate


NANCY DREW is arguably the most famous fictional female sleuth of them all, the ultimate girl detective. A feminist icon and an inspiration to women everywhere, including Oprah Winfrey, Sandra Day O’Connor, Sara Paretsky, Sonia Sotomayor, Barbara Walters, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Barbra Streisand, Beverly Sills, Ellen Barkin, Emma Roberts, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush, and served as a clear influence on such later girl sleuths as Veronica Mars.

Not bad for a smart-ass kid from River Heights who grew up without a mother.

She made her debut in The Secret of the Old Clock (1930), the first in an apparently endless series of books for young readers cranked out by the Stratemeyer Syndicate, created by publisher Edward Stratemeyer as the female answer to his already successful The Hardy Boys series which had begun only a few years earlier.

The books all appeared under the byline of Carolyn Keene, a Syndicate pseudonym used not just for the Nancy Drew series but also The Dana Girls, and over the years, the character evolved (and was revised) in response to political and cultural changes, with Nancy’s “rough” edges sanded down and her “femininity” pushed up. The original rather spoiled rich girl of 1930 (ain’t white privilege swell?) slowly morphed into an almost credible young woman who in later books uses computers and cellphones and drives a hybrid electric car, and shows no signs of stopping. At least 80 million copies of the books have been sold worldwide, and the books have been translated into over forty-five languages. Besides the 175 books in the original series, there have been countless spin-off series, occasionally featuring her friends The Hardy Boys. She’s been featured in films, television and video games; and you can buy everything from Nancy Drew socks and sneakers to cookbooks and hairclips. It looks like she’ll be with us for a long, long time to come…

But there are at least two questions surrounding NANCY DREW I’d like answered.

QUESTION ONE: WHO WAS CAROLYN KEENE?

Like so many well-known juvenile mysteries, the Nancy Drew series was conceived and (in the beginning) outlined by Edward Stratemeyer. When his daughter, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, subsequently took over the business, she claimed to be the author of all the Nancy Drews written from 1930 to 1982. As it turns out, this was not the case. Nancy, like Stratemeyer’s other series, was ghosted by a number of anonymous professional writers, most notably Mildred Wirt Benson. Adams did indeed begin writing new volumes and revising old ones, in the 1950’s—anemic revisions to those who cherished the originals.

What is truly unique about the Nancy Drew/Carolyn Keene mystery, however, is the care that was taken to obliterate any and all traces of the “real” authors.

The Stratemeyer Syndicate books (which included not just the Nancy Drew books, but also those featuring The Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, The Bobbsey Twins, The Dana Girls, etc.) were indeed lucrative, although most of the writers never got rich. The books were written under contract, for a flat fee. These pens-for-hire, all using house pseudonyms, were generally paid a flat fee of $125 per book (granted, a big deal in the Depression), but were required to sign away all rights to authorship or future royalties. During the worst of the Depression the flat rate was lowered to $100.

Karen Plunkett-Powell, in her excellent book, The Nancy Drew Scrapbook: 60 Years of America’s Favorite Teenage Sleuth, documents Byzantine plots and conspiracies involving changed copyright records, disappearing Library of Congress files, and non-existent government employees that the Syndicate utilized to conceal the identity of the true writers of the books for decades. It was only in the late sixties and early seventies that some of the real identies of such Stratemeyer stars as Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon began to be revealed.

Among those who wrote as Carolyn Keene were Mildred Wirt Benson, Leslie McFarlane (who wrote several of the Dana Girl books), James Duncan Lawrence, Walter Karig, Nancy Axel Rad, Patricia Doll, Charles S. Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., Margaret Fischer and Susan Wittig Albert.

QUESTION TWO: WHAT DID THIS CHICK ACTUALLY DO?

It’s a valid question, given that Nancy’s now appeared in about a zillion books. How did Nancy spend her time, exactly? Especially in the early books. At age 16 (18 in the revised later editions), Nancy has graduated from high school and isn’t in college, though she does take the occasional class in art or scuba diving, as required by a particular plot. So she has plenty of time to shop and tea with her very best chums Bess Marvin (the fat one) and George Fayne (the tomboy), not to mention visiting steady flame Ned Nickerson at Emerson College. Nor does she take care of the domestic front for dear ol’ dad, successful lawyer Carson Drew — they have a housekeeper (Hannah Gruen) for that. Nancy’s only other activity seems to be hanging around, waiting for something to happen so she can go undercover to work on a “case.” For which, of course, she won’t get paid for. So, no job, no school, no discernible income, no demands on her time by her father or anyone else, and yet Nancy always seems to have the latest roadster and the latest fashions… she’s like a Depression era Kardashian.

When the series started in 1930, Nancy must have been every young Depression-era girl’s dream, with the books aiming more for wish fulfillment than female empowerment.  Thank goodness, then, that the little girls understood.

BUT I DIGRESS…

Quibbles about authorship and reality checks aside, this series remains a mainstay of juvenile mysteries and a main gateway for many to adult mysteries. True, the plots have sometimes gaping holes in them; true, there are still some dubious racial and ethnic stereotypes, particularly in the early books; and true, the heroine’s reliance on “woman’s intuition” to solve many of her cases requires a hefty suspension of disbelief (she could have benefitted from some of the Hardy Boys’ forensic experience). But ask any gathering of adult mystery fans–particularly women—about how they got started, or just mention Nancy Drew, and you’re bound to hear “Nancy Drew! I haven’t thought of her in years!” “I loved Nancy Drew!,” “She’s why I read mysteries!” and “I don’t even know where my old books are, but when I was little…”

Whatever her faults, Nancy’s plucky independence and go-for-it feistiness served as an inspiration for generations of girls and women. Now that, you’ve got to respect.

SO WHEN WILL FINALLY THEY GET NANCY RIGHT?

  • “One of the greatest frustrations of being a lifelong Nancy Drew fan is the fact that not one single adaptation, on film or on television, has gotten even close to capturing the spirit of spiky, well-if-the-adults-won’t-do-it… gumption so intrinsic to the girl detective’s book-bound adventures. The CW’s upcoming attempt, which ages the characters out of high school and splashes Riverdale neon across Horseshoe Bay (not to mention the Pop’s-like diner the core Drew crew orbits), may not seem on its sexified face like the take that might finally break the IP’s long bad luck streak, but maybe a big, Riverdale-y swing to the fences is what Nancy and her mystery-solving friends have been waiting for. Either way, we’ll be more than happy to keep tuning in for every new lady detective (they send) our way.
    — Alexis Gunderson (September 2019, Paste Magazine)

NOVELS

 

  • THE NANCY DREW MYSTERIES (1930-79)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #1: The Secret of the Old Clock (1930; by Mildred A. Wirt) | Buy this book | Kindle it!
    Revised 1959 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #2: The Hidden Staircase (1930; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1959 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #3: The Bungalow Mystery (1930; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1959 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #4: The Mystery at Lilac Inn (1930; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1960 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #5: The Secret at Shadow Ranch (1931; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1965 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #6: The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1931; by Mildred A. Wirt, 1931)
    Revised 1961 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #7: The Clue in the Diary (1932; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1962 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #8: Nancy’s Mysterious Letter, by Walter Karig, 1932
    Revised 1968 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #9: The Sign of the Twisted Candles (1933; by Walter Karig)
    Revised 1968 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #10: The Password to Larkspur Lane (1933; by Walter Karig)
    Revised 1966 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #11: The Clue of the Broken Locket (1934; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1965 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #12: The Message in the Hollow Oak (1935; by Mildred A. Wirt,
    Revised 1972 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (1936; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1974 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #14: The Whispering Statue (1937; by Mildred A. Wirt
    Revised 1970 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #15: The Haunted Bridge (1932; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1972 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #16: The Clue of the Tapping Heels (1939; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1969 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #17: The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk, by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1976 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #18: The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion (1941; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1971 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #19: The Quest of the Missing Map (1942; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1969 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #20: The Clue in the Jewel Box (1943; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1972 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #21: The Secret in the Old Attic (1944; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1970 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #22: The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (1945; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1973 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #23: The Mystery of the Tolling Bell (1946; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1973 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #24: The Clue in the Old Album (1947; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1977 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #25: The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1967 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #26: The Clue of the Leaning Chimney (1949; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1967 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #27: The Secret of the Wooden Lady (1950; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1967 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #28: The Clue of the Black Keys (1951; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1968 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #29: The Mystery at the Ski Jump (1952; by Mildred A. Wirt)
    Revised 1968 by Harriet S. Adams
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #30: The Clue of the Velvet Mask (1953; by Harriet S. Adams)
    Revised 1969
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #31: The Ringmaster’s Secret (1953; by Harriet S. Adams)
    Revised 1974
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #32: The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1954; by Harriet S. Adams)
    Revised 1974
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #33: The Witch Tree Symbol (1955; by Harriet S. Adams)
    Revised 1979
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #34: The Hidden Window Mystery (1956; by Harriet S. Adams)
    Revised 1975
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #35: The Haunted Showboat (1957; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #36: The Secret of the Golden Pavilion (1959; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #37: The Clue in the Old Stagecoach (1960; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #38: The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (1961; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #39: The Clue of the Dancing Puppet (1962; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #40: The Moonstone Castle Mystery (1963; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #41: The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes (1964; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #42: The Phantom of Pine Hill (1965; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #43: The Mystery of the 99 Steps (1966; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #44: The Clue in the Crossword Cipher (1967; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #45: The Spider Sapphire Mystery (1968; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #46: The Invisible Intruder (1969; by Harriet S. Adams (1969)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #47: The Mysterious Mannequin (1970; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #48: The Crooked Banister (1971; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #49: The Secret of Mirror Bay, by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #50: The Double Jinx Mystery (1973; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #51. Mystery of the Glowing Eye (1974; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #52: The Secret of the Forgotten City (1975; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #53: The Sky Phantom (1976; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #54: Strange Message in the Parchment (1977; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #55: Mystery of Crocodile Island (1978; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #56: The Thirteenth Pearl (1979; by Harriet S. Adams)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #57: The Triple Hoax (1979)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #58: The Flying Saucer Mystery (1980)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #59: The Secret in the Old Lace (1980)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #60: The Greek Symbol Mystery (1981)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #61: The Swami’s Ring (1981)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #62: The Kachina Doll Mystery (1981
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #63: The Twin Dilemma (1981)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #64: Captive Witness (1981)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #65: Mystery of the Winged Lion (1982)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #66: Race Against Time (1982)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #67: The Sinister Omen (1982)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #68: The Elusive Heiress (1982)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #69: Clue in the Ancient Disguise (1982)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #70: The Broken Anchor (1983)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #71: The Silver Cobweb (1983)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #72: The Haunted Carousel (1983)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #73: Enemy Match (1984)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #74: The Mysterious Image (1984)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #75: The Emerald-Eyed Cat Mystery (1984)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #76: The Eskimo’s Secret (1985)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #77: The Bluebeard Room (1985)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #78: The Phantom of Venice (1985)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #79: The Double Horror of Fenley Place (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #80: The Case of the Disappearing Diamonds (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #81: The Mardi Gras Mystery (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #82: The Clue in the Camera (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #83: The Case of the Vanishing Veil (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #84: The Joker’s Revenge (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #85: The Secret of Shady Glen (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #86: The Mystery of Misty Canyon (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #87: The Case of the Rising Stars (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #88: The Search for Cindy Austin (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #89: The Case of the Disappearing Deejay (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #90: The Puzzle at Pineview School (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #91: The Girl Who Couldn’t Remember (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #92: The Ghost of Craven Cove (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #93: The Case of the Safecracker’s Secret (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #94: The Picture-Perfect Mystery (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #95: The Silent Suspect (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #96: The Case of the Photo Finish (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #97: The Mystery at Magnolia Mansion (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #98: The Haunting of Horse Island (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #99: The Secret at Seven Rocks (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #100: A Secret in Time (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #101: The Mystery of the Missing Millionairess (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #102: The Secret in the Dark (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #103: The Stranger in the Shadows (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #104: The Mystery of the Jade Tiger (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #105: The Clue in the Antique Trunk (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #106: The Case of the Artful Crime (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #107: The Legend of Miner’s Creek (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #108: The Secret of the Tibetan Treasure (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #109: The Mystery of the Masked Rider (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #110: The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #111: The Secret at Solaire (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #112: Crime in the Queen’s Court (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #113: The Secret Lost at Sea (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #114: The Search for the Silver Persian (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #115: The Suspect in the Smoke (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #116: The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #117: Mystery on the Menu (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #118: Trouble at Lake Tahoe (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #119: The Mystery of the Missing Mascot (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #120: The Case of the Floating Crime (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #121: The Fortune Teller’s Secret (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #122: The Message in the Haunted Mansion (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #123: The Clue on the Silver Screen (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #124: The Secret of the Scarlet Hand (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #125: The Teen Model Mystery (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #126: The Riddle in the Rare Book (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #127: The Case of the Dangerous Solution (1995
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #128: The Treasure in the Royal Tower (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #129: The Baby-Sitter Burglaries (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #130: The Sign of the Falcon (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #131: The Hidden Inheritance (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #132: The Fox Hunt Mystery (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #133: The Mystery at the Crystal Palace (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #134: The Secret of the Forgotten Cave (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #135: The Riddle of the Ruby Gazelle (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #136: The Wedding Day Mystery (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #137: In Search of the Black Rose (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #138: The Legend of the Lost Gold (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #139: The Secret of Candlelight Inn (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #140: The Door-to-Door Deception (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #141: The Wild Cat Crime (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #142: The Case of Capital Intrigue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #143: Mystery on Maui (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #144: The E-mail Mystery (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #145: The Missing Horse Mystery (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #146: The Ghost of the Lantern Lady (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #147: The Case of the Captured Queen (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #148: On the Trail of Trouble (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #149: The Clue of the Gold Doubloons (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #150: Mystery at Moorsea Manor (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #151: The Chocolate-Covered Contest (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #152: The Key in the Satin Pocket (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #153: Whispers in the Fog (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #154: The Legend of the Emerald Lady (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #155: The Mystery in Tornado Alley (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #156: The Secret in the Stars (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #157: The Music Festival Mystery (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #158: The Curse of the Black Cat (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #159: The Secret of the Fiery Chamber (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #160: The Clue on the Crystal Dove (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #161: Lost in the Everglades (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #162: The Case of the Lost Song (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #163: The Clues Challenge (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #164: The Mystery of the Mother Wolf (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #165: The Crime Lab Case (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #166: The Case of the Creative Crime (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #167: Mystery by Moonlight (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #168: The Bike Tour Mystery (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #169: The Mistletoe Mystery (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #170: No Strings Attached (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #171: Intrigue at the Grand Opera (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #172: The Riding Club Crime (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #173: Danger on the Great Lakes (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #174: A Taste of Danger (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Mysteries #175: Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland (2003)
  • THE NANCY DREW FILES (1986-97)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #1: Secrets Can Kill (1986)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #2: Deadly Intent (1986)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #3: Murder on Ice (1986)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #4: Smile and Say Murder (1986) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #5: Hit and Run Holiday (1986)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #6: White Water Terror (1986)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #7: Deadly Doubles (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #8: Two Points to Murder (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #9: False Moves (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #10: Buried Secrets (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #11: Heart of Danger (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #12: Fatal Ransom (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #13: Wings of Fear (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #14: This Side of Evil (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #15: Trial by Fire (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #16: Never Say Die (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #17: Stay Tuned for Danger (1987
  • The Nancy Drew Files #18: Circle of Evil (1987)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #19: Sisters in Crime (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #20: Very Deadly Yours (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #21: Recipe for Murder (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #22: Fatal Attraction (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #23: Sinister Paradise (1988) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #24: Till Death Do Us Part (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #25: Rich and Dangerous (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #26: Playing with Fire (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #27: Most Likely to Die (1988) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #28: The Black Widow (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #29: Pure Poison (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #30: Death by Design (1988) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #31: Trouble in Tahiti (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #32: High Marks for Malice (1989) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #33: Danger in Disguise (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #34: Vanishing Act (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #35: Bad Medicine (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #36: Over the Edge (1989) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #37: Last Dance (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #38: The Final Scene (1989) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #39: The Suspect Next Door (1989) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #40: Shadow of a Doubt (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #41: Something to Hide (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #42: The Wrong Chemistry (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #43: False Impressions (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #44: Scent of Danger (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #45: Out of Bounds (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #46: Win (Place (or Die (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #47: Flirting with Danger (1990) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #48: A Date with Deception (1990) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #49: Portrait in Crime (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #50: Deep Secrets (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #51: A Model Crime (1990) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #52: Danger for Hire (1990) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #53: Trail of Lies (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #54: Cold as Ice (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #55: Don’t Look Twice (1991) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #56: Make No Mistake (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #57: Into Thin Air (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #58: Hot Pursuit (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #59: High Risk (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #60: Poison Pen (1991) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #61: Sweet Revenge (1991) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #62: Easy Marks (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #63: Mixed Signals (1991) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #64: The Wrong Track (1991) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #65: Final Notes (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #66: Tall (Dark and Deadly (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #67: Nobody’s Business (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #68: Crosscurrents (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #69: Running Scared (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #70: Cutting Edge (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #71: Hot Tracks (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #72: Swiss Secrets (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #73: Rendezvous in Rome (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #74: Greek Odyssey (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #75: A Talent for Murder (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #76: The Perfect Plot (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #77: Danger on Parade (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #78: Update on Crime (1992) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #79: No Laughing Matter (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #80: Power of Suggestion (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #81: Making Waves (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #82: Dangerous Relations (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #83: Diamond Deceit (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #84: Choosing Sides (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #85: Sea of Suspicion (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #86: Let’s Talk Terror (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #87: Moving Target (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #88: False Pretenses (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #89: Designs in Crime (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #90: Stage Fright (1993) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #91: If Looks Could Kill (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #92: My Deadly Valentine (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #93: Hotline to Danger (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #94: Illusions of Evil (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #95: An Instinct for Trouble (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #96: The Runaway Bridge (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #97: Squeeze Play (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #98: Island of Secrets (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #99: The Cheating Heart (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #100: Dance Till You Die (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #101: The Picture of Guilt (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #102: Counterfeit Christmas (1994) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #103: Heart of Ice (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #104: Kiss and Tell (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #105: Stolen Affections (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #106: Flying Too High (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #107: Anything For Love (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #108: Captive Heart (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #109: Love Notes (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #110: Hidden Meanings (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #111: The Stolen Kiss (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #112: For Love or Money (1995) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #113: Wicked Ways (1996) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #114: Rehearsing For Romance (1996) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #115: Running Into Trouble (1996) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #116: Under His Spell (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #117: Skipping a Beat (1996) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #118: Betrayed by Love (1996) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #119: Against the Rules (1997) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #120: Dangerous Loves (1997) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #121: Natural Enemies (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #122: Strange Memories (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Files #123: Wicked for the Weekend (1997) 
  • The Nancy Drew Files #124: Crime at the Chat Cafe (1997)
  • THE NANCY DREW-HARDY BOYS SUPER MYSTERIES (1988-98)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #1: Double Crossing (1988) | Buy this book
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #2: A Crime For Christmas (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #3: Shock Waves (1988)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #4: Dangerous Games (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #5: The Last Resort (1989)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #6: The Paris Connection (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #7: Buried In Time (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #8: Mystery Train (1990)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #9: Best Of Enemies (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #10: High Survival (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #11: New Year’s Evil (1991)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #12: Tour Of Danger (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #13: Spies And Lies (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #14: Tropic Of Fear (1992)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #15: Courting Disaster (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #16: Hits And Misses (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #17: Evil In Amsterdam (1993)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #18: Desperate Measures (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #19: Passport To Danger (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #20: Hollywood Horror (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #21: Copper Canyon Conspiracy (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #22: Danger Down Under (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #23: Dead On Arrival (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #24: Target For Terror (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #25: Secrets Of The Nile (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #26: A Question Of Guilt (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #27: Islands Of Guilt (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #28: Murder On The Fourth Of July (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #29: High Stakes (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #30: Nightmare In New Orleans (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #31: Out Of Control (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #32: Exhibition Of Evil (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #33: At All Costs (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #34: Royal Revenge (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #35: Operation Titanic (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew-Hardy Boys Super Mysteries #36: Process of Elimination (1998)
  • NANCY DREW ON CAMPUS (1993-95)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #1: New Lives, New Loves (1995)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #2 On Her Own (1995)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #3: Don’t Look Back (1995)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #4: Tell Me the Truth (1995)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #5: Secret Rules (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #6: It’s Your Move (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #7: False Friends (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #8: Getting Closer (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #8: Broken Promises (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #10: Party Weekend (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #11: In the Name of Love (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #12: Just the Two of Us (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #13: Campus Exposures (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #14: Hard to Get (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #15: Loving and Losing (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #16: Going Home (1996)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #17: New Beginnings (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #1: Keeping Secrets (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #18: Love On-Line (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #19: Jealous Feelings (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #20: Love and Betrayal (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #22: In and Out of Love (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #23: Otherwise Engaged (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #24: In the Spotlight (1997)
  • Nancy Drew on Campus #25: Snowbound (1998)
  • THE NANCY DREW NOTEBOOKS (1994–2005)
    Aimed at younger readers, with Nancy, George and Bess as eight-year-olds in Grade Three.
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #1: The Slumber Party Secret (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #2: The Lost Locket (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #3: The Secret Santa (1994)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #4: Bad Day for Ballet (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #5: The Soccer Shoe Clue (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #6: The Ice Cream Scoop (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #7: Trouble at Camp Treehouse (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #8: The Best Detective (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #8: The Thanksgiving Surprise (1995)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #10: Not Nice on Ice (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #11: The Pen Pal Puzzle (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #12: The Puppy Problem (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #13: The Wedding Gift Goof (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #14: The Funny Face Fight (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #15: The Crazy Key Clue (1996)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #16: The Ski Slope Mystery (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #1: Whose Pet is Best (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #17: The Stolen Unicorn (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #18: The Lemonade Raid (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #19: Hannah’s Secret (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #20: Princess on Parade (1997)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #22: The Clue in the Glue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #23: Alien in the Classroom Glue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #24: The Hidden Treasures Glue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #25: Dare at the Fair Glue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #26: The Lucky Horseshoes Glue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #27: Trouble Takes the Cake Glue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #28: Thrill on the Hill Glue (1998)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #29: Lights! Camera! Clues! Glue (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #30: It’s No Joke (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #31: Fine Feathered Mystery (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #32: Black Velvet Mystery (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #33: The Gumdrop Ghost (1999)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #34: Trash or Treasure (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #35: Third Grade Reporter (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #36: Make Believe Mystery (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #37: Dude Ranch Detective (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #38: Candy is Dandy (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #39: Chinese New Year Mystery (2000)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #40: Dinosaur Alert (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #41: Flower Power (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #42: Circus Act (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #32: The Walkie-Talkie Mystery (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #44: The Purple Fingerprint (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #45: The Dashing Dog Mystery (2001)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #46: The Snow Queen’s Surprise (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #47: The Crook Who Took the Book (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #48: The Crazy Carnival Case (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #49: The Sand Castle Mystery (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #50: The Scarytales Sleepover (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #51: The Old-Fashioned Mystery (2002)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #52: Big Worry in Wonderland (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #53: Recipe for Trouble (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #54: The Stinky Cheese Surprise (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #55: The Day Camp Disaster (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #56: Turkey Trouble (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #57: The Carousel Mystery (2003)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #58: The Dollhouse Mystery (2004)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #59: The Bike Race Mystery (2004)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #60: The Lighthouse Mystery (2004)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #61: Space Case (2004)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #62: The Secret in the Spooky Woods (2004)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #63: The Snowman Surprise (2004)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #64: The Bunny-Hop Hoax (2005)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #65: Strike-Out Scare (2005)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #66: Zoo Clue (2005)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #67: The Singing Suspects (2005)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #68: The Apple Bandit (2005)
  • The Nancy Drew Notebooks #89: The Kitten Caper (2005)
  • NANCY DREW, GIRL DETECTIVE (2004-12)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #1: Without a Trace (2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #2: A Race Against Time (2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #3: False Notes (2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #4: High Risk (2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #5: Lights, Camera…  (2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #6: Action! ( 2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #7: The Stolen Relic (2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #8: The Scarlet Macaw Scandal (2004)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #9: Secret of the Spa (2005)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #10: Uncivil Acts (2005)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #11: Riverboat Ruse (2005)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #12: Stop the Clock (2005)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #13: Trade Wind Danger (2005)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #14: Bad Times (Big Crimes (2005)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #15: Framed (2006)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #16: Dangerous Plays (2006)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #17: En Garde (2006)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #18: Pit of Vipers (2006)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #19: The Orchid Thief (2006)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #20: Getting Burned (2006)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #21: Close Encounters (2007)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #22: Dressed to Steal (2007)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #23: Troubled Waters (2007)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #24: Murder on the Set (2007)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #25: Trails of Treachery (2007)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #26: Fishing for Clues (2007)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #27: Intruder (2007)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #28: Mardi Gras Masquerade (2008)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #29: The Stolen Bones (2008)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #30: Pageant Perfect Crime (2008)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #31: Perfect Cover (2008)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #32: The Perfect Escape (2008)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #33: Secret Identity (2008)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #34: Identity Theft (2009)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #35: Identity Revealed (2009)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #36: Model Crime (2009)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #37: Model Menace (2009)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #38: Model Suspect (2009)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #39: Green-eyed Monster (2009)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #40: Green with Envy (2010)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #41: Seeing Green (2010)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #42: Secret Sabotage (2010)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #43: Serial Sabotage (2010)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #44: Sabotage Surrender (2011)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #45: California Schemin’ (2011)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #46: Mystery at Malachite Mansion (2012)
  •  Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #47: Stalk (Don’t Run (2012)
  • GIRL DETECTIVE SUPER MYSTERIES (2005-08)
  • Girl Detective Super Mysteries #1: Where’s Nancy? (2005)
  • Girl Detective Super Mysteries #2: Once Upon a Crime  2006)
  • Girl Detective Super Mysteries #3: Real Fake ( 2007)
  • Girl Detective Super Mysteries #4: Ghost Stories (2008)
  • NANCY DREW AND THE CLUE CREW (2006-15)
    More adventures aimed at younger readers, this series has Nancy, George and Bess as eight-year-olds in Grade Three at River Heights Elementary School.
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#1: Sleepover Sleuths (2006)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#2: Scream for Ice Cream (2006)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#3: Pony Problems (2006)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#4: The Cinderella Ballet Mystery (2006)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#5: Case of the Sneaky Snowman (2006)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#6: The Fashion Disaster (2007)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#7: The Circus Scare (2007)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#8: Lights, Camera… Cats! (2007)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#9: The Halloween Hoax (2007)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#10: Ticket Trouble (2007)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#11: Ski School Sneak (2007)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#12: Valentine’s Day Secret (2007)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#13: Chick-napped! (2008)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#14: The Zoo Crew (2008)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#15: Mall Madness (2008)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#16: Thanksgiving Thief (2008)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#17: Wedding Day Disaster (2008)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#18: Earth Day Escapade (2009)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#19: April Fool’s Day (2009)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#20: Treasure Trouble (2009)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#21: Double TakeJ (2009)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#22: Unicorn Uproar (2009)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#23: Babysitting Bandit (2009)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#24: Princess Mix-up Mystery (2009)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#25: Buggy Breakout (2010)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#26: Camp Creepy (2010)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#27: Cat Burglar Caper (2010)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#28: Time Thief (2011)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#29: Designed for Disaster (2011)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#30: Dance Off (2011)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#31: The Make-a-Pet Mystery (2012)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#32: Cape Mermaid Mystery (2012)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#33: The Pumpkin Patch Puzzle (2012)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#34: Cupcake Chaos (2013)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#35: Cooking Camp Disaster (2013)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#36: The Secret of the Scarecrow (2013)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#37: The Flower Show Fiasco (2014)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#38: A Musical Mess (2014)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#39: Museum Mayhem (2014)
  • Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew#40: Butterfly Blues (2015)
  • THE NANCY DREW AND THE HARDY BOOKS SUPER MYSTERY (2007-12)
  • The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery #1: Terror on Tour (2007)
  • The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery #2: Danger Overseas (2008)
  • The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery #3: Club Dread (2009)
  • The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery #4: Gold Medal Murder (2010)
  • The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery #5: Bonfire Masquerade (2011)
  • The Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery #6: Stage Fright (2012)
  • THE NANCY DREW DIARIES (2013–)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #1: Curse of the Artic Star (2013)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #2: Stranger on a Train (2013)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #3: Mystery of the Midnight Rider (2013)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #4: Once Upon a Crime (2013)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #5: Sabotage at Willow Woods (2014)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #6: Secret at Mystic Lake (2014)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #7: The Phantom of Nantucket (2014)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #8: The Magician’s Secret (2015)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #9: The Clue at Black Creek Farm (2015)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #10:   A Script for Danger (2015)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #11: The Red Slippers (2015)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #12: The Sign in the Smoke (2016)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #13: The Ghost of Grey Fox Inn (2016)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #14: Riverboat Roulette (2017)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #15: The Professor and the Puzzle (2017)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #16: The Haunting on Heliotrope Lane (2018)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries Special Edition: A Nancy Drew Christmas Special Edition (2018)
  • The Nancy Drew Diaries #7: Famous Mistakes (2019)

OTHER BOOKS

  • The Nancy Drew Cookbook: Clues to Good Cooking (1973) | Buy this book
    This cash-in collection features such yummies as Detective Burgers, Brass Bound Trunk Candy and The Whistling Bagpipe Crunchies. Reprinted as recently as 2005.
  • Nancy Drew Mad Libs (2005, by Roger Price and Leonard Stern) | Buy this book
    Popular series of word games gets the Drew treatment. Ching ching!

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS 

 

  • NANCY DREW: GIRL DETECTIVE
    (2005-10, Papercutz)
    Written by Stefan Petrucha
    Art by Sho Murase

    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #1: The Demon of River Heights (2005) | Buy this book
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #2: Writ in Stone (2005) | Buy this book
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #3: The Haunted Dollhouse (2006)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #4: The Girl Who Wasn’t There (2006)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #5: The Fake Heir (2006)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #6: Cheeters is Missing (2006)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #7: The Charmed Bracelet (2006)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #8: Global Warning (2007)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #9: Ghost in the Machinery (2007)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #10: The Disoriented Express (2007)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #11: Monkey Wrench Blues (2007)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #12: Dress Reversal (2008)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #13: Doggone Town (2008)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #14: Sleight of Dan (2008)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #15: Tiger Counter (2008)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #16: What Goes Up (2009)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #17: Night of the Living Chatchke (2009)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #18: City Under the Basement (2009)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #19: Cliffhanger (2009)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #20: High School Musical Mystery (2010)
    • Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #21: High School Musical Mystery II: The Lost Verse (2010)
  • NANCY DREW AND THE CLUE CREW
    (2012-13, Papercutz)

    • “Small Volcanoes” (August 2012, #1)
    • “Secret Sand Sleuths” (January 2013, #2)
    • “Enter the Dragon Mystery” (October 2013, #3)
  • NANCY DREW DIARIES
    (2014-16, Papercutz)
    8 issues
    Reprints of Nancy Drew, Girl Detective (2005-10, Papercutz) 
  • NANCY DREW AND THE HARDY BOYS: THE BIG LIE | Buy this book | Kindle/ComiXology it!
    (2017, Dynamite Entertainment)
    6 issues
    Written by Anthony Del Col
    Art by Werther Dell’Edera
    Frank and Joe are accused of murdering their father; Nancy steps in. Stratemeyer gone noir? 
  • NANCY DREW: THE CASE OF THE COLD CASE | Buy the graphic novel  | Kindle/ComiXology it!
    aka “The Palace of Wisdom”
    (2018, Dynamite Entertainment)
    5 issues
    Written by Kelly Thompson
    Art by Jenn St-Onge
  • NANCY DREW & THE HARDY BOYS: THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING ADULTS | Buy this book | Kindle/ComiXology it!
    (2019, Dynamite Entertainment)
    Written by Scott Bryan Wilson
    Art by Bob Solanovic
    Nancy teams up with The Hardy Boys in this YA graphic novel to solve their biggest case ever: Where have all the grown-ups gone?
  • NANCY DREW & THE HARDY BOYS: THE DEATH OF NANCY DREW | Buy his book | Kindle/ComiXology it!
    (2020-21, Dynamite Entertainment)
    6 issues
    Written by Anthony Del Col
    Art by Joe Eisma
    Nancy? Dead? Frank and Joe definitely have their work cut out for them in this one.

FILMS

   

  • NANCY DREW, DETECTIVE | Buy as part of a set
    (1938)
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Screenplay by Kenneth Gamet
    Directed by William Clemens
    Starring Bonita Granville as NANCY DREW
    Also starring Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson
    With John Litel as Carson Drew
    and Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson
  • NANCY DREW AND THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE | Buy as part of a set
    (1939)
    60 minutes, black & white
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Screenplay by Kenneth Gamet
    Directed by William Clemens
    Starring Bonita Granville as NANCY DREW
    Also starring Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson
    With John Litel as Carson Drew
    and Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson
  • NANCY DREW, REPORTER | Buy this video | Buy this DVD | Buy as part of a set
    (1939)
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Screenplay by Kenneth Gamet
    Directed by William Clemens
    Starring Bonita Granville as NANCY DREW
    With John Litel as Carson Drew
    and Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson
  • NANCY DREW, TROUBLE SHOOTER | Buy as part of a set
    (1939)
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Screenplay by Kenneth Gamet
    Directed by William Clemens
    Starring Bonita Granville as NANCY DREW
    With John Litel as Carson Drew
    and Frankie Thomas as Ted Nickerson
  • STARDUST ON THE STAGE
    (1942)
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Starring Louise Currie as NANCY DREW
  • THE TEXAS KID
    (1943)
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Starring Shirley Patterson as NANCY DREW
  • NANCY DREW
    (2007, Warner Brothers)
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Story by Tiffany Paulsen
    Screenplay by Andrew Fleming and Tiffany Paulsen
    Directed by Andrew Fleming
    Produced by Jerry Weintraub
    Co-producer: Cherylanne Martin
    Executive producer: Susan Ekins, Mark Vahradian, Ben Waisbren
    Starring Emma Roberts as NANCY DREW
    With Tate Donovan as Carson Drew
    Amy Bruckner as Bess
    Kay Panabaker as George
    Max Thieriot as Ned Nickerson
    Also starring Josh Flitter, Craig Gellis, Rich Cooper, Rachael Leigh Cook, Barry Bostwick, Cliff Bemis, David Doty, Laura Harring, Monica Parker, Caroline Aaron, Marshall Bell, Daniella Monet, Kelly Vitz, Phil Abrams
    River Heights meeting Mean Girls and it isn’t too bad, all things considered. Still, for Nancy’s first big-screen appearance in nearly 70 years, it’s a bit of a letdown to have Nancy uprooted to Los Angeles. Surely part of the original’s charm was the small town ambience of River Heights. But hey, if it sparks a new generation of mystery readers, I’m all for it. And while she’s no Bonita Granville, Emma Roberts (Julia’s niece, Eric’s daughter) makes for a likable enough heroine.
  • NANCY DREW AND THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE
    (2019, Warner Bros.)
    Screenplay by Nina Fiore and John Herrera
    Directed by Katt Shea
    Starring Sophia Lillis as NANCY DREW
    Also starring Sam Trammell, Andrea Anders, Laura Wiggins, Linda Lavin, Jesse C. Boyd, Jon Briddell, Jennifer Riker, Mackenzie Graham
    Yet another attempt to modernize Nancy. This time she’s a skateboarder, and shew and her dad have recently relocated to Chicago.

TELEVISION

  • THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW MYSTERIES | Buy Season One on DVD | Buy Season Two on DVD | Buy Season Three on DVD(
    1977-79, ABC)
    Based on characters created by Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene
    Developed for television by Glen A. Larson
    Executive Producer: Glen A. Larson
    Starring Pamela Sue Martin as NANCY DREW
    Replaced by Janet Julian (1978-79)
    Guest stars: Mark Harmon, Robert Englund, Rick Nelson, Jamie Lee Curtis
    The Hardy Boys Mysteries and The Nancy Drew Mysteries began in 1977 as separate series alternating in the same time slot on ABC. Early the following year, the casts combined, but in the fall of 1978 the Nancy Drew thread was dropped (after the Pamela Sue Martin Playboy “scandal”) and The Hardy Boys Mysteries continued on alone.
  • NANCY DREW
    (1995)
    Starring Tracy Ryan as NANCY DREW
  • NANCY DREW
    (2002)
    Made-for-TV movie
    90 minutes
    Teleplay by Ami Canaan Mann
    Directed by James Frawley
    Starring Maggie Lawson as NANCY DREW
    Also starring Jill Ritchie, Lauren Birkell, Marieh Delfino, Charlie Finn, Heath Freeman, Brian J. White
  • NANCY DREW
    (2019-21, CW)
    35+ 60-minute episodes
    Based on characters created by Carolyn Keene
    Developed by Noga Landau, Stephanie Savage & Josh Scwartz
    Writers: Noga Landau, Stephanie Savage, Josh Schwartz, Katherine DiSavino, Katie Schwartz, Lisa Bao, Andrea Thornton, Melissa Marlette, Jen Vestuto, Melinda Hsu, Erika Harrison, Jesse Stern, Alex Taub, Celine Geiger
    Directors: Larry Teng, Amanda Row, Ramsey Nickell, Ruben Garcia, Roxanne Benjamin, Kristin Lehman, Shannon Kohli, John T. Kretchmer, Alexis Ostrander, Rebecca Rodriguez, Claudia Yarmy, Greg Beeman, Katie Eastridge, Sydney Freeland, Rachel Raimist, Eduardo Sánchez
    Starring Kennedy McMann as NANCY DREW
    Leah Lewis as George Fan
    Maddison Jaizani as Bess Marvin
    Tunji Kasim as Ned “Nick” Nickerson
    and Scott Wolf as Carson Drew
    Also starring Alex Saxon, Alvina August, Riley Smith, Adam Beach, Pamela Sue Martin
    A fresh take, but do we want a Gen-Z Nancy with woo-woo overtones, sudsed up with Riverdale soapiness?

    • SEASON ONE
    • Pilot” (October 9, 2019)
    • “The Secret of the Old Morgue” (October 16, 2019)
    • “The Curse of the Dark Storm” (October 23, 2019)
    • “The Haunted Ring” (October 30, 2019)
    • “The Case of the Wayward Spirit” (November 6, 2019)
    • “The Mystery of Blackwood Lodge” (November 13, 2019)
    • “The Tale of the Fallen Sea Queen” (November 20, 2019)
    • “The Path of Shadows” (December 4, 2019)
    • “The Hidden Staircase” (December 11, 2019)
    • “The Mark of the Poisoner’s Pearl” (January 15, 2020)
    • “The Phantom of Bonny Scotl” (January 22, 2020)
    • “The Lady of Larkspur Lanel” (January 29, 2020)
    • “The Whisper Box” (February 5, 2020)
    • “The Sign of the Uninvited Guest” (February 26, 2020)
    • “The Terror of Horseshoe Bay” (March 4, 2020)
    • “The Haunting of Nancy Drew” (March 11, 2020)
    • “The Girl in the Locket” (April 8, 2020)
    • “The Clue in the Captain’s Painting” (April 15, 2020)
    • SEASON TWO
    • “The Search for the Midnight Wraith” (January 20, 2021)
    • “The Reunion of Lost Souls” (January 27, 2021)
    • “The Secret of Solitary Scribe” (February 3, 2021)
    • “The Fate of the Buried Treasure” (February 10, 2021)
    • “The Drowned Woman” (February 17, 2021)
    • “The Riddle of the Broken Doll” (February 3, 2021)
    • “The Legend of the Murder Hotel” (March 10, 2021)
    • “The Quest for the Spider Sapphire” (March 17, 2021)
    • “The Bargain of the Blood Shroud” (March 24, 2021)
    • “The Spell of the Burning Bride” (March 31, 2021)
    • “The Scourge of the Forgotten Rune” (April 7, 2021)
    • “The Trail of the Missing Witness” (April 21, 2021)
    • “The Beacon of Moonstone Island” (April 28, 2021)
    • “The Siege of the Unseen Specter” (May 5, 2021)
    • “The Celestial Visitor” (May 12, 2021)
    • “The Purloined Keys” (May 19, 2021)
    • “The Judgement of the Perilous Captive” (May 26, 2021)
    • SEASON THREE
    • “The Warning of the Frozen Heart” (October 8, 2021)
    • “The Journey of the Dangerous Mind” (October 15, 2021)
    • “The Testimony of the Executed Man” (October 22, 2021)
    • “The Demon of Piper Beach” (October 29, 2021)
    • “The Vision of the Birchwood Prisoner” (November 5, 2021)
    • “The Myth of the Ensnared Hunter” (November 12, 2021)
    • “The Gambit of the Tangled Souls” (November 19, 2021)
    • “The Burning of the Sorrows” (December 3, 2021)
    • “The Voices in the Frost” (December 10, 2021)
    • “The Confession of the Long Night” (January 7, 2022)
    • “The Spellbound Juror” (January 14, 2022)
    • “The Witch Tree Symbol” (January 21, 2022)
    • “The Ransom of the Forsaken Soul” (January 28, 2022)

REFERENCE

  • Mason, Bobbie Ann,
    The Girl Sleuth: On the Trail of Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton and Cherry Ames | Buy this book
    Old Westbury, New York: The Feminist Press, 1975.
    Bobbie Ann “In Country” Mason relives her childhood, and discusses how series characters inspired her and thousands of other young girls to “dream big.” Revised edition published in 1995.
  • Billman, Carol,
    The Secret of the Stratemeyer Syndicate: Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and the Million Dollar Fiction Factory | Buy this book
    New York, New York: Ungar Publishing Company, 1986.
    Ambitious first stab at the Stratemeyer story, though at times infuriating, as it cleaves far too closely to the corporate line. There are gaps in the story you could drive a speedster through. For instance, Raymond Chandler is cited several times in the book, but Leslie MacFarlane and Mildred A. Wirt, the people who actually wrote the first Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books, and indeed most of the actual authors of the books, are conspicuously absent.
  • Capro, Betsy,
    The Mystery of Nancy Drew: Girl Sleuth on the Couch | Buy this book
    Trabuco Canyon, California: Source Books, 1992.
    A therapist finally gets Ms. Drew on the couch. Being stuck in in River Heights for over seventy years is bad enough, but imagine never getting through adolescence?
  • Plunkett-Powell, Karen,
    The Nancy Drew Scrapbook: 60 Years of America’s Favorite Teenage Sleuth | Buy this book
    New York, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993.
  • Dyer, Carolyn Stewart and Nancy Tillman Romalov, editors,
    Rediscovering Nancy Drew | Buy this book
    Iowa: University of Iowa Press; 1995.
  • Heiferman, Marvin and Carole Kismaric
    The Mysterious Case of Nancy Drew & the Hardy Boys | Buy this book
    Fireside,1998.
    The authors of the acclaimed Growing Up with Dick and Jane tackle Frank and Joe and Nancy, in a lavishishly illustration and literate look at the world’s most famous teen detectives, and the culture that spawned them.
  • Worick, Jennifer,
    Nancy Drew’s Guide To Life | Buy this book
    Philadelphia, PA: Running Press, 2001.
    This tiny, illustrated volume offers always-timely wisdom from the pages of the canon, such as “When bound and gagged, you can still tap out HELP in Morse code to attract attention” and “Never sleuth on an empty stomach.” Indispensible. Comes with a miniature magnifying glass/bookmark.

ALSO OF INTEREST

  • Mystery Box (2003; by Gordon McAlpine) | Buy this book
    What if Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene were hanging around 1920s Paris with Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Stein, while Frank Hardy was there looking for his lost brother Joe?

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

  • Nancy Drew.com
    The official online home of Nancy Drew features “original online mysteries, Shockwave games, Knowing Nancy history and reflections, online bookstore and book info, and Web-based discussion for everything Nancy– something new every week. And the NancyDrew.com Email Club features a synopsis of the mystery and other Nancy tidbits by email every week.” Release your inner Nancy!James Keeline’s informative site details the history of the syndicate, and also lists (in convenient pdf format) the many ghostwriters of the various series. As its author himself freely admits, it “is not the only one to (offer this information)…and you can see others on the Links page, but it will contain some information which is not available elsewhere.”
  • Kiddie Pulp
    Get ’em while they’re young. A suggested reading list.
  • A Cultural History of Nancy Drew
    Maybe every generation gets the Nancy Drew it needs. Or deserves. A fascinating piece by Olivia Rutigliano, on the shape-shifting Barbie of detective fiction, on the even of a yet another incarnation. (October 2019, CrimeReads)
Respectfully submitted by Victoria Esposito-Shea, with endless canoodling by Kevin burton Smith. Thanks to Steve Bridge for the hot lead on a great site.

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