Nancy Drew, the all-American sleuth, is eighty years old this month. It was in April, 1930, that Grosset & Dunlap published the very first Nancy Drew mystery, The Secret of the Old Clock. From the start, Nancy was unlike any other young woman in popular literature. Adventurous, autonomous, and supremely capable, Ms. Drew solved every mystery she encountered. The first thirty novels in the series (ghost-written by Mildred Benson, though all the novels bear the pseudonym Carolyn Keene) form the core of the Nancy Drew canon. These novels are quick, entertaining reads, wherein Nancy foils kidnapping plots, exposes forgeries, and thwarts swindlers generally. Each crisis is resolved with a predictably altruistic conclusion, generally benefiting orphans, widows, or similarly downtrodden residents of River Heights, U.S.A. While Nancy Drew will forever remain a teenager - living with her father and beloved house-keeper, racing her sporty car to the next clue - a generation of her readers have grown into confident, mature women. With a little help from Nancy.
Follow the jump for links to selected materials in the catalog.
Films:
The Original Nancy Drew Movie Mystery Collection (1938, 1939)
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Nancy Drew (2007)
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The original run of Nancy Drew Mystery Stories were extensively revised, as were the Hardy Boy Mystery Stories, beginning in 1959. It is, in fact, these revised editions that most readers remember from childhood. Readers curious about the 1930s originals are encouraged to seek out the lovingly recreated facsimile editions by Applewood Books. Be prepared for some jarring anachronisms, notably concerning race.
Facsimile Editions:
The Secret of the Old Clock [Facsimile Edition]
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The Hidden Staircase [Facsimile Edition]
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The Bungalow Mystery [Facsimile Edition]
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The Mystery at Lilac Inn [Facsimile Edition]
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The Secret at Shadow Ranch [Facsimile Edition]
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The Secret of Red Gate Farm [Facsimile Edition]
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The Clue in the Diary [Facsimile Edition]
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Nancy's Mysterious Letter [Facsimile Edition]
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The Sign of the Twisted Candles [Facsimile Edition]
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The Password to Larkspur Lane [Facsimile Edition]
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The Clue of the Broken Locket [Facsimile Edition]
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The Message in the Hollow Oak [Facsimile Edition]
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The Mystery of the Ivory Charm [Facsimile Edition]
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The Whispering Statue [Facsimile Edition]
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If you are interested in investigating the ongoing evolution of Nancy Drew, check out Melanie Rehak's engaging and well researched book Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her, or visit the excellent fan-site www.nancydrewsleuth.com.
