Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew is a fictional character, the heroine of a popular mystery series aimed at the children-young adult audience, and written under the collective pseudonym "Carolyn Keene". The series was created and outlined in detail in 1930 by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, with the first manuscripts written by Mildred A. Wirt Benson and edited by Stratemeyer's daughter Harriet Stratemeyer Adams. The Stratemeyer Syndicate had a strict non-disclosure contract; writers such as Mildred Benson produced books based upon outlines provided by the Syndicate. As a ghostwriter, Benson was the second most prolific writer (after Stratemeyer-Adams herself), producing twenty-three of the first thirty volumes.

Character evolution of Nancy Drew

Original Nancy, 1930 to 1940

Nancy Drew was depicted as an independent-minded teenager, who has already completed her high school education. She is sixteen at the beginning of the series, but gradually aged to eighteen by the mid 1940s (this was changed when the original books were later revised; in the revised series, she was always eighteen), as that was the minimum age to graduate from high school. Apparently affluent, she maintains an active social, volunteer, and sleuthing schedule, as well as participating in athletics and the arts, but is never shown as working for a living or acquiring job skills. Nancy is also unhindered by the Great Depression and World War II.

Nancy lives with her father, attorney Carson Drew. In volume one of the original series, it is stated that Nancy's mother died when Nancy was ten years old (changed to three in later revisions); volume four expands upon the idea by indicating she has managed a servant and the household for her father since that time. This fact was changed in later revisions.

The Drews' housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, is in charge of cooking delicious meals, cleaning, and all sorts of errands. In the early stories, "Hannah," is depicted as the servant of employer Nancy, and follows directives down to uniform appearance, menus and groceries from her young supervisor. Hannah is excluded from discussion of mysteries, and does not take meals with the family. This character gradually changed, as the role of the middle-class and their servants did in reality. By the mid 1940s, she is more a member of the family, and less formal with Nancy, often attempting to restrict her independence. She lives with the Drews in the family's three-story brick house in the fictional town of River Heights. A physical description of Hannah has never been given.

In the more recent stories, and older stories that have been revised, Gruen assumes more of a warm, maternal role in Nancy's life and, along with the character of Nancy's cosmopolitan New York relative Aunt Eloise (introduced in 1952), helps provide a rounded sense of family. In The Whispering Statue in 1937, a dog named Togo was also integrated into the Drew home. This depiction of a loving, but non-traditional family structure was years ahead of its time and may have helped the series remain relevant.

In The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes, published in 1964, Nancy further explores her mother's genealogy; her mother, whose maiden name was Austin, was descended from the Scottish nobility. Nancy travels to Scotland, where she meets her great-grandmother, Lady Douglas, the widow of a former member of the House of Lords. Douglas is the daughter of a member of Clan Cameron.

Nancy's car

In the first few books Nancy drives a blue roadster. During the war years, Nancy's car is only vaguely referenced as a coupe, but post-war, it is again described as a blue open car or convertible. Later in the series it changes to a yellow convertible, but later she again drives a blue convertible and rents other colors of cars when hers is unavailable. In the Nancy Drew Files she drives a blue 1960's mustang. In the 2007 film she drives a blue Nash Metropolitan convertible. Nancy's goes through about 3 or 4 cars in all the books, but always goes back to some type of convertible.

Nancy's friends

Many friends frequently visit the Drew household. The first of these, Helen Corning, appears in the earliest novels, and again in original volumes 8, 9, and 20. From volume five, Nancy is accompanied by her two close friends, George Fayne and Bess Marvin. George, tall and slim, with short black hair, makes a point of being a tomboy while her cousin Bess, slightly plump with luxurious set hair, but not clearly described as blonde until 1936, has the most girlish appearance and attitude of the three. Early in the series, George Fayne is described as bold, slightly clumsy, blunt, and forward, resulting in the nickname "George the Terrible" from series fans. Bess, on the other hand, tries to be proper, and is also easily frightened — once wrecking a car simply because she saw something unusual.

Helen's appearances resume in the original volumes Nancy's Mysterious Letter and The Password to Larkspur Lane, which were ghostwritten by Walter Karig. In these volumes, her personality is more like George Fayne's. Helen disappeared when Mildred Benson resumed ghostwriting, but in volume 20, was announced as having been on an extended tour of Europe (a common plot device for absent characters in Stratemeyer Series books) for one final appearance and plot device in The Clue in the Jewel Box, introducing Nancy to European acquaintances. Her loss of touch with Nancy is explained more fully in the revised series (see below). Ned Nickerson, a sophomore at Emerson College, meets Nancy when he, like Nancy, tries to be helpful at the scene of a fire. He pursues Nancy as doggedly as she pursues clues, but whenever permanent commitments are suggested, Nancy demures or pretends not to understand. Nancy adores Ned, but the appeal of being a fiance and wife are not enough. As girlfriend, she frequently changes or schedules their dates to include her personal investigations. Ned is described as about 6'2", with dark brown or black slightly wavy hair, and brown eyes. He is an excellent all-around athlete, playing basketball, football, rowing, swimming, and serving as camp counselor. His best friend in the earliest books is fraternity brother Buck Rodman, who dates both Helen and George, but his friends after 1950 are Burt Eddleton, blond center for the Emerson team, and green-eyed Dave Evans. Burt and George pair off, and Dave is smitten with boy-crazy Bess Marvin.

Nancy's character

Nancy is blue-eyed and reddish blond. Early illustrators often drew Bess with hair coloring somewhat darker blonde or light brown, when the three girls appeared together. The haircolor change was actually due to a printer's error on the original jacket of a book

She becomes involved in mysteries without always being a welcome presence. She occasionally drove her roadster at high speeds to escape villains, or on lonely, desolate roads. . She is more courageous than her friends and undaunted by the money or time spent in investigating a clue. Hannah voices her concerns about Nancy's behavior, but is clearly the Drews' employee in these early tales; her opinion is often discredited.

Her early style is in the vein of a sophisticated young girl with immaculately curled hair, pearls, high heels, and elegant dresses. This is largely the work of commercial artist Russell H. Tandy, the first illustrator for the series. He was a fashion artist and infused Nancy with a modern fashion sensibility. He painted the dust jackets and drew the inside sketches for volumes 1–10 and 12–26. He drew the inside sketches for The Clue of the Broken Locket, but not the cover. By the end of the 1930s, Nancy was dressing along the lines of a sophisticated young woman, with smart suits, matching hats, gloves, and handbags.

1940-1950: Teen-aged Nancy

With the start of the 1940s, Nancy began to evolve into a less reckless, and also less obviously affluent, character with The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion. Her fashion style becomes a bit more casual, and she no longer pursues angles that greatly endanger herself or her friends. Her car changes makes and models a few times, finally becoming a blue convertible in the post-World War II era. She pursues hobbies, particularly art and music, but also dancing, and various athletics, including sailing, swimming, skin-diving, tennis, and even horse back riding. Her age also gradually changes to eighteen. Other than some minor allusions in 1943's The Clue in the Jewel Box, the war rationing doesn't seem to affect River Heights.Nancy Drew also has books such as Mystery of the 99 Steps, Mystery of the Old Clock, and Secret of Red Gate Farm where you'll find plenty of characters.

Many of Nancy's mysteries in this era involve her application of knowledge gained from avid reading, or from consultation with teachers, professors, or other experts, and this is passed on to the readers, a trend which grows and continues to the end of the series. Nancy thus shows greater respect for authority figures, such as her father, the local police, and others willing to help with her investigations.

Although still illustrated as very mature during the war years, this style gives way to a more casual, stereotypical teen appearance by the end of the decade, partially due to a switch in illustrators. Book covers began to replace the flapper style favored on early jackets with a conservative, more classic appearance. Following the post-war trend for young people to have their own, casual style, instead of dressing the same as adults, Nancy becomes less constrained. Sweater or blouse and skirt ensembles, as well as a pageboy hairstyle, are introduced in 1948, and continue with new artist Bill Gillies, who updated 10 covers and illustrated three new jackets from 1950 to 1952. Gillies invented the modern-era trademark as a spine symbol: Nancy in profile with a quizzing glass. Benson wrote her last volume for the series, The Clue of the Velvet Mask, in 1953.

1950s-1970s: Revisionist Nancy

During the 1950s, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams took on responsibility for writing the books and also revised the earlier volumes to speed pacing and remove regional and racist references.

Internal illustrations were returned to the books beginning in 1954. In 1957, most Stratemeyer Syndicate books dropped from 200 to 180 pages in length, including the rewrites. Plot wise, stories begin to involve more travel away from River Heights. Nancy's hometown is now more metropolitan and less rural; it was a two-hour flight to New York City and other metropolitan destinations on the East Coast of the United States. In The Phantom of Pine Hill, the author gives the impression that River Heights is in or near Ohio by having a professor mention that Ohio in the 1700s is different than Ohio today. Counterfeit Christmas establishes that it is a one-hour drive west to Chicago.[1]

In the revisions, Nancy is eighteen, not sixteen; her mother died when she was age three, not ten. Hannah Gruen is a motherly figure who helped raise Nancy, and at times restricts her rash actions. Aunt Eloise Drew, a smart New Yorker who was Nancy's aunt, is frequently either chaperone or hostess to Nancy's New York adventures. Nancy's dog, Togo, still exists, but now occasionally helps her in her cases.

Other characters are developed as well. George Fayne develops into a more personable, but still masculine girl, while Bess becomes obsessed with boys and food. George and Bess are given their own respective boyfriends early in the 1950s, Burt Eddleton and Dave Evans, both chums of Nancy's boyfriend Ned Nickerson. The original stories began to be updated in 1959, Helen Corning became an older friend of Nancy's, and is bolder than the original Helen, serving as actual sleuthing sidekick in the first four volumes. The stage is also set to explain her departure from regular involvement with Nancy -- Helen becomes engaged; and in her last appearance before she is married, she is planning her wedding while she helps Nancy sleuth. She and her husband Jim Archer appear in some later volumes, and revised versions of several stories as well.

Rudy Nappi, artist from 1953 to 1979, illustrates a more average teenager, but still in very preppy, conservative clothing. Nancy's hair changes to strawberry-blonde, reddish-blonde or titian by the end of the decade. The change, due to a printing ink error, was so favorable that it was adopted in the text. Mrs. Adams Dickinson herself even explained regular changes in Nancy's hair color as possibly induced by the young sleuth's beautician. In 1962, all Grosset and Dunlap books become "picture covers", to reduce costs. Several of the 1940s cover illustrations were updated by Rudy Nappi for this change, but contained the old story. The books themselves were gradually updated, in some cases only sharing a title with the original, with completely new plots and settings. For example, the original Lilac Inn really was only a setting for a crime. In the 1961 revision, it is the setting for almost all of the story. Settings in the series involve travel to several different regions in the United States, and also international destinations, including France, India, Peru, Scotland, Hong Kong and Africa.

None of the stories in hardcover issue today as published by Grosset and Dunlap are older than 1957. In 1979, two million copies of Nancy Drew books were sold.^[1]

Authorship

Due to confusion and difficulties in protecting the secrets of series production, ghostwriters for the Stratemeyer Syndicate signed away all rights to authorship or future royalties, and all correspondence was handled through Harriet S. Adams' office. The syndicate's process for creating the Nancy Drew books consisted of first creating a detailed outline, with all elements of plot; then the drafting of a manuscript that was occasionally revised or rewritten; and finally editing. While Edward Stratemeyer and his daughters Harriet and Edna wrote all outlines for the Nancy Drew books except one (The Clue of the Velvet Mask, outlined by Andrew Svenson), a number of other writers wrote the manuscripts. Among these were Mildred A. Wirt Benson née Augustine, Walter Karig, George Waller, Jr., Margaret Scherf, Wilhelmina Rankin, Alma Sasse, Charles Strong, and Patricia Doll. Edward Stratemeyer edited the first three volumes and Harriet Stratemeyer all subsequent volumes with the exception of The Haunted Showboat and The Secret of the Golden Pavilion, which were edited by Jane Dunn and Jane Sanderson.

Legal disputes

Walter Karig tried to claim rights with the Library of Congress in 1933, something that angered the Syndicate.

In 1980, dissatisfied with the lack of creative control at Grosset and the lack of publicity for the Hardy Boys' 50th anniversary in 1977, Adams switched publishers to Simon and Schuster, which would also make the American versions available in mass-market paperback. Grosset and Dunlap filed suit against the Syndicate and the new publishers, claiming some control over publishing as their firm provided illustrations.

Although Adams had written many of the titles after 1953, and edited others, she claimed to be the author of all of the early titles. In fact she had rewritten the older titles, but not been the original author. When Adams filed a countersuit, claiming the case was in poor taste and frivolous, Mildred Benson was called to testify about her work for the Syndicate. Benson's role in writing the manuscripts of early titles was revealed in court with extensive documentation, contradicting Adams' claims to authorship. The court ruled that Grosset had the rights to publish the original series as they were in print in 1980, but did not own characters or trademarks. Further, any new publishers chosen by Adams were completely in their right to print original titles.

Adams was rumored to be embarrassed about the negative publicity of the trial and many adult fans and collectors considered her integrity irreparably compromised after the trial. Following her death, her partners continued, finally selling the entire Syndicate to Simon and Schuster. An acknowledgment to Mildred Benson was added to Grosset copyright pages; they currently print the original 56 hardcovers and recently began publishing out-of-print titles originally issued by Simon and Schuster. The original Nancy Drew series added the last new title in 2003.Nancy Drew also has books such as "Mystery of the 99 Steps, Mystery of the Old Clock, and Secret of Red Gate Farm."

Pseudonym Carolyn Keene

All Nancy Drew books are published under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene regardless of who the actual author was. The name Carolyn Keene has also been used to author a shorter series of books titled The Dana Girls. This series features two detective sisters.

Nancy Drew Books

The Main Series

Main article: Nancy Drew Mystery Stories

The original 56 Grosset & Dunlap books

The first fifty-six titles in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series was published between 1930 and 1979 by Grosset & Dunlap. The credited author for all Nancy Drew titles is Carolyn Keene, but the actual authorship of the first 56 titles in known to distinctly take three parts: the original outline, the actual manuscript and then subsequent editing. (Many of these 56 titles were subsequently revised and republished in altered form, and in England, with revised numbering.)

Nancy Drew Trivia

- Ned and Nancy meet for the first time. (The Clue in the Diary, Book # 6)

- Nancy performs in a play. (The Clue Of The Tapping Heels, Book # 16)

- George has a nephew. (The Ringmaster's Secret, Book # 31).

- Ned saves Nancy from a lion. (The Ringmaster's Secret, Book # 31)

- Nancy horse back rides in a Circus. (The Ringmaster's Secret, Book # 31)

- Nancy teaches Ballet. (The Scarlet Slipper Mystery, Book # 32)

- Nancy, Bess, and Geaorge stay with an Amish Family. (The Witch Tree Symbol, Book # 33)

Continued by Simon & Schuster

In 1979, the Nancy Drew books began to be published by Simon & Schuster in paperback format. Though formatted differently from the original 56-volume series which continued under Grosset & Dunlap's control, these new books retained the general essence of the series style and were published under the 'Nancy Drew Mystery Stories' banner. By 2006, volumes 57-64 had been adapted for the original series format and released in yellow spine, 'flashlight' hardback editions. These books feature increasingly contemporary cover illustrations and some books even have multiple versions of the cover art.

The Nancy Drew Files

Main article: The Nancy Drew Files

Running concurrent with the main Nancy Drew Mystery Stories line, in 1987, Simon & Schuster, Inc. began publishing a spin-off series The Nancy Drew Files, aimed an older, teenage audience. The series is similar in style, target audience and sensibilities with The Hardy Boys Casefiles series released at the same time. The titles are:

Nancy Drew Notebooks

The Nancy Drew Notebooks series told stories aimed at younger readers, starring 8-year-old Nancy and her friends in the third grade. The books are illustrated by periodic black and white drawings. The "notebook" in the series title refers to the "blue notebook in which [Nancy] keeps track of her mysteries and writes down what she learns" - the stories ended on a moral message telling the reader what Nancy had learned. The cover layout changed and evolved throughout the series, which was initially published by the Minstrel imprint, and later switched to the Aladdin one. The series ended with volume #69 in December 2005, and was relaunched (from volume 1) as Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew.^[2]

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew

Nancy Drew On Campus

Main article: Nancy Drew On Campus

Nancy Drew Girl Detective

Main article: Girl Detective

After the main series was cancelled in 2003, Simon & Schuster started publishing a new, revamped series. Beginning in 2008, the mysteries are now presented as 3-book mini arcs, drawing the mystery out over three distinct, but linked, titles. The publisher describes the series in the following way:

Specials

• Nancy Drew Ghost Stories, (Aug 2008)

Girl Detective Super Mysteries

1. Where's Nancy? (Jun 2005)
2. Once Upon a Crime (Jun 2006)
3. Real Fake (Jul 2007)

Papercutz Nancy Drew graphic novels

Beginning in 2005, Papercutz began issuing a new series of Nancy Drew graphic novels, with Jim Salicrup as the editor, Stefan Petrucha as the writer, and Sho Murase as the illustrator. All the storylines are completely new. The manga-style illustrations and technical allusions (like Nancy's hybrid car and George's tablet PC) give Nancy and her friends a 21st century spin.

Papercutz' Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective Graphic Novels (2005–)

1. The Demon of River Heights, (Feb 2005)
2. Writ in Stone, (Jul 2005)
3. The Haunted Dollhouse, (Nov 2005)
4. The Girl Who Wasn't There, (Feb 2006)
5. The Fake Heir, (Apr 2006)
6. Mr. Cheeters is Missing, (Jul 2006)
7. The Charmed Bracelet, (Oct 2006)
8. Global Warning, (Feb 2007)
9. Ghost in the Machinery, (May 2007)
10. The Disoriented Express, (Aug 2009)
11. Monkey-Wrench Blues, (Nov 2007)
12. Dress Reversal, (Feb 2008)
13. Doggone Town, (May 2008)
14. Sleight of Dan, (Aug 2008)
15. Tiger Counter, (Nov 2008)
16. What Goes Up..., (Feb 2009)

Crossover series' with The Hardy Boys

Nancy Drew has teamed up with the Hardy Boys on numerous occasions in several series' and stories.

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Sleuths (1981-1984)

The first Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Sleuths book was published in 1981 with the sequel published in 1984. Both volumes contain seven short stories with Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys working together and are written under the pen-name of Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon. Both books were published under Simon & Schuster’s Wanderer Books imprint.^[4]

1. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Sleuths - 1981
2. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Sleuths #2 - 1984

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Be a Detective Mystery Stories (1984-1985)

These titles feature a level of reader-interaction in a manner similar to the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

1. The Secret of the Knight’s Sword
2. Danger on Ice
3. The Feathered Serpent
4. Secret Cargo
5. The Alaskan Mystery
6. The Missing Money Mystery

Two more titles were planned but never published:

7. Jungle of Evil

8. Ticket to Intrigue

Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys SuperMystery Series (1988–1998)

Main article: Supermystery

This series of 36 paperbacks was authored under the Carolyn Keene name, and the series (released at the same time as the Nancy Drew Files and the Hardy Boys Casefiles) was more geared toward Nancy Drew fans.

Other titles

• Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Campfire Stories (1984)

This book was first published by Wanderer Books in 1984 and like the Super Sleuth books, Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon are listed as co-authors. National Director of Program Services, Camp Fire, Inc, Karen W. Bartz wrote a forward for this book. Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon also wrote a forward.^[4]

Special editions and reprints

The Reader's Club or Cameo editions

Nancy Drew was issued as a book club feature, the Nancy Drew Reader's Club, from 1959 to early 1961. Several volumes, nos. 30–35, were issued with new illustrations by artist Polly Bolian. The volumes matched Grosset's other Doubleday Book Club publication, Young Library. A full color jacket illustration was repeated as the frontispiece, and double-page pen and ink drawings highlighted the texts. References or notices for other volumes, and volume numbering, was removed from the text and the jackets. The series saw six more volumes, 36, 27–29, and revised 1–2 added in 1960(despite the fact that a revision of volume three and the new book, volume 37, were in print by 1960). Plans for additional titles were abandoned after two years and the series ceased publication in early 1961, without seeing volumes 3,4,6,37,38,24,25,26, books which fit the pattern of the club (modern era stories). The volumes are highly desired by today's collectors due to their original artwork, and the scarcity of their dust jackets, made on inferior, lightweight matte paper instead of heavier gauge glossy paper used on other editions. The books with jackets are considered scarce, those with a 1960 date being much more difficult to find by collectors.

Regular Book Club Editions

Nancy Drew was issued in the yellow-spine picture format, as a book club, in 1962. The back covers were solid yellow, and spines feature no volume numbers. "Book Club Edition" appears on the title page. The entire series in print was not issued in this format; only volumes 1–32 were issued. In the 1970s, a book club offer was available directly from the publisher, but these volumes are exactly the same as regularly purchased volumes. They were simply mailed on schedule to the subscriber.

Twin Thriller

Nancy Drew had two-volumes-in-one published in the 1970s. These are collected for their uniqueness; evidence indicates, however, that libraries and schools seemed to be targeted for the marketing of these books. Covers featured geometric clover designs on lilac grey, with a vignette from one of the two volumes' original cover art. All of the volumes are sequential, i.e., 1–2, 3–4, except for the final two issued. Volumes 17 and 24 appear together as one, as they were not revised until the mid 1970s.

Applewood Books reprints

Applewood Books began reprinting facsimile editions of the early Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys in 1991. The books feature the original dust jacket art, original illustrations (although not scattered through the text), original texts, and duplication binding of the early Nancy Drew format. Many of the volumes contain forewords from adult author fans of the series. Applewood issued original series titles up to number 21, The Secret in the Old Attic. Although volumes 22 and 23, The Clue in the Crumbling Wall and The Mystery of the Tolling Bell, respectively, were featured in the 2006-2007 catalogue, these additional titles were not ultimately published as company representatives stated that sales of later volumes had tapered and plans to extend the line were discontinued in 2007. Reprints of several early volumes remain available directly from Applewood.

Literarture's Nancy Drew Dust Jacket Collection

In late 2006, Literarture, licensed by publisher Simon and Schuster, began releasing prints of classic Nancy Drew dust jacket artwork by Russell Tandy, Bill Gillies, and Rudy Nappi derived from pristine vintage art elements and, in some cases, the original paintings themselves. Through website polls, visitors can determine which artist's work is selected to represent different volumes in the collection. The jackets are commercially printed and can either be framed or wrapped comfortably around most series book formats. All 56 original Grosset & Dunlap titles will be released as dust jackets for the first time, but the books themselves are not included. About two dozen or so have been released to date, with more slated for 2008.

Nancy Drew originals

In early 2007, Grosset and Dunlap began retailing special volumes of Nancy Drew mysteries with original artwork but revised content in different product assortments and packaging.

Series in film and television

Former child actress Bonita Granville portrayed Nancy Drew in four Warner Bros. films directed by William Clemens in the late 1930s: Nancy Drew: Detective (loosely based on The Password to Larkspur Lane), Nancy Drew: Reporter, Nancy Drew: Trouble Shooter, and Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, the only one to borrow its title from a book in the series, although the plot was altered substantially. Frankie Thomas was cast as the rechristened "Ted" Nickerson, who acted more as a sidekick than boyfriend. Carson Drew remained her father, but Hannah Gruen became Effie Schneider, and George and Bess were eliminated completely. Among the notable features of the film series was Nancy, said to be 16 and played by an actress of the same age, often shown driving an automobile, which was uncommon for a female teenager in the 1930's. Another very unconventional feature of the films was that Ted was on several occasions shown disguising himself as a woman. The use of men in "drag" can be traced all the way back to Shakespeare's plays and Japanese Kabuki theater, where boys played all the female roles. However, in 1930's America, a boy wearing women's clothing was quite a shock! At any rate, the movies do not resemble the books' characters very much at all. Nancy is rather whiny and annoying, Ned/Ted can't seem to get a backbone and say "No!" when Nancy cajoles him into one crazy scheme after another, and Effie/Hannah is depicted as a scatterbrained ninny. The films were compiled into a special DVD release by Warner Bros. in 2007.

A television series called The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries ran from 1977 to 1979 on ABC. It initially starred 24-year-old Pamela Sue Martin as the girl detective, but she was replaced by Janet Louise Johnson for the second season. Another brief series starring Tracy Ryan appeared in 1995. In 2002, ABC broadcast a TV film featuring Maggie Lawson as Nancy Drew.

A new movie adaptation of Nancy Drew was released on June 15 2007 by Warner Brothers Pictures, with Emma Roberts (daughter of Eric and niece of Julia) as Nancy Drew, Max Thieriot as Ned Nickerson and Tate Donovan as Nancy's father Carson. The movie is about how Nancy needs to change schools to Hollywood High and how her father does not want her to be a detective but an ordinary teenager. She promises not to sleuth, but the house she selected as their new home has a mystery hidden within it. This version of the film is updated showing Nancy using modern gadgets and technology, despite her preference for old-fashioned things. Her outdated and eccentric fashion style is the cause of many jokes when Nancy begins at her new school.

Nancy is parodied in the Venture Bros. episodeDr. Quinn, Medicine Woman as a pair of teenage twins named Nancy and Drew. They are counterparts to Hank and Dean, just as Nancy herself can be considered a female equivalent of the brothers' inspiration, The Hardy Boys. However, in the episode, Nancy and Drew are shown more mature and capable than the boys (who, as always, are dim, oblivious and fanciful).

Series in computer games

Eight Nancy Drew titles have been adapted and released as computer games by Her Interactive. The games are targeted at "ages 10 and up" and are rated "E" by the ESRB. They follow the popular adventure game style of play. Players must move Nancy around in a virtual environment to talk to suspects, pick up clues, solve puzzles, and eventually solve the crime. High sales and a general growing demand for mystery fans' CD-ROM titles have led to several Nancy Drew game releases, including:

• #1 Secrets Can Kill (1998)
• #2 Stay Tuned for Danger (1999)
• #3 Message in a Haunted Mansion (2000)
• #3 Message in a Haunted Mansion (GBA) (2001)
• #4 Treasure in the Royal Tower (2001)
• #5 The Final Scene (2001)
• #6 Secret of the Scarlet Hand (2002)
• #7 Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake (2002)
• #8 The Haunted Carousel (2003)
• #9 Danger on Deception Island (2003)
• #10 The Secret of Shadow Ranch (2004)
• #11 Curse of Blackmoor Manor (2004)
• #12 Secret of the Old Clock (2005)
• #13 Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon (2005)
• #14 Danger By Design (2006)
• #15 The Creature of Kapu Cave (2006)
• #16 White Wolf of Icicle Creek (2007)
• #17 Legend of the Crystal Skull (2007)
• #18 The Phantom of Venice (2008)
• #19 The Haunting of Castle Malloy (2008)
• #20 Ransom of the Seven Ships (out in 2009)

On original packaging, Message in a Haunted Mansion is listed as the first game, Secrets Can Kill as the second, and Stay Tuned for Danger as the third.

In addition to the games created by Her Interactive for the PC, a new game for the Nintendo DS was released in September 2007 by Majesco Entertainment. The game, called Nancy Drew: Deadly Secret of Olde World Park, will let players help Nancy solve the mystery of a missing billionaire. The game was developed by Gorilla Systems Co. ^[5][6] Majesco's second Nancy Drew game for the DS, entitled "Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the Clue Bender Society" was released in July 2008. There will also be a DS Game in September 2008 called "Nancy Drew: The Hidden Staircase", based on the second book in the original Nancy Drew hardcovers. Almost all of the games are roughly related to books from different series. Some of them, including Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake, have different names than their original books. "The White Wolf of Icicle Creek will come to the Nintendo Wii system in December 2008.

References

7. "The Secret of the Old Clock," 1930, Grosset and Dunlop.

External links

• Nancy Drew Sleuth - Nancy Drew Sleuth
• Nancy Drew Information - Nancy Drew at Series Books for Girls
• Internet Book List - list of published Nancy Drew books
• Watch the 1939 Film "Nancy Drew... Reporter"

Juvenile Series Books (1946-1964) Girls' Books Cherry Ames (1943-1968) • Connie Blair (1948-1956) Dana Girls (original series, 1934-1968) • Ginny Gordon (1948-1956) Judy Bolton (1932-1967) • Nancy Drew (original series, 1930-1979) Penny Parker (1939-1947) • Sue Barton (1936-1952) Trixie Belden (1948-1986) • Vicki Barr (1947-1967) Boys' Books Biff Brewster (1960-1965) • Bronc Burnett (1948-1967) Chip Hilton (1948-1965) • The Hardy Boys (1927-1979) • Ken Holt (1949-1963) Rick Brant (1947-1968) • Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (1952-1956) Tom Quest (1947-1955) • Tom Swift, Jr. (1954-1971)