The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories was the long-running "main" Nancy Drew series, published between 1930 and 2003. Initially, titles were published by Grosset & Dunlap, but with #57 (1979) publication switched to Simon & Schuster. Most people consider these first 56 to be the original series and consider the Simon & Schuster series to be an entirely different series. The first 56 are considered to be the "classic" Nancy Drew books. In 2003, the series was discontinued, and a new, more contemporary series (Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective) was created in its place.
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The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories were first published in the United States in 1930 by Grosset & Dunlap in a series of hardbacks. Revision of all titles through volume 34 began in 1959.
In 1979, after a court battle between the Stratemeyer Syndicate and Grosset & Dunlap, the original publishers (in hardback) of the first 56 Nancy Drew titles, publication rights to new stories were granted to Simon & Schuster. Titles from #57, The Triple Hoax (1979) were thereafter published primarily in paperback[1]
Books #57-78 were initially printed under Simon & Schuster's Children's imprint Wanderer as digest sized paperbacks (although some were also later published in the regular paperback format, which was also the format of choice for some foreign editions, especially the UK Armada releases). Limited numbers of hardback editions are also known to have been produced, mostly for libraries.[2]
The titles were initially presented in set cover format referred to as the "Arch" design, with most covers drawn by Ruth Sanderson. The twenty-two titles were also reprinted under the Wanderer imprint in a new "checkerboard" design before the series moved, from #79 on, to the new Minstrel imprint, whereupon they received still newer covers in the "checkerboard" design. The series ultimately moved again to Simon & Schuster's Aladdin Paperbacks imprint, undergoing two further cover revamps, "White" and "Paint".
# | Title | Published | Outline | Manuscript | Editor/s | Revised | Revised by |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Secret of the Old Clock | 1930 | E. Stratemeyer | M. Wirt | E. Stratemeyer | 1959 | H.S. Adams |
2 | The Hidden Staircase | 1930 | E. Stratemeyer | M. Wirt | E. Stratemeyer | 1959 | H.S. Adams |
3 | The Bungalow Mystery | 1930 | E. Stratemeyer | M. Wirt | E. Stratemeyer | 1960 | Patricia Doll |
4 | The Mystery at Lilac Inn | 1930 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H. Elp | 1961 | Patricia Doll |
5 | The Secret at Shadow Ranch | 1931 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1965 | Grace Grote |
6 | The Secret of Red Gate Farm | 1931 | E. Squier | M. Wirt/H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1961 | Lynn Ealer |
7 | The Clue in the Diary | 1932 | E. Squier | M. Wirt/H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1962 | H.S. Adams |
8 | Nancy's Mysterious Letter | 1932 | E. Squier | W. Karig/Kiley Luckel | H.S. Adams | 1968 | H.S. Adams |
9 | The Sign of the Twisted Candles | 1933 | H.S. Adams | W. Karig/H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1968 | Patricia Doll |
10 | The Password to Larkspur Lane | 1933 | H.S. Adams | W. Karig | H.S. Adams | 1966 | Patricia Doll |
11 | The Clue of the Broken Locket | 1934 | E. Squier | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1965 | H.S. Adams/Grace Grote |
12 | The Message in the Hollow Oak | 1935 | E. Squier | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1972 | Grace Grote |
13 | The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | 1936 | E. Squier | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1974 | Priscilla Baker-Carr |
14 | The Whispering Statue | 1937 | E. Squier | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1970 | H.S. Adams |
15 | The Haunted Bridge | 1937 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1972 | P. Baker-Carr |
16 | The Clue of the Tapping Heels | 1939 | E. Squier | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1969 | H.S. Adams |
17 | The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk | 1940 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1976 | H.S. Adams |
18 | The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion | 1941 | E. Squier | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1971 | H.S. Adams |
19 | The Quest of the Missing Map | 1942 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1969 | P. Baker-Carr |
20 | The Clue in the Jewel Box | 1943 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1972 | P. Baker-Carr |
21 | The Secret in the Old Attic | 1944 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1970 | P. Baker-Carr |
22 | The Clue in the Crumbling Wall | 1945 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1973 | P. Baker-Carr |
23 | The Mystery of the Tolling Bell | 1946 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1973 | P. Baker-Carr |
24 | The Clue in the Old Album | 1947 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1977 | P. Baker-Carr |
25 | The Ghost of Blackwood Hall | 1948 | H.S. Adams | M. Wirt | H.S. Adams | 1967 | P. Baker-Carr |
26 | The Clue of the Leaning Chimney | 1949 | H.S. Adams | G. Waller/H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1967 | P. Baker-Carr |
27 | The Secret of the Wooden Lady | 1950 | H.S. Adams | M. Scherf | H.S. Adams | 1967 | P. Baker-Carr |
28 | The Clue of the Black Keys | 1951 | H.S. Adams | W. Rankin/H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1968 | P. Baker-Carr |
29 | The Mystery at the Ski Jump | 1952 | H.S. Adams | A. Sasse | H.S. Adams | 1968 | Ann Shultes |
30 | The Clue of the Velvet Mask | 1953 | A. Svenson | M. Wirt/H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1969 | P. Baker-Carr |
31 | The Ringmaster's Secret | 1953 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1974 | June Dunn |
32 | The Scarlet Slipper Mystery | 1954 | H.S. Adams | C. Strong | H.S. Adams | 1974 | Ann Shultes |
33 | The Witch Tree Symbol | 1955 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1975 | Ann Shultes |
34 | The Hidden Window Mystery | 1956 | P. Doll/H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | 1975 | Mary Fisher |
35 | The Haunted Showboat | 1957 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | J. Dunn/J. Sanderson | ||
36 | The Secret of the Golden Pavilion | 1959 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | J. Dunn/J. Sanderson | ||
37 | The Clue in the Old Stagecoach | 1960 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
38 | The Mystery of the Fire Dragon | 1961 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
39 | The Clue of the Dancing Puppet | 1962 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
40 | The Moonstone Castle Mystery | 1963 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
41 | The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes | 1964 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
42 | The Phantom of Pine Hill | 1965 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
43 | The Mystery of the 99 Steps | 1966 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
44 | The Clue in the Crossword Cipher | 1967 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
45 | The Spider Sapphire Mystery | 1968 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
46 | The Invisible Intruder | 1969 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
47 | The Mysterious Mannequin | 1970 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
48 | The Crooked Banister | 1971 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
49 | The Secret of Mirror Bay | 1972 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
50 | The Double Jinx Mystery | 1973 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
51 | Mystery of the Glowing Eye | 1974 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
52 | The Secret of the Forgotten City | 1975 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
53 | The Sky Phantom | 1976 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
54 | The Strange Message in the Parchment | 1977 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
55 | Mystery of Crocodile Island | 1978 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
56 | The Thirteenth Pearl | 1979 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | ||
57 | The Triple Hoax | 1979 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams/Lilo Wuenn | ||
58 | The Flying Saucer Mystery | 1980 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams | Nancy Axelrad | ||
59 | The Secret in the Old Lace | 1980 | H.S. Adams | H.S. Adams/Nancy Axelrad | |||
60 | The Greek Symbol Mystery | 1980 | H.S. Adams/Nancy Axelrad | Nancy Axelrad | |||
61 | The Swami's Ring | 1981 | H.S. Adams/Nancy Axelrad | Nancy Axelrad | |||
62 | The Kachina Doll Mystery | 1981 | Sharon Wagner | Sharon Wagner | Nancy Axelrad | ||
63 | The Twin Dilemma | 1981 | Nancy Axelrad | Nancy Axelrad | Lilo Wuenn | ||
64 | Captive Witness | 1981 | Richard Ballad | Richard Ballad | Nancy Axelrad | ||
65 | Mystery of the Winged Lion | 1982 | Nancy Axelrad | Nancy Axelrad | Lilo Wuenn | ||
66 | Race Against Time | 1982 | James Duncan Lawrence | James Duncan Lawrence | Nancy Axelrad | ||
67 | The Sinister Omen | 1982 | Richard Ballad | Richard Ballad | Nancy Axelrad | ||
68 | The Elusive Heiress | 1982 | Sharon Wagner | Sharon Wagner | Nancy Axelrad | ||
69 | Clue in the Ancient Disguise | 1982 | James Duncan Lawrence | James Duncan Lawrence | Nancy Axelrad | ||
70 | The Broken Anchor | 1983 | Sharon Wagner | Sharon Wagner | Nancy Axelrad | ||
71 | The Silver Cobweb | 1983 | James Duncan Lawrence | James Duncan Lawrence | Nancy Axelrad | ||
72 | The Haunted Carousel | 1983 | James Duncan Lawrence | James Duncan Lawrence | Nancy Axelrad | ||
73 | Enemy Match | 1984 | Unknown | ||||
74 | The Mysterious Image | 1984 | Unknown | ||||
75 | The Emerald-Eyed Cat Mystery | 1984 | Unknown | ||||
76 | The Eskimo's Secret | 1985 | Sharon Wagner | Sharon Wagner | |||
77 | The Bluebeard Room | 1985 | James Duncan Lawrence | James Duncan Lawrence | |||
78 | The Phantom of Venice | 1985 | James Duncan Lawrence | James Duncan Lawrence | |||
79 | The Double Horror of Fenley Place | 1987 | |||||
80 | The Case of the Disappearing Diamonds | 1987 | |||||
81 | The Mardi Gras Mystery | 1988 | |||||
82 | The Clue in the Camera | 1988 | |||||
83 | The Case of the Vanishing Veil | 1988 | |||||
84 | The Joker's Revenge | 1988 | |||||
85 | The Secret of Shady Glen | 1988 | |||||
86 | The Mystery of Misty Canyon | 1988 | |||||
87 | The Case of the Rising Stars | 1988 | |||||
88 | The Search for Cindy Austin | 1988 | |||||
89 | The Case of the Disappearing Deejay | 1989 | |||||
90 | The Puzzle at Pineview School | 1989 | |||||
91 | The Girl Who Couldn't Remember | 1989 | |||||
92 | The Ghost of Craven Cove | 1989 | |||||
93 | The Case of the Safecracker's Secret | 1990 | |||||
94 | The Picture-Perfect Mystery | 1990 | |||||
95 | The Silent Suspect | 1990 | |||||
96 | The Case of the Photo Finish | 1990 | |||||
97 | The Mystery of Magnolia Mansion | 1990 | Anne Greenberg | ||||
98 | The Haunting of Horse Island | 1990 | |||||
99 | The Secret at Seven Rocks | 1991 | |||||
100 | A Secret in Time | 1991 | |||||
101 | The Mystery of the Missing Millionairess | 1991 | |||||
102 | The Secret in the Dark | 1991 | |||||
103 | The Stranger in the Shadows | 1991 | |||||
104 | The Mystery of the Jade Tiger | 1991 | |||||
105 | The Clue in the Antique Trunk | 1992 | |||||
106 | The Case of the Artful Crime | 1992 | |||||
107 | The Legend of Miner's Creek | 1992 | |||||
108 | The Secret of the Tibetan Treasure | 1992 | |||||
109 | The Mystery of the Masked Rider | ||||||
110 | The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery | ||||||
111 | The Secret at Solaire | ||||||
112 | Crime in the Queen's Court | 1993 | |||||
113 | The Secret Lost at Sea | ||||||
114 | The Search for the Silver Persian | ||||||
115 | The Suspect in the Smoke | 1993 | |||||
116 | The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears | ||||||
117 | Mystery on the Menu | 1993 | |||||
118 | Trouble At Lake Tahoe | 1994 | |||||
119 | The Mystery of the Missing Mascot | 1994 | |||||
120 | The Case of the Floating Crime | 1994 | |||||
121 | The Fortune Teller's Secret | 1995 | |||||
122 | The Message in the Haunted Mansion | 1995 | |||||
123 | The Clue on the Silver Screen | 1995 | |||||
124 | The Secret of the Scarlet Hand | 1995 | |||||
125 | The Teen Model Mystery | 1995 | |||||
126 | The Riddle in the Rare Book | 1995 | |||||
127 | The Case of the Dangerous Solution | 1995 | |||||
128 | Treasure in the Royal Tower | 1995 | |||||
129 | The Baby-Sitter Burglaries | 1996 | |||||
130 | The Sign of the Falcon | 1996 | |||||
131 | The Hidden Inheritance | 1996 | |||||
132 | The Fox Hunt Mystery | 1996 | |||||
133 | The Mystery at the Crystal Palace | 1996 | |||||
134 | The Secret of the Forgotten Cave | 1996 | |||||
135 | The Riddle of the Ruby Gazelle | 1997 | |||||
136 | The Wedding Day Mystery | 1997 | |||||
137 | In Search of the Black Rose | 1997 | |||||
138 | The Legend of the Lost Gold | 1997 | |||||
139 | The Secret of Candlelight Inn | 1997 | |||||
140 | The Door-to-Door Deception | 1997 | |||||
141 | The Wild Cat Crime | 1998 | |||||
142 | The Case of Capital Intrigue | 1998 | |||||
143 | Mystery on Maui | 1998 | |||||
144 | The E-mail Mystery | 1998 | |||||
145 | The Missing Horse Mystery | 1998 | |||||
146 | The Ghost of the Lantern Lady | 1998 | |||||
147 | The Case of the Captured Queen | 1998 | |||||
148 | On the Trail of Trouble | 1999 | |||||
149 | The Clue of the Gold Doubloons | 1999 | |||||
150 | Mystery at Moorsea Manor | 1999 | |||||
151 | The Chocolate-Covered Contest | 1999 | |||||
152 | The Key in the Satin Pocket | 1999 | |||||
153 | Whispers In the Fog | 1999 | |||||
154 | The Legend of the Emerald Lady | 2000 | |||||
155 | The Mystery in Tornado Alley | ||||||
156 | The Secret in the Stars | ||||||
157 | The Music Festival Mystery | 2000 | |||||
158 | The Curse of the Black Cat | 2000 | |||||
159 | The Secret of the Fiery Chamber | 2000 | |||||
160 | The Clue on the Crystal Dove | 2000 | |||||
161 | Lost in the Everglades | 2000 | |||||
162 | The Case of the Lost Song | 2000 | |||||
163 | The Clues Challenge | 2000 | |||||
164 | The Mystery of the Mother Wolf | 2000 | |||||
165 | The Crime Lab Case | 2000 | |||||
166 | The Case of the Creative Crime | 2002 | |||||
167 | Mystery By Moonlight | 2002 | |||||
168 | The Bike Tour Mystery | 2002 | |||||
169 | The Mistletoe Mystery | 2002 | |||||
170 | No Strings Attached | 2003 | |||||
171 | Intrigue at the Grand Opera | 2003 | |||||
172 | The Riding Club Crime | 2003 | |||||
173 | Danger on the Great Lakes | 2003 | |||||
174 | A Taste of Danger | 2003 | |||||
175 | Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland | 2003 |
The Nancy Drew Mystery Series was published in a series of hardbacks and paperbacks in the UK, starting in 1971 and 1973. The English publisher was Collins Publishing, and its paperback imprint Armada Books (which also published the Hardy Boys and Three Investigators, among other series'). When the Nancy Drew series was published in England, the order was changed significantly and the titles' numbering was revised from the American standard.[3]
Thus, the original 56 American Grosset & Dunlap-published titles become the first fifty UK titles, with #57-78 being published as #51-72. Collins, therefore, had a deal in place with both American publishers and, indeed, were obliged "for contractual reasons" to publish some of the later Simon & Schuster titles before some of the Grosset & Dunlap ones. Collins/Armada published the twenty-two Simon & Schuster/Wanderer titles in sequence, albeit off by six, and then finished publishing the six "missing" Grosset & Dunlap titles (including the first, The Secret of the Old Clock).
The twenty-two (US) Wanderer-imprint titles were produced between 1979 and 1985, after which the main "Nancy Drew Mystery Stories" went on a short hiatus. During this time, Simon & Schuster began publishing The Nancy Drew Files series for older teenagers, and subsequently re-aligned the 'main' series, moving it to a new imprint in 1987, with The Double Horror of Fenley Place, the first Nancy Drew title published under the American Minstrel imprint. Accordingly, after publishing 22 Wanderer (and 78 overall) titles in the main Nancy Drew series, the Collins/Armada licence terminated in June 1992. The following month, Simon & Schuster itself began publishing the more recent Minstrel-imprint US titles under their Pocket Books UK imprint, starting with the now numerically aligned volume #79. For contractual reasons, Armada was "obliged to publish No. 51 onwards before publishing Nos. 41-50".[4]
Nancy Drew was issued as a book club feature, the Nancy Drew Reader's Club, from 1959 to early 1961. In all, 12 volumes were issued, 6 in 1959 and 6 in 1960.[5] These volumes were issued with new illustrations by artist Polly Bolian. The volumes matched Grosset & Dunlap'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.
Plans for additional titles were abandoned after two years and the series ceased publication in early 1961. 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.[6]
Nancy Drew was issued in the yellow-spine picture format, as a book club, in 1962.[7] The back covers were solid yellow, and spines feature no volume numbers. "Book Club Edition" appears on the title page. Only volumes 1–32 were issued. In the 1970s, a book club offer was available directly from the publisher, but these volumes were exactly the same as regularly purchased volumes; they were simply mailed on schedule to the subscriber.
Several Nancy Drew books were published as two-volumes-in-one in the 1970s.[8] 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 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, such as Sara Paretsky. 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.
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, following extensive research, the original paintings themselves.[9] The jackets, issued as limited edition offset lithographs, can either be framed or wrapped comfortably around most series book formats. All 56 original Grosset & Dunlap titles will be released with restored art as dust jackets for the first time, but the books themselves are not included.[10] The line is expected to be completed in 2011.
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.