Nancy: A History

Since I had no luck finding any Nancy Drew books last week, I thought that I would make up for it by giving a little history of the girl detective.

The first Nancy Drew book was published in 1930, the first title being The Secret of the Old Clock. The series is ghost written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. This means that different authors have written for the series throughout the years. There have been over one-hundred and seventy-five books published, some ending up as New York Times Bestsellers. Although Nancy is eighty-three years old, she is still a cultural phenomenon. 

Over the years, Nancy's look has changed.

In the early books, Nancy was a sixteen year old girl. Over the years, Nancy aged to eighteen. She has stayed eighteen in the series and doesn't age.  Nancy's father, Carson Drew, is a prominent lawyer in their hometown, River Heights. She lives with her father and their housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, who plays a maternal role in place of Mrs. Drew, who died when Nancy was young. Nancy's best friends have a big part in solving the mystery. Cousins Bess Marvin and George Fayne are always by Nancy's side. Later in the series, Nancy's boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, also becomes a big part in the stories. 

Nancy is a character that all young girls can look up to. She is bold, daring, intelligent, and imperfect. She evolves over the years, becoming modern with gadgets like a cell phone and hybrid car. She solves mysteries by searching high and low for clues, talking to suspects, and sometimes getting into a little trouble.

There are over nine different series within the Nancy Drew empire, not including the crossover books with the Hardy Boys. Among the series are graphic novels and super mysteries. Since 1998, the computer company Her Interactive has made PC games based on Nancy Drew. There are twenty-nine games to date. Nancy has also made a few appearance on TV in three different shows and in one box office movie.

Nancy Drew has sparked the creation of other girl heroines in mystery books. She has bestowed the love of reading in those who have dared to open the cover.

The Village Book Exchange

Driving down Mound Road, I have passed the Village Book Exchange many times. Until, now, I had never gone inside. My latest stop was a medium sized store located on one of the busiest streets in Warren.

The Village Book Exchange was just an okay experience for me. It did not have any books fitting my taste, but it did have a lot to offer. I found the staff friendly and the atmosphere pleasant. The playing Christmas music added a cozy feeling so close to Thanksgiving. When I initially arrived, the owner greeted me enthusiastically, asking if I had visited the store before. When I said that I had not, she gave me a quick run-down of the store's basics. The main room was home to general novels, the back wall dedicated to mysteries. There was an additional room in the back for sci-fi, romance, and paranormal romance. Each of the genres had a large amount of books in the collection. I was impressed with the size of the science fiction section and the mystery section. They had a good variation in titles and authors as well as pretty popular books. The store had a big collection of Murder, She Wrote books, James Patterson books, and Star Trek books.

My biggest problem with the Village Book Exchange was that there was no children's or young adult section.  Those are the books I prefer to browse through at used book store. I do not read much adult fiction yet, so looking through those books is not as fun for me. I think that if a used book store says they have a large stock of all kinds of books, it should. If not, specify that all the store has is adult books. When I talked to the owner, she told me that their stock is based on what people bring in to trade. At the Village Book Exchange customers are allowed to bring in old books in exchange for credit towards their next purchase. The amount credited depends on the edition, condition, and popularity of the trade ins. All books bought at the store are half off the cover price, which is the price of the book when it is new. Considering that most of the books were in fairly good shape, I would say that the prices were fair. I have definitely seen better prices, though.

As I mentioned earlier, the Village Book Exchange did not have a children's section, therefore, it did not have any Nancy Drew books. I was disappointed. So, I do not have anything to report as far as Nancy Drew. This is the first store I have been to that did not have anything from the series.

I do not think that I will go back to the Village Book Exchange anytime soon. Maybe when my book tastes change, and I read adult books, I will return. Even though I had a mediocre experience, there is still a lot of books at the store that suit other readers.

John K. King Books North

With the end of the semester nearing, and my schedule getting busier, I didn't have time to drop by a book store this week. So, I am going to take this opportunity to tell about my favorite used book store of all time.

It was a sunny August day- my birthday to be exact. My parents, sister, and I piled into the car. I had no idea what our destination was. It seemed that they had planned a fun, surprise excursion. The trip was not far and we ended up on Woodward Avenue. The building before me had a towering sign that read BOOKS. My jaw dropped in awe.

Welcome to John K. King Bookstore, North.

John King is the biggest used bookstore in Michigan. It has over one million used and rare books in stock and three locations. The main location is in Detroit, in an old glove factory. The second is nearby and hold rare and art books, rather than general novels. The third location is in Ferndale, which is the store that my family and I visited.

Upon entering, I knew that I was in for a treat. I took a deep breath of the sweet smell of old books and grinned. I excitedly rushed forward to explore every inch of the store. The store had a multitude of shelves, each of which were stacked and filled to the ceiling with books. There were many genres and books of all kinds. There was a section of rare and old books, many of which were locked safely in a glass case. There was also a notably large selection of Holiday books, something that I usually do not see at book stores.

I instantly found the children's and young adult sections and immediately had a stack of books that I wanted to add to my own collection. From a friendly bookstore cat to a piled high bargain table, the store had everything I could ever ask for. The prices were low and reasonable, also. I walked away with five new books and the rest of my family made purchases as well.

The Nancy Drew collection as John King was astounding. From my memory, there was an entire book shelf full of the old yellow spined classics. There had to be at least forty of them. Many of the books were the old, 30s and 40s editions. I picked out a copy of one of my favorite Nancy Drew books, The Mystery at Lilac Inn. I was excited to add this book to my collection because it was one of the first old editions I had ever bought. I could have bought many other titles, since the store had pretty much every title of the original series, but I had to limit myself. All of the Nancy Drews were in good condition, though they also looked very loved by their previous owners. I knew I would love my own new book.

John King was a fantastic birthday experience for me. I could have spent hours and hours browsing the stacks. I cannot wait to go back and see what I find next.

The Paperback Exchange

The Paperback Exchange is a tiny store tucked away from the downtown area of Romeo. It is not on the main street, but on a back street by the police station. I trekked to the store twice. The first time, I arrived at the store just after it had closed for the day. It was quite inconvenient, I thought, that the store closed at three in the afternoon. But, I returned, braving the chilly weather and the long drive with my sister.

The store was not much bigger than the living room of my own house. It was super tiny. Opening the door, I was greeted with a burst of warmth and that familiar musty smell of old books. My eyes beheld books, books, and more books. Stacked on shelves, piled on the floor, strewn across table tops, there were books of all kinds everywhere. I found it difficult to browse, though. I was forced to move stacks around, sometimes only able to just peek at the titled spines. That experience wasn't particularly enjoyable, I felt like I missed out on seeing a lot of books. But, nevertheless, I was impressed with what I did find.

I found that a lot of the books were older. I don't mean from one hundred years ago, but classics from my childhood. There was an entire stack of Ann M. Martin's The Baby-Sitter's Club series, many of them wore their original covers. I also spotted some of the American Girl series as well as the Animal Ark series- both of which I loved when I was younger. Seeing those series was like taking a step back into the past, giving me that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

The rest of the stock at The Paperback Exchange was the usual romance and mystery genres, along with one of  the biggest science fiction sections I have seen yet. The store also has magazines, religious books (both fiction and non), and the usual strew of adult fiction. There were two large stacks of just author Jodi Picoult's novels. And I even spotted a few old copies Agatha Christie mystery novels.

The store had a bit of a Red Wing's theme to it, including posters on the wall where bookshelves were absent. The theme brought out a bit of personality among the shelves and shelves of books. Prices were fairly decent. Mostly books were under ten dollars, with the exclusion of special editions or newer novels.

The Nancy Drew books were a challenge to find. After having to sit down on the floor to look on a low shelf, I first found about few of the Nancy Drew Files. The Files series is from the '90s and is just another spin-off from the original series. It carried on through the early 2000s, with refurbished covers and was fairly successful. On the other end of the children's section, far  from the Nancy Drew Files, there were more Nancy Drew books. I found a few of the yellow spined books behind a huge stack of old Hardy Boys books. I had to move the stack to get a better look at them. I ended up with  an old copy of The Sign of the Twisted Candles, which was in pretty good shape. The others were both copies of The Secret of Shadow Ranch, a title that seems to pop up in every bookstore I have visited.

 The Paperback Exchange is a little bit of a drive for me, so I can't say if I will return or not. But, after I got over having to sift through messy piles, the store left me with a fairly good impression.

Squirreled Away Books

Armada, Michigan. This small, farm town, is often overlooked on the map. Out-of-towners visit for the summer's popular Armada Fair and again in the fall for the nearby apple orchards and haunted houses. In other seasons, Armada can be unknown to the outside world. Within this town, there lies a duty gem. One that is just waiting to be unearthed and cleaned off.

This gem that I speak of is the local bookstore, Squirreled Away Books. Of course, the natives of Armada visit Squirreled Away often. A fact that a friend of mine, who grew up in Armada, told me. But, for those who live in the suburbs and city, there is something that they are missing out on- a fantastic store.

The store carries both used and new books, as it is the only bookstore in the city. The new books are recently published, current best-sellers, available to purchase for twenty percent off of the list price. The used books are all in fairly good condition and most of the titles were familiar to me. Prices depend on condition and edition, as well as if it is paperback or hardback. Most of the books are under five dollars.

The genres featured at Squirreled Away include children's fiction, general fiction, mystery, romance, self-help, travel, spiritual/religion, philosophy, fantasy, "fang-tasy" (vampire novels), classics, and child development. A wide variety of books were available under each genre. It was clever of the owners to play off the popularity of vampire novels by creating the “fang-tasy” section. This shows that the store is in-tune with popular novels and trends. Squirreled Away really knows how to engage customers.

 

Squirreled Away is an adorable store. Sitting high on the shelves were statues, stuffed animals, and photos of squirrels of all kinds all around the store. It really played up the cute "squirreled away" theme. The store was on the smaller side, but the shelves were stacked high. The atmosphere was comfortable and small-town friendly. The owner, who was working at the time I was there, showed genuine excitement when I made a purchase. 

The Nancy Drew books proved hard to find during my visit, but after searching the stacks high and low, I eventually found them in with the children's chapter books. At least twenty of the Nancy Drew on Campus books were in stock at the store. This series features Nancy during her college years. This set of books was not as popular as the original books because the story line strayed far from the familiar characters. Some critics said that it became more of a soap opera series than a mystery series. I, personally, did not care for this series, which only lasted for twenty-five books. The other Nancy Drew books at the store belonged to the Nancy Drew Notebook series, which features Nancy and her friends in their elementary school years, solving equally elementary mysteries. (Despite that, I really like that series.)

My experience at Squirreled Away was great. I'd be quick to award this used bookstore as my favorite, so far.

Friends of the Public Library- Sterling Heights

My intentions for this blog post were to review a used book store called K’s Book Exchange. But upon reaching my destination, I found that K’s had closed recently. So, I decided to visit another public library and check out its Friends Bookstore, as I did last week with Rochester Hills and Shelby Township. This time, I visited the Sterling Heights Public Library’s Friends Bookstore.

I have been to the Sterling Heights library many times. The library itself is huge. The Friends bookstore is large, as well. In fact, it is much bigger than both the Rochester Hills and Shelby Township stores.

    

To start, the store has a cart out front with sale books. Most of them were Christmas books, on sale for twenty-five cents. Inside, there were also tables full of sale books. These books were considered “red dot” items. Anything with a red dot is fifty percent off the sale price. Shoppers can also fill a plastic grocery bag with as many books as the bag can hold and only pay three dollars. The same goes for paper grocery bags, only costing five dollars. This is a great bargain- someone could easily fill a bag with ten or so books.

The rest of the Friends store was reasonably priced as well. All books, magazines, DVDs, VHSs, and audio books were under two dollars. Stock wise, there was an impressive collection of classics, many of which sported evidently older binding. Other types of books featured were romance, humor, large print, and a rather large section of cookbooks. There were a few audio books- both on cassette and CD- which was impressive. I rarely see audio books at other used book stores. Also, there was an extensive stock of Disney movies on VHS.

A big section of the store was dedicated to young adult books. Half of them were books withdrawn from the library’s collection- older books that don’t get checked out anymore. The other half was donations- newer books with more titles that I recognized. The young adult section was spread throughout the store, so I had to hunt a little to browse through everything. But, I was impressed by what I ended up finding.

Merchandise at the store seems to move in and out quickly. While I was there, there were about ten other people in the store at the same time. The Friends volunteers run an efficient store.

I was a bit disappointed to only find a single copy of Nancy Drew at Friends. This copy, though, was one of my favorites. The Secret of Shadow Ranch was an older copy, in good condition. It sat amongst other mystery series of that era- including The Hardy Boys and The Dana Girls Mysteries (also written by Carolyn Keene).

In all, the Friends of the Sterling Heights Library had a good store. I would recommend this store to anyone looking for new titles as well as looking to help out the local library. I know that I will return in the future.

Friends of the Public Library- Shelby Township and Rochester Hills

For many years, public libraries have developed a program called “Friends of the Library”. This is a non-profit program that takes donations given to the library and sells them in the library’s “Friends Bookstore”.  Used books, movies, and music can all be donated. Those of which cannot be used for the library’s collection then ends up in the store. Withdrawn books from the library's collection are sold as well. The money made from the sales from the bookstore goes to improving the library and buying new items.

Many libraries in the area have these bookstores. Recently, I visited the Rochester Hills Library store as well as the Shelby Township library.

I like to visit the Friends bookstores because, no matter the price, the money I spend goes to helping the library. As someone who visits libraries a lot, I like to know that I can be a part of something that helps make the libraries a better place.

The fact that the stores are community based and stocked by donations, the prices of the books and other medias remain low- mostly under two dollars for hardcovers and under one dollar for paperbacks. The variety of books is always good, even if there are not a large quantity of books.

Rochester Hills Friends Bookstore:

The Rochester Hills Public Library is huge, but the Friends Bookstore is not. In fact, it is two small carts parked in the library’s lobby. When I visited, I found out that a few weeks before the library had held their annual Fall book sale. Because of that, the stock at the Friends store was little to nothing. In all, my visit to Rochester was not exciting, but I will keep my eyes open for their next seasonal sale and hope for better luck then.

Shelby Township Friends Bookstore:

The Shelby Township Public Library’s Friends Bookstore is bigger than Rochester’s. At this library, the Friends store has its own room within the library. It is only a few shelves, but the stock is fairly decent.

The store has a few tables outside the actual store that holds sale items. These items are usually CDs and books bundled together by series or author. The store also has a Free Item table, where books are placed if they don’t sell after being on the shelves for a while.

Mystery and Romance genres are popular at the store, but there is also a large section of classic books as well. The children’s section was also large, mainly supplied with picture books.

Among the children’s section was the Nancy Drew series. There were 5 books total, more than I expected to find at the Friends store. Three of them were Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Mysteries. I have been pleased to find the dual mysteries again at a used store. These along with the other two- Nancy Drew Case Files- are series that I usually only see among selections available to check out at libraries. I hardly ever see them for purchase, until now.

So, while the Rochester Hills store had little to offer, the Shelby Township made up for that disappointment. I was able to walk away with a few new books without spending much money, which is always a plus.

Downtown Booksellers

Downtown Bookseller's, located on University Road in downtown Rochester, is a store that I stumbled upon by chance. While walking around downtown Rochester, I spotted the Used Books sign from a distance away and practically ran towards the store.

Downtown's was, of course, filled with books, as most used book stores are. The store features old, new, and rare books. To me, what set the store apart from others was its vast collection of old books. And these books weren't just old, they were late 1800s/early 1900s old. Most of them were history collections, like war volumes and encyclopedia sets, but the amount of old books was astounding. There were also old editions of classics- like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens novels. Downtown's also featured a big section of just poetry books- both old and new books.

While the classic and rare book shelves were filled to the brim, the general fiction sections- divided into hardcover and paperback categories- were full as well. There was a decent variety- even the entire series of James Bond books as well as the entire Alex Cross series. Other featured genres that I rarely see at used book stores included religion, sports, and celebrity memoirs. The store also had a combined children's and teen's section, which was small.

The atmosphere of Downtown’s was pleasant. Quiet, classical music- which seems to be the popular background music of used book stores- allowed for peaceful browsing. The service was kind and helpful. Prices were not listed on all the books, so most had to be inquired upon. The prices that were listed varied on the condition and rarity of the book, though many were on the expensive side for used books. The store did offer sale prices on some series that had all or most of the books.

On to Nancy Drew, the books featured at Downtown's were the classics. There were about 20 books from the original series. Many of them were from early in the series; two of them had unique covers that I have not seen before. These covers- which were plain blue with an orange silhouette of Nancy- were from the books published between 1932 and 1937. The insides of these editions also feature four pages of glossy hand drawn illustrations that depict certain scenes from the story. The editions available at Downtown's were missing their dust jackets. So while they were not as valuable as those with dust jackets, they were still an interesting find.

Nancy Drew is well known for going hand-in-hand with the Hardy Boys- the boy detectives to Nancy's girl detective. Downtown's held a large stock of Franklin W. Dixon's The Hardy Boys series. This included copies from the original publishing date-1927.

Downtown Bookseller’s was a pleasant surprise to find. It is conveniently located close by and easy to visit while on the run to other places. While the selection at Downtown’s was unique, I did not find any books that were worth adding to my collection. There is, though, a chance that I will return to Downtown Booksellers sometime in the future.

Charlin's Book Nook

Charlin's Book Nook, a small shop in Frankenmuth, was among one of the most exciting used book store trips I've had. I visited in the summer, but the store is worth an honorable mention now. On my first trip there, I found a British edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. So, when I returned to Frankenmuth in the summer, I made a special trip to Charlin’s. The store is located in downtown Frankenmuth's River Place, a great stop on a bigger shopping trip.

Charlin's is relatively small, but the selection is good. The shelves are many- stacked high and full of countless books. The majority of the books were no older fifteen years, but there were a few old ones if you looked hard enough. Genre wise, there was a good variety, appealing to most reading interests. There were the usual genres, along with a rather large children’s and young adult’s section. In fact, these two sections were in a small room of their own- separate from the rest of the store. Prices depend on the condition of the book, how new or old it is, and if it’s rare or not. For the most part, the books ranged between a reasonable two to ten dollars.

I liked that the store featured a small area for browsers to sit and read. There were a few comfortable chairs, an electric fireplace, and a babbling fountain. Charlin's was peaceful- perfect for a used book store. Not only could I get lost in the stacks, but I could take a seat and read a little, something that I find helps me decide which books to buy.

Nancy's Mysterious Letter copyright 1932

When I came across the Nancy Drew selection, I was shocked. The number of Nancy Drew books was enormous. There had to at least have been twenty-five books, if not more. There were a few recently published copies, but the majority of them were older books- from the original Girl Detective Series. There was a mix of the old and new yellow books; both the early published editions and the re-published editions from the 2000s. My excitement came upon my finding of a Nancy Drew book that had been published in the 1930s. I found Nancy's Mysterious Letter which was published in 1932 for the first time. One of these copies is not necessarily rare, as some old books are, but I was excited to be able to add an early edition onto my list of found books. The second book that I found was The Secret in the Old Attic which was published in 1944, also the original publishing date, though book came later in the series. Both of these books are now members of my own personal collection.

It’s a sure fact that when I go back to Frankenmuth, I will visit Charlin’s again. I had a great and exciting experience there, finding the two Nancy Drew books. I am very excited to see what I will find on the shelves next.

Barnes & Noble Sale Annex

I have visited the used book section of Rochester's Barnes and Noble many times, but it is such a great place that I couldn't resist writing about it. Not many Barnes and Noble stores have a used book section- in fact, the Rochester location is the only one in my area that I know of. The Sale Annex is a large area in the even larger store. Whenever I get the chance to visit, I am always astounded by the vast selection and the fact that my arms always end up filled with more books than I can afford.

The used section of the store is set up the same as the rest of the store. Organized by category, alphabetical order, etc. The only difference is that all the books are used rather than new, obviously. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the store give customers the opportunity to sell their used books back to the store. A unique aspect of used books as opposed to the usual "trade in" that smaller stores offer. With this practice, the store has the chance to swap out books more often. When I visit, I always notice that the stock is different from the last time.

Each of the sections are large and well stocked. I was pleased to see a good variety of books during this visit, including graphic novels. The store even features special edition and collectible used books. Some of these are even signed by the author. Many of the paperback books are priced at five dollars, with the exception of shorter children's chapter books, which are either one or three dollars. Hardcover books are between seven and ten dollars. Though prices are on the expensive side for used books, there are tables in the middle of the used book section that sell books at fifty percent off.


Twenty six was the magic number of Nancy Drew books at the Sale Annex. The store has the first eight books of the Nancy Drew Girl Detective books. This series is the newest and is currently still published. There were also three copies of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Mysteries- which I love. The team ups between the savvy sleuth and the detective brothers are always good for a humorous, yet fantastic mystery.

Though I didn't buy anything on this trip to the Barnes and Noble Sale Annex, you can guarantee that I will return to browse again.

BYOB - Bring Your Old Books

BYOB- it's not what you think. In this case, it stands for Bring Your Old Books. This store offers buying, trading, and selling of used books. BYOB, located in Shelby Township, is more than one would expect from a typical used book store.

At first glance, BYOB is a typical book store. Neat rows of shelves lined with books, a quiet atmosphere for browsing, signs promoting book trades. But then you look to the right. Comic book galore. That's right, BYOB also sells comic books and related paraphernalia. That part of the store alone was enough to release my inner geek, but along with the great selection of books, going to BYOB was a stellar experience.

Selection wise, BYOB has books that I don't see in every store. The books were in great condition- even the ones with older publishing dates. The children and young adult books were together, neatly alphabetized. From a large collection of Harry Potter to old Judy Blume novels, I could have spent hours in just that section. BYOB also had the entire Series of Unfortunate Events novels, tied together with a ribbon- part of their package sales.

The other books were categorized by genre- horror, romance, self-help, etc. I was impressed by their religious section, a fairly large mix of bibles, which something you don't see in many used book stores. The selection was not dominated by popular romance novels, nor was it overflowing with used James Patterson books, the norm of other stores. I got to see unusual titles, like a series of James Bond books and a section devoted to dream interpretation. The graphic novel section held many Marvel and DC comics, as well as Manga and The Walking Dead series.

Prices at the store were affordable. Books ranged anywhere from one dollar to five. If you bring a book to trade, it is one dollar off the price of another book. The store also allows patron to keep trade-in credits.

BYOB had a few Nancy Drew novels, including a few eighty page Nancy Drew Notebooks. Among the usual yellow-spined reprints, I found a reprint of The Bungalow Mystery. This copy was part of a short lived arc of special books reprinted in 1991 with the original covers. The Bungalow Mystery reprint featured a few pages of special artwork from the original artist, as well as a brief history of Nancy Drew withing the first few pages. In my opinion, this book was a great find.

The entire back of the store held messy stacks of yet-to-be shelved books. I'm certain that when I return to BYOB I'll see many new books upon the shelves.

Books Connection

My first stop was Books Connection, located in Shelby Township. Books Connection is a humble little store with a unique take on used books. This store offers patrons the opportunity to bring in their own used books in exchange for a reduced price on a book that they purchase. Prices are 40% off the list price and 60% off if you bring in a trade book.

     
Upon entering the store I was greeted with warmth and welcome. Classical music played softly through the speakers, easing me into comfort- which I always seem to find among books- as I began to browse the stacks. The shelves of Books Connection are close together and filled with books. When browsing, I like to always start with the children’s books and work my way around the store. In this case, the children’s section was located on the bottommost shelves throughout the store. The selection was decent. I spotted many familiar titles and authors.

     
From there I found the young adult books- a section smaller than the children’s- with a fair selection. Bigger selections were home to genres such as mysteries, sci-fi, and classics. There were even many, many copies of Cliff Notes, along with books by local authors.

     
The biggest section, by far, was romance, taking up multiple isles from floor to ceiling. Anyone who is a big romance novel reader should check out Books Connection.

     
Fiction was not the sole classification, though. Non-fiction books and magazines were available as well.

     
Books Connection carried both old and new books. Popular best sellers are available at a reduced price. They also offer the ability to order books that aren’t on the shelves.

     
The store had a great atmosphere. It was friendly and cozy. The hour I spent in the store flew by without my notice.

     
In terms of my sleuthing progress, Books Connections was home to five copies of Nancy Drew. Three were from the classic series, but printed in 2000. One was from the 1986 The Nancy Drew Files and the other from 2003’s Girl Detective series. They were each titles that I was familiar with, but I was not inclined to purchase any of the five.

     
Books Connection holds great potential and I look forward to visiting again to see if the selection grows.

The Secondhand Sleuth

Secondhand Sleuth here and I’m on the case to hunt down used books. I’m ready to track down what I deem valuable in abundances of old novels and stories. Stick with me to crack the case as I solve the mystery of the best used book stores in the metro-Detroit area.

There is something about an old, beat-up, dog-eared book that has more value than an expensive, brand new novel. Browsing through a used bookstore is a mystery. You never know what forgotten book will show up on the shelf next. It may be an early edition of a treasured classic or simply a beloved childhood favorite.

Ever since I was young, I have been an avid reader.  I can easily get lost in the twisting plot of a novel. The words on a page have the ability to draw me in to the magic of the story. Devouring stories was my favorite way to pass the time. As I get older, my search for a good read grows, as does my collection of books. Most recently, the newest additions to my collection are, in fact, old.

The world of used books is very exciting. I intend to dive into this world with enthusiasm and passion. Not only will I browse through the stacks, I will give my honest overall rating of the store. I will base my rating on experience, stock, and bargains. The best book store visit will end with me walking away with a new read. A review is not the only thing I will provide, though. I will record all my exciting adventures in the shelves- the books I find and the people I meet.

On my quest, I will sleuth for any and every edition of the Nancy Drew series, by Carolyn Keene. Nancy Drew is one of my all-time favorite characters. The savvy detective has always sparked my interest and now it is my turn to be the sleuth. The series was first published in the 1930’s and has been in circulation ever since. Over 80 million different copies and editions have been printed and sold over the years. Multiple spin-off series, as well as movies and computer games, has kept Nancy and her mysteries relevant and thrilling. With this said, the original, yellow-spined books are a prize to come across. I hope to find old, new, and in-between copies to add to my growing collection about the girl detective.

Used book stores hold excitement and adventure in every turn of the page. After all, books hold some of the most important clues to life.

In the words of Virginia Woolf, “Second hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack.”

Wish me Happy Sleuthing!