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.