Mystery is the order of the day with Nancy Drew. It is certainly no mystery, however, how her exploits have thrilled millions of readers for almost 70 years.

My mother encouraged me to read the Nancy Drew books in my early childhood. She often told me that she saw the original Nancy Drew movies that were made in the late 1930's.

In 1958 my family moved, and I bought three Nancy Drew books to read during the trip to our new home. "The Sign of the Twisted Candles" was among them, and I think "The Secret of the Old Clock" was, too. These were the original versions, before the books were completely revised in 1959. Carolyn Keene was the author, and I chose the books according to the most enticing titles. "The Hidden Staircase", "The Haunted Bridge", "The Secret of Red Gate Farm", "The Mystery at Lilac Inn", "The Ghost of Blackwood Hall", "The Clue in the Old Album" were titles I couldn't resist. The illustrations on the covers added icing to the cake. I read the books with anticipatory enthusiasm, not knowing quite what to expect. The vocabulary was intriguing, as Nancy spoke perfect English. Her car, a dark blue roadster, was often referred to as a "machine".

The first story, "The Secret of the Old Clock", was actually written in 1929. The next two books, "The Hidden Staircase", and "The Bungalow Mystery", respectively, made up the three-book "breeder" set, appearing in the spring of 1930. The original blue books consisted of 25 chapters, and approximately 218 pages. Nancy, then at 16 years of age, resembled movie star Betty Grable. In the 1930's and 1940's she was exquisitely dressed {often in red, white, and blue}, in hats, gloves, dressy "frocks", and high heels. Thus attired, she explored watery caves, inspected musty attics, searched underground tunnels and haunted houses, chased and captured criminals. She did all this with the grace and beauty of a blonde Hedy Lamarr.

Her cohorts in "sleuthing" included chum Helen Corning. Nancy's best friends were "tomboy" George Fayne and her cousin blonde, ultra-feminine Bess Marvin, who were with Nancy in most of these mysteries. Nancy's dad was famed criminal lawyer Carson Drew. Housekeeper Hannah Gruen epitomized the faithful maid in the Drew house of mystery.

In 1959 the books were totally updated and made "squeaky-clean", and condensed. The original Nancy Drew stories were grittier, harsher, and somewhat rougher, especially in the depiction of the criminals. They were exceptionally vicious and mean, and ultimately brought to justice in each case. The 1930's and 1940's set the perfect tone for mysteries. Quaint, old-fashioned Victorian houses were prime habitats for ghosts. Cars then had running boards and crank starters. Nancy's zippy car in her hometown of River Heights was a snappy roadster, not a modern Subaru.

She and her chums had "luncheon" in charming inns and tearooms {no fast food here}. They ate dainty cakes and drank tea from cups with hand-painted periwinkles. This most feminine setting was rudely intruded upon with the dark, sinister aspects of the criminal element. Nancy captured jewel thieves, found lost valuable items, located and reunited missing persons, exposed gangs of counterfeiters, and much more. Cliff-hanger aspects had her locked in rooms, captured by nasty personages, run off the road in classic car chases, caught in terrifying thunderstorms, falling down flights of stairs, spying on wrong-doers, searching for truth to the delight of us who love adventure and mystery.

Investigate the Nancy Drew Mystery stories for yourself and enjoy the BEST in mystery. The books of the 1930's and 1940's represent the finest. They were superbly written, and the beautiful dustjackets done by artist Russell Havilland Tandy were timeless.

Check out the Nancy Drew question in the Trivia Quiz.

Nancy Drew books are splendid reading with cinnamon toast and tea!!!

Nostalgically,

Stephanie