Nancy Drew: Girl Detective

Searching for some fun details or a bit of drama to slip into your next fictional piece? Well, pull out the spy glass and consider…

Nancy Drew—Girl Detective.

Nancy debuted on the pages of The Secret of the Old Clock in 1930. Prone to stumbling upon suspicious happenings and endowed with a knack for unraveling the mysteries surrounding them.

Nancy leaped into the hearts and dreams of many young girls. Bess and George, Nancy’s best female friends, tagged along, often to keep their friend out of trouble. The trios’ boyfriends, Ned, Dave and Bert, embraced their supporting roles of protectors, but only as needed. Because, of course, Nancy was the bold and courageous leader of this clean-cut band of teens.

What a popular character!

And that’s what she was. A character…in a book. Not a real person, though Carolyn Keene does a wonderful job crafting Nancy’s personality so that she becomes very real to readers.

Nancy also radiates her own aura of mystery.

• Nancy’s creator, Edward Stratemeyer, is not the author of the plethora of books which titles begin: The Case of ________.

• The ascribed author of these books, Carolyn Keene, is no more real than Nancy Drew. The name is a pseudonym appearing on the front cover no matter who might be the ghostwriter.

The ghostwriters received ideas and followed outlines from Mr. Stratemeyer, editors, publishers or whoever held rights to Nancy Drew at the time, and then anonymously penned the girl detective’s adventures. In Nancy’s case, the ghostwriters’ imaginations influenced many of the controversial character updates that occurred over her lifetime. Yet, despite their contributions, ghostwriters fell prey to common industry contracts that included maintaining anonymity and surrendering rights to their work product.

• Nancy keeps fans guessing. Over the decades, her persona, appearance, and habits underwent alterations to better reflect the era in which each book, film or TV drama was written.

Early Nancy Drew (1930 to late 1950) was likened to a super-hero:

Independent, confident, talented, innovative, and fearless, yet sparkling with kindness as she seeks to help people in trouble.

In the year 1959 Nancy became more gentle, less tomboyish and exhibited greater respect of the men around her.

By 1985, Nancy graduated from solving petty offenses and elementary intrigue and tackled more serious crimes such as espionage and murder…and sought more romance in her life.

Thereafter, Nancy’s passions seemed more important than the mystery, which helped build the bridge to the year 2005 when the first graphic novel, The Demon of River Heights (2005/2014) arrived on the scene.

Nancy’s metamorphoses, no matter when introduced, extracted differing opinions by authors, editors, and readers.

• Which Nancy Drew will show up in the book, film, comics, or video game at hand?

Will one find sweet, wholesome Nancy, sleuth at work? Or will one discover the new Nancy, promiscuous and focused more on romance than mystery? Will she be 16 or 18? Driving a roadster, a convertible or hybrid? (All blue, of course.) Using a cell phone? The girl-next-door wardrobe or something more seductive? What shade of blonde or red hair? Will Bess and George still be her chums? What role will Ned have?  

Notwithstanding the drama stalking Nancy Drew, enthusiasts don’t really care who gave her life or who wrote her adventures or what color her hair is today—it only matters that Nancy’s star shines at the end.

Writers of historical or contemporary fiction might find a place for Nancy Drew in their own works:

The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears (1993) lands under the Christmas tree, an antsy child waits for the newest release to arrive at the store, or searches shelves (stores or home) for an unread book.

An adult character confesses Nancy Drew influenced their decision to enter law enforcement.

• Tension-riddled issues surrounding Nancy could include: the child whose birthday wish is to meet Carolyn Keene; mother and daughter watching a provocative film/television production; the dismay of a parent who discovers the portrayal of Nancy in the book just purchased for her child isn’t the same as the girl detective she grew up with.

There she is! Nancy Drew—Girl Detective

An icon wrapped in mystery, waiting to leap onto the pages of a writer’s next venture. Don’t miss out! The opportunities are as many as there are books entitled The Case of ________.

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.