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Nancy Drew Books In Order

Updated on September 23, 2014
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Read Nancy Drew Books In Order ... Or Not: It's Your Choice

I don't know about you, but I loved Nancy Drew mysteries when I was a kid. I read Nancy Drew books in order from start to finish. Nancy was a smart, resourceful and clever girl and was always solving crimes, sometimes with her friends.

Nancy Drew survived many scary situations while solving those mysteries. I remember staying up way past my bedtime to see what would happen next--dang those cliff-hanger chapter endings! But she always won out at the end of the day, and it was thrilling to tag along with her on all of those adventures.

There's actually no need to read Nancy Drew books in order, but that's just how I did it. And you still can and then some. These days, Nancy Drew has far more opportunities for adventure than just those yellow-spined novels I had growing up. She's branched out into graphic novels, had several additional series targeted toward older kids (romance over mystery, boo!) and a cute series that takes Nancy back to third grade.

Some of these books are still in print, while others are more difficult to find. But there's a Nancy Drew book for just about everyone these days!


Did You Read Nancy Drew Books in Order? - And do you think it matters at all? (You can use the comments section to answer this part after you take the poll.)

I just like to read book series in order if at all possible, even if it really doesn't matter. With Nancy Drew mysteries, even if you read them out of order or even backwards, you'll still know what's going on and who Nancy Drew is. Each Nancy Drew mystery can stand on its own. Still, I enjoyed reading the first book then second and the third and so on ... and on ... and on.

What about you?

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Nancy Drew Mystery Stories

Can't beat the classics!

About The Original Nancy Drew Series

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories in order

The Nancy Drew series was created by a man named Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate book packaging firm, also responsible for the Hardy Boys series, the various Tom Swift series, the Bobbsey Twins, the Rover Boys, and others.

There were 56 titles in the original Nancy Drew Mystery Stories hardcover series (seemed like more!) all published between 1930 and 1979 and written by various people, including Stratemeyer's daughter, Harriet, and syndicate writer Mildred Wirt Benson, all under the single pen name Carolyn Keene

In 1979, the publisher began issuing the books in paperback and later added volumes 57-64. Continuing this series, the Digest sized paperback books were published by Simon & Schuster all the way up through the last digest--#175, Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland.

The complete list of Nancy Drew books in order of publication is available on Wikipedia if you need to double-check your collection.

Classic Nancy Drew Revised

From 1959 until 1978, the first 34 Nancy Drew mysteries were revised by the Stratemeyer Syndicate, who removed stereotypes, outdated language, and updated the stories, shortening them from 25 chapters and 200 or more pages to 20 chapters and about 180 pages. Apparently, the shorter books were geared more toward "modern readers."

Nancy Drew  in order
Nancy Drew in order | Source

The Book That Started It All - "Nancy Drew and the Secret of the Old Clock"

The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, Book 1)
The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, Book 1)
The first ever Nancy Drew mystery now has a different cover, and this more recent version has an introduction by author Sara Paretsky, creator of female private eye, V I Warshawski -- someone today's young readers have probably never heard of. Odd choice, actually. But this newer version of the first Nancy Drew mystery is still the same great story of Nancy tracking down the clock in order to find the real will.
 

The first chapter of Nancy Drew first ever book

Get Started Reading Nancy Drew Books In Order With These Sets - A great way to save on the first Nancy Drew books....

If like me you prefer the classics and want your daughter to discover Nancy Drew, check these box sets:

Nancy Drew Complete Series Set, Books 1-64
Nancy Drew Complete Series Set, Books 1-64
The First 64 Classic Nancy Drew Books. Want to read all of the original Nancy Drew books in order like I did, from start to finish, before moving on to the digest series? You can own them all in a complete set. Maybe you're buying the set for your own child, but there's nothing stopping you from re-reading them all yourself.
 

List Of Nancy Drew Books In Order

Spin off series are not included in the list (but keep reading if you want to read the spin off books in order)

1 The Secret of the Old Clock

2 The Hidden Staircase

3 The Bungalow Mystery

4 The Mystery at Lilac Inn

5 The Secret of Shadow Ranch

6 The Secret of Red Gate Farm

7 The Clue in the Diary

8 Nancy's Mysterious Letter

9 The Sign of the Twisted Candles

10 The Password to Larkspur Lane

11 The Clue of the Broken Locket

12 The Message in the Hollow Oak

13 The Mystery of the Ivory Charm

14 The Whispering Statue

15 The Haunted Bridge

16 The Clue of the Tapping Heels

17 The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk

18 The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion

19 The Quest of the Missing Map

20 The Clue in the Jewel Box

21 The Secret in the Old Attic

22 The Clue in the Crumbling Wall

23 The Mystery of the Tolling Bell

24 The Clue in the Old Album

25 The Ghost of Blackwood Hall

26 The Clue of the Leaning Chimney

27 The Secret of the Wooden Lady

28 The Clue of the Black Keys

29 The Mystery at the Ski Jump

30 The Clue of the Velvet Mask

31 The Ringmaster's Secret

32 The Scarlet Slipper Mystery

33 The Witch Tree Symbol

34 The Hidden Window Mystery

35 The Haunted Showboat

36 The Secret of the Golden Pavilion

37 The Clue in the Old Stagecoach

38 The Mystery of the Fire Dragon

39 The Clue of the Dancing Puppet

40 The Moonstone Castle Mystery

41 The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes

42 The Phantom of Pine Hill

43 The Mystery of the 99 Steps

44 The Clue in the Crossword Cipher

45 The Spider Sapphire Mystery

46 The Invisible Intruder 1969

47 The Mysterious Mannequin

48 The Crooked Banister 1971

49 The Secret of Mirror Bay

50 The Double Jinx Mystery

51 Mystery of the Glowing Eye

52 The Secret of the Forgotten City

53 The Sky Phantom

54 The Strange Message in the Parchment

55 Mystery of Crocodile Island

56 The Thirteenth Pearl

57 The Triple Hoax

58 The Flying Saucer Mystery

59 The Secret in the Old Lace

60 The Greek Symbol Mystery

61 The Swami's Ring

62 The Kachina Doll Mystery

63 The Twin Dilemma

64 Captive Witness

65 Mystery of the Winged Lion

66 Race Against Time

67 The Sinister Omen

68 The Elusive Heiress

69 Clue in the Ancient Disguise

70 The Broken Anchor

71 The Silver Cobweb

72 The Haunted Carousel

73 Enemy Match

74 The Mysterious Image

75 The Emerald-Eyed Cat Mystery

76 The Eskimo's Secret

77 The Bluebeard Room

78 The Phantom of Venice

79 The Double Horror of Fenley Place

80 The Case of the Disappearing Diamonds

81 The Mardi Gras Mystery

82 The Clue in the Camera

83 The Case of the Vanishing Veil

84 The Joker's Revenge

85 The Secret of Shady Glen

86 The Mystery of Misty Canyon

87 The Case of the Rising Stars

88 The Search for Cindy Austin

89 The Case of the Disappearing Deejay

90 The Puzzle at Pineview School

91 The Girl Who Couldn't Remember

92 The Ghost of Craven Cove

93 The Case of the Safecracker's Secret

94 The Picture-Perfect Mystery

95 The Silent Suspect

96 The Case of the Photo Finish

97 The Mystery of Magnolia Mansion

98 The Haunting of Horse Island

99 The Secret at Seven Rocks

100 A Secret in Time

101 The Mystery of the Missing Millionairess

102 The Secret in the Dark

103 The Stranger in the Shadows

104 The Mystery of the Jade Tiger

105 The Clue in the Antique Trunk

106 The Case of the Artful Crime

107 The Legend of Miner's Creek

108 The Secret of the Tibetan Treasure

109 The Mystery of the Masked Rider

110 The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery

111 The Secret at Solaire

112 Crime in the Queen's Court

113 The Secret Lost at Sea

114 The Search for the Silver Persian

115 The Suspect in the Smoke

116 The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears

117 Mystery on the Menu

118 Trouble At Lake Tahoe

119 The Mystery of the Missing Mascot

120 The Case of the Floating Crime

121 The Fortune Teller's Secret

122 The Message in the Haunted Mansion

123 The Clue on the Silver Screen

124 The Secret of the Scarlet Hand

125 The Teen Model Mystery

126 The Riddle in the Rare Book

127 The Case of the Dangerous Solution

128 The Treasure in the Royal Tower

129 The Baby-Sitter Burglaries

130 The Sign of the Falcon

131 The Hidden Inheritance

132 The Fox Hunt Mystery

133 The Mystery at the Crystal Palace

134 The Secret of the Forgotten Cave

135 The Riddle of the Ruby Gazelle

136 The Wedding Day Mystery

137 In Search of the Black Rose

138 The Legend of the Lost Gold

139 The Secret of Candlelight Inn

140 The Door-to-Door Deception

141 The Wild Cat Crime

142 The Case of Capital Intrigue

143 Mystery on Maui

144 The E-mail Mystery

145 The Missing Horse Mystery

146 The Ghost of the Lantern Lady

147 The Case of the Captured Queen

148 On the Trail of Trouble

149 The Clue of the Gold Doubloons

150 Mystery at Moorsea Manor

151 The Chocolate-Covered Contest

152 The Key in the Satin Pocket

153 Whispers In the Fog

154 The Legend of the Emerald Lady

155 The Mystery in Tornado Alley

156 The Secret in the Stars

157 The Music Festival Mystery

158 The Curse of the Black Cat

159 The Secret of the Fiery Chamber

160 The Clue on the Crystal Dove

161 Lost in the Everglades

162 The Case of the Lost Song

163 The Clues Challenge

164 The Mystery of the Mother Wolf

165 The Crime Lab Case

166 The Case of the Creative Crime

167 Mystery By Moonlight

168 The Bike Tour Mystery

169 The Mistletoe Mystery

170 No Strings Attached

171 Intrigue at the Grand Opera

172 The Riding Club Crime

173 Danger on the Great Lakes

174 A Taste of Danger

175 Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland

Nancy Drew: Girl Detective

A new take on our favorite young sleuth

Read Nancy Drew Books (in Order) from the Girl Detective Series - The first 2 books

This new series featuring Nancy Drew picks up where the paperback digest series left off at volume 175, starting over with volume 1, Without a Trace. And now the series is written in first person--in Nancy's voice.

She still drives a blue car, but now it's a hybrid. (Yay, Nancy Drew is going green!) And she's got all the new modern toys, like a cell phone.

But these newer books try to remain true to the old Nancy Drew spirit. Do you think they're succeeding?

Nancy Drew and The Clue Crew

Mysteries for the younger set

Check Out a Young Nancy Drew - Introducing the Clue Crew

This is a really cute idea in my book. Nancy is back in the third grade, where she's solving mysteries - just not quite as complicated or dangerous as the originals. This concept started back in 1994 with the Nancy Drew Notebooks, then was repackaged as the Clue Crew in 2006.

The Nancy Drew Notebooks - The first title that started this series....

Nancy Drew Graphic Novels

Nancy like you've never seen her before!

Nancy Drew Gets the Graphic Novel Treatment - A great way to introduce an ambivalent reader to Nancy

Nancy Drew for Older Teens

An attempt to draw in older readers

Tweaks and Twists to Attract a Teen Audience - Nancy Drew with a romantic slant

I have to admit I've never read any of these titles. But if you're collecting or just want to see what these Nancy Drew stories are all about, here you go....

The Nancy Drew Files and Nancy Drew On Campus were both attempts to target older teens and brought in more romance than adventure. Covers depicted a saucy Nancy, always with a boy.

Check out some of those prices on new and used books. If you have any of these in a closet or box or attic, you might want to reconsider keeping them!

Books About Nancy Drew

See what's written about our favorite detective....

See what's written about our favorite detective - The character, the culture, the phenomeon

Nancy Drew's Guide To Life
Nancy Drew's Guide To Life
Practical tips and advises gleaned from the series
 
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