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Nancy Drew: The Teenage Sleuth Turns 80

"The Secret of the Old Clock" 1930 edition cover illustrated by Russell Tandy (left). New 80th anniversary limited edition cover (right).

"The Secret of the Old Clock" 1930 edition cover illustrated by Russell Tandy (left). New 80th anniversary limited edition cover (right).

The world’s most famous girl detective turned 80 last week. The Nancy Drew series, beloved by generations of young girls, debuted on April 28, 1930 with three adventures The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase and The Bungalow Mystery. These would be the first in a series of over 300 books written by numerous writers under the pen name Carolyn Keene. The constant throughout the books was Nancy’s perky, brave and inquisitive character. At the dawn of the series, Nancy was a uniquely independent and capable female lead, and some of today’s most powerful women, including Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, have named her as an early role model. In an interview with USA Today, Melanie Rehak, author of Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her (Mariner Books, 384pgs) explains the character’s lasting popularity. “The writing was formulaic, the plot twists implausible, but it’s Nancy Drew herself, ‘daring, intelligent, with tons of initiative,’ who continues to appeal to young readers,” she says.

Nancy Drew has gone through several changes over the years. In 1959, the original books were updated and offensive racial stereotypes were removed. “I remember reading older copies and being shocked by the blatantly racist portrayal of minorities (who were, of course, the cleaning people, drivers, etc.),” writes Catherine Garcia in an article for Entertainment Weekly. The latest books are more politically correct, and depict Nancy as thoroughly modern teen, cellphone in hand, solving mysteries related to environmental issues. To celebrate the young sleuth’s 80th anniversary, publisher Grosset & Dunlap has issued a limited edition of Nancy’s first adventure The Secret of the Old Clock. The newly designed cover is clean and modern with a retro influence, and depicts the iconic girl detective in silhouette, holding a magnifying glass.

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