Girl Sleuth Nancy Drew & the Women Who Created Her

2006 Edgar Award for Best Critical/Biographical

"Packed with revealing anecdotes, Rehak's meticulously researched account...will delight fans of the beloved gumshoe whose gumption guaranteed that every reprobate got his due." Booklist (Starred Review)

"A breezy social history." Kirkus Reviews

"As a literary biography, Girl Sleuth is necessarily tangled, since the Nancy Drew mysteries...had numerous parents. But Rehak does a terrific job of bringing to life the writers and editors who constituted Carolyn Keene, the pseudonymous author of the series." Kate Arthur, The New York Times Book Review

"In her evenhanded, readable book, Rehak does a good job of exploring the class tensions between the two creators....[A]n enjoyable, thorough piece of detective work. It would earn a nod of approval from Nancy Drew herself." Cleveland Plain Dealer

"In this well-researched and fluidly paced book, Rehak delivers a complex interweaving of the writers' biographies with the context of their times....Rehak writes with gusto and intelligence....Nancy would be so proud." Chicago Tribune

"Melanie Rehak unspools the fascinating story of how Nancy came to be....[A]bsorbing and delightful..." Wall Street Journal

"Whatever becomes of [Nancy's] future...Rehak has given her past its due in this vivid, unpretentious and sympathetic history." Newsday

"Rehak sheds light on perhaps the most successful writing franchise of all time and also the cultural and historic changes through which it passed. Grab your flashlights, girls. The mystery of Carolyn Keene is about to begin." Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club

"Girl Sleuth is meticulously researched, elegantly written, and riveting. Melanie Rehak juxtaposes teen sleuth Nancy Drew's omnipotence with the all-too-real struggles of her creators." Susan Kandel, author of Not a Girl Detective

"And now, for Nancy Drew fanciers old and young, comes Melanie Rehak's Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her. With her first sentence ('Grab your magnifying glass, because this is a mystery story') Rehak shows she has a finger on the pulse of the faithful. A proper sleuth for grown-up girls, Rehak — in prose steely, lovely, and precise — explores why Nancy Drew has remained so popular since her arrival, in 1930, and answers the question: Who was the mysterious Carolyn Keene?" Sandra Tsing Loh, the Atlantic Monthly (read the entire Atlantic Monthly review

A plucky "titian-haired" sleuth solved her first mystery in 1930. Eighty million books later, Nancy Drew has survived the Depression, World War II, and the sixties (when she was taken up with a vengeance by women's libbers) to enter the pantheon of American girlhood. As beloved by girls today as she was by their grandmothers, Nancy Drew has both inspired and reflected the changes in her readers' lives. Now, in a narrative with all the vivid energy and page-turning pace of Nancy's adventures, Melanie Rehak solves an enduring literary mystery: Who created Nancy Drew? And how did she go from pulp heroine to icon?

The brainchild of children's book mogul Edward Stratemeyer, Nancy was brought to life by two women: Mildred Wirt Benson, a pioneering journalist from Iowa, and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, a well-bred wife and mother who took over as CEO after her father died. In a century-spanning story Rehak traces their roles — and Nancy's — in forging the modern American woman. With ebullience, wit, and a wealth of little-known source material, Rehak celebrates our unstoppable girl detective.

The brainchild of children's book mogul Edward Stratemeyer, Nancy Drew was brought to life by two women. In a century-spanning story, Rehak traces their roles — and Nancy's — in forging the modern American woman.

In 1930 a plucky girl detective stepped out of her shiny blue roadster, dressed in a smart tweed suit, ready to restore a stolen inheritance to its rightful owner. Tied up by the villains, she managed to free herself and bring them to justice - all while wearing a pencil skirt and high heels. Eighty million books later, Nancy Drew has survived the Depression, World War II, and the sixties (when she was taken up with a vengeance by women's libbers), and emerged as beloved by girls today as she was by their grandmothers. Now, in a narrative with all the fast-paced thrill of one of Nancy's adventures, Melanie Rehak solves a page-turning literary mystery: Who created Nancy Drew? And how did she go from pulp heroine to American icon?

With ebullience, wit, and a wealth of little-known source material, Rehak weaves a behind-the-scenes history of Nancy and her groundbreaking creators. Taking us from The Secret of the Old Clock to The Secret of the Spa, Rehak tells all about our fearless sleuth - including the fact that both Nancy and her "author," Carolyn Keene, were invented by Edward Stratemeyer, a dime-novel genius who also created the Bobbsey Twins and the Hardy Boys. But Nancy Drew was actually brought to life by two remarkable women: original author Mildred Wirt Benson, a convention-flouting Midwestern journalist, and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, a wife and mother who transformed herself into a CEO to run her father's company after he died. Together, Benson and Adams created a character that has inspired generations of girls to be as strong-willed and as bold as they were.

Melanie Rehak will send you back to your old Nancy Drews -- but thanks to GIRL SLEUTH you'll never read them the same way again.

THE FIRST BEHIND-THE-SCENES HISTORY OF THE BELOVED GIRL DETECTIVE

"Through the history of Nancy Drew, Rehak sheds light on perhaps the most successful writing franchise of all time and also the cultural and historic changes through which it passed. Grab your flashlights, girls. The mystery of Carolyn Keene is about to begin." -- Karen Joy Fowler, author of THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB

* The original proposal for Nancy Drew suggested that her name be Stella Strong, Nell Cody, Helen Hale, or Diana Dare.

"GIRL SLEUTH is meticulously researched, elegantly written, and riveting. Melanie Rehak juxtaposes teen sleuth Nancy Drew's omnipotence with the all-too-real struggles of her creators." --Susan Kandel, author of NOT A GIRL DETECTIVE

* When Nancy Drew was introduced she wore cloche hats and gloves whenever she was out in public. In the 50s she changed to sport dresses and rompers and even -- gasp -- pants.

"Witty, fast-paced, and smart, Girl Sleuth makes the story behind Nancy Drew as much fun to read as the mystery novels themselves. It's superb."

--Jean Strouse, author of Morgan, American Financier

* Nancy and her boyfriend Ned Nickerson never once kissed, although in The Secret of the Old Attic she does "faint into his strong arms."

For longtime Conan Doyle fans as well as readers just discovering Sherlock Holmes, a wickedly smart and rollicking journey through the birth, life, and afterlives of popular cultures most beloved sleuth.

MELANIE REHAK's  Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her earned both Edgar and Agatha Awards. She has written for the New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, and others; her column on food books, “Paper Palate,” appears in Bookforum.

The Stratemeyer Clan 1

Mildred 33

Alma Mater 48

Hawkeye Days 73

Nell Cody, Helen Hale, Diana Dare 90

Nancy Drew Land 110

Syndicate for Sale 126

An Unfortunate Break; or, The Cleveland Writer Comes into Her Own 140

Motherhood and Nancy Drew 168

"They Are Nancy" 197

The Kids Are Hep 224

Nancy in the Age of Aquarius 254

Will the Real Carolyn Keene Please Stand Up? 288

Acknowledgments 315

Notes 318

Bibliography 351

Index 355

"Witty, fast-paced, and smart, Girl Sleuth makes the story behind Nancy Drew as much fun as the mystery novels themselves."-Jean Strouse, author of Morgan: American Financier About the Book Since the day she solved her first mystery in The Secret of the Old Clock more than 75 years ago, Nancy Drew has become a symbol of grace under pressure, wits conquering malice, and the promise of a happy ending. And for the millions of girls who filled their imaginations with Nancy's escapades, the author named on the cover of each installment-Carolyn Keene-sparked their imaginations as well. Eighty million books later, the identity of Carolyn Keene has itself remained a mystery for most readers, a murky labyrinth of rumors, contradictory news articles, and discreet contracts. Who really invented Nancy Drew? Who came up with her hair-raising story lines and provided her with a steady stream of levelheaded dialogue? Journalist Melanie Rehak set out to find the truth through some first-rate sleuthing of her own, discovering along the way that the story behind Nancy Drew is also a mesmerizing portrait of twentieth-century America. Revealing the behind-the-scenes story of the writers and publishers who developed the Nancy Drew series into a phenomenon, Girl Sleuth brings to light a fascinating cast of real-life characters. Nancy was originally the brainchild of Edward Stratemeyer, a children's book mogul who placed ads to recruit his writers. Nancy Drew was one of his last creations; he lived barely long enough to see her early (and instant) success. After his death, it was up to two very different women to keep the series going: Mildred Wirt Benson, a cash-strapped journalist from Iowa; and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, an Ivy League-educated mother who stepped in to protect her father's legacy. Through the Great Depression, World War II, the cultural revolution of the 1960s, and their own cross-country creative disagreements, Benson and Adams (both using the moniker Carolyn Keene) ensured that Nancy Drew would remain a beloved fixture for countless generations of readers. Using This Guide In her celebration of America's favorite girl detective, Melanie Rehak unearthed a treasure trove of little-known facts about Nancy Drew's creators and the ways in which history had a hand in shaping this unstoppable heroine. Girl Sleuth offers intriguing avenues of exploration for moms and daughters, teachers and students, and all book lovers-from librarians to mystery aficionados. Whether you're hosting a multigenerational book group or using Girl Sleuth to enhance a classroom experience, the questions and exercises presented in this guide are designed to enrich your experience. DISCUSSION TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES Ask Your Mother 1. How did Nancy Drew compare to other female characters in fiction when the series was created? What did America make of a young protagonist who tooled around in a roadster and had little parental supervision? How do contemporary heroines assert their independence? 2. Gather a sampling of Nancy Drew novels, trying to include original editions and contemporary ones such as those in the new Nancy Drew, Girl Detective series. Which era do you prefer? What changes do you notice in the artwork featured on the covers? 3. Why were Nancy Drew's creators careful to keep her relationship with Ned from culminating in marriage? In what ways have young women's notions about marriage changed over the past seventy-five years? Was Clues to Good Cooking an affront to Nancy's persona? 4. Compare Mildred's upbringing to Harriet's and Edna's. How did each woman navigate family life and the world of work? Do any of these three women remind you of women in your ancestry? 5. Predict what changes will have to be made to update Nancy Drew a century from now. What might determine whether she appeals to your granddaughters? Detective Work 1. Examine the many reference notes provided by Melanie Rehak at the end of the book. What sources did she consult most frequently? Is there someone in your family's history whose biography you would like to research? If so, what library archives and publications would be most useful to you? 2. As a creative exercise, compose a brief outline for a short story. Include a description of the main character. Ask another member of your book group to do the same, and then trade outlines so that you can each write one another's stories. When you return to read the finished stories, consider your reactions as both the creator of an outline and the writer of a story. Can you sympathize with Mildred's experiences writing for Edward and Harriet? With Harriet's experiences trying to guide the Syndicate's authors. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this method of fiction writing? 3. Girl Sleuth features numerous revelations about the financial arrangements surrounding the series, from Edward Stratemeyer's suggested initial cover price (fifty cents) to his daughters' reduction in the fees paid to writers. Assembling the data on paper or in a spreadsheet, what do you discover about the profit margins in the Stratemeyer system? What might have made his system even more profitable? What were its benefits? What does the book teach about human resources and power in salary negotiations? 4. What were Grosset & Dunlap's assertions when bringing its lawsuit? What was the purpose of asking Mildred to testify? What did you learn from Girl Sleuth about intellectual property laws? How would you have ruled in the case? 5. Draw timelines for the lives of Mildred and Harriet. In what ways were they sometimes living parallel lives? In what ways were their activities vastly different? Mark the points in their lives when historic events took place. What was the impact of these events on the Nancy Drew narratives? 6. Create a timeline for the identity of Carolyn Keene, including the period when writers other than Mildred and Harriet were the authors. How has she evolved, depending on author and time period? What has remained unchanged about her? Storytelling 1. What do you and your childhood friends remember most about the Nancy Drew series? Did your group of friends resemble Nancy's in any way? Which titles remained your perennial favorites? How did Nancy compare to the protagonists of similar books, such as the Bobbsey Twins and the Hardy Boys? 2. How did you picture Carolyn Keene when you were younger? Does it matter that she was as fictional as the series bearing her name? What did Nancy Drew's real authors have in common with your imaginary version of Carolyn Keene? 3. The physical description of Nancy Drew was very carefully crafted. How did her creators' choices about everything from her appearance to her love life enhance her appeal? Why was her specific, improbable set of circumstances such a popular formula? Did you agree with claims that earlier books showed hints of prejudice and racism? 4. Did the story of Mildred's and Harriet's life reflect the evolution of Nancy Drew along the way? Did the fictional sleuth have much in common with her authors? 5. Mildred and Harriet each felt an attachment to a particular version of Nancy. Which of their concepts resonated the most with you? What is the best way for a fiction writer to balance reality and fantasy? In what ways is Nancy a good dose of both? Especially for Book People 1. Chapter 6, "Nancy Drew Land," chronicles the series' journey from concept to printed page. What does Stratemeyer's approach indicate about the process of creating a novel in general? Why do you imagine Harriet continued to rely on Grosset & Dunlap rather than taking on their duties herself, along with the lion's share of the profit? 2. Near the end of Girl Sleuth, Rehak describes a 1993 Nancy Drew conference sponsored by the University of Iowa, with acclaimed novelist and feminist scholar Carolyn Heilbrun as keynote speaker. If you had attended the conference (and perhaps you did) what sessions would have interested you? What do you make of commercial fiction as a subject of serious scholarship? 3. To what do you ultimately attribute the Nancy Drew series' successes? Did Stratemeyer's early marketing philosophy play a role, or was content the most important factor in making Nancy Drew a household name? 4. What is the significance of the fact that this series didn't exist in paperback until fairly recently? Does format (hardcover versus paperback) affect your perception of a book? What was the economic impact of Grosset & Dunlap's hardcover-only decision? 5. In your opinion, could the film and television versions of the series ever have been successful? Did they fall short because of the way they were produced, or are some printed works simply never meant for other media? What are some of the differences between Hollywood's creative process and that used by the publishing industry? About the Author Melanie Rehak is a poet and critic who has written for the New York Times Magazine, the New Yorker, Vogue, and the Nation, among other publications. She is also a Mel and Lois Tukman Fellow at the New York Public Library's Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers. Rehak lives in Brooklyn.

Copyright © 2005 Harcourt, Inc.