History Literature / NancyDrew

The original series lasted 34 volumes from 1930-1956, but continued from 1957-1979 with volumes 35-56. In 1979, the series switched publishers from Grosset & Dunlap to Simon & Schuster, and finally ended with volume 175 in 2003. It was rebooted in 2004 (under the title ''Girl Detective''), featuring more modern sensibilities, and written in first-person. It ended in 2012 after 47 volumes, and 2013 saw a new series launch with the name ''Nancy Drew Diaries''. There have also been many spin-offs.

The original series was written in the 1930s, and revived in the 1960s and later in the late 80s and again in 2004 (under the title ''Girl Detective''), with the 80s and '04 versions featuring more modern sensibilities. 2013 saw a new series with the name ''Nancy Drew Diaries''. There have also been many spin-offs.

* RedHeadedHero: Accidentally. Originally, she was meant to be blonde, but a printing error on the original cover art gave her hair a reddish hue. Since then, her hair has always been reddish-blonde (with Titian-haired being their favorite way to describe it.)

* AerithAndBob: Mostly chalked up to time, since quite a few names have fallen out of favor since the books were written, but a name like Mortimer Bartesque couldn't have been very common, even then.

Originally made by the StratemeyerSyndicate, and as such, written by a great many ghostwriters. The idea was conceived by Edward Stratemeyer, who also laid down the plot outlines, but most of the distinctive characteristics are due to the writer of the earliest volumes, Mildred Wirt Benson. Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, daughter of Edward, took over control of the Syndicate upon his death in 1930. Adams is primarily credited with keeping the Syndicate afloat through the Great Depression, and with revising the two most popular series, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, in the 1950s and 1960s, removing stereotypes and outdated ideas and language. She is credited with several books in the Nancy Drew series.

* ChainedToARock: In one of the "Files" books, Nancy is knocked unconscious. When she comes to, she realizes that she's been tied to a piling, left to drown when the incoming tide inevitably rises over her head. This is especially sadistic on the bad guys' part, as if they wanted to kill her, they could have easily dumped her in the ocean while she was unconscious, but chose a method that borders on torture.

* ClearMyName: in ''Files #43: False Impressions''. Several in the original series too--''Mystery at Lilac Inn'', etc.

* ShouldntWeBeInSchoolRightNow?

** Turned UpToEleven in the French translation [[http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Roy#Traduction_des_noms_originaux as you can see on the other wiki]].

* HotDad: Carson Drew, Nancy's widower father and handsome defense attorney, is constantly lavishing Nancy with spending money and gifts, such as her sporty sedan.

* [[WhereTheHellIsSpringfield Where The Hell Is River Heights?]]: The location of River Heights has always been pretty sketchy. The original ghostwriter, Mildred Wirt Benson, put it in her home state of Iowa, but it seemed to keep drifting farther and farther east, going as far as New Jersey when Harriet Adams did her rewrites in the 60's. As early as the ''Files'' series, however, it seems to have settled down and tends to stay within driving distance of Chicago.

* BeautyBrainsAndBrawn: Bess, Nancy, and George for the most part, although this wavers from book to book.

The original series was written in the 1930s, and revived in the 1960s and later in the late 80s and again in 2004, with the 80s and '04 versions featuring more modern sensibilities. There are multiple [[FilmOfTheBook films inspired by the original series]], with the most recent version (as of 2007) a sort of affectionate parody, as far as poking fun of the ValuesDissonance between Nancy (who is of the eras in which she was written) and modern society. It is not certain that the filmmakers knew ''why'' there was ValuesDissonance, but the trailers suggest they had fun with it.

Made by the StratemeyerSyndicate, and as such, written by a great many ghostwriters. The idea was conceived by Edward Stratemeyer, who also laid down the plot outlines, but most of the distinctive characteristics are due to the writer of the earliest volumes, Mildred Wirt Benson. Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, daughter of Edward, took over control of the Syndicate upon his death in 1930. Adams is primarily credited with keeping the Syndicate afloat through the Great Depression, and with revising the two most popular series, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, in the 1950s and 1960s, removing stereotypes and outdated ideas and language. She is credited with several books in the Nancy Drew series.

[[VideoGame/NancyDrew A series of PC adventure games]] based on various books in the series has been produced to much critical acclaim.

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!! Tropes in the films include:

* ChekhovsSkill: Nancy suggests a CPR class to the principal. We are led to believe the payoff was a prank where Ingra convinced Corky to pretend to choke during a basketball game, but it actually culminates during the party scene when she has to perform an emergency tracheotomy when a girl has a severe allergic reaction to the peanut crackers a guy she was making out with ate.
* FishOutOfWater. How the 2007 film plays it. Nancy is a wholesome 1950s girl, all penny loafers and cup cakes, transported to cynical modern LA.
** This conceit does raise some interesting questions about the in-film mystery, though. [[spoiler: The glamorous movie starlet behind the case Nancy investigates in-film seems to have waltzed right out of the 1930s and 1940s, both in attitude, the films she starred in, and reason for dropping out of the public eye. But the age of her daughter means her career had to happen in the late 70s/early 80s at the ''earliest'', which were a very, very different Hollywood, and the "scandal" wouldn't have been nearly such a big deal. It's made some speculate the entire film was originally meant to be a period piece.]]
** Clues suggests the starlet's career spanned from about 1960 to 1980 since we learn she had a twenty year career, and she died in 1981.
* HonorBeforeReason: Nancy will not drive over the posted speed limit, just one instance of her refusing to use the ends to justify the means. "It's important to judge the ends and judge the means independently, in order to do what's right."
* PrecociousCrush: In the 2007 film, Corky likes Nancy, and she keeps them at a JustFriends distance, but Ned's insecure enough to think she might reciprocate.
--> '''Nancy:''' "Ned, he's ''twelve''."
* {{Understatement}}: In the 2007 film, Nancy's reaction to someone trying to kill her?
--> "It's so rude!"
* WildTeenParty: In the 2007 film, Nancy throws her birthday party which then turns into this (complete with police being called for the disturbance), until Trish collapses due to allergies and Nancy performs first aid on her. One thing to note is that Nancy's father congratulated her on the party because it's a sign of normalcy (for an average American teenage girl).
* YoureNotMyType: In the 2007 ''NancyDrew'' movie, Ned is worried Nancy will fall for someone. Nancy tells Ned (regarding "the guy from ''{{Smallville}}''", ItMakesSenseInContext), "He's not my type." Ned responds with, "You have a type?"

* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Though it varies from original incarnations, Nancy Drew's age largely is stuck around 17-19 years old and as such is either a high school student or a college freshman/sophmore.

* HollywoodPudgy: In the original series, Bess is described as "slightly plump". In the "Files" series, while given a "fabulous figure", she is perpetually focused on losing five pounds. Additionally, she is consistently made out to be the weakest of the group--easily frightened, boy-crazy, somewhat ditzy, etc.
** As of the newest series, ''Girl Detective,'' she's over it. She's always described as curvy, but her weight is almost never addressed. Furthermore while she is still very fashion conscious, she has also become a full fledged WrenchWench.

* MarySue/ TheMessiah: Nancy, in all her depictions, is an unfailingly polite and proper girl who can turn and befriend those who are wary or dislike her and easily excels at all her endeavours.

For what's basically the equivalent with dudes, see TheHardyBoys.

* CrossOver - the Nancy Drew and HardyBoys Super Mysteries series, Spinoffs of the ''Files/Casefiles'' and ''Girl Detective/Undercover Brothers'' series.

** ''Nancy Drew On Campus:'' An ill-conceived GenreShift that didn't go over well. This sent Nancy away to college, and tried to be a drama series in the vein of ''Sweet Valley High.'' The mysteries became a minor subplot, and Nancy had to struggle with college life and the drama of roommates and student loans and partying ([[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous and dumping Ned!]])