The Lost Files of Nancy Drew

by Carolyn Keene

This stunning, interactive book is narrated by Nancy Drew herself. Inside you’ll learn all about Nancy’s favorite mysteries, meet the creators of Nancy Drew, and see the art from the 77-year history of the series. With interactive elements on each spread, and a behind-the-scenes look at the world of Nancy Drew, this keepsake book will be cherished for years to come!

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Young Adult, Picture Books, Middle Grade

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2007

About the author

Carolyn Keene is a writer pen name that was used by many different people- both men and women- over the years. The company that was the creator of the Nancy Drew series, the Stratemeyer Syndicate, hired a variety of writers. For Nancy Drew, the writers used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene to assure anonymity of the creator.

Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.

Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun to remember the first 13 Nancy Drew mysteries with clues to look at and postcards to send. Love this book. For kids and the kid in me!

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those scrapbook-sized books that contains loads on information and things to open and look at. It centers on certain of the stories, including The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, The Mystery at Lilac Inn, The Clue in the Diary, The Clue of the Broken Locket, The Secret of the Old Attic, The Ghost of Blackwood Hall, The Mystery at the Ski Jump, The Scarlet Slipper Mystery, The Mystery of the 99 Steps, The Invisible Intruder, The Strange Message in the Parchment and The Thirteenth Pearl. There's also a section on Nancy Drew through the years along with drawings of clothing of the times. Then there's a history of Nancy Drew publication and a really neat set of postcards of covers of the books gone over in this book itself.

This is a really neat book, especially the postcards.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nostalgic fun for this Nancy Drew fan, and just the light-hearted read I needed!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from an avid Nancy Drew fan this book is loads of fun! The book is in a scrapbook format with lots of stuff to pull out and look at, it details many of Nancy's cases, coming from Nancy herself in her diary and notes. Lots of fun and interesting tidbits like Hannah's chicken and rice casserole recipe and a morse code alphabet, it also describes when Nancy first met her future boyfriend Ned. There is also section on Nancy Drew through the decades which describes the fashion and fads during each era including the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's. The book also has a section on the making of Nancy Drew and you get Nancy Drew postcards!

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interactive picturebook sprinkled with facts. A bit limited in quality writing, and unfortunately gives away the endings to all of the nancy drew books. But could be fun for readers who have already read some of the books.

[Meltha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is supposed to be Nancy's scrapbook/diary, in which she jotted down information about several of her cases. There are loads of little lift up tabs, sliding pictures, letters in little envelopes, plus a whole bunch of postcards featuring the original covers to several of the books. There are spoilers if someone hasn't read the books, but it's a clever little overview. Plus there's a brief section on the creation of the books as well as fashion and culture history from the 1930s-1970s by decade.

[Susan Liston · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those cute interactive books that have lots of moving parts and things to open. I started reading Nancy at age seven and I would have freaked out over this. (by the way, this does contain spoilers of several of the books, so beware of that) Not only was it fun, it was very educational, I learned, for example, what to do if I am ever locked in a closet and what "sleuthing supplies" to never be without. ( e.g. bobby pins)

[Jess-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This companion to the Nancy Drew Series is so cute! It's filled with facts about the history of the series and a selection of individual books. It also includes "journal entries from Nancy" and some "memorabilia" from cases. Tons of lift the flap and secret sections. If you're looking for a gift for a Nancy Drew fan, this is perfect. It was definitely a favorite Christmas present when I received it!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Nancy Drew fan will enjoy this book.
The book is basically like a scrapbook: talking about the plots in some of the books, Nancy's journal,
pictures, and it even has a page all about the people who came up with the Nancy Drew idea, and writer. I would read this book only if your read all of the Nancy drew books because there are a lot of spoilers. Best book ever about Nancy Drew!

[Jody Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this book up at an Estate Sale and I’m so glad that I did. I’ve not read a Nancy Drew book but I will definitely be picking them up after reading this neat little book. So many cool interactive bits throughout. Definitely a good introduction to Nancy Drew and a great gift for any mystery book lover.

[Hannah Lukkason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it! it is just so informational, and I just couldn't put it down. when I started reading it! it answered so many of my questions! I think it's better than some of the real books in the Nancy Drew series. Carolyn Keene just did a great job writing this book! it's wonderful and I rate it five stars.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is visually beautiful and fully interactive, which was a lot of fun. I guess I just expected more actual written content from it.

Also, it spoils the endings of all the books listed in here, so beware if you haven't read those books yet.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars! Such a cute scrapbook! Pages dedicated to some of the most popular original books (1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 21, 25, 29, 32, 43, 46, 54, 56) with pictures, pop-ups, and cool facts!

[Olive Arianna E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My childhood

[Hannah Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun selection of background info about some of Nancy’s cases. I really liked the explanation of the Carolyn Keene pseudonym.

[Michele Huguley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and unique!

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Nancy Drew books when I was younger, so I had high hopes for this.

This book goes book by book, for several of the earliest Nancy Drew books, and summarizes the plot. There were also a few interactive things on each page, like flip open journals, levers that would make things change, and other fun things. In addition, there are postcards of the book covers included, and the history of the writing Nancy Drew (very frank and honest, given that there was no Carolyn Keene, instead ghost writers), and decade by decade, what was popular during the years that Nancy Drew was written.

This could have been cooler if there had been more interactive things, and less reading. It was more wordy than I would have liked, and in fact, I didn't read through all of it. Given that "The Jolly Little Postman" was one of my favorite books when I was a child, I had really been looking for more interactive elements.
Also, I wasn't sure who they were thinking was going to read this. It was too childish for the nostalgic older readers, and it was not really acessible for younger readers. For example, some of the writing was in cursive, and hard to read in places, and the vocabulary used did not seem like it was meant for kids.
I also had a problem with the title. Inside it says that it is the lost JOURNAL of Nancy Drew, where she discussed each of her cases in more depth, but the title having the word FILES rather than journal, makes you think that there will be new files, and there's not.

[Barbi Faye (The Book Fae) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came across this cute tome that is an incredible homage to books that were "good reads" when we were younger...! Um, some of us...! These iconic books that always seemed to be in everyone's bookcase collection, on everyone's shelf, along with some of the Hardy Boys' books, Readers Digest, LOTR, and some others.
It is an interactive book, & it's narrated by Nancy Drew; she highlights some favorite mysteries and some behind the scenes. As well, it contains beautiful & nostalgic art from the books' 77-year history. I am in love with interactive elements! Touchy feely! Very hands on; hahaha! Encourages you to be the detective....!!! Just like reading every mystery left you feeling as you read it!!! A priceless keepsake tribute and keepsake book, a perfect way to show the next generation the books of Nancy!

[MaryRachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved the Nancy Drew books, you'll love this one! Well, it's not really a book, it's sort of like a journal that explains the things that are in the Nancy Drew books. It doesn't have all the books in it, only a select few. Each page is packed with cool things that you will enjoy looking at again and again. Like the lost will of Josiah Crowley (The Secret of the Old Clock), the passport of Raoul Amien/David Judson (The Scarlet Slipper Mystery). If you ever look at it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fantastic for Nancy Drew fans. Yes, in my twenties, I'm still a fan (which my husband used to tease me about mercilessly, until we read a New York Times Op-Ed about how all three of the female Supreme Court Justices loved Nancy Drew: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/wee...). This book is a scrapbook style collection of items related to about a dozen of Nancy Drew's sixty-four mysteries. It's very entertaining and is something I look forward to giving to my daughter (because, of course, she'll be a Nancy Drew fan :)).

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read for a fan of Nancy Drew since I was seven or eight, very hands-on but more in-depth than I'd expected. Only 4/5 because at the end, when they discussed the making of Nancy Drew and its different writers and editors over the years, they didn't go much into detail, as has been the case every time I've tried to figure out what changes were made to the original series a few decades later.

If you loved Nancy Drew, I'd definitely pick it up! I'm glad I bought it at Borders super on sale and will have it to look through again in future.

[Hope]

This is an easy read book and is probably more for little girls. I have always loved the interactive books with letters to take out and read, and flaps to flip, and secrets to discover. I was so excited to find this book because Nancy Drew was my hero when I was younger! For only $5, this book was a steal, and definitely worth the money I paid.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Nancy Drew fan then you will love this book, very interactive, it has been a great way to engage my daughter even more in the series with searching through this book to see clues from the stories. It only has 13 stories in it, and not in the usual order, my daughter wishes they would come out with another for the rest of the stories.

[Toni Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was 10, Nancy Drew was my hero! Thanks to my sister Rose Marie (who left her Nancy Drew collection at home when she got married...) I was able to devour each and every one! I can hardly wait to see the new movie!!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you liked Nancy Drew at all you have to check out this title. It's a novelty book in the vein of Piratelogy etc. There are flaps to lift, cards to take out and look at. I enjoyed sitting there for a while looking through things and recalling the books I used to read.

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than I ever enjoyed a Nancy Drew books. It gives you an interactive look at a few of the Nancy Drew books and a bit of the history of Nancy Drew, her creator, and her changing authors. I'd recommend it as a companion book for children reading the Nancy Drew series.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for the hard Nancy Drew fans. An avid Nancy Drew fan myself I really enjoyed it. I even read the books while reading this. I wish someone would do a decent movie or tv show based on these books.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

an interactive pop up and history book about the series and recap of certain cases with the journal entries or props that Nancy would have used in each case. A good one if you have read most of the mysteries.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun and exciting pop-up book.

[Kathie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love anything Nancy Drew! This one is great because it's like a real scrapbook where you can take out the little souvenirs. My granddaughter & I loved cuddling up & reading this together!