Books in series
#1
By the Light of the Study Lamp
1934
Jean and Louise Dana are given a valuable study lamp by their Uncle Ned. The girls plan to place it in their study room at Starhurst when they return for their sophomore year. But before the girls leave, the lamp is stolen! After the sisters return to Starhurst, they discover the lamp in a secondhand shop and buy it back. Unwittingly, the girls make an enemy of their classmate, Lettie Briggs, not only because the girl had planned to buy the lamp but because the Danas' room is the one Lettie wanted to have at Starhurst.
The Danas are overjoyed when they discover that their friend Evelyn Starr has returned to Starhurst. Evelyn's family once owned Starhurst, but Evelyn and her brother now have very little money, and Evelyn is unsure that she can pay for the tuition. The Danas hope that they can find a way to help Evelyn stay at Starhurst, little realizing that the solution to Evelyn's problem is held within the antique study lamp.
#2
The Secret at Lone Tree Cottage
1934
Miss Tisdale, Jean and Louise Dana's favorite teacher, disappears mysteriously one afternoon. The Danas search for clues and discover her car abandoned on a nearby road. The key is still in the ignition, and there are signs of a struggle. Miss Tisdale has been abducted!
Jean and Louise learn that Miss Tisdale has been supporting her widowed twin sister, who has been disowned by their parents ever since she married. Mrs. Brixton is being threatened by her husband's former partner, and the Danas suspect that this man is responsible for Miss Tisdale's strange disappearance.
The police cannot be contacted, because Miss Tisdale's father is in frail health and the shock of her disappearance could kill him. The Danas seek Uncle Ned Dana's help in tracking down Miss Tisdale, and the three Danas undertake their difficult mission without assistance.
#3
In the Shadow of the Tower
1934
"It's all the money I have in the world—" The pathetic hunchback, Josy Sykes, despairs as a fox runs off with her one thousand dollar bill. Louise and Jean help the lonely orphan by having her first come to Starhurst and then to a friend's during Christmas vacation.
Josy's luck changes when a hunter finds her one thousand dollar bill, but when the hunter accidentally humiliates Josy because of her deformity, she runs away. The hunter also runs away, upsetting his employer, Miss Melbourne, and the Dana girls' friend, Miss Marsh, who is in love with him. The Dana girls are puzzled at this strange turn of events.
The mystery deepens when Miss Melbourne learns the name of the man who sent Josy the thousand dollar bill, Joseph Sykes, and collapses, insisting that Josy be found immediately. The Danas must find Josy as quickly as possible in order to save Miss Melbourne's life.
#4
A Three-Cornered Mystery
1935
Louise and Jean Dana's new friend, Edith Darrow, invites them to stay at her home for the weekend. While the girls are touring the property, they discover a hidden stash of objects in the barn which appear to be linked to Ed Carillo, a man wanted for swindling a real estate agent. Louise and Jean spend the night in the barn, hoping to discover who left the items in the barn. During their vigil, an injured man stumbles into the barn. The girls go to the main house for help and discover that Edith has disappeared and the house has been ransacked! What could have happened?
The mystery takes several more strange turns when the girls meet another person swindled by Carillo and then meet Carillo's mother, a nice person who is unaware that her son is a swindler. The girls work diligently on their complicated mystery, hoping to find Carillo, help the injured man, restore the stolen property to the rightful owners, and spare Mrs. Carillo the hurtful truth about her son.
#5
The Secret at the Hermitage
1936
"Nina Regan! I've captured you at last!"
Delusional Harold Norton, ex-warden of the Pinecrest Reformatory, accuses Louise Dana of being escapee Nina Regan. Louise clears herself, only to find that Norton continues to stalk her every move. After Louise is attacked by Norton, she is lost in the woods and spends the night with a strange hermit.
Upon Louise's return to Starhurst, she becomes intrigued with Nina's strange case. Nina was never proved guilty of her crime, so Louise wants to help her. The girls discover that the old hermit may know where Nina is hiding.
Meanwhile, Harold Norton relentlessly hunts for Nina, endangering both Louise and the old hermit. Louise and Jean must quickly discover Nina's whereabouts and learn whether she is guilty.
#6
The Circle of Footprints
1937
The Dana girls are plunged into another mystery when they befriend the Doke family shortly after Mason Doke unfortunately crashes into their uncle's ship with his airplane. The Danas interrupt a burglary at the Doke home and discover that the would-be thief was attempting to steal a box full of money.
Mrs. Doke fears greatly that the money was stolen by her husband, and the Danas assume responsibility for the money until Mrs. Doke can decide what to do with the money. The thief learns from Lettie Briggs that the girls live at the Starhurst school, and the girls are forced to move the money several times in order to prevent a theft.
Mr. Doke dies of his injuries, and Mrs. Doke requests that the girls help her discover the rightful owners of the money so that she can right the wrongs of her husband. The Danas face many harrowing adventures as they search for the owners and narrowly escape being poisoned by an insane woman.
#7
The Mystery of the Locked Room
1938
The students are Starhurst are excited about Mrs. Crandall's plans to purchase a piece of property at Moon Lake for a girls' camp. Five girls, including Louise and Jean Dana, earn the privilege of accompanying Mrs. Crandall to the proposed site on a weekend outing. Much to the Danas' dismay, Lettie Briggs makes the trip as well since Mrs. Crandall has promised her parents to look after Lettie while they are away.
The trip proves to be exciting, because the house located on the proposed camp property appears to be haunted. At any rate, someone else is staying in the house inside the locked attic room and only comes out at night when the Starhurst group is asleep.
With difficulty, the girls convince Mrs. Crandall to extend their stay so that the mystery can be solved. If the girls can prove that the proposed camp property is not dangerous, Mrs. Crandall will purchase the property for the school.
#8
The Clue in the Cobweb
1939
Louise and Jean help Captain Dana find Katherine Blore, a woman who disappeared mysteriously from his ship before it docked. The Danas trace Miss Blore to her current residence, but she refuses to see them. The Danas try once again to see Miss Blore but find her home empty except for the landlord, who is locked in a closet.
The landlord, Mr. Wharton, has suffered a heart attack, so Louise and Jean help him get the house rented by showing it to prospective tenants. While in the house, Louise falls strangely unconscious and remains asleep for 12 hours. Later, the same fate befalls Mr. Wharton and one of the new tenants.
Louise begins researching herbs, thinking that a poisonous herb may be the culprit for the sleeping illness. The girls divide their time between searching for the mysterious herb and searching for Miss Blore, who has left the state. The girls must travel to a distant ranch and back home again before they can solve the mystery.
#9
The Secret at the Gatehouse
1940
Louise and Jean become enmeshed in another mystery when they chance to meet Mrs. Zerbe, who used to work for Mr. Warrington, one of the owners of Captain Dana's ship. Mrs. Zerbe is devastated that she lost her job at Mr. Warrington's estate. During her conversation with the Danas, Mrs. Zerbe mentions a secret which she has kept for Mr. Warrington.
The girls are intrigued but refrain from prying into Mrs. Zerbe's affairs. Later, they are to recall the conversation when Mr. Warrington tries to discover whether Mrs. Zerbe revealed any personal information to them.
The mystery deepens when Mrs. Zerbe dies of a heart attack, Mr. Warrington's valet, Nat Kaner, tries to steal Mrs. Zerbe's belongings, and Mr. Warrington vanishes. The girls are left with a complex mystery to solve which has an astonishing solution.
#10
The Mysterious Fireplace
1941
Jean and Louise are excited to be spending Christmas vacation at Highfort, a property that Captain Dana's friend Tom Fairweather is in the processing of purchasing. The Danas' trip turns out much more exciting than anticipated, because several other people show up at Highfort claiming ownership to the property including arrogant Mrs. Plimpton and the Danas' school friend Sonya Olavu and her brother Tranley. Mr. Fairweather disappears before his arrival at Highfort, further complicating the situation. The Danas feel loyal to Mr. Fairweather, but he cannot defend his claim to the property.
The situation becomes more grim with the disappearance of Sonya's jeweled star and a mysterious nighttime visitor who wrecks the Christmas tree. The Danas must solve the mystery but are at a loss to know how to begin.
#11
The Clue of the Rusty Key
1942
The Danas are thrust into the middle of a dispute between Oliver Pritz Gormly and Jasper Conway. The girls rescue Conway and his important papers when Gormly sets fire to Conway's store. Later, when Pritz confronts the girls and orders them to turn over the papers, the girls refuse, earning themselves a new enemy.
Jean and Louise learn that Gormly is a swindler, cheating many people, including their classmate Lettie Briggs, who refuses to believe that Gormly is dishonest. Jean and Louise can do little to help Lettie since she refuses to talk to the Danas, but the girls befriend several other victims as they search for clues.
The girls face many difficulties before they finally bring Dr. Gormly to justice.
#12
The Portrait in the Sand
1943
The Danas' pottery teacher, Miss Warren, asks Jean and Louise to help her find her missing fiancé, F.B.I. agent Richard Henley. The girls and Miss Warren stay with her aunt and uncle, the Pattons, while they work on the mystery. The Pattons fear that Henley has drowned, since his boat has washed up on shore.
The Danas find few clues but wonder if the strange hermit, Ham Gert knows anything about Henley. Gert refuses to talk except to warn the girls away from the cliff and the beach. The girls become suspicious of Gert and wonder about the strange cries they hear coming from the top of the cliff. When the girls investigate, the cliff is deserted.
The mystery proves difficult to solve, especially when Lettie Briggs appears on the scene and thwarts the Danas' investigation. How the Danas discover what happened to Richard Henley and help the government will thrill the reader from start to finish.
#13
The Secret in the Old Well
1944
When Arlene Sherwood disappears, the Danas' only clue is that Arlene received a dire prediction from a psychic reader. Did Arlene run away out of fear caused by the prediction, or is something far more sinister at play? Jean and Louise believe that Arlene has been abducted, especially after they learn that Arlene's father has also disappeared.
Mrs. Sherwood soon receives a message from her husband, requesting that she place certain important drawings in an old well. The drawings are very valuable to Mr. Sherwood's work, and the loss of the drawings will be a great blow.
The girls deduce the location of the well and plan to substitute fake papers. Their plans fail, leaving the girls in a dangerous position as they continue their search for their missing friend and her father.
#14
The Clue in the Ivy
1952
Louise and Jean travel to Old Bridge to spend the weekend with their friend, Carol Humfrey. The girls stumble upon a mystery when the bell inside the Webster College chapel rings mysteriously at night. They visit the chapel, only to be warned away by gossipy Miss Weatherspoon.
Miss Weatherspoon claims that the bell tower is haunted by the ghost of a young child who died of starvation while locked inside the bell tower. She also hints that the ivy covering the church hides a great secret.
The girls are intrigued, especially after they learn from Mr. Humfrey that the chapel reputedly holds a clue to a hidden treasure intended for the perpetual upkeep of the chapel. Louise and Jean feel certain that the recent mysterious events mean that someone is searching for the treasure and resolve to find it before that person is successful.
#15
The Secret of the Jade Ring
1953
Fleurette Garnier, a new student to Starhurst, puzzles Jean and Louise. The new French girl is reclusive and reluctant to join the new archery team, even though she is an expert archer. The mystery surrounding Fleurette deepens when Fleurette briefly disappears, and her room is ransacked.
Jean's jade ring, a precious heirloom, is stolen shortly before Fleurette arrives at the school and appears later at a pawn shop. The school's museum houses an imitation of a valuable jade ring which is also stolen. Fleurette becomes flustered whenever these incidents are discussed, drawing suspicion to her.
Although Jean and Louise believe that Fleurette may know something, they feel that the girl is honest. Fleurette refuses to talk, and the Danas hope that they can solve the mystery before something terrible happens to Fleurette.
#16
Mystery at the Crossroads
1954
The Dana girls are plunged into another mystery during a visit to an old Civil War inn on a lonely country road. They hear singing in the woods, see a ghost, and discover a strange spoon with a handle in the shape of a man's head. The girls are shocked to learn from a jeweler that the spoon is cursed.
The girls visit the old inn again and meet Nura, a young gypsy who has run away to avoid marrying a man whom she does not love. Nura instead longs to marry Stivo, but Stivo has been banished from the gypsy tribe for stealing a valuable silver platter.
Back at school, the spoon disappears from the Danas' room, apparently stolen! Now the girls must find the spoon in case the story of the curse is true and must help Nura by exonerating Stivo and discovering who stole the silver platter.
#17
The Ghost in the Gallery
1955
Louise and Jean Dana begin a new investigation when their original song for the school mystery musical disappears
#18
The Clue of the Black Flower
1956
"You will sell me the flower!" insists the strange man. Louise Dana is baffled as to why the man would value an artificial black orchid. Shortly after Jean and Louise arrive at summer camp, the orchid is stolen. The girls learn that not only does the orchid have a hidden value, but may provide a clue to a pair of twins who went missing years before in South America.
Through a series of amazing events, Jean and Louise learn what happened to the missing twins and discover the secret of the black orchid.
#19
The Winking Ruby Mystery
1957
"Save Carlo . . . winking ruby . . . hurry!" This plea uttered by Gino, a mysterious violinist, just before he lapses into a coma, launch Jean and Louise Dana on their first exciting adventure in Europe. Is the mysterious "ruby" a gem, a girl, or part of a secret code?" The Danas must find out—and fast—because a life is at stake.
Danger stalks the young detectives from the moment they board the Balaska with their Uncle Ned, captain of the ocean liner. Crossing the Atlantic they meet Enrico and Lena Dotti, professional hypnotists, who offer to help in solving the puzzle. Jean wants to accept, but Louise is suspicious of the Dottis.
In Europe, the sisters discover that Gino's family has disappeared, driven into hiding by blackmail and threats of mal occhio, the evil eye. Probing deeper into the strange riddle, Jean and Louise become enmeshed in a mystery more frightening than the dungeon in which they are imprisoned. How they extricate themselves and locate a fabulous crimson gem make a pulse-quickening story.
#20
The Secret of the Swiss Chalet
1958
While vacationing in Europe, the Dana sisters agree to help a former Austrian prince locate his family's long lost heirlooms, a search that takes them into the dangerous snow-covered Swiss Alps.
#21
The Haunted Lagoon
1959
The Dana girls and their friends try to locate a missing sea captain last seen on Chincoteague Island off the Virginia Coast.
#22
Mystery of the Bamboo Bird
1960
Attempting to recover a sacred gold statue stolen from a friend, the Dana sisters track the thief to Thailand where they encounter a series of harrowing experiences.
#23
The Sierra Gold Mystery
1961
Louise and Jean Dana fly home from Thailand completely unaware of the exciting adventures waiting for them just a few hours away. But even before their plane lands in San Francisco, Louise's precious star sapphire ring is stolen, and the girls are plunged into a new mystery.
Before the Danas have a chance to investigate it, a fellow traveler, Janet Crane, begs them to find her grandfather who has disappeared somewhere in the rugged terrain of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in eastern California.
The two mysteries must wait, for the girls have promised to visit their aunt, Mrs. Carol Reed, in Sacramento. Aunt Carol tells Louise and Jean a family secret about a chest of gold nuggets which was buried for an ancestor during the historic gold rush of 1849 by his devoted Chinese servant—and now the girls have three thrilling mysteries to satisfy their love of adventure.
Four generations of Reeds have searched for clues to the treasure with only a half-charred letter to guide them. Now Jean and Louise, with their sharp instinct for solving the most complicated riddles, decide to add their three mysteries together—and come up with a triple solution.
#24
The Secret of the Lost Lake
1962
In the Rocky Mountains, a witch is reputedly haunting the area where an isolated community was buried by a landslide forty years ago.
Jean and Louise, searching on horseback for a runaway show dog, try to fathom the mystery of the witch. A nefarious plot against the weird figure manifests itself in bizarre clues: a threat chipped in the stone wall of an ancient Indian cave and a message - "Get the witch!" sinisterly triple-echoed in a rugged canyon.
Who is this woman? Why does she frequent the site of the old disaster? Most important of all, who are the evil enemies pursuing her - and why?
#25
The Mystery of the Stone Tiger
1963
A black-robed figure and a marble tiger are the clues in the exciting mystery surrounding a private museum
#26
The Riddle of the Frozen Fountain
1964
When Professor Crandall receives a warning note to abandon a valuable fountain he has recently purchased, the Dana sisters decide to help him
#27
The Secret of the Silver Dolphin
1965
Two girls' search for a silver dolphin mentioned in a will is hindered by a hostile fortune-teller and an elusive thief.
#28
Mystery of the Wax Queen
1966
The Dana sisters spend their spring vacation solving a mystery involving a phony automobile raffle, a wax bust of Queen Victoria, a stolen diamond, and a sculptress.
#29
The Secret of the Minstrel's Guitar
1967
The Dana girls embark on an exciting voyage to Portugal, where they have been invited to help solve a mystery
#30
The Phantom Surfer
1968
Jean and Louise Dana attempt to solve the cases of sabotage and theft at a resort town's restoration project
Author
Carolyn Keene
Author · 627 books
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.
