Part of Series
"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.
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 In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.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.
