Everyone loves Nancy Drew in books, movies, TV shows, and video games. Thanks to her wit, cunning, courage, and ability to solve mysteries, the adolescent amateur sleuth wins over readers. Over the course of a century, numerous authors have contributed to the Nancy Drew series, which is penned under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene.
Which Nancy Drew books are best?
In a few volumes, Nancy's escapades are accompanied by the Hardy boys, who are two brothers from another famous mystery series.
We'll take a look at the top 20 Nancy Drew novels that have captivated readers of all generations and are still going strong.
A must-read series by Nancy Drew
A selection of the most captivating Nancy Drew mystery novels are as follows:
The Mysterious Age-Old Clock
Instead of Josiah Crowley's legitimate heirs, the Topham family is set to take over his fortune. Convinced that a second will could exist, Nancy begins on a journey to locate an old clock once owned by Mr. Crowley, which may provide a clue to the document’s existence.
Nancy’s Mysterious Letter
After a day trip to Red Gate Farm, Nancy and pals have teatime with postman Ira Dixon. He leaves his mailbag in the vestibule, which is soon taken. Nancy is accused of being involved, compromising the postman’s pension. She wants to spend a weekend with Ned Nickerson at Emerson College but encounters Mrs. “Sailor” Joe Skeets, who blames her for her lost letter.
The Bungalow Mystery
During a storm on Moon Lake, Laura Pendleton saves female sleuth Nancy Drew and her friend Helen from their capsized rowboat. They befriend Laura, an orphan who is to live with her new guardian, Jacob Aborn. Once Nancy comes home, Laura calls her for help, alleging her guardian is “evil” and demanding her furs and jewelry.
The Hidden Staircase
Nancy agrees to aid her friend Helen in solving a confusing mystery at the old family estate where Helen’s Aunt Rosemary has been live with her mother. Strange things have been occurring, such as mysterious music, thumping sounds, and strange shadows on the walls.
The Mystery at Lilac Inn
Nancy and Helen went to Lilac Inn to assist their friend Emily with her wedding preparations. Emily hopes to sell her inherited diamonds to pay the inn’s refurbishment. But Nancy discovers that someone has exploited her identity to make pricey transactions. Soon later, the jewels went missing.
The Secret of Red Gate Farm
During a train voyage, Nancy, Bess, and George befriend Joanne Byrd, who lives with her grandmother at Red Gate Farm. The farm is at risk for foreclosure if it can’t raise enough money to pay the mortgage. Nancy and her pals decide to stay at the farm as paying clients to help out. While there, they uncover a group of people who rent a cave on the site and name themselves the Black Snake Colony.
Password to Larkspur Lane
A telegram with an intriguing riddle attached to an injured homing pigeon drives Nancy Drew to embark on a risky quest. She must find an elderly woman being held captive in a mansion. In the meantime, Nancy’s friend Helen urges her to examine a mysterious blue fire that appears in the woods outside her grandparent’s home.
The Clue in the Crumbling Wall
Nancy and her best pals examine a huge estate given to a missing dancer in a will. Exploring Heath Castle, they unearth a mystery concealed beneath its decaying walls. The trio looks for clues in the neglected gardens, hoping to locate a trail to the disappeared woman.
The Haunted Bridge
Mr. Drew wants Nancy to help him investigate an international gem theft ring. While in a summer vacation region, a golf caddy informs her about a ghostly footbridge in the adjacent woods. Meanwhile, Nancy uncovers a woman who may be connected in the diamond stealing ring.
The Mystery of the 99 Steps
Nancy wants to locate a series of 99 steps to understand the puzzle behind her friend’s scary dream. Her quest takes her to France, but before departing the U.S., a mysterious guy named Monsieur Neuf warns her not to pursue her investigation.
The Mystery of the Fire Dragon
Nancy’s aunt, Eloise Drew, seeks her help solving the inexplicable disappearance of a young university student, her neighbor. As Nancy, Bess, and George investigate the case in New York, they unearth a hazardous smuggling ring. Nancy comes up with a plan to fool the smugglers by disguising George as the missing Chinese girl.
The Secret in the Old Attic
In a race against time, Nancy Drew strives to decode the clues in letters left behind by a deceased man. The stakes are great — the financial ruin of Philip March and his little granddaughter. Using cryptic cues, Nancy begins to find unreleased musical writings, which she assumes are lying in the dusty attic of the old March mansion.
The Sign of the Twisted Candles
Nancy Drew takes on another intriguing adventure when her pals Bess and George beg her aid researching claims that their wealthy great-granduncle, Asa Sidney, is being held captive in his house. However, while solving the mystery and befriending Carol Wipple, Nancy nearly loses the friendship of Bess and George.
Mystery of Crocodile Island
Nancy’s dad urges her to investigate suspected poachers on Crocodile Island with Bess and George. But they are kidnapped upon arrival. They escape and continue their detective job, confronting reptiles, enemy boats, and peril. Nancy makes a courageous step to uncover the riddle but ends up imprisoned in an enemy submarine with Ned.
Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk
As Nancy Drew takes ship for New York, a mysterious man on the pier sends a warning message in sign language, naming someone called NE. Could NE be Nelda Detweiler, Nancy’s cabin mate?
Mystery of the Glowing Eye
Nancy Drew decides to help her father solve the mystery of the glowing eye, but it leads to the kidnapping of her companion Ned Nickerson. Following a perplexing note from Ned, Nancy, Bess, and George embark on a risky search for the criminal.
The Clue in the Old Album
After witnessing a purse snatching, Nancy Drew is urged by the owner, a doll collector, to solve the case. A cryptic note warning about a curse leads Nancy to search for an ancient album, a lost doll, and a vanished gypsy violinist.
The Clue of the Dancing Puppet
Nancy Drew investigates an intriguing mystery involving a dancing puppet at the Van Pelt estate, where an amateur performing troupe performs. Nancy’s search for clues leads her to the mansion’s attic, where a phone call and a diamond theft suspect add to the mystery.
The Invisible Intruder
“Nancy Drew, forget the ghost hunt!” says a masculine voice on the phone. Despite the warning, Nancy and her pals embark on a ghost-hunting journey to examine five purportedly haunted locales. They confront danger immediately away as they come upon a canoe moving on its own in Lake Sevanee.
The Phantom of Pine Hill
Nancy and her pals are guests at a magnificent estate on Pine Hill for Emerson University’s summer festivities. Their host tells them about a phantom haunting the mansion’s library and the sad sinking of the Lucy Belle, which resulted in the loss of a French bridal gown and priceless gifts.
Honorable honors
Along with these fantastic Nancy Drew novels, several interesting honorable mentions include:
- The Clue in the Diary
- The Clue in the Jewel Box
- The Clue in the Old Stagecoach
- The Clue of the Broken Locket
- The Clue of the Leaning Chimney
- The Clue of the Velvet Mask
- The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes
- The Crooked Banister
- The Ghost of Blackwood Hall.
- The Haunted Showboat
- The Message in the Hollow Oak
- The Moonstone Castle Mystery
- The Mystery of the Ivory Charm.
- The Quest of the Missing Map
- The Ringmaster’s Secret
- The Scarlet Slipper Mystery
- The Secret of Shadow Ranch
- The Secret of the Wooden Lady
- The Whispering Statue
- The Witch Tree Symbol Clue of the Tapping Heels
- River Heights Sky Phantom
Read Nancy Drew novels on Speechify Audiobooks
Looking for a handy method to listen to your favorite mystery novels? Check out Speechify Audiobooks, a platform offering an enormous audiobook selection of various mystery thrillers and Amazon bestsellers for both young readers and adults alike.
With Speechify, you can listen to your favorite books anytime, anywhere. So why not try Speechify Audiobooks and immerse yourself in the intriguing world of Nancy Drew with one of the following adventures:
- Sleepover Sleuths Scream for Ice cream
- Framed Pony Problems Dressed to Steal
- Cinderella Ballet Mystery
- The Case of the Sneaky Snowman
- Bad day for Ballet
- The Puppy Problem Space Case
- The Sand Castle Mystery FAQ
The first novel, The Secret of the Old Clock, is still the most popular book in the series and an ideal place to start.
Is the Nancy Drew TV series good?
The TV show garnered generally positive reviews from critics and viewers alike.
How many Nancy Drew books are there?
The original Nancy Drew series is the lengthiest book series to showcase Nancy Drew, with 175 volumes released between 1930 and 2003. Nancy featured in 124 volumes in The Nancy Drew Files and became the protagonist of the Diaries series.
The best Nancy Drew books
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