“Before she became NANCY DREW, some of the other names suggested for the young female detective were STELLA STRONG, NELL CODY, HELEN HALE, and DIANE DARE.”

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 5,000 AWESOME FACTS, FACT # 1 ON FAMOUS DETECTIVES TO INVESTIGATE

Nancy Drew books began in 1930, created by Edward Stratemeyer. They were first published in hardback by Grosset and Dunlap, mainly written by ghostwriters.

He wanted Nancy Drew to be a teenage detective, good looking, smart and a perfectionist. He wanted her to travel the world, and looked to break stereo-typical gender roles in that day. An amateur sleuth.

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Stratemeyer) He created many well known children’s books including The Hardy Boys and the Bobbsey Twins. He has penned over 1300 books selling more than 500 million copies.

The Stratemeyer Syndicate, the publishing company of Edward Stratemeyer, sent Grosset & Dunlap a memo in 1929 about the idea for Nancy Drew;

“These suggestions are for a new series for girls verging on novels. 224 pages, to retail at fifty cents. I have called this line the “Stella Strong Stories,” but they might also be called “Diana Drew Stories,” “Diana Dare Stories,” “Nan Nelson Stories,” “Nan Drew Stories” or “Helen Hale Stories.” […] Stella Strong, a girl of sixteen, is the daughter of a District Attorney of many years standing. He is a widower and often talks over his affairs with Stella and the girl was present during many interviews her father had with noted detectives and at the solving of many intricate mysteries. Then, quite unexpectedly, Stella plunged into some mysteries of her own and found herself wound up in a series of exciting situations. An up-to-date American girl at her best, bright, clever, resourceful and full of energy.”(https://daily.jstor.org/the-secret-syndicate-behind-nancy-drew/)

He would give outlines to the ghostwriters, who would write manuscripts for him to review and ensure they fit his characters.

Mildred Writ was 21 years old when she answered an ad that Stratemeyer posted. The ad stated that they were looking for younger writers with “fresh ideas in the treatment of boys and girls.” She went under the pen name Carolyn Keene, as did Harriet Adams, who happened to be Edward’s daughter.

Unfortunately Edward Stratemeyer would never live to see the popularity of the Nancy Drew series. He died 12 days before first publication. His two daughters, Edna Stratemeyer and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams made the decision to keep Stratemeyer Syndicate in business. (https://daily.jstor.org/the-secret-syndicate-behind-nancy-drew/)

The Nancy Drew series ended in 2003, with the first book, “The Secret of the Old Clock” being published in 1930. 175 novels were written, first sold by Grosset and Dunlap, and later by Simon & Schuster.

In 2004 the Nancy Drew: Girl Detective series went on into 2012. In 2013 “The Nancy Drew Diaries” began and is still into the current.