The best Nancy Drew books
Nancy Drew is beloved in literature, film, TV, and video games. The teenage amateur sleuth captivates readers with her intelligence, resourcefulness, bravery, and problem-solving skills. Written under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, the Nancy Drew series has spanned a century, with books published by various authors.
In some books, the Hardy boys, two brothers from another popular mystery series, join Nancy on her adventures.
We’ll look at the 20 best Nancy Drew books that have stood the test of time and continue to thrill readers of all ages.
Nancy Drew books you must read
Here are some of the best books from the enthralling Nancy Drew mystery series:
The Secret of the Old Clock
The Topham family is poised to inherit the wealth of the late Josiah Crowley instead of the rightful heirs. Convinced that a second will could exist, Nancy embarks on a quest to locate an old clock once owned by Mr. Crowley, which may hold a clue to the document’s whereabouts.
Nancy’s Mysterious Letter
After a day trip to Red Gate Farm, Nancy and friends have teatime with postman Ira Dixon. He leaves his mailbag in the vestibule, which is then stolen. Nancy is accused of being involved, jeopardizing the postman’s pension. She plans to spend a weekend with Ned Nickerson at Emerson College but encounters Mrs. “Sailor” Joe Skeets, who blames her for her missing letter.
The Bungalow Mystery
During a storm on Moon Lake, Laura Pendleton rescues girl detective 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 returns home, Laura calls her for help, claiming her guardian is “evil” and demanding her furs and jewels.
The Hidden Staircase
Nancy agrees to assist her friend Helen in uncovering a perplexing mystery at the old family mansion where Helen’s Aunt Rosemary has been residing with her mother. Strange things have been occurring, such as unexplained music, thumping sounds, and eerie shadows on the walls.
The Mystery at Lilac Inn
Nancy and Helen travel to Lilac Inn to assist their friend Emily with her wedding preparations. Emily intends to sell her inherited diamonds to finance the inn’s renovation. But Nancy discovers that someone has used her identity to make costly purchases. Soon after, the diamonds go missing.
The Secret of Red Gate Farm
During a train ride, 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 friends decide to stay at the farm as paying customers to help out. While there, they discover a group of people who rent a cave on the property and call themselves the Black Snake Colony.
Password to Larkspur Lane
A message with an odd riddle attached to a wounded homing pigeon prompts Nancy Drew to embark on a dangerous mission. She must find an elderly woman being held captive in a mansion. In the meantime, Nancy’s friend Helen asks her to investigate a mysterious blue fire that appears in the woods outside her grandparent’s home.
The Clue in the Crumbling Wall
Nancy and her best friends investigate a sprawling estate left to a missing dancer in a will. Exploring Heath Castle, they uncover a mystery hidden within its crumbling walls. The trio searches for clues in the neglected gardens, hoping to find a lead to the vanished woman.
The Haunted Bridge
Mr. Drew asks Nancy to help him investigate an international jewel theft ring. While in a summer resort area, a golf caddy tells her about a haunted footbridge in the nearby woods. Meanwhile, Nancy uncovers a woman who may be involved in the jewel theft ring.
The Mystery of the 99 Steps
Nancy needs to find a set of 99 steps to unravel the enigma behind her friend’s unsettling dream. Her quest takes her to France, but before departing the U.S., a mysterious man named Monsieur Neuf warns her not to pursue her investigation.
The Mystery of the Fire Dragon
Nancy’s aunt, Eloise Drew, requests her help solving the mysterious disappearance of a young university student, her neighbor. As Nancy, Bess, and George investigate the case in New York, they uncover a dangerous smuggling operation. Nancy comes up with a plan to deceive the smugglers by disguising George as the missing Chinese girl.
The Secret in the Old Attic
In a race against time, Nancy Drew endeavors to decipher the clues in letters left behind by a deceased man. The stakes are high – the financial ruin of Philip March and his young granddaughter. Using cryptic hints, Nancy begins to locate unpublished musical manuscripts, which she suspects are hiding in the dusty attic of the decrepit March estate.
The Sign of the Twisted Candles
Nancy Drew takes on another thrilling mystery when her friends Bess and George request her help investigating rumors that their wealthy great-granduncle, Asa Sidney, is being held captive in his mansion. 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 asks her to investigate suspected poachers on Crocodile Island with Bess and George. But they are kidnapped upon arrival. They escape and continue their detective work, facing reptiles, enemy boats, and danger. Nancy makes a bold move to solve the mystery but ends up imprisoned in an enemy submarine with Ned.
Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk
As Nancy Drew sets sail for New York, a strange man on the pier sends a warning message in sign language, mentioning someone called NE. Could NE be Nelda Detweiler, Nancy’s cabin mate?
Mystery of the Glowing Eye
Nancy Drew agrees to help her father solve the mystery of the glowing eye, but it leads to the kidnapping of her friend Ned Nickerson. Following a puzzling note from Ned, Nancy, Bess, and George embark on a dangerous search for the criminal.
The Clue in the Old Album
After witnessing a purse snatching, Nancy Drew is asked by the owner, a doll collector, to solve the case. A cryptic note warning about a curse leads Nancy to search for an old album, a lost doll, and a missing gypsy violinist.
The Clue of the Dancing Puppet
Nancy Drew investigates a puzzling mystery involving a dancing puppet at the Van Pelt estate, where an amateur acting group performs. Nancy’s search for clues leads her to the mansion’s attic, where a phone call and a jewel theft suspect add to the mystery.
The Invisible Intruder
“Nancy Drew, forget the ghost hunt!” warns a male voice on the phone. Despite the warning, Nancy and her friends embark on a ghost-hunting expedition to investigate five reportedly haunted places. They encounter danger right away when they come across a canoe moving on its own on Lake Sevanee.
The Phantom of Pine Hill
Nancy and her friends are guests at a historic mansion on Pine Hill during Emerson University’s summer festivities. Their host tells them about a phantom haunting the mansion’s library and the tragic sinking of the Lucy Belle, which resulted in the loss of a French wedding gown and valuable gifts.
Honorable mentions
Along with these excellent Nancy Drew novels, some noteworthy 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
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With Speechify, you can listen to your favorite books anytime, anywhere. So why not try Speechify Audiobooks and immerse yourself in the exciting 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
Which Nancy Drew book should I read first?
The first novel, The Secret of the Old Clock, is still the most popular book in the series and an excellent place to start.
Is the Nancy Drew TV series good?
The TV show earned 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 published between 1930 and 2003. Nancy featured in 124 titles in The Nancy Drew Files and became the protagonist of the Diaries series.