31 Days of Nancy Drew Topic #12 Nancy Drew Modern Mysteries - Nancy Drew Girl Detective & Nancy Drew Diaries

31 Days of Nancy Drew Topic #12

Nancy Drew Modern Mysteries - Nancy Drew Girl Detective & Nancy Drew Diaries

Modern Nancy Drew for the 8 to 12 set. A tale of how a too flawed Nancy Drew Girl Detective series led to a new beginning and fresh start with Nancy Drew Diaries. Read on...

NANCY DREW GIRL DETECTIVE:

The decision was made by 2003 to discontinue the long running 175 volume series, Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, and relaunch the series in 2004 as Nancy Drew Girl Detective. Prior to Girl Detective, even classic Nancy Drew books went through modernizing and revising over time to fit with fashion styles and update language because those books were published over a period of many years. The Girl Detective series ran from 2004 to 2012 and 47 books. With this series came major changes to some areas of the Nancy Drew world. Not only were they updating technology but they were messing a little with classic Nancy Drew - a formula that had been popular since 1930. There are boxed sets, promo items and merchandise based on this series--something for a future 31 days blog. Plus audio books, library bound versions, and foreign editions. And there was a Ghost Stories book plus some Super Mystery books that were special editions and even a few Super Mystery editions that teamed Nancy up with the Hardy Boys.

I was a supporter of the Girl Detective series in the beginning, finding some fans to be ridiculously fickle at times, but then over time, the quality of these books waned and the mysteries were not so interesting and the trilogy format got a little boring in how it was executed. The covers were not appealing. There was a lot of sabotage as Jennifer White has blogged about in her reviews of this and the Diaries series - and the first person voice got tiring. Classic Nancy for 175 volumes was always in third person voice and I prefer it that way. Bess had mechanical skills, George became a hacker. OK, fine. Other changes came as they were not sticking totally to cannon and that's fine. But when it comes to the big heroine of the series - Nancy Drew - that's where changes got trickier.

Most tiring was Nancy's character. In an effort to make her more real, she became too flawed in areas that were not becoming of who Nancy Drew, as a character, had always been. There would have been better ways to give her more realism -- for example, how she handled perilous situations or dealt  with modern mysteries and criminals. Instead, most of the shtick was her being forgetful and bumbling around which is very unflattering realism and frankly not so inspiring. She would forget her keys or where they were. Forget to put gas in her car because she was so into her mystery she wasn't focusing on those little things. She even once wore her slippers out and about instead of changing her shoes, forgot to shower, questioned whether she washed her hair/etc. Silly things like that - things that you and I probably do in our daily lives that we could relate to or commiserate with, but I don't read these books to commiserate about my own similar silly flaws and forgetfulness. As a kid, I read Nancy Drew books for entertainment and fun and because classic Nancy was inspiring. You see those slogans everywhere - like Girl Boss, etc.. Let's get real - Nancy Drew Girl Detective is no girl boss compared to classic Nancy Drew. And that's because her character is too flawed and in ways that really weren't necessary to the stories or the mystery solving. These flaws might have led to foibles, but other plot devices that were actually interesting could have accomplished the same goals without sacrificing Nancy's overall character.

Some claim classic Nancy Drew wasn't very real. However, that was kind of the point. These are fiction books, not non fiction. She was a super sleuth and pure entertainment. Inspiring and motivating. Girl Detective Nancy? Sometimes, but overall not so much. I don't think the lady justices of the Supreme Court in the future will point to Girl Detective as the inspiration like our current justices do today with classic Nancy Drew. Just sayin'.

 

 

The bottom line of Girl Detective is there were some good books and stories and nods to classic characters - like the return of Helen Corning and some effort in the first 10+ books to throw in Easter Eggs to classic fans. However, as a whole, it is not one of my favorite spinoff series for the reasons I've stated.

There is a lesson that was learned by the publishers. Which is that, yes, we need modern Nancy Drew to keep the series relevant for new generations, but if you want to keep calling her Nancy Drew and build on the basic formula that makes up Nancy Drew and her world, you kind of have to modernize around that and not mess with deeply ingrained character traits that have made Nancy Drew popular for generations. Traits such as her being smart, capable, daring and focused and someone we could aspire to be. Some realism is OK, but not character-flawed realism, that's just uninspiring. If you're going to make Nancy Drew uninspiring, what's the point anymore? And the publisher took stock of that lesson to a degree. Which leads me to Nancy Drew Diaries.....

NANCY DREW DIARIES:

No matter what you think of Girl Detective, that series is done and over. It was relaunched as Nancy Drew Diaries - the current in print series which debuted in 2013. So far there are 17 volumes in print and a special Nancy Drew Christmas edition. 2 books being published a year currently. The books are available in both paperbacks and hardcovers with dust jackets though the Christmas one hasn't been released in paperback yet, but it's coming. There are boxed sets and a triple edition. Plus audio books, library bound books and foreign editions.

Between sales and fan commentary and reviews, the Diaries series was an attempt to relaunch Nancy Drew and fix the flaws of Girl Detective - though it was done very quietly without a lot of publicity unlike Girl Detective's debut which had massive publicity, contests, promo items, parties, press kits and the like - a topic for a future 31 days blog on these collectibles. From criticisms of the earlier Girl Detective covers which were clip art montages to later photo covers of a model repeatedly wearing the same brown shirt and shorts or holding things that some fans said looked like underwear (Hypers!) to criticisms about her being so realistic she was too flawed to criticisms about the stories and titles being too much of a departure from classic Nancy Drew mysteries  - and on and on - we got the new Diaries series.

This was the blurb about Diaries that was released by Simon & Schuster;

"Striking illustrative covers featuring Nancy in action and suspense-filled stories will attract old and new fans alike, and make for an exciting, page-turning mystery series. Nancy continues to be a positive role model for readers: intelligent and perceptive, loyal and persevering. Nancy and company return to their mystery-solving roots: resourceful, perceptive, deductive, they rely on their wits first and then use technology to assist them. Readers will enjoy solving the hands-on mysteries with Nancy, Bess and George. Nancy Drew is a brand that's been on readers' shelves for more than 80 years, popular with both young and older fans. Nancy Drew first started in 1930 and is still in print today."

 

This blurb shows that they were trying to listen to fans and make an effort and I applaud Simon and Schuster for that. Diaries isn't perfect, but then it's hard to beat classic Nancy Drew - as many knock-of Nancy Drew-wannabee mystery series not to mention actual Nancy Drew spinoff series can attest to - many of which have come and gone over the years. As a stand alone series, Diaries had a lot of potential. Diaries is written in first person, but now we have lovely cover art illustrations again and titles that are more evocative of a mystery using classic title words like "mystery" and "phantom." Diaries Nancy is not as flawed as Girl Detective Nancy, though it would appear that the first 2 books in the series were probably leftover Girl Detective plots and possible outlines or even manuscripts turned into books for the Diaries series. Some books in the series are well done, some are not as good according to fans. The plots involve a little too much sabotage.

But Diaries is an improvement on Girl Detective. Classic Nancy Drew always came across as more sophisticated even though she was only a teenager due in part to the quality of the writing with the earlier books having a more sophisticated writing style. The art was a factor too. Ways they could easily improve the Diaries series would be more intriguing mysteries that rely less on the sabotage formula and lengthier books to aid in character development and more sophisticated mystery plots and suspense. They could easily fix the first part of that with better overall plotting and writing but the second part involves economics as it's more expensive to produce longer books and the publisher may not want to put as much effort into this series for whatever reason. There are a lot of other competing books and series for kids in today's market. I think Diaries could stand out and compete better with improved writing and plots plus lengthier books. If they don't make those kinds of changes with Diaries in the future, then those are things to consider if this series ends up getting relaunched again sometime down the road.

In the comments, let me know if you collected Girl Detective and have you read any of them? Your overall impression? Do you currently read and collect the Diaries series? What are your favorite mysteries in these series?

Nancy Drew Diaries Reviewed & Giveaway

UPDATE: Winners will be posted once I receive the prices - I can do the drawing now, but there's not much fun in not knowing what you win ;-) Prizes include Diaries books and other things. Hopefully we'll get the drawing done by middle of this next week...Stay tuned!

PRIZE WINNERS:

Judah Ben-Hur

Creative Cutie

Betsy

Courtesy of Simon & Schuster, you will receive both diaries books, a notebook (1 of pictured) and some neat pins:

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Nancy Drew has a new series to sleuth around in, the Nancy Drew Diaries series. This series debuted this past February with two titles, Curse of the Arctic Star and Strangers on a Train. It's never easy restarting an old favorite of fans young and old, but this series has an interesting premise--Nancy writing in her diary at the beginning and end of each case and now has an illustrator for the covers, Erin McGuire. Gone is the clip art and photographic covers of the recent Girl Detective series. They're still being written in first person perspective. The titles are a bit more mysterious and the cover art a bit darker which is always a plus in my book.

How do they fare with this long time fan? I'm going to review the first two books in this posting and then do a little activity for all you Nancy fans that might inspire those with a hand in this series! I'll also be giving away some Nancy Drew books, notebooks, and pins! To be entered into the drawing, here's your mission if you choose to accept it--please leave comments on this post with your name and follow the directions below.

Rather than your own comments about the series, I want you to think outside the box and complete the following 5 spooky titles with your imagination--something you'd like to see in future Nancy Drew Diaries titles. Deadline to enter: Sat. April 14, 2013. You get 1 entry for doing just that. Even better, complete the titles and then give me 1 brief paragraph synopsis (100 words or less) of a mystery that fits one of your titles, and you get 10 entries into the drawing.

The Secret of the _______    ________.

The Mysterious _________ of _________ Hall.

The Hidden _________.

The Phantom of _________    __________.

Nancy's _________   __________.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: Comments are Moderated, so they will not show up until approved.

Thoughts on Nancy Drew Diaries & Where is Nancy Drew?

Book #1 - Curse of the Arctic Star

Synopsis:      In this mystery, Nancy and her friends Bess and George go on a cruise to Alaska to investigate strange things happening on the ship. They arrive with Bess's new boyfriend and pretend they're contest winners. One part of the mystery seems to be solved at the end of this mystery but it continues in a two-parter with book two, Strangers on a Train in which Nancy solves the whole case.

Book # 2 - Strangers on a Train

Synopsis:     Nancy Drew continues her Alaskan cruise in part two of this mystery. She's solved one mystery but is it really completely solved? She realizes quickly that there's more going on that she thought and finds herself still on the case to uncover who is behind more threats and old threats that never did get resolved. She even stumbles upon another mystery involving smuggled animal bones. In the end, she solves the case and presumably she and her pals can finally just enjoy a mystery free vacation--until the next mystery, that is! 

Target Age:     8 to 12

A Few Clues About Nancy Drew Diaries...

Nancy has always been a popular character--for over 80 years now--in part due to a simple formula. She's a mystery magnet, who loves to solve a mystery no matter how baffling or how many threats she gets to stay off a case. She's bold, independent, and loyal.She could use her wits and skills of deduction to solve any mystery and tackle any predicament she found herself in. She's a role model and kids have looked up to her and wanted to be like her. The more flawed she is, like in the recent Girl Detective series (which may be more realistic), the less attractive she really is and the less we want to be like her. In the real world, we're all human, so we're all already flawed, we don't need a repeat version of ourselves necessarily. We read these books for entertainment and fun and we end up inspired along the way. We need someone to aspire to be and someone to motivate us and lead by example. That's the Nancy of generations of mystery readers. That's the Nancy who has inspired countless detectives and lawyers to take up the reigns and fight for justice and right wrongs in their own lives and careers. That's the Nancy who inspired a child to break free from a car trunk during a kidnapping and escape after she pondered, What Would Nancy Drew Do? That's the Nancy who inspired first Ladies like Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton; Supreme Court Justices like Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Where is this Nancy today? I don't feel like she existed the longer the Girl Detective series continued on. Does she exist in Nancy Drew Diaries? That's the real mysterious question that everyone including her publishers should be asking themselves...

My answer? Yes and no.

I liked the first two books. I'd like to see more. I'd like to see where it goes. As a researcher and consultant of the series who has gotten to know fans of all ages over the years and who has enjoyed all kinds of styles of Nancy Drew from her various series and spin-offs, I think my opinion is a pretty well rounded opinion on this series. Keeping in mind this is written for today's tweens, I think the writing style is conversational and flows well. There is some humor and good relationships between the girls in these mysteries--I could picture a group of today's girls having some of these conversations, so that part is done well. I enjoyed the setting and thought it was described well in the book, you could feel as if you were cruising right along with everyone and getting a tour of the ship. The mystery was OK, but somewhat generic, though the two-part cliffhanger should keep kids eager to read book two to see how it all turns out.

Though Nancy Drew sailed through and solved her mystery as always, I feel like she can do better. Like, if I was her "sleuth coach," I might suggest she hang out in a few dark alleys or check out a few abandoned mansions, maybe go on a treasure hunt or an old archaeology dig, or maybe check out that old haunted house in neighboring "Spooky Town" -- anything to bring a little more excitement to her life and in ours as the reader following along with her and her chums on their adventures. A little more spooky for me, with a side of dastardly villains please!

The new "Diaries" theme is very girlie--more likely a style that flatters Nancy's friend Bess more than Nancy and George. It's not too far fetched to think Nancy might write in a diary, however if she's 18 like she's usually been or some such similar age since they're not in school anymore, I think she'd be more into journaling. A diary is something little girls keep, so perhaps the 8 to 12 set reading the mystery may not think of it in terms like that and that may be what appeals more to that age set--the term diary over the term journaling. In fact, if this series is as modern as we would assume it to be--they are texting in these books after all--then Nancy would even more likely be keeping a Blog which is like a journal or diary, but online. A Blog recounting her mysteries or crime solving tips and expertise. Or she might even have some fans or perhaps her computer savvy pal George keeping a Blog about her exploits.

Being that Nancy Drew is a super detective, I feel a little bit like the diary concept isn't quite fitting--it's like a step in the right direction from the previous Girl Detective series, but just not quite there yet. We've previously seen a Nancy Drew Files series in the 1980s/1990s for the older teen set, in which the books began with Nancy's case file with a summary of the case, clues, suspects and everything laid out. That better fits a detective series than a diary. Maybe it's a case of semantics--perhaps renaming it a sleuthing journal or sleuth notebook would make more sense. "Nancy Drew Case Notes," "Nancy Drew Case Files," "Nancy Drew Sleuth Files," or perhaps "Nancy Drew's Dossier." Surely today's kids are not so dumbed down that they don't recognize what a "sleuth" is or what a "dossier" is?

The formula is still there - we have Nancy as a motherless sleuth with an attorney father, she's well known for her detective abilities and solving cases, she has two foil friends that are opposites like oil and water, a boyfriend who sometimes helps with the case and a housekeeper who is a motherly figure and a good cook. She's always stumbling upon a mystery and she always solves her case and gets the culprit in the end. But it's not so much the formula anymore, it's how she gets from beginning to end that really makes the case for Nancy Drew--and whether she's still that Mystery Solve-IT-Girl that's become a Pop Culture phenomenon. Does she still have it? It, being her sleuthing Mojo, or whatever you call it. That special something that kept us turning the pages time and time again to journey along on one thrilling adventure after another, even sneaking just one more chapter, and then another, and another...after bedtime under the covers with a flashlight.

Nancy Drew Diaries attempts to keep the series modern, but also lets Nancy rely on her deductive reasoning, sleuthing skills and her wits more than just technology which for Nancy Drew mystery buffs is a plus. There are those classic villain foibles from the classic Nancy Drew mysteries--threatening notes, physical threats and sabotage. Nancy Drew Diaries is almost there, but misses just a bit of what I'd like to call more Gothic suspense and mystery. There needs to be more drama and suspense, and the mystery should be a bit more mysterious to really compel Nancy from the beginning of her journey throughout the mystery of gathering clues and then attempting to solve it in the end. The reader should feel like they can't put down the book until they've dissected every last word and feverishly sprinted to the final psychological moment when everything comes together and the mystery is solved, the culprit revealed and then like Nancy, we are wistful for another mystery to solve, hoping the thrill ride continues. That was classic Nancy. That's what made Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayer come alive as a child. That's what inspired me. Diaries Nancy needs a jolt. She needs a gentle (or not so gentle) shove toward her former self and I hope she finds her way, one secret passageway and spooky old attic at at time...

Jenn:)

The Scoop on Nancy Drew Diaries

Nancy Drew Diaries Scoop

UPDATE: It appears that this series is not written in 3rd person as has been originally planned, but is in 1st person. Haven't seen it...yet!

Check out my Nancy Drew website page on the new Nancy Drew Diaries in the "Nancy Drew News" section and the page in the "Nancy Drew Books" section. They are similar right now, but the news page will get more updates as the series debuts as to any format info, promotional items (if any) and all those little things that turn up plus other changes as it progresses--plus I will highlight those here at the blog too.

The new series comes out in February with 2 titles - Curse of the Arctic Star and Strangers on a Train.

Then in May, we'll have Mystery of the Midnight Rider and Once Upon a Thriller in September. 

 

The main changes in the series as compared the former Girl Detective series are making a return to some of the things from classic Nancy like:

Books being in 3rd person.

Covers are now illustrated by an artist

Stories are longer at now over 200 pages

Titles are more mysterious (curse/mystery/thriller...)

The girls use their brains/wits more to solve mysteries than rely on technology

These are some of the changes. I'll have more in an upcoming Blog when I'll be posting a review and doing some giveaways courtesy of Simon & Schuster.

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Diaries Cover Previews

Nancy Drew Diaries - Cover Previews

Here are 2 sample images for the Nancy Drew Diaries series that's coming out next year. Keep in mind, this art is not final and could be subject to change. The above cover is for book 1 in the series, Curse of the Arctic Star. Below is the cover for Stranger on a Train.

We have now gone back to illustrated covers of a scene featuring Nancy Drew instead of the clip art covers or the posed covers with photos of models. This is the type of cover that fans prefer, so I'm very glad to see they went with an illustrator for this series. Nancy appears to be just blond again like she was in the originals in the classic series in the 1930s-1950s.

Here are synopses of these books:

Arctic Star--Nancy, Bess, and George are cruising dangerous waters on a tour of Alaska. Becca Wright, an old friend of Nancy's, is the Assistant Cruise Director of the Arctic Star, a posh new ship. But Becca needs Nancy's help when strange things keep happening aboard the opulent ocean liner: the swimming pool is turned into a floating grave; a famous passenger is threatened; and even the seemingly innocent mini-golf course becomes a perilous playground. With the majestic and mysterious Alaskan scenery as a backdrop, Nancy and company have to find out who's trying to sabotage the maiden voyage and why.

Stranger on a Train--Nancy’s Alaskan adventure continues as she and her friends disembark the mystery-plagued Arctic Star cruise ship and explore the grand sites of the 49th state: Skagway; the Yukon territory and Denali National Park. It's spectacular scenery, but things start to go wrong almost immediately, leading Nancy to believe that whoever is behind the unsolved mayhem aboard the ship has followed them on to dry land. The girl detectives had better watch their steps--they're on uncharted and unknown territory!

What do you think of the art?

Jenn:)

Nancy Drew Diaries - Another Nancy Drew Series Relaunch

Classic Nancy or Modern Nancy?

I'll let you be the judge here--please use the comments section to voice your opinion of the new re-do for Nancy Drew (Nancy Drew Diaries) which I'll discuss below. If you don't voice your opinions, how can you make them count in the long run?

Fans of classic Nancy (hardcovers 1-56 from 1930 to 1979), tend to prefer these to the modern paperbacks. I'd say in my collecting, researching, and consulting expertise, about 85-95% prefer them to anything newly being published.

Why is that? After all, each generation during classic Nancy, if you think about it, had their Nancy. You do realize that 1960s Nancy was not the same as 1930s Nancy during the classic period? The covers had changed, the texts were shorter and being revised during that period. The books were more faster paced. There were differences. But she endured overall. But the Stratemeyer Syndicate was handling the series at this time--it was a family owned operation and run like that, they were really dedicated to these series and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams was like a doting mother. All her time and energy were focused on churning out good "safe and sane" entertainment for children. This kind of business model is very different from a corporate publisher model. That's just the way of the world. Not that one is necessarily better than the other, but they tend to produce very different results sometimes.

Then came the modern era beginning in the 80s with a new publisher, Simon & Schuster taking over publishing in '79 and then outright owning the Syndicate the by mid-80s. We continued the series in paperback from #57 onward. Fans tend to like the early paperbacks--volumes 57 to 78 or thereabouts the best. After the mid-80s, it's hit and miss. There were spin-off series. But the classic series continued on until 2003--ending at #175. During this time-frame every so many years, the series would get a new look or style--different style of covers and models but essentially was the same series with the same formula.

What replaced it in 2004 was the biggest relaunch and update to date--Nancy Drew Girl Detective. This has probably been the most drastic update of the Nancy Drew series over the last couple of decades:

At this time, our fan group was asked for some suggestions while they were revamping the series and working on the relaunch. I sent through some suggestions made on our discussion group list to the editors. We ended up with these drastic changes which differ very starkly from classic Nancy:

1. Stories now told in 1st person instead of 3rd person.

2. Bess Marvin now has mechanical skills

3. George has computer skills and is a hacker

4. Ned Nickerson and Nancy grew up together and live in the same town--he goes to a univ. in the same town.

5. Nancy drives a hybrid car instead of her usual convertible.

6. Nancy is far from perfect--in fact she's seriously flawed compared to her old self--very forgetful, easily distracted, sometimes not reliable.

7. Nancy and Chief McGinnis are now rivals instead of colleagues and his character is not as respectful.

At first the books were pretty nicely written--the camaraderie between Nancy and her chums was believable and easy going, but over time, the continuity and the writing began to suffer a bit. The series wasn't as good as it was at first. And the 7 issues above began to be grating on fans--we've always preferred classic Nancy Drew for a reason--messing with that formula, I think was too drastic of a change in the long run.

The New Nancy Drew Diaries Series:

Now, the Girl Detective series, is being ended--will end shortly next year and then will be relaunched into what Amazon.com lists as the "Nancy Drew Diaries" series. The publisher is at work on a relaunch. So, fans young and older, what do you think about a new series? What kinds of advice do you have for editors working on the series? What kinds of things do you wish to see in a new series? After all you are the ones buying (and collecting) the books--let them know what you'd like to see!

Obviously the market for these books is kids--today's kids--not adult collectors :) However, it's also important to realize that it's adults who steer kids in the direction of various books and series (and who control the purse strings to purchase these for the kids)--often based on our own readings as kids and our own nostalgia. I see parents steering the kids toward the classics more than I do the modern. How do you draw in parents to a new series when it's not like what they read? How do you draw in librarians who look back more fondly on the classics? How do you draw in kids who may not be familiar with the series since it's not as popular as it was back during the classic period--and whose friends may not be reading it or may not have even heard (perish the thought!) of it?

It's a very complicated puzzle in some ways. And I don't think there are easy answers. But what I do feel is essential to Nancy Drew is the classic formula--it has played well over the decades, and still continues to make those classics (1st 56) good sellers. And that formula is good suspenseful mysteries featuring a smart and bold girl detective who is good as what she does and inspires others to do more in their lives--helps others in need and has exciting adventures along the way. Nancy has never needed to be the poster child for any particular movement, a forum for discussion of social issues or political topics (like Eco issues). She's always been a "safe and sane" place for pure fun and escape and adventure for kids to travel to with her. I don't care how modern we get in the world, Nancy has always been that safe haven for kids to just enjoy something fun--and just be kids.

Well plotted mysteries with lots of intrigue and suspense have always carried the day and I think they still can even with modern influences like cell phones or computers. I'd like to see Bess as her old self and Chief McGinnis go back to his jolly friendly self. I'd like to see Nancy kick up some dust in a convertible while adventuring around town in River Heights. Send her off to a spooky mansion and it's out in the woods where there's no good cell phone reception, so she has to use her wits as she always used to, to get out of a sticky situation. Let a villain be "haunting" the house to cover up some kind of modern day type crime and let her unmask him with a neat Gothic spooky backdrop. These things can work together--good old suspense and Gothic mystery so prevalent in the classics--and modern style mysteries. And just because we live in a modern world, don't forget, people still do like to see a mystery about missing heirlooms or old-time cold cases being solved. No one ever gets tired of that! It's a lot more exciting than zucchini.

So, friends and fans, please voice your opinions to this Blog on what you'd like to see for Nancy Drew in the next decade or two--be diplomatic about it and keep in mind that postings are on moderation here to weed out the spammers. If your comment doesn't appear right away, do not repost--it will eventually get approved when I see it and get posted.

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Thanks for your comments and opinions :)

Jenn:)