10 of the Best Nancy Drew Books for Aspiring Sleuths

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Nancy Drew has long been a household name, thanks in large part to the 56 books that Grosset & Dunlap published between 1930 to 1979. Using the pen name Carolyn Keene, several ghostwriters are actually behind the Nancy Drew series, but this did not hinder the book’s success. 

New generations know Nancy from the series’ many adaptations into TV shows, movies, comics, and computer games. After 1979, more Nancy Drew books were published, this time by different publishers, and included several spin-offs. We generally view the first 56 books in one chunk and those published after 1979 as a whole different set. 

Best Nancy Drew Books to Start With 

Here are some of the best Nancy Drew books you may want to start with: 

1. The Secret of the Old Clock (Book 1)

This first Nancy Drew book revolves around Nancy, a 16-year-old (in the original 1930 edition) who wants to help a family struggling with inheritance issues over a deceased relative. Nancy sets out to find a missing will to help them lay claim to the estate. 

2. The Hidden Staircase (Book 2)

The book that inspired the movie adaptation released in 2019 tells about Nancy agreeing to solve a mystery at the mansion of a friend’s relative. The strange sounds and eerie shadows at night make her wonder: is the house haunted? 

3. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Book 4)

Nancy is helping her friend Emily prepare for a wedding at Lilac Inn, which Emily owns. But what happens when Nancy discovers that someone has been impersonating her and buying things in her name? And, Emily’s diamonds have been stolen! Can Nancy find the culprit before he or she wreaks more havoc?

4. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Book 5)

When Nancy arrives at Shadow Ranch for a vacation, she finds herself right smack in the middle of a mystery. An unknown ghostly creature seems to be haunting the ranch. But is it really a ghost that Nancy is face-to-face with? 

5. The Secret of Red Gate Farm (Book 6)

In this book, Nancy, Bess, and George try to help Joanne Byrd, who lives with her grandmother and is in terrible need of enough money to keep their farm. The three friends decide to pay for their stay to help chip in a bit. But what happens when they find an odd group of people renting a cave on the same property?

6. Nancy’s Mysterious Letter (Book 8)

A letter arrives from England addressed to Nancy Drew—but for a different young woman with the same name, who is an heiress! Nancy tries to locate the missing namesake, and discovers that a dangerous man stands in her way, with plans to wed the heiress and claim her inheritance for himself. 

7. The Secret in the Old Attic (Book 21)

How can Nancy solve a mystery using only the letters that a dead man wrote? Can she find the crucial clues and help save Philip March and his granddaughter from financial ruin? And who’s putting all these obstacles in her path?

8. The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (Book 32)

In this book, Nancy encounters Centorvian refugees who run a dance school and receive a strange death threat. Nancy offers to help, but they give her vague answers, causing Nancy to wonder what they’re hiding. When they suddenly disappear, Nancy enlists her friends to help her find them and discover the truth.

9. The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (Book 38)

In this story, Nancy’s aunt gives her a call all the way from New York, asking for her help solving the mystery of her neighbor’s missing granddaughter. As always, Nancy and her friends are happy to fly to New York and hunt clues to find the missing girl.

10. Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Book 1: Sleepover Sleuths

If you intend to give a Nancy Drew book to a younger girl, this spin-off may be a good place to start. It features Nancy as an 8-year-old girl out to crack her first case with help from her friends: she must find the missing doll of a girl who’s hosting a sleepover party. 

What Reading Level Are Nancy Drew Books? 

The Nancy Drew books were originally written for a reading level of 8–12 years old. In fact, she seems to be a great role model for girls of this age, especially since the role of detective has often been given primarily to men! Don’t we all want to empower our girls to live out their full potential?

However, there are some things you might want to look out for when letting an 8 to 12-year-old read even the original 56 books: 

  • Nancy is actually 18 in the books (16 in older versions, but the publishers changed her age to match the things she’s doing). Some of the cases she deals with may be a little dark for a younger girl. For example, in Book 1, Nancy’s dad gets kidnapped. Of course, it depends on your child’s sensitivity to difficult situations. 
  • The books also had beauty standards that may be bothersome to a young tween, such as a constant reference to the girls’ slim figures and nice hairstyles. 
  • Having been written at a time when the importance of diversity wasn’t yet prioritized, you may come across inaccurate portrayals of minorities. (Makes you kind of wish they had sensitivity readers in those days, huh?) 

Do You Have to Read Nancy Drew Books in Order? 

The good news is that although the books are in a series, you don’t have to read them in order. This is great, especially since you may be able to find some of the hard copy books in thrift stores, but not all of them. 

Of course, most of the Nancy Drew books are available on Kindle, which is another convenient reading option.

Reading Nancy Drew Books 

Reading mystery novels like the Nancy Drew books is a good pastime for children. Not only is it an entertaining use of time, it also helps them develop critical thinking skills, such as looking for clues and finding answers to perplexing problems. 

If you have a young reader in your life that you would like to introduce to some fun reading, consider gifting them one of the best Nancy Drew books we have here on our list! 

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