Nancy Drew Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide
Updated September 2026
Nancy Drew Books in Order: The Short Answer
To read the Nancy Drew books in order, start with the classic Nancy Drew Mystery Stories: 56 yellow-spined hardcovers published by Grosset & Dunlap from 1930 to 1979, from The Secret of the Old Clock to The Thirteenth Pearl. The numbered series continued in paperback to #175 in 2003, and the current series, the Nancy Drew Diaries, reached Book 27 in January 2026.
For most families, those original 56 are the ones that matter. Each is a complete mystery, so reading order is flexible, but here is the full numbered list.
In this guide:
- The Original 56 Nancy Drew Mysteries
- Original vs. Revised Texts: Which Version to Buy
- After #56: The Paperbacks and Every Later Series
- Best Nancy Drew Books to Start With
- Nancy Drew Reading Level and Content Notes
- Nancy Drew on Film and TV
- Hunting Down Used Nancy Drews
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Original 56 Nancy Drew Mysteries
| # | Title | Year | # | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Secret of the Old Clock | 1930 | 29 | The Mystery at the Ski Jump | 1952 |
| 2 | The Hidden Staircase | 1930 | 30 | The Clue of the Velvet Mask | 1953 |
| 3 | The Bungalow Mystery | 1930 | 31 | The Ringmaster's Secret | 1953 |
| 4 | The Mystery at Lilac Inn | 1930 | 32 | The Scarlet Slipper Mystery | 1954 |
| 5 | The Secret at Shadow Ranch | 1931 | 33 | The Witch Tree Symbol | 1955 |
| 6 | The Secret of Red Gate Farm | 1931 | 34 | The Hidden Window Mystery | 1956 |
| 7 | The Clue in the Diary | 1932 | 35 | The Haunted Showboat | 1957 |
| 8 | Nancy's Mysterious Letter | 1932 | 36 | The Secret of the Golden Pavilion | 1959 |
| 9 | The Sign of the Twisted Candles | 1933 | 37 | The Clue in the Old Stagecoach | 1960 |
| 10 | The Password to Larkspur Lane | 1933 | 38 | The Mystery of the Fire Dragon | 1961 |
| 11 | The Clue of the Broken Locket | 1934 | 39 | The Clue of the Dancing Puppet | 1962 |
| 12 | The Message in the Hollow Oak | 1935 | 40 | The Moonstone Castle Mystery | 1963 |
| 13 | The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | 1936 | 41 | The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes | 1964 |
| 14 | The Whispering Statue | 1937 | 42 | The Phantom of Pine Hill | 1965 |
| 15 | The Haunted Bridge | 1937 | 43 | The Mystery of the 99 Steps | 1966 |
| 16 | The Clue of the Tapping Heels | 1939 | 44 | The Clue in the Crossword Cipher | 1967 |
| 17 | The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk | 1940 | 45 | The Spider Sapphire Mystery | 1968 |
| 18 | The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion | 1941 | 46 | The Invisible Intruder | 1969 |
| 19 | The Quest of the Missing Map | 1942 | 47 | The Mysterious Mannequin | 1970 |
| 20 | The Clue in the Jewel Box | 1943 | 48 | The Crooked Banister | 1971 |
| 21 | The Secret in the Old Attic | 1944 | 49 | The Secret of Mirror Bay | 1972 |
| 22 | The Clue in the Crumbling Wall | 1945 | 50 | The Double Jinx Mystery | 1973 |
| 23 | The Mystery of the Tolling Bell | 1946 | 51 | Mystery of the Glowing Eye | 1974 |
| 24 | The Clue in the Old Album | 1947 | 52 | The Secret of the Forgotten City | 1975 |
| 25 | The Ghost of Blackwood Hall | 1948 | 53 | The Sky Phantom | 1976 |
| 26 | The Clue of the Leaning Chimney | 1949 | 54 | The Strange Message in the Parchment | 1977 |
| 27 | The Secret of the Wooden Lady | 1950 | 55 | Mystery of Crocodile Island | 1978 |
| 28 | The Clue of the Black Keys | 1951 | 56 | The Thirteenth Pearl | 1979 |
Book 5 was retitled The Secret of Shadow Ranch when it was revised, and you'll see both titles on used copies. The years above are original publication dates; most copies on the used market are later printings.
All of these went out under the name "Carolyn Keene," which was never a real person. It was a house pseudonym of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, the company Edward Stratemeyer founded that also produced the Hardy Boys. Mildred Wirt Benson ghostwrote 23 of the first 30 books, and Stratemeyer's daughter Harriet Stratemeyer Adams wrote or edited most of the later ones.
Original vs. Revised Texts: Which Version to Buy
This is the most useful thing to know before buying used Nancy Drews, and most reading lists skip it.
Starting in 1959, the Syndicate revised books #1–34. The revisions shortened the books, modernized the details, and removed the racial and ethnic stereotypes that appear in some of the early texts. Nancy's age was raised from 16 to 18. In many cases the plots were changed substantially, and in a few the revised book is close to a new story under the old title. Books #35–56 were written after the revision project began and exist in only one version.
How to tell which you have:
- Yellow spine with a picture cover (the familiar "flashlight" editions): almost always the revised text.
- Blue cloth binding, often with a dust jacket: pre-revision printings, usually the original text. These are older and more collectible.
- Facsimile reprints of the early originals have also been published for collectors and nostalgic parents.
Our advice: for a child reading for fun, the revised yellow-spine editions are the better choice. They're tighter, easier to find, and free of the dated stereotypes. Adults who want the original, bolder, more headstrong Nancy that Benson wrote will enjoy tracking down the early texts, and it's a great comparison project for an older homeschool student studying how books change over time.
After #56: The Paperbacks and Every Later Series
| Series | Years | Books | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #57–175 (paperback) | 1979–2003 | 119 | Fans who've finished the hardcovers |
| The Nancy Drew Files | 1986–1997 | 124 | Teens; more romance and danger |
| Nancy Drew Notebooks | 1994–2005 | 69 | Ages 7–9; Nancy is eight years old |
| Nancy Drew on Campus | 1995–1998 | — | Older teens; a college soap opera |
| Nancy Drew: Girl Detective | 2004–2012 | 47 | Tweens; first-person, cell phones and a hybrid car |
| Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew | 2006–2014 | About 40 | Ages 6–9; illustrated chapter books |
| Nancy Drew Diaries | 2013–present | 27 so far | Ages 8–12; the current series |
There were also crossover Super Mysteries teaming Nancy with the Hardy Boys (1988–1998), and several graphic novel runs, including a 21-volume Papercutz series (2005–2010).
For a six- or seven-year-old who wants to be in on Nancy, the Clue Crew and Notebooks books are the right size, and our list of mystery books for 7-year-olds has more at that level.
The Nancy Drew Diaries, the current series
Simon & Schuster's Aladdin imprint has published the Diaries since 2013. It's a contemporary Nancy with Bess and George, told in first person. The newest is Vans & Villains (#27, January 20, 2026), in which George wins a contest to drive a camper van from Chicago to Los Angeles and the trip keeps going wrong. Before that came Superstitions of "The Scottish Play" (#26). Book 28, Major Discord, is scheduled for January 26, 2027, and there's a holiday special, A Nancy Drew Christmas. The publisher lists the series for ages 8–12, grades 3–7.
The Diaries begin with Curse of the Arctic Star (#1). They're standalone mysteries, so a new reader can start with any of them.
A word on the Nancy Drew Files
The Files paperbacks from the 80s and 90s turn up constantly in used-book bins, often mixed in with the classics. They're a different animal: aimed at teens, with more romance, more violence and more peril. Nothing a teenager can't handle, but if you're handing Nancy Drew to a nine-year-old, check the cover says "Nancy Drew Mystery Stories" and not "The Nancy Drew Files." Teens who have outgrown Nancy altogether will find more in our best mystery book series for teens.
Best Nancy Drew Books to Start With
The Secret of the Old Clock is the natural first book. It introduces Nancy, her lawyer father Carson Drew, the housekeeper Hannah Gruen, and her hometown of River Heights, and it's a genuinely good mystery about a missing will. Bess Marvin and George Fayne, her best friends, arrive a few books later, and boyfriend Ned Nickerson shows up in The Clue in the Diary (#7).
Beyond #1, these are the ones we see readers get hooked on:
- The Hidden Staircase (#2) — a "haunted" mansion with a secret passage. The best pick for a kid who likes a little spookiness.
- The Password to Larkspur Lane (#10) — a carrier pigeon, a sinister country estate, and one of the tightest early plots.
- The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (#25) — a strong mid-series mystery with atmosphere to spare.
- The Mystery of the 99 Steps (#43) — a trip to France and one of the better later books.
After that, let the reader follow their interests. Titles with "haunted," "ghost" or "phantom" in them are always popular, and none of the ghosts turn out to be real.
Nancy Drew Reading Level and Content Notes
The classic hardcovers read well for ages 8 to 12, with 20 or so chapters of about ten pages each. Strong younger readers can handle them, and they make good family read-alouds, since each chapter ends on a small cliffhanger.
Content-wise, they're about as clean as mysteries get. There's danger (Nancy gets knocked out, tied up and locked in a lot of closets) but no gore, no language, and nothing romantic beyond Ned taking her to a dance. Nancy is brave, polite, resourceful and good at nearly everything, which some modern readers find a bit much and many parents find refreshing.
For homeschool use, they're good for teaching inference. Pause before the reveal chapter and ask your child to name the culprit and explain which clues point to them. Our guide to the best mystery books for students suggests where to go once they have the hang of it.
Nancy Drew on Film and TV
- Four Warner Bros. films (1938–1939) starring Bonita Granville.
- The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977–1979) on ABC.
- Nancy Drew (2007), rated PG, starring Emma Roberts. A light, family-friendly update that sends Nancy to Los Angeles.
- Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019), rated PG, starring Sophia Lillis, loosely based on Book 2.
- Nancy Drew (The CW, 2019–2023), four seasons starring Kennedy McMann. This one is a supernatural teen drama and not for kids.
The two PG movies are the family-friendly picks. Look for them in our mystery and crime DVDs, and see our best PG movies for family movie night for more at the same rating. Many kids also know Nancy from the long-running Her Interactive point-and-click computer games.
Hunting Down Used Nancy Drews
Nancy Drew has been printed continuously for nearly a century, so used copies are plentiful. See which Nancy Drew books are on the shelf now, check for Nancy Drew Diaries for younger modern readers, and browse our mystery books. If your reader wants the brothers too, try the Hardy Boys. Shipping is free on orders over $15.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Nancy Drew books are there?
The original Nancy Drew Mystery Stories run to 175 books: 56 hardcovers (1930–1979) plus 119 paperbacks (1979–2003). Counting all later series, there are more than 500.
What is the first Nancy Drew book?
The Secret of the Old Clock, published in 1930. It's still the best place to start.
Do Nancy Drew books need to be read in order?
No. Each book is a complete, standalone mystery. Reading in order lets you watch the friendships with Bess, George and Ned develop, but it isn't necessary.
What is the difference between the original and revised Nancy Drew books?
Beginning in 1959, books 1–34 were revised: shortened, modernized, and cleaned of racial stereotypes, with Nancy's age raised from 16 to 18. Some plots were rewritten entirely.
Who really wrote Nancy Drew?
Carolyn Keene is a pen name. Mildred Wirt Benson ghostwrote most of the early books, and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams wrote or edited most of the later originals and the revisions.
What is the newest Nancy Drew book?
Vans & Villains, Nancy Drew Diaries #27, published January 20, 2026. Book 28, Major Discord, is due January 26, 2027.
What age are Nancy Drew books for?
The classic mysteries and the Nancy Drew Diaries suit ages 8 to 12. The Clue Crew and Notebooks series are for younger readers, and the Nancy Drew Files are for teens.
