Teenage sleuth nancy drew and mildred wirt benson had a great deal in common, including very long and active lives. Both series were created by edward stratemeyer, founder of the stratemeyer syndicate book packaging firm, in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Carolyn keene books biography and list of works author. Carolyn keene is the pseudonym of the authors of the nancy drew mystery series, published by the stratemeyer syndicate.
Browse books by carolyn keene the bungalow mystery. The bride and groom are two fluffy white dogs belonging to one of river heights. For the classic series of 56 nancy drew books, there were 8 ghostwriters. The last resort is a hardy boys and nancy drew supermystery novel published in 1989. Carolyn keene books, author biography, and reading level. Carolyn keene nancy drew and friends umd libraries. Carolyn keene was a pseudonym under which numerous authors wrote the nancy drew books. New releases, upcoming books, video, excerpts and special features. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. Carolyn keene is a pseudonym used by ghostwriters over the years who wrote under that pen name. A list of all carolyn keenes series in reading order. Writing under various pen names as well as her own name, she penned over books for children, numerous short stories plus thousands of.
The company that was the creator of the nancy drew series, the stratemeyer syndicate, hired a variety of writers. As the author of the original nancy drew series of mystery novels, mildred wirt benson aka carolyn keene shot to fame penning thrilling tales concerning a fearless and stylish teen detective who never. Carolyn keene is the house name of authors who wrote childrens novels, including all of the various the nancy drew series as well as the dana girls and river heights series. Carolyn keene edward stratemeyer fiction factory harriet stratemeyer adams james patterson nancy drew radha vatsal radha vatsal she received her ph. Young hoosier book award master list in 2 edgar allan poe award finalist. Nancy drew books, in one form or another, have been popular for more than 70 years. Nancy and her friends need more than book smarts to get to the bottom of a literary mystery in this fourth book of the nancy drew diaries, a new take on the classic series. Penny warner has published more than 40 books, including six mysteries in the award winning connor westphal series. Sabotage at willow woods book by carolyn keene official. The complete series list for nancy drew mystery stories carolyn keene. Nancy drew starter set by carolyn keene, hardcover. It is not proven, but said, that his daughters updated and continued the series after their fathers death in 1930. Ruth fielding and her great scenario, or striving for the motion picture prize.
Carolyn keene is a pen name used by a variety of authors for the classic nancy drew mystery series. Leaving behind a legacy, there is much speculation as to who the original author was behind this penname. Nancy drew mystery stories series in order carolyn keene. Carolyn keene was born on july 10, 1905 in ladora, iowa. Carolyn keene books biography and list of works author of. Both are instrumental to each others success and its a winning formula that many others have been inspired by over the years. The character of nancy drew ghostwritten and credited to the pseudonymous carolyn keene has appeared in a number of series over the years 533 nancy drew books have been published as of 2019, in nine series, as follows. Nancy drew and the hidden staircase is the second book in its series.
Jorjeana marie when nancy drew and her friends take a trip to shady oaks, they discover that two tourists have gone missing only to. Carolyn keene has 899 books on goodreads with 1203277 ratings. Order of carolyn keene books carolyn keene is the house name of authors who wrote childrens novels, including all of the various the nancy drew series as well as the dana girls and river heights series. Perhaps best known for their infamous nancy drew series of novels, carolyn keene was to be the american pseudonym that would spawn an entire industry. Carolyn keene is currently considered a single author. Carolyn keene is a pen name or pseudonym of the writers of the nancy drew series and the dana girls stories, as well as the river heights books and the nancy drew notebooks. Nancy drew books by carolyn keene learn about the nancy drew books. Born in ladora, io, benson was the first person to receive a masters in journalism from the university. Explore books by carolyn keene with our selection at.
Carolyn keene books list of books by author carolyn keene. Stratemeyer gave all of them the name carolyn keene. Phil zuckerman, applewood books in charlottesville, va. Jan 30, 2020 while benson never hid the fact that she wrote the text for the nancy drew books, the stratemeyer syndicate made it a practice to require that its writers remain anonymous and listed carolyn keene as the author of the nancy drew series. Book three by carolyn keene from waterstones today. If there are additional titles from this series that you would like added, please let us know. Nancy drew diaries supersleuth collection by carolyn keene. Carolyn keene s most popular series is nancy drew mystery stories. Benson wrote under the stratemeyer syndicate pen name, carolyn keene. Dec 17, 2008 carolyn keene was a pseudonym under which numerous authors wrote the nancy drew books. Nancy drew clue book mystery mayhem collection books 14 by carolyn keene. The books were published by a writers syndicate started by edward stratmeyer. Dixon is the author of the everpopular hardy boys books. The hardy boys and nancy drew are called in to join a team of paperback.
The nancy drew mystery stories was the longrunning main nancy drew series, published between 1930 and 2003. The books are ghostwritten by a number of authors and published under the collective pseudonym carolyn keene. In addition, the keene pen name is credited with the nancy drew spinoff, river heights, and the nancy drew notebooks. Wirt benson who penned 17, 1125, and 30, walter karig who penned 810, george waller jr.
Carolyn keenes most popular series is nancy drew mystery stories. Carolyn keene biography timeline timetoast timelines. Benson is credited as the primary writer of nancy drew books under the pseudonym carolyn keene. Once upon a thriller book by carolyn keene official. The name carolyn keene is the invention of edward stratemeyer and the stratemeyer syndicate, which was known for packaging books for children. To many collectors and fans of series books and childrens literature, mildred augustine wirt benson was known as carolyn keene, frances judd, dorothy west, helen louise thorndyke, among other pseudonyms. As the author of the original nancy drew series of mystery novels, mildred wirt benson aka carolyn keene shot to fame penning thrilling tales concerning a fearless and stylish teen detective who never failed to get to the bottom of the case. The first author to use the pseudonym was mildred wirt benson, who wrote 23 of the original 30 books.
The nancy drew books were written by ghost writers. Nancy drew and the hidden staircase is by carolyn keene. In this lesson, youll learn about the original ghostwriter behind the pseudonym carolyn keene, the author of the much beloved childrens mystery. She wrote some of the earliest nancy drew mysteries and created the detectives adventurous personality. The question of who wrote the nancy drew books was a mystery for many years. See all books authored by carolyn keene, including the secret of the old clock, and the hidden staircase, and more on. Sabotage at willow woods by carolyn keene nancy and her friends hit the campaign trail in search of a political trickster in this fifth book of the nancy drew. Mildred augustine wirt benson july 10, 1905 may 28, 2002 was an american journalist and author of childrens books. Carolyn keene is a writer pen name that was used by many different people both men and women over the years. Mildred wirt benson, who wrote the text of 23 of the first 25 nancy drew books. A recent article about the cw series referred to carolyn keene as the original nancy drew author and stated that harriet stratemeyer adams later. Carolyn keene books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. The scarlet slipper mystery nancy drew hardcover by carolyn keene.
Guinness book of world records nancy drew series by carolyn keene diary of a wimpy kid by jeff kinney when life gives you o. It was the beginning of the nancy drew mystery stories series. Books by carolyn keene 19 sort by number of resources number of awards book title year published word count reading level. The name of carolyn keene, along with the books themselves, have become brands that work handinhand with one another. Both series were created by edward stratemeyer, founder of the stratemeyer syndicate book. Carolyn keene author of the secret of the old clock. Nancy drew and the hidden staircase is the second book. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Carolyn keene is the pseudonym of the writers of the nancy drew and the dana girls mystery book series. All these authors were just as fictitious as the novels they were supposed to have written, and all were the creation of edward stratemeyer and his stratemeyer syndicate. Some of the published credits of carolyn keene include nancy drew complete series set, books 164. Carolyn keene is the pseudonym of the authors of the nancy drew mystery stories and the dana girls mystery stories, both produced by the stratemeyer syndicate. Carolyn keene books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography.
The nancy drew collections are great for all ages, whether your nine or ninetynine. Lapin scholar and writer who discovered mildred wirt benson was carolyn keene. Nancy and her friends save a dog shelters big day in the thirteenth book in the interactive nancy drew clue book mystery series. Dixon are the pseudonyms under which many ghostwriters penned the nancy drew and hardy boys series, respectively. Wirt was the ghostwriter carolyn keene for 23 of the first 30 nancy drew books. Nancy drew is a fictional character, a sleuth in an american mystery series created by publisher edward stratemeyer as the female counterpart to his hardy boys series. Carolyn keene is the author of the everpopular nancy drew books. This appeared to work and, after a film that was released in 2007 featuring emma roberts as the eponymous character, interest in the brand was renewed.
Although edward stratemeyer created the characters and synopsis for the first few nancy drew books, he did not write them himself, and the actual writers agreed not to reveal their names. A rash of crimes in a neighboring towna blazing fire at a bookstore, a boat that sinks in the harbor, and a valuable dogs dognappingare eerily similar to the plots. Carolyn keene the name carolyn keene is the invention of edward stratemeyer and the stratemeyer syndicate, which was known for packaging books for children. Carolyn keenes first novel was the secret of the old clock, which was published in 1930. Get our latest staff recommendations, award news and. Besss mom is on the board of pet crusaders, a local rescue organization and hosts the charitys annual fundraising gala. Shop the latest titles by carolyn keene at alibris including hardcovers, paperbacks, 1st editions, and audiobooks from thousands of sellers worldwide. Mildred was born mildred augustine and married men named wirt and benson. Carolyn keene and the mystery of the real nancy drew author. Above are nancy drew series books that are currently on. Harriet adams stratemeyers daughter rewrote the original. Sabotage at willow woods chapter one the wrong message ooh, another cottoncandy seller.
My best friend bess leaned back and craned her neck, pointing down the sidewalk to a middleaged man surrounded by wispy puffs of yellow and bluethe boylestown raiders colors. Writing under various pen names as well as her own name, she penned over books. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. The lasting power of these strong role models for girls is one reason these books. Nancy drew and friends girls series books portray a world where capable girls solve mysteries and embark on adventures with pluck, brains, and style. For nancy drew, the writers used the pseudonym carolyn keene to assure anonymity of the creator. Ghost writer mildred wirt benson was the first and primary writer of the nancy drew books. The mystery of carolyn keene the question of who wrote the nancy drew books was a mystery for many years. Other writers who have adapted the carolyn keene moniker include leslie mcfarlane, james duncan lawrence, walter karig, and nancy axelrod. The stratmeyer syndicate was responsible for numerous childrens book series many involving mystery solving under numerous pseudonyms, including. Carolyn keene is a published author and an illustrator of childrens books. Carolyn keene carolyn keene is the pseudonym of the authors of the nancy drew mystery series, published by the stratemeyer syndicate.
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