Girl Sleuth Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her

THE FIRST BEHIND-THE-SCENES HISTORY OF THE BELOVED GIRL DETECTIVE "Through the history of Nancy Drew, Rehak sheds light on perhaps the most successful writing franchise of all time and also the cultural and historic changes through which it passed. Grab your flashlights, girls. The mystery of Carolyn Keene is about to begin." -- Karen Joy Fowler, author of THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB * The original proposal for Nancy Drew suggested that her name be Stella Strong, Nell Cody, Helen Hale, or Diana Dare. "GIRL SLEUTH is meticulously researched, elegantly written, and riveting. Melanie Rehak juxtaposes teen sleuth Nancy Drew's omnipotence with the all-too-real struggles of her creators." --Susan Kandel, author of NOT A GIRL DETECTIVE * When Nancy Drew was introduced she wore cloche hats and gloves whenever she was out in public. In the 50s she changed to sport dresses and rompers and even -- gasp -- pants. "Witty, fast-paced, and smart, Girl Sleuth makes the story behind Nancy Drew as much fun to read as the mystery novels themselves. It's superb." --Jean Strouse, author of "Morgan, American Financier" * Nancy and her boyfriend Ned Nickerson never once kissed, although in "The Secret of the Old Attic" she does "faint into his strong arms."Rehak, Melanie is the author of 'Girl Sleuth Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her', published 2006 under ISBN 9780156030564 and ISBN 015603056X.