From bingeing true crime TikToks to watching a comfort mystery movie, Gen Z craves a good mystery. As an avid lover of mystery movies and novels, I’m the exact same way. Throughout the years, I’ve read nearly every YA mystery book I could get my hands on, yet one series truly stood out to me: Nancy Drew.
Years ago, I got really into Nancy Drew and became determined to collect the entire original series. Although I still haven’t gotten close, I’ve collected some truly incredible books.
After posting on a local neighborhood website, the sweetest ladies gave me their vintage Nancy Drew books. These titles are the most precious books, with some including messages written inside from decades ago. They’re my prized possessions.
This article is my petition for Nancy Drew to become your next mystery obsession.
The Perfect Cozy Mystery
There’s nothing better than a mystery you can read while snuggled up with a blanket and a hot cup of tea. In a world saturated with terrifying mysteries and true crime, cozy mysteries are an escape. They’re a way to forget the heaviness of reality and dive into a world you’ll never want to leave. Nancy Drew is a cozy mystery that will keep you coming back again and again for a smart heroine, unique settings, and intriguing mysteries.
Of all the Nancy Drew tales I’ve read, my personal favorite is book No. 64, Captive Witness. This book is full of action, mystery, and intrigue. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that it will keep you hooked from beginning to end. I don’t think I’ll ever find a book I enjoy more.
Lots of Content
For a generation that loves repeatedly binge-watching series, Nancy Drew has an abundance of content that never truly ends. The original series contains 56 titles, which were followed by another 119 books. There are additional spinoff series, including The Nancy Drew Files and Nancy Drew: Girl Detective.
This is all thanks to the numerous incredible ghostwriters who bring us tantalizing mysteries over and over again. You could spend years reading and never run out of cases to solve. For me, this is a huge plus, since it’s so fun to have the opportunity to read about a comfort character throughout multiple stories.
If you’re like me and love a good audiobook, I found this wonderful YouTuber, Penelope Heaven, who has narrated countless Nancy Drew books, including my favorite one, Captive Witness! She’s created a playlist for each book she’s narrated.
Aside from books, Nancy’s adventures have been adapted into movies, shows, and video games. No matter your preferred media, Nancy Drew has something for you.
Nancy Drew: An Inspiration
Our generation has found inspiration across social media, but nothing is more inspiring than the classic tale of an amateur sleuth who solves mysteries solely to help those around her.
Each of the Nancy Drew books revolves around Nancy’s unwavering desire to help others in need, whether that be through recovering a family heirloom or saving children. She’s a sleuth and a heroine who truly cares for everyone she encounters.
Nancy Drew uses her wits to uncover the mysteries and her courage to chase each case until the end, even if it lands her in a bit of a sticky situation. Her victories are not an accident. Rather, each one is carefully crafted through Nancy’s close attention to detail and commitment to trusting her instincts.
Nancy Drew prioritizes relationships. Throughout the series, no matter where her adventures take her, Nancy retains a positive relationship with her father, two best friends, and boyfriend. They appear in several of the mysteries and are always the perfect sidekicks for solving a case.
With the age of social media, most role models are only temporarily viral. There’s truly no better role model for Gen Z than Nancy Drew, because she shows a lasting dedication to compassion and integrity.
Nancy Drew would do anything to protect and help those around her. None of it’s done for attention or fame. Time and time again, she uses her genius and spunk to solve each and every mystery that comes her way, no matter how difficult.
You Might Learn Something New
The Nancy Drew series encourages a deeper connection with characters, topics, and ideas, which is a breath of fresh air from our obsession with scrolling through short hits of dopamine. Each book is written with a completely new scenario in sometimes drastically different locations.
Nancy Drew has traveled to all kinds of places, from the desert to the coast. There’s seemingly nowhere she hasn’t been. Through these unique plot lines, you learn about locations and situations you may never have experienced.
I’ll never forget that I learned the word “vicinity” through the Nancy Drew books.
Could Nancy Drew be your next obsession?
My love for Nancy Drew is so great that I once made a Nancy Drew-themed cake for a competition at my local library. Yes, I did win! Beyond my nostalgia and love for the heroine’s mysteries, Nancy Drew has something to offer you.
Whether that be a break from the bustle of a college student’s life or a fun way to learn something new, Nancy Drew is an opportunity to truly enjoy cozy mystery media in all its forms.
As a generation obsessed with mystery, it’s time we make some space in the spotlight for Nancy Drew and give her stories the attention they deserve.
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