Editing Nancy Drew (section)

=== 1959–1985: Continuation of ''Mystery Stories,'' revisions at Grosset & Dunlap ===
At the insistence of publishers [[Grosset & Dunlap]], the Nancy Drew books were revised in 1959 to make them more modern and eliminate [[Ethnic stereotype|racist stereotypes]].<ref>Carpan (2008), 15.</ref> Although Harriet Adams felt that these changes were unnecessary, she oversaw a complete overhaul of the series, as well as writing new volumes in keeping with the new guidelines laid down by Grosset & Dunlap.<ref name="rehak-243" />

The series did not so much eliminate racial stereotypes, however, as eliminate non-white characters.<ref name="rehak-248" /> For example, in the original version of ''[[The Hidden Window Mystery]]'' (1956), Nancy visits friends in the [[Southern United States|South]] whose [[African-American]] servant, "lovable old Beulah… serves squabs, sweet potatoes, corn pudding, piping hot biscuits, and strawberry shortcake."<ref name="mason-70">Mason (1995), 70.</ref> The house mistress waits until Beulah has left the room and then says to Nancy, "I try to make things easier for Beulah, but she insists on cooking and serving everything the old-fashioned way. I must confess, though, that I love it."<ref>Keene (1956), 64. Quoted in Mason (1995), 70.</ref> In the revised 1975 version, Beulah is changed to Anna, a "plump, smiling housekeeper".<ref>Keene (1975), 35.</ref>

Many other changes were relatively minor. The new books were bound in yellow with color illustrations on the front covers. Nancy's age was raised from 16 to 18, her mother was said to have died when Nancy was three, rather than ten, and other small changes were made.<ref name="Fisher" /> Housekeeper Hannah Gruen, sent off to the kitchen in early stories, became less a servant and more a mother surrogate.<ref>Kismaric and Heiferman (2007), 94.</ref>

Critics saw this Nancy of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s as an improvement in some ways, a step back in others: "In these new editions, an array of elements had been modified… and most of the more overt elements of racism had been excised. In an often overlooked alteration, however, the tomboyish nature ature of the text's title character was also tamed."<ref>Abate (2008), 167.</ref> Nancy becomes much more respectful of male authority figures in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, leading some to claim that the revised Nancy becomes too agreeable and less distinctive, writing of her, "In the revised books, Nancy is relentlessly upbeat, puts up with her father's increasingly protective tendencies, and, when asked if she goes to church in the 1969 ''[[The Clue of the Tapping Heels]]'', replies, 'As often as I can."<ref>Kismaric & Heiferman (2007), 113–14.</ref>

Harriet Adams continued to oversee the series until she died in 1982. After her death, Adams' protégés, Nancy Axelrad and Lilo Wuenn, and her three children oversaw the Nancy Drew books and other Stratemeyer Syndicate series production. In 1985, the five sold the Syndicate and all rights to [[Simon & Schuster]]. Simon & Schuster turned to book packager Mega-Books for new writers.<ref name="plunkett-29" /> These books{{Which|date=March 2024}} continued to have the characters solve mysteries in the present day while still containing the same basic formula and style of the books during the Syndicate.{{Original research inline|date=March 2024}}