Those Last Six Elusive Hardcover Nancy Drew Digest Books

It's been over two years since I last reported on my progress in building a set of the Nancy Drew Digests in hardcover.  At that time, I needed six more books to complete the set.

148. On the Trail of Trouble, 1999
158. The Curse of the Black Cat, 2001
160. The Clue on the Crystal Dove, 2001
169. The Mistletoe Mystery, 2002
170. No Strings Attached, 2003
175. Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland, 2003

For those who haven't read my previous posts, here is an explanation.  Nancy Drew #57 through 175 were published in softcover by Simon and Schuster.  The Wanderer titles, #57-78, were printed in hardcover with dust jacket in limited quantities and are now very hard to find.  #79 through 175 were never issued in hardcover by the publisher, although hardcover copies do exist.  Some copies of #79 through 175 (as well as #57-78) were rebound in hardcover at the request of libraries.  The hardcover library editions are extremely hard to find for most titles in the set.

I decided in around 2001 that I wanted hardcover copies of #57-175 to use as my reading copies.  The last time that I read through the Nancy Drew Digest set, I had around two-thirds of the books in hardcover.  For the titles that I didn't have in hardcover, it wasn't easy reading my "as new" softcover copies without damaging them.  However, I managed.

In 2018, I wrote about my experience in building a set of hardcover books, and I explained that since the books weren't issued in a set, I couldn't be sure whether all of the books actually exist in hardcover.  For over a year, I have no longer had any doubt.  I saw a picture of a copy of #158 in hardcover that someone had checked out from a library.  Another collector found a copy of #175 in hardcover.  I concluded that if #175 exists in hardcover, then my other missing titles must exist.  I knew they were all out there, and I just had to find them.

It was not until the fall of 2020 that I purchased any of the six remaining books.  I was able to acquire #169 and #170.

A catastrophic ice storm hit during the last week in October, causing much chaos.  I was without power for 109 hours.  Of course it was during the power outage that a very nice copy of #175 in hardcover sold on eBay in an auction with some other high-numbered hardcover titles.  I did have internet, but I was so distracted that I somehow didn't check eBay carefully enough.  I didn't see the auction until it was over.  

I was devastated.  I was depressed for around three weeks after I noticed the auction that I missed.  The ice storm was certainly a cause for my depression, but the missed auction was what got to me the most.  I was so sad.  I was down to needing just four books, and I had missed out on an auction for what might very well be the most elusive one.

In January, I saw a bulk lot of hardcover library discards that included #160, one of the titles that I needed.  I purchased the lot and then waited for the books to arrive.  This transaction nearly turned into a package disaster, like so many that I have detailed over the years.  I wrote about it on Facebook on the day that the package arrived.

This package arrived today, with one end of the package torn and gaping open.  I was so annoyed, actually rather angry, when I saw it.  I just KNEW that I had lost some hardcover Nancy Drew Digest books.  I purchased these books just to get #160.  If #160 should happen to be missing, then....!!!  I yanked the box open from the damaged end and literally dumped the contents onto the floor.  I didn't care, and I knew that the books would not get damaged.  I had to know.  First, I counted the books.  They appeared to be all present.  And then I found #160.  Yay!

That was on January 19.  I had acquired #160, taking me down to needing just three titles.  Of course, it would have been just two titles if I hadn't missed that auction.  I couldn't help but think about that.  

In April, I was gifted with hardcover copies of #148, 158, and 175.  

So it worked out in the end, thanks to a friend.  I now have all Nancy Drew books from #57 through #175 in hardcover library editions.  So yes, they do all exist.  I have them.

My quest for all digest titles in hardcover took 20 years to complete.

While my quest to obtain all titles is over, I do need to upgrade some books.  I am still keeping a watch out for any hardcover digest books that I can upgrade.  I am grateful, however, that my set is now complete.  Awhile back I reported how Nancy Drew library editions have come into vogue.  There has been less interest in the hardcover digest books than in the library editions of #1-56.  However, that does seem to be changing.  I know of a few more people who are now interested in building sets of #57-175 in hardcover.  As the competition increases, I can relax, knowing that I have completed my set.