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Picture Covers & Paperbacks
Starting with the original Collins picture covers in 1971, a new numbering system was brought to the Nancy Drew series in the U.K. The picture covers and the paperbacks utilize the same numbers consistently.
British #
Title
British #
Title
1
Shadow Ranch
40
Forgotten City
2
99 Steps
41
Message in Parchment
3
Ski Jump
42
Crocodile Island
4
Spider Sapphire
43
Red Gate Farm
5
Crossword Cipher
44
Wooden Lady
6
Missing Map
45
Hidden Window
7
Old Stagecoach
46
Whistling Bagpipes
8
Broken Locket
47
Mysterious Mannequin
9
Hollow Oak
48
Crooked Bannister
10
Invisible Intruder
49
Sky Phantom
11
Blackwood Hall
50
Thirteenth Pearl
12
Larkspur Lane
51
Triple Hoax
13
Bungalow Mystery
52
Flying Saucer
14
Whispering Statue
53
Old Lace
15
Haunted Showboat
54
Greek Symbol
16
Dancing Puppet
55
Swami's Ring
17
Tapping Heels
56
Kachina Doll
18
Crumbling Wall
5
Twin Dilemma
19
Tolling Bell
58
Captive Witness
20
Black Keys
59
Winged Lion
21
Leaning Chimney
60
Race Against Time
22
Scarlet Slipper
61
Sinister Omen
23
Golden Pavilion
62
Elusive Heiress
24
Old Attic
63
Ancient Disguise
25
Ringmaster's Secret
64
Broken Anchor
26
Mysterious Letter
65
Silver Cobweb
27
Pine Hill
66
Haunted Carousel
28
Fire Dragon
67
Enemy Match
29
Moss-Covered Mansion
68
Mysterious Image
30
Hidden Staircase
69
Emerald-Eyed Cat
31
Ivory Charm
70
Eskimo's Secret
32
Brass Bound Trunk
71
Bluebeard Room
33
Velvet Mask
72
Phantom of Venice
34
Old Album
73
Old Clock
35
Witch Tree Symbol
74
Lilac Inn
36
Moonstone Castle
75
Clue in Diary
37
Mirror Bay
76
Twisted Candles
38
Double Jinx
77
Haunted Bridge
39
Glowing Eye
78
Jewel Box
The Collins picture covers were originally issued with
bright new covers, whose background color wrapped around the
spine, where there would also appear an icon of sorts
representing Nancy's particular adventure in this story. At
the top of the spine would be a plum colored span of 1" with
the words "The NANCY DREW Series" in white letters. On the
backs of the books were lists featuring 12, 24, 36, 42 or 50
titles. Books #43-50 only came in a matte yellow-spine format
which exactly imitated the Grosset & Dunlap PC available
in the States - the only real difference being the "Collins"
at the base of the spine, and the revised list of titles on
the back cover. The innards are literally G&D pages, and
often have the incorrect next page notice as a result. There was one 2-in-1 hardback issued by Collins around
1974, which included Moss-Covered Mansion and Hidden
Staircase. Digest size hardback - matte finish: 7 3/8" H x 4 7/8"
W. The third format for the Collins PCs was a thinner
version with a glossy finish; the spine was all in yellow.
There is no volume number indicated anywhere on these books.
The illsutrations are the same as those from the matte
finish books. Instead of producing the last 10 books from
the series (as the Hardy Boys counterparts do), a few of the
earlier titles were also selected for reprint. This probably
reflected what was low in stock at the time. These were
available during the 1980s and were printed in Italy by
Imago/Sagdos Digest size hardback - glossy finish: 7 1/4" H x 5"
W. At the top of the spine would be a plum colored span of
1" with the words "The NANCY DREW Series" in white letters.
Books numbers #1-6 (maybe more?) were also issued with this
section in a variety of colors, with black letters. I
believe the ones with the black letters are the earlier
editions. This illustration of Nancy was the logo used by Collins
and appears on the backs of all the matte finish books. Collins created their own line drawings for
the frontispieces of their editions.
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COLLINS PICTURE COVERS |
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Multicolor Spines |
Vols 1-42 |
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Matte Yellow Spines |
Vols 43-50 |
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Glossy Yellow Spines |
16, 18, 25, 34-42 |
© 1999 Lea Shangraw Fox