Halloween is right around the corner, and as much fun as blood, guts and gore can be, Halloween is about much more than a crimson mess. It's about mystery, suspense, thrills and anxiety.
There's no better way to commemorate the gory glory that is Halloween, than remembering the roots of the American mystery genre, and there's no better female icon to fit the part than Nancy Drew.
I used to read the Nancy Drew series as a little girl, and to be honest, I don't remember them very well. But looking back at American literature and film, it seems that Nancy Drew was one of the first (and for a long time, only) heroines that was sexy, smart, fearless and popular.
It's true she wasn't a very dynamic character. Like many mystery novels, we delve very far into her psyche, but that's sort of refreshing. Nobody's perfect. Everybody has their hang-ups and flaws.
But if nothing else, isn't the entire murder mystery genre about escaping reality? And if so, isn't it nice sometimes to escape all the complications of being human and just focus on who-dun-it with grace and style?
In a world of intense character studies and packing meaning into simplicity, Nancy Drew seems to have it pretty damn good sometimes.
Except, of course, for the body count.
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