In 1931, young readers were introduced to sixteen year-old Doris Force, brought to life by “Julia K. Duncan.” Well, as it turns out, “Julia K. Duncan” was a pseudonym for two authors whose talents will forever remain in Nancy Drew history as two of the original ghostwriters for her – Mildred Wirt (who wrote the first two books in the series) and Walter Karig (who wrote the last two books in the series).

These two talents brought to life a young orphan girl who lives with her Uncle Wardell Force, and, in a desire to help others, solves four adventurous mysteries with the help of her friends, the stout Marshall “Marshmallow“ Mallow, the playful Kitty Norris, and the attentive David Chamberlin! The stories are well-intertwined, so that each book picks up directly where the previous book left off, and minor subplots in one book are brought to fruition in other books. And to top it all off, the covers and interior art were done by none other than Thelma Gooch, who also illustrated the Blythe Girls series!

Doris Force at Locked Gates (or Saving a Mysterious Fortune)

When young Doris Force receives a mysterious invitation from the Gates sisters, Azalea and Iris, to come to Rumson regarding her late mother’s brother, John Trent, she cannot resist. With the inheritance left her by her late parents slowly dwindling, Doris convinces her Uncle Ward to let her go to Rumson and visit Locked Gates, thinking that perhaps she was to inherit money from John Trent’s estate! Bringing along her best chum, Kitty Norris, the two are driven to the Gates sisters’ mansion by Doris’ favorite young man, David Chamberlin.

The mansion is dark and brooding, and with the front gates locked, the girls have to enter through the side. Once inside, they meet the twin sisters, Azalea and Iris Gates, who are elderly but most hospitable. Their housekeeper and her husband are anything but! Doris and Kitty get the distinct impression that the two of them do not want the girls there! When the girls then meet a man claiming to be Ronald Trent, the son of John Trent, their suspicions concerning something sinister happening at Locked Gates are confirmed. It seems Ronald Trent needs money to pay the attorneys who are handling the estate of John Trent, and if he doesn’t have the money soon, then Ronald and the Gates sisters will lose out on the inheritance!

Doris is quite sure that all is not as it appears, and when the girls begin investigating the mysterious noises they hear coming from the third floor of the mansion, and when Doris overhears Ronald and Henry plotting against her, she knows that she and Kitty must do everything they can to save the Gates sisters before they lose everything!

Doris Force at Cloudy Cove (or The Old Miser’s Signature)

Young Doris Force and her friends return for a second adventure right on the heels of her mystery adventure at Locked Gates. Doris and her friends are anxious to head off for Cloudy Cove, where Doris hopes to find more clues as to a possible inheritance from her late uncle John Trent’s estate. Doris, Kitty, and Mrs. Mallow take the train, while David and Marshmallow make the trip in Mashmallow’s old car, that has one problem after another. The girls arrive first, but meet with danger when the hotel where they are staying burns down! The hotel owner blames a shifty performer, who begs Doris to help him prove his innocence. Doris, however, is more concerned with finding out about her late uncle’s estate. She and her friends end up staying at some lakeside cottages owned by a friendly gentleman that the girls met on the train to Cloudy Cove.

While there, they meet the aged Mr. Jay, an elderly miser that is a recluse and rarely ventures out of his cottage. Doris is then confronted by the hotel owner and his attorney, Mr. McDermott, who want to know her connection with the performer they blame for the hotel fire. Doris, distrustful of both men, acknowledges nothing and tries to remain out of the affair. She later learns, however, that Mr. McDermott is handling her late uncle’s estate, and so she must go to him if she is to learn the truth about her uncle. A narrow fishing mishap, a plane crash, a startling revelation, and a chase across Cloudy Cove make Doris more determined than ever to learn the truth about her late uncle!

Doris Force at Raven Rock (or Uncovering the Secret Oil Well)

Doris, Kitty, Marshmallow, and David convince Mrs. Mallow to fly with them across the continent to Raven Rock, where Doris plans to aid the Misses Gates to recover property that belonged to them. Before they can leave, though, Doris’ Uncle Wardell is attacked, and the deeds to the properties that were in his hands are stolen! Determined to find the culprits, Doris and her friends head for Raven Rock. Along the way, they discover a stow-away on board the plane, and he is promptly removed when the stop for fuel. They arrive in Raven Rock safe and sound, but quickly discover that Mrs. Mallow’s purse is missing!

Mysteries abound even further when Doris finds that the town records do not show any owner for the properties that were deeded to the Misses Gates, and she knows she must find the men that took the deeds so she can prove their ownership! The four friends enjoy some time in the west, but also are surprised to learn that the land holds oil, and that some unscrupulous men are drilling secretly for oil - on the very land that should belong to the Misses Gates!

David and Marshmallow narrowly escape capture when they attempt to steal the deeds from the sinister Henry Moon, who seems to outsmart them at every move. Doris and her friends work fervently to prove the true ownership of the land, and along the way discover the identity of the stowaway and make a very important friend!

Doris Force at Barry Manor (or Mysterious Adventures Between Classes)

Doris’ final adventure finds her and Kitty returning to Barry Manor for school. After such an eventful summer, she thinks, how could returning to school be interesting? Well, it starts with meeting young Violet Washington, a new student who seems very much sad at the prospect of attending Barry Manor. Then Doris and Kitty meet Kate Tindell, an elderly woman who is searching for her grandson, Barry. She is a dotty old woman who clutches her black suitcase tightly. Determined not to leave the elderly woman to her own defenses, Doris insists on helping Mrs. Tindell to lodging. Wishing there was something she could do to help the woman find her grandson, Doris becomes embroiled in a case of dual identities concerning a hobo, some lost pearls, and the sudden reappearance of the long-lost Barry.

Not to be left out, Dave and Marshmallow fly into the school in an autogyro, bringing loads of attention to their craft and themselves. Throw into the mix the Clarice Crowin and Beatrice Busey, the school’s two troublemakers who seem to want nothing more than to create problems for Doris Force, and the makings for an exciting adventure filled with trouble and mystery at every turn! But true to form, Doris comes out on top, and solves the mysteries set before her.

“I hope no more mysteries will disturb you up here,” Dave’s parting remarks to Doris as he leaves the school to return home prove all too true, as Doris Force did not return for a fifth book. But our fearless heroine has enough on her plate with the four grand adventures - at Locked Gates, at Cloudy Cove, at Raven Rock, and at Barry Manor. If you enjoy Mildred Wirt’s and Walter Karig’s tales of Nancy Drew, then you are sure to enjoy their adventures in the world of Doris Force!

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