This character was born as America was slipping into what would be a deep and painful depression. 

The character was brave, curious and often ingenious. She sprang to life after a student answered an ad in a trade magazine, intrigued by the quest for “young writers with fresh ideas.”

When the author was selected, they set to work creating what would be the first in a series that would endure for decades.  

I read these books and I’ll bet you did too if you’re over 50!

When this character arrived, she was quite different from anyone readers had encountered before.  

She was optimistic in an America beset by problems and gently defiant and determined at a time when most women were still aspiring to a life as a wife and mother.  

If you encountered this character in, say, a soda fountain you’d find her surrounded by friends and a steady beau.  

And if you caught a glimpse inside her purse, you might spot some fingerprint powder and maybe a magnifying glass.  

Scholar Melanie Rehak believes it's not the mysteries at the heart of each book that captivate readers but the charisma and allure of the character herself.  

Rehak writes: “The stories themselves are secondary. What we remember is the character ...  her bravery, her style, her generosity and her relentless desire to succeed long after the last page has been turned.”

Any ideas yet about who this character is?  And do you know the very first book she appeared in?  

Here’s one last clue: One of the original covers of this book featured our heroine, clad in a blue dress and hat with a jaunty scarf around her neck. The woods she’s walking through are purplish and ominous.

And in her hands is the object at the center of this first mystery.

First editions of this novel, by the way, are going for upward of $2,000.

When you know who our mystery character is and which book she first appeared in, email me at [email protected].

— Kerri Miller | MPR News