Carolyn Keene's iconic series were both produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. In addition to these, the Keene pen name is also credited with the Nancy Drew spin-off, River Heights, and the Nancy Drew Notebooks. The fascinating history behind Carolyn Keene involves a team of ghostwriters hired by Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of the Syndicate. The first writer to contribute to the Nancy Drew books was Mildred Wirt Benson.