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Nancy Drew fans flock to Millie Benson auction

Nancy Drew related books, poster and pictures were auctioned, even some typewriters.

TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - It was an auction featuring the lifetime keepsakes of Millie Benson.

Toledoans knew her as an accomplished Blade reporter.

But she was also known as someone else around the world.

Millie wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew teenage mystery detective stories using the pseudonym Carolyn Keene.

Millie died in 2002 and left her belongings to her daughter Peggy who died earlier this year.

Hundreds of Millie's items were up for bid on Sunday.

Many items came from her home office, and highlighted her illustrious newspaper career.

But it was Millie's role as an author that brought bidders to town from around the world.

Sitting front row center for the auction were members of the National Nancy Drew Sleuth Club.

"When I was a kid in the 70's and you had 'Marsha, Marsha, Marsha' on the TV. It was great to see a girl who had more backbone and spunk to her," said Amanda Arkebauer of the club.

Few people knew Millie was the author of the Nancy Drew books until 1980.

That's because she had signed a secrecy contract not allowing her to publicly reveal her identity.

Jennifer Fisher of the club is writing a book about Millie.

"I loved Millie Benson's writings. So it got me intrigued and I started writing and researching her," said Ms. Fisher.

Nancy Drew related books, poster and pictures were auctioned, even some typewriters.

Fans like Lea Fox say it's impossible to separate Millie from Nancy.

"She sort of embodied a lot of characteristics that I liked in Nancy Drew. She was strong, independent, she figured if a boy could do it, I could do it too," said Ms. Fox.

And also someone loved as a role model who created a detective idolized by generations of teenage girls.

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