Benson is credited as the primary writer of Nancy Drew books under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene.
[2] Harriet Adams (Stratemeyer's daughter) rewrote the original books and added new titles after the withdrawal of Benson.
[1] Other ghostwriters who used this name to write Nancy Drew mysteries included Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Walter Karig, Nancy Axelrad, Patricia Doll, Charles S. Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., Margaret Fischer, and Susan Wittig Albert.
Also involved in the Nancy Drew writing process were Harriet Stratemeyer Adams's daughters, who gave input on the series and sometimes helped to choose book titles;[2]: 158 the Syndicate's secretary, Harriet Otis Smith, who invented the characters of Nancy's friends Bess and George;[2]: 140 and the editors at Grosset & Dunlap.
The decision was made in favor of the Syndicate, stating that they could choose which publisher they would like to use for subsequent entries in the series.