Nancy Business

Tippy's Uncle Pike with his partner, Devon, has returned to New Zealand from Sydney to be with Tippy and her mother for the twelve month anniversary of the death of Tippy's father. Tippy has still not been told the full story about her father's accident and is grieving his death while her mother has difficulty containing her anger about events that occurred before he died. Pike and Devon are determined to entertain and spoil Tippy during their visit. They have purchased a holiday house in Riverstone and plan to supervise the refurbishments during the visit. During their stay Tippy stays with them in an Airbnb as her mother is currently working long hours.

One morning Pike, Devon and Tippy are awoken by an explosion that rocks the small town when a car bomb explodes near the town hall destroying a number of buildings and the Founding Tree. Three people are dead with others injured. Tippy's mother and Devon provide first aid to the injured. According to media reports the bomber has been identified but Tippy, Pike and Devon are not convinced about the facts as presented and the Nancy Drew fans tackle a new investigation.

There is much zany and often outrageous humour in this book but the novel also a dark side, particularly when  dealing with the question as to when people should be told something that will only cause them grief. The relationship between Pike and Devon is also tested. In the end it is the investigation that reunites them.

The Nancy Business by R W R McDonald, a New Zealander now living in Australia, is the second book in the series. The Nancy's was published last year. Indications at the end of the book is that there is still more of this story to tell.

The Nancys

Eleven year old Tippy Chan waited excitedly at the airport for her Uncle Pike to arrive from Australia.  Pike brings with him his new boy-friend, Devon, and they are returning to Pike's home town in New Zealand to look after Tippy while her mother goes on a cruise.

Growing up Pike loved reading Nancy Drew books and had passed his collection to Tippy who was also a fan. So when Tippy's school teacher is murdered Tippy, Pike and Devon decide to form a group, the Nancys, to investigate the crime, especially when the police appear to arrest the wrong suspect. Tippy is also concerned about a friend, Todd, who fell from a bridge several days before the death of the teacher.

R W R (Rob) McDonald is a New Zealander who now lives in Australia. In this book he has created a collection of eccentric, and sometimes flawed, characters who live in Tippy's community and support her.

As well as being a murder mystery the book is concerned about people, their perceptions of themselves and of others plus the different ways that people cope with grief. Tippy's father had died in a car crash nine months earlier and she is struggling to understand how and why it happened. Her mother is also struggling with coping with the death of her husband and has not told Tippy the full story. She is also cross that Pike left New Zealand when he was young to find a new life.

This is a very readable crime novel, often amusing with loads of over-the top humour.  

R W R McDonald https://rwrmcdonald.com/
AustCrime  https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/nancys-rwr-mcdonald
Nancy Drew books  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/NAD/nancy-drew