Tippy, Uncle Pike and Devon re-form the Nancys when a bomb explosion rocks small town Riverstone. When a bomb explodes in the small New Zealand town of Riverstone and kills three people, the police think they know who the culprit is. Willem Jansen, also known as “Mr Tulips”, had been having a few financial problems with his farm. He also held a grudge against the local council. When his van is parked early in the morning outside the town hall and explodes, it’s an open and shut case. Or is it? Enter the Nancys – Tippy Chan, her Uncle Pike and his partner Devon. A lot of questions remain unanswered and the trio take it upon themselves to investigate, until they finally crack the case, ruffling more than a few feathers along the way. Nancy Business is the second book in an intended trilogy of books featuring the crime solving trio. The Nancys introduced the small town of Riverstone and its cast of idiosyncratic, often goofy characters – crappy ex-boyfriends, tough talking teens, dodgy real estate agents and hard boiled journos. The follow-up reprises these characters with some new additions. While the main thrust of the novel is the crime plot, other major storylines involve relationship troubles between Pike and Devon and Tippy’s ongoing questions about the nature of her father's sudden death in a car accident. Was it indeed an accident, or did something more sinister happen? The emotional heart of the story rests with 12-year-old Tippy who is desperately trying to keep her world together. The threat of her beloved Uncle Pike and Devon splitting up is too much to bear, and the nagging questions about her father mean she remains on psychologically uncertain ground. Where does she belong and how does she fit into this world, seems to be the recurring question. Melbourne based New Zealand author R.W.R McDonald successfully keeps a lot of plates spinning in this warm, hilarious, campy whodunnit. All the different elements – the explosion, Pike and Devon’s troubles and Tippy’s concerns about her father – are beautifully balanced, resulting in a book that rises like a perfect souffle. A sequel that is just as good as its highly entertaining predecessor. Nancy Business, by R.W.R. McDonald. Published by Allen & Unwin. $29.99 Review by Chris Saliba Comments are closed.
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