Nancy Business

The gripping, heart-warming and hilarious sequel to R.W.R. McDonald's smash hit The Nancys, winner of the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel.


It's been four months since Tippy, Uncle Pike and Devon were together for Christmas. Now back for the first anniversary of Tippy's father's death, the Nancys are reformed when Riverstone is rocked by an early morning explosion that kills three people and destroys the town hall.


A new case is born. Is the accused bomber really guilty? Is there a second bomber? And if so, does that mean a threat to destroy Riverstone Bridge is real? And is asparagus a colour? Once again, it is up to the Nancys to go against the flow and ignore police orders to get to the truth.


It's great to be back in Nancy business again, but this time it's all different. Uncle Pike and Devon can't agree on anything and Tippy is learning hard truths about the world and the people she loves the most. Can the Nancys stay together to do their best work and save the town? Or will the killer strike again? When everyone is right, does that make you wrong? And can Tippy ever trust anyone again?


'...hilarious and inventive: the dynamic between the young protagonist and the adult characters is unusual and special...A clever hat-tip to one of the most indelible female characters in the genre, and a story that blends crime and humour in unexpected ways.' Ngaio Marsh Awards Judges


Praise for The Nancys:


'This book is like a little cube of Turkish Delight in a world of digestive biscuits. Get into it. Let it make you happy ... It's so funny and fun and feel-good.' Bri Lee, author of Eggshell Skull


'Death? Sequins? Monsters, Show Queens, a headless corpse and a cat called Bunny Whiskers? Yes, yes and YES. The Nancys is what you might get if you rolled Little Miss Sunshine, Dumplin' and CSI into a book-shaped ball and threw it into small-town NZ: funny and flamboyant but with real weight (and a dead body) at its centre. Fun, refreshing and surprisingly poignant.' Anna Downes, author of The Safe Place


'How does The Nancys manage to be both sharp and blackly funny, but also uplifting and sweet?' Toni Jordan, author of The Fragments


'Murder, makeovers, snappy dialogue (with a generous sprinkling of filth), and characters I did not want to leave on the last page. So much fun and so much heart.' Kate Mildenhall, author of The Mother Fault


'A delight - moving and hilarious. I loved every minute I spent with these characters.' Paddy O'Reilly, author of The Wonders


'Funny, dark and above all, heart-warming. The Nancys is a celebration of what's important in life - which is family, friendship and also: makeovers. R.W.R. McDonald's novel is fast-paced, clever and full of wit and repartee.' Katherine Collette, author of The Helpline