Book cover for The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm by R.W.R. McDonald, showing three silhouetted figures approaching a farmhouse against a red and yellow sunburst.

Available in Paperback and eBook

Nancy Business Publication History

The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm is the international edition of Nancy Business, first published in Australia and New Zealand. It is the second novel in the award-winning The Nancys mystery series, following The Nancys (published internationally as The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace). Originally published by Allen & Unwin, Nancy Business was shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel before being acquired by Orenda Books for publication in the United Kingdom and North America as The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm.

🇦🇺 🇳🇿 Australia & New Zealand

Nancy Business

Allen & Unwin

Published June 2021

Paperback • eBook

ISBN: 9781760878870

Shortlisted – Best Novel, Ngaio Marsh Awards

Nancy Business International Edition

Published internationally as The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Book cover for The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm by R.W.R. McDonald, showing three silhouetted figures approaching a farmhouse against a red and yellow sunburst.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication Date: 8 October 2026

ISBN: 9781917764599

🇺🇸 🇨🇦 North America

Publication Date: 8 October 2026

Praise for the book

“The Nancys was wonderful – this is even better. A book of great heart, humour and originality. I loved it.”

-Chris Hammer

“Sharp, hilarious, and moving – such good fun. One of the best books I’ve read all year.”

-J.P. Pomare

“Join the madcap, wild ride as Tippy and her flamboyant uncles investigate an explosion which rocks Riverstone. It’s the Nancy Drew book your mother would never let you read with bawdy banter, naughty neighbours and a good dose of vodka. Along with the outrageous gold outfits, the book also has a serious heart of gold, focusing on grief, love and family. Rollicking great fun, unlike any other crime book you’ve ever read.”

-Petronella McGovern, author of Six Minutes

“Murder? Explosives? Home renovations, a soundtrack ripped from the nineties and a dog called Fabulon? Oh hell to the yes, The Nancys are back. Utterly refreshing, deliciously funny and packed full of characters that will break and warm your heart in equal measure, Nancy Business is an absolute delight. Long may the series continue.”

– Anna Downes, author of The Safe Place

“A drama wrapped in a comedy wrapped in a mystery, sprinkled with innuendo and bursting with heart – The Nancys second adventure has everything, and is truly something special.”

-Sam Coley, author of State Highway One

“Started Nancy Business by R.W.R. McDonald at 9pm…midnight thought just to the end of this chapter… finished at 2am. Sharp, exhilarating, moving, loved it…”

-Renée, author of These Two Hands

“Tippy, Uncle Pike and Devon are the smartest, sweetest and sassiest sleuths around. I was giddy with excitement to be back in their company.”

-Bram Presser, author of The Book of Dirt

“Endearing, inventive, and full of wit . . . I love these characters and the setup and slightly darker tone to this sequel was absolutely perfect.”

-2022 Ngaio Marsh Award Best Novel Judges

Explore the World of The Nancys

Discover the inspiration, unforgettable characters and mystery behind The Nancys, the award-winning debut crime novel by R.W.R. McDonald, published internationally as The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace, and its sequel, The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm. Choose an article or a video below to discover more about the world of The Nancys.

Seeing beautiful South Otago, New Zealand, through a prodigal son's eyes
Like many Kiwis living abroad, RWR McDonald's holidays mostly consist of going home to Aotearoa to see family. Here are some of the unmissable stops on the South Island.

About the book

Nancy Business is adult crime fiction in the tradition of a whodunit/whydunit murder mystery with amateur detectives on the case. It is a sequel to The Nancys which Ngaio Marsh Awards judges described as an “exuberant small-town murder mystery,” and “hilarious and inventive”.

It has been four months since THE NANCYS — a secret amateur detective club made up of TIPPY CHAN (12) and her babysitters, UNCLE PIKE and his boyfriend DEVON — were last together. Now they are back in Riverstone, a two-pub town in South Otago, New Zealand, for the one year anniversary of Tippy’s father’s death. The next morning Riverstone is rocked by an explosion that kills three people and destroys the town hall. A new case is born and the Nancys re-form.

But their investigation raises more questions than it answers. 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 police advice.

Problems mount with a lack of leads. The accused bomber died in the blast, police have closed the case and the only eyewitness is the town drunk. Then add in a relationship breakup, and Tippy discovering everyone she trusts – including Uncle Pike and Devon – have been lying to her for a year, and the Nancys are broken.

But with no one else on the case, unless the Nancys can re-form and solve the mystery, more people could die.

Can the Nancys get the band back together again? And when everyone is right, does that make you wrong?

Nancy Business is a book about family, love (bombs) and the courage to stand up for the truth, no matter the cost.

The Nancys series currently includes The Nancys, the sequel Nancy Business, and the short story Nancys Undercover. International editions of the series are published as The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace and The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm due October 2026. Explore the Riverstone maps to discover the locations featured throughout The Nancys series.

The Nancys fictional town Riverstone map — Riverstone town centre map

Fictional town of Riverstone from R.W.R. McDonald's The Nancys — Riverstone Map

Add this book to your Goodreads “Want to Read” shelf

Choose the edition available in your region and add it to your Goodreads Want to Read shelf.

🇦🇺 🇳🇿 Australia & New Zealand

Nancy Business

📚 View on Goodreads

🇬🇧 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 United Kingdom, United States & Canada

The Nancys and the Secret of Tulip Farm

📚 View on Goodreads

About the author

R.W.R. McDonald is an award-winning New Zealand author based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia. His debut novel, The Nancys, won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel before being published internationally in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and North America. He is also the author of Nancy Business, An Ambush of Widows, Happy Millionth Birthday and Rainbow Street.