Book Review: Nancy Business by R.W.R. McDonald

 

 

 I finally got round to reading The Nancys about a month ago after hearing lots of good things about it. I thought that it was such a witty and funny novel with a cast of unique characters, and was really glad when I found out that they would be back for more in the sequel titled Nancy Business. 

I had the opportunity to read Nancy Business, which is released this week, and loved it just as much.

The protagonist is 12 year-old Tippy Chan. Tippy is an adorable character with a great attitude to life, and is also really brave. 

 Tippy has had to deal with a lot in her short life, including the death of her father. She loves Nancy Drew novels (especially the hand-me-down copies that her Uncle Pike gave her), and she loves solving mysteries. Along with her Uncle Pike and his partner Devon, they form 'The Nancys', a secret amateur detective club.

In Nancy Business, Pike and Devon revisit Tippy and her mum to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Tippy's father's death. 

When an early morning explosion rocks the small town where Tilly lives, three people are killed and the town hall is destroyed.

The Nancys decide to go against the advice of the local police and work together to find out who detonated the bomb, and try to work out whether the town is still under threat. Only this time around, Pike and Devon can't see eye to eye, and Tippy finds out some truths that she would have rather not known. Can they solve the mystery before it's too late? You'll have to read it to find out!

Nancy Business is highly entertaining and just a really fun read. Whilst there are some heavier topics like death and grief, they are written in a gentle, sensitive manner.

Uncle Pike and his partner Devon are hilarious and I love them both! Their unwavering love for Tilly is clearly evident, and they do their best to support both Tilly and her mum. They have great personalities and bring a lot to the series. Add in Tilly with her can-do look on life and it's the perfect trio.

I'd highly recommend both of R.W.R McDonald's novels if you're after light-hearted, fun and fabulous stories. 

Nancy Business is available now through Allen & Unwin, RRP $29.99

 

Book Review: Magpie's Bend by Maya Linnell

 

 

I have read both of Maya's other novels and she has come to be one of my most enjoyable rural fiction novelists, so I was happy to be given the opportunity to read her third novel, Magpie's Bend.

For those that may not be aware, Maya's previous two novels feature the McIntyre family; a family of four sisters, Angie, Penny, Diana and Lara, and their father Angus. Whilst the books don't need to be read in any particular order as they make great stand-alone novels, I would recommend reading Maya's other two novels if you can find the time as they are well worth a read, particularly if you enjoy stories with a lovely sense of community, belonging, family and a little love thrown in!

In Magpie's Bend, the reader is back in Bridgefield, a small rural town, and this time Lara is the family member that the story centres around.

Lara is a bush nurse and single mother to her teenage daughter Evie. She was once married to a man named Sam but it ended in disaster, and she has been wary of wearing her heart on her sleeve ever since. 

Toby Paxton is a new resident to the town; he is a journalist that has been sent to Bridgefield to run  the local newspaper. He's also divorced and a father to a teenage daughter named Holly.

When an accident occurs at Bridgefield's general store, Toby is introduced into Lara's life as she uses her nursing training to provide first aid to the store owner, Mrs Beggs. 

When the town comes to realise that the store may have to be sold, Lara makes it her mission to save the shop from being sold to out-of-towners who want to revamp it. But she soon realises that she won't be able to win the fight on her own.

The community rallies around whilst Lara, along with the McIntyre family and Toby, come up with fundraising ideas to save the store. As she spends more time with Toby developing ideas, she soon realises that her feelings for him are growing. But will she be able to trust a man again? And will they be able to save the store?

The cast of characters in Magpie's Bend make the story what it is. Their can-do attitudes and resilience shine through. There is a real sense of community and support for each other.

Add in the beautiful descriptions of the rural landscape, plus mouth-watering desserts interspersed throughout the story and you can see why this is a book that will certainly entertain. I look forward to reading more novels from Maya.

Magpie's Bend is released today through Allen & Unwin.