Karen Sullivan, publisher of Orenda Books, is delighted to announce the acquisition of World English Language rights ex ANZ for RWR (Rob) McDonald’s debut mystery, The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace, in a two-book deal negotiated with Craig Sisterson.
Eleven-year-old Tippy Chan is thrilled when her uncle Pike returns to her quiet New Zealand town with his boyfriend Devon to look after her while her mum is away on a Christmas cruise. An avid fan of her uncle’s old Nancy Drew books, Tippy is desperate for a real mystery – and when her teacher is found dead beside Riverstone’s only traffic light, she finally gets her chance. Teaming up with Pike and Devon, she forms a secret detective club, The Nancys, and sets out to uncover the truth. What begins as a bonding and sightseeing adventure quickly turns dangerous: a wrongful arrest, a close encounter with the killer, and Tippy’s mother intervening all raise the stakes. Undeterred, The Nancys must use their wits and courage to stop the murderer before they strike again – whatever the cost.
Karen says, ‘Gripping, gloriously camp, immensely moving, and at times unbearably tense, The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace is a funny, often heartbreaking debut that balances a simmering mystery with laugh-out-loud moments and poignant relationships, all set in small-town New Zealand. Tippy, Uncle Pike and his boyfriend Devon are divine creations, and readers will fall for their charm immediately as the trio navigates chaotic investigations that carry real jeopardy – coached throughout in masterful innuendo, clever side-stories and warm-hearted humour.
‘Originally published as The Nancys in ANZ, winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel and shortlisted for a Ned Kelly Award, The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace has been transformed to heighten the Nancy Drew connection, recrafted to deliver even more tension and momentum, and now features a brand-new prologue – ensuring Tippy’s adventures sparkle with heart, peril and laugh-out-loud fun. We’ll be celebrating with Nancys tote bags for booksellers and a glittering Christmas marketing campaign.
‘Brimming with exuberance but also meaningful themes that add an extra layer of emotional depth, this is the perfect book for darkening nights, and with a delicious second book in the series scheduled for 2026 – and the promise of more to come – we are genuinely thrilled to bring this book and wonderful author to Orenda.’
Rob McDonald says, ‘From Riverstone, New Zealand (population 3,687) to the world, it feels like something out of one of Nancy Drew’s wildest cases! I’m stoked that The Nancys has found a home with Orenda Books, and I love that the multitasking mystery club is now sleuthing its way into the hands and hearts of readers in the UK and North America. Kia kaha, Tippy, Uncle Pike and Devon; Category is Nancy Drew realness.’
Craig Sisterson says, ‘Delightful, charming, raucous, heartfelt, exuberant; not descriptors I commonly – or ever – turned to in more than 15 years of reviewing and judging many hundreds of crime novels, but they were top of mind after I first tore through RWR McDonald’s terrific debut, a refreshing and utterly unique tale in our wonderful crime and thriller genre.
‘There’s just a real je ne sais quoi to this marvellous tale of an unlikely investigative trio: 11-year-old Tippy Chan, her visiting uncle Pike (who could body double for Santa Claus), and his fashionista boyfriend Devon, all banding together to battle Tippy’s grief at the death of her father by solving mysteries in Riverstone. Delightful, yet not lightweight, it also explores serious issues of grief and belonging. I’m so stoked that the brilliant team at Orenda Books is bringing this award-winning Kiwi crime tale to a northern hemisphere audience, so readers over here can experience what I and many antipodeans felt when we first read RWR McDonald’s superb tale of lovably unruly characters and chaotic events, dark deeds in a small town, perfectly seasoned with humour and heart.’
RWR McDonald’s The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace is published on 20th November, by Orenda Books.
