Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew 37 – The Flower Show Fiasco

Carolyn Keene's The Flower Show Fiasco is a posh-party mystery for 8 year olds, full of roses, chocolate and a race against the clock.

What happens

Nancy has spent two weeks watering the prize roses next door while Miss Bouret was away in Paris. As a thank you, Nancy, Bess and George are invited to the town's big flower show as VIP guests.

It's the fanciest place they've ever been. There are marble pillars, a four-foot chocolate fountain and waiters handing round caviar (George's verdict on fish eggs? Gross!). A famous pastry chef has even come all the way from New York.

Miss Bouret's peach roses look like winners. That's a problem for Deirdre, one of the meanest girls at their school. Her aunt has won Bloom of the Year five times in a row, and Deirdre makes very sure everyone knows it.

Then, during the welcome speech, the roses vanish from their vase. The judges won't wait. If the girls can't find the bouquet before the evening gala, Miss Bouret is out of the competition.

The best bit is the ticking clock. George keeps checking her watch and counting the hours left, and it really does feel like a race.

The witnesses are the funniest part. An older couple saw the whole thing but can't agree on a single detail. Was the man young or nearly bald? Did he have a goatee? Was he wearing a jacket? They bicker about every answer while the girls try to write something, anything, down.

There's a bored grandson who begs to help, a photographer who seems to have vanished and a search through a building full of other people's parties (including a wedding!).

The girls are thoughtful detectives too. Nancy doesn't like accusing anyone without a good reason, even Deirdre. And the friendship between the three of them is lovely to spend time with.

If you've got a reader who loves a whodunnit and a good pudding, they'll enjoy this. It's cheerful and very easy to get into.

What to read next

Fancy another garden mystery? In The Garden Plot, the Hardy brothers are trying to work out who's wrecking the vegetable patches on their street just before a big contest.