Springtime Crime

By Carolyn Keene and Peter Francis

Help Nancy and her friends find out what happened to a superstar’s flower hat in the ninth book in the interactive Nancy Drew Clue Book mystery series.

Spring has sprung in River Heights! The annual Flower Sculpture contest is in a couple of days and everyone in town is working hard to finish their floral works of art. But Nancy, Bess, and George are most excited to see the world-famous pop singer, Miss LaLa, perform. The superstar grew up in River Heights and has agreed to kick off the contest with a song. And just when the girls thought life couldn’t get any better, they run into Miss LaLa herself! The singer is in a bit of a pickle though: She brought a giant hat made of white peonies for the show but she doesn’t have a refrigerator big enough to store it in. George thinks quickly and offers to put it in her mom’s catering refrigerator.

But when the girls check on the hat the next morning they see something has gone terribly wrong. Half of the snowy white blooms are wilted and brown! They use their detective skills to rule out a blackout. And George can’t remember if she locked the door last night. Could someone have snuck into the kitchen and switched the fresh flowers with droopy ones?

Nancy and her friends are determined to find out! Could it be Madame Withers, whose signature wilted rose perfume was rejected by Miss LaLa? Perhaps it was the famous flower artist Pierre, who was angry that Miss LaLa was the star of the show. Or it maybe it was Benjamin Bing, who ruined his flower sculpture with brown hair spray and had no more white peonies to replace them. It’s up to the Clue Crew—and you—to find out!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aladdin
• Release date: Mar 20, 2018
• ISBN: 9781481499552

Carolyn Keene

Carolyn Keene is an author pen name that was used by many different people—both men and women—over the years. The company that established the Nancy Drew series, the Stratemeyer Syndicate, hired a variety of ghostwriters to fulfill the role. This pseudonym assured anonymity for the creators.

Book preview

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE:  FLOWER POWER

CHAPTER TWO:  SCENT-ER STAGE

CHAPTER THREE:  GLOOM IN BLOOM

CHAPTER FOUR:  NOSE FOR A ROSE

CHAPTER FIVE:  WILT AND SPILT

CHAPTER SIX:  EYE ON THE PIE

CHAPTER SEVEN:  RAIN FOREST ROMP

CHAPTER EIGHT:  OODLES OF POODLES

CHAPTER NINE:  SPOILED ROTTEN

CHAPTER TEN:  PEONY HARMONY

Nancy Drew Clue Book #10: ‘Boo Crew’ Excerpt

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FLOWER POWER

Today spring finally feels like spring! eight-year-old Nancy Drew declared.

It was Friday afternoon and the first mild day of the year. After months of woolly hats, warm scarves, and puffy parkas, Nancy and her two best friends were wearing spring jackets in ice-cream colors.

It’s starting to look like spring too! Bess Marvin pointed out. Look at all the pretty flowers.

Not just flowers, Bess, George said. "Flower sculptures!"

Nancy took a whiff of the awesome-smelling statues and sculptures made from fresh flowers. The temperature-controlled greenhouse they stood inside was the perfect place for the first annual River Heights Flower Sculpture Show.

Why are all the flowers pink and white? Bess wondered. And round and puffy like ice-skate pom-poms?

They’re peonies, Nancy replied. That’s the official flower of the show. All the sculptors were told to work with them this year.

"More like pee-yew-nees, George said with a frown. Our next-door neighbors, the Baxters, grow so many that they hang over the fence into our yard!"

Peonies are so pretty, George, Nancy said. Why don’t you like them?

Because bees like them too! George complained.

Nancy, Bess, and George strolled through the greenhouse. The flower show was on Sunday but people were welcome to watch the sculptors put the finishing touches on their sculptures.

I like that one best! Bess said, pointing to a peony sculpture of a high-heeled shoe.

No way. George shook her head. The peony robot is the best.

High-heeled shoe? Robot? Nancy teased. Are you sure you’re related?

Bess and George traded smiles. Not only did the two cousins look different—Bess had blond hair and blue eyes, while George had dark hair and dark eyes—they liked different things too. Bess loved girly-girl clothes and accessories. George loved accessories too—as long as they went with her computer and electronic gadgets.

If you were making a flower sculpture, Nancy, Bess asked, what would it be of?

My clue book! Nancy replied right away.

Bess and George nodded their approval. The three friends were the Clue Crew, the best kid detectives in River Heights. To help solve their mysteries, Nancy used a clue book to write down their thoughts, clues, and suspects.

These sculptures are totally neat, George admitted, but the best part of the show on Sunday will be seeing—

Miss LaLa! Bess cut in. I still can’t believe our favorite singer will be the star of the flower sculpture show on Sunday!

I already met Miss LaLa, George said. My mom catered her after-concert party here in River Heights a year ago. Did I ever tell you that?

About a hundred times, George, Bess groaned. You told us she dressed up like a caterpillar inside a cocoon.

Nancy giggled. Miss LaLa was known for her beautiful violet eyes—and her wild costumes!

I heard that Miss LaLa will wear a huge hat to the flower show, Nancy said excitedly, totally covered in peonies!

Peonies again? George sighed. I hope there are no bees in her bonnet.

Or in that flower cupcake, Bess declared.

Nancy looked to see where Bess was pointing. She smiled when she saw a giant white cupcake made of peonies.

Standing on a ladder while sticking a pink peony onto the top was a kid the girls recognized at once.

Hey, it’s Benjamin Bing, Nancy said.

"It’s him, all