“Will delight middle grade readers craving suspense, mystery, and puzzles. A page-turner packed with wisdom and heart.” —Barbara Dee, author of Star-Crossed Nancy Drew meets Harriet the Spy in this action-packed and heartfelt debut middle grade following an overzealous amateur sleuth as she investigates a shocking family secret—and unravels the mystery of her developing feelings for girls. Rule One: Your loyalty is to the case. Amateur detective Pepper Blouse has always held true to this rule, even if it meant pushing people away. But when the results of Pepper’s latest case cost her any hope of the girl she likes returning her feelings, she decides that maybe she should lay low for a while. That is, until her Great Aunt Florence passes away under mysterious circumstances. And even though her dad insists there’s nothing to investigate, Pepper can’t just ignore rule fourteen: Trust your gut . But there’s nothing in the rulebook that could’ve prepared her for the family secrets her investigation uncovers. Maybe it’s time to stop playing by the rules. "Exciting and fast-paced... A fun debut that is notable for its thematic depth and queer characters." -- Kirkus Reviews ― August 1, 2020 “Irrepressible and lovable, Pepper joins the ranks of the best kid sleuths—and shows that sometimes the heart is the toughest mystery.” -- Eliot Schrefer, author of National Book Award Finalist Endangered “McDonald has crafted a debut chock full of heart. Pepper isn't just a queer Nancy Drew—she's a relatable and lovable character all her own.” -- Nicole Melleby, author of Hurricane Season “A modern take on a classic genre. Pepper is a hero kids will root for.” -- Eric Bell, author of Alan Cole is Not a Coward “This Nancy-Drew-style sleuthing tale with a modern sensibility will delight middle grade readers craving suspense, mystery and puzzles. A page-turner packed with wisdom and heart.” -- Barbara Dee, author of Star-Crossed Briana McDonald writes diverse and adventurous books for young readers. She studied writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University and her short fiction has appeared in several literary journals. When she’s not writing, Briana lives and works in New York City with her wife and their dog, Rex. She is the author of Pepper’s Rules for Secret Sleuthing , The Secrets of Stone Creek , and Galaxy Jones and the Space Pirates . Find out more at BrianaRoseMcDonald.com. Rule One: Your loyalty is to the case. Those who are loyal to you will come around. RULE ONE Your loyalty is to the case. Those who are loyal to you will come around. Dad and I stand in front of the biggest house I’ve seen in my life. It looks like a row of two-story houses were smooshed together, then decorated with thick Greek pillars and pearl-white shutters. The driveway alone is so large, we had to drive around an enormous patch of frog-green grass that circles a glowing fountain with a perpetually spitting dolphin in its center just to park by the front door. I crane my neck to take it all in, eyes wide. “It looks like a giant, haunted mansion. Perfect for some summertime sleuthing.” Dad gives one of my curls a playful tug. He smiles, tired but warm, and pinches my cheek between his thumb and forefinger. “Pepper, please. We talked about this.” I glance up at the mansion, enormous and brimming with potential. Dad’s still waiting for the doctor to determine the cause of Great-Aunt Florence’s sudden death, and my sleuth senses haven’t stopped tingling since Aunt Wendy—Dad’s recently divorced, semi-estranged sister—called with the news. Especially after Dad gave me a lecture on the way over about how money adds pressure on people, even families. It seemed like a strange thing to mention—as though some subconscious part of him felt wary of the situation, even if he wrote it off as stress over attorneys and the will. Now, seeing the bags under Dad’s eyes, I deflate. My arms uncross and I let him grasp my hand in his large one. His wedding ring is cool against my skin. “I understand,” I say. “But only because you told me to.” He grins, so wide his cheeks lift. “That’s not the colloquial definition of the word understand , but I’ll take it.” I want to ask what colloquial means, but answering it myself will give me the chance to do small-time sleuthing in Great-Aunt Florence’s library. Houses this big always have a library. I tighten the straps of my favorite polka-dot backpack over my shoulders. As Dad reaches for the doorbell, the front door swings open, as though someone had been watching us from a window. “Look who decided to show up!” Aunt Wendy stands with one hand on the doorknob and the other on her hip, dressed in a knee-length wrap dress and wearing the kind of smile that looks like invisible strings are holding up the sides of her mouth. “I was just about to send out a search party.” “Very funny,” Dad says, as though the words could somehow conjure a playful laugh (they don’t). “We pull