Looking for a funny kids mystery that’s perfect for winding down at night? Issy & Poppy Investigate: The Biscuit Tin Mystery is a delightful bedtime detective story starring two clever greyhounds, a ghostly gerbil, and one very suspicious chef. Set in sun-drenched Andalucía, this classroom reading adventure blends gentle suspense, cheeky humour, and a dash of ghostly charm — ideal for ages 6–12, curious grown-ups, and teachers looking for a story with bite.

Inside Casa Adora, the courtyard led into a cool, sunlit living room. Issy and Poppy padded cautiously behind Señor Luighi Frittolino-Tegamino as he clomped in, dragging his suitcase and leaving behind a trail of aromatic mischief — garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and a hint of Parmesan curling through the air.

Frittolino’s English — or perhaps Spanish — was… creative.
“Ah! My room… I stay here-a… yes, guest-a room, good-a, yes?”
He waved his hands in wide arcs, smiling so broadly that the dogs wondered if he might accidentally knock over a vase.

Poppy whispered, “Keep Spiny Norman away. I don’t think the hedgehog’s muddled words would go down well with him. He might… confuse-a more-a.”

Issy nodded. “Norman’s friendly, but a bit… confusing. And Señor Frittolino doesn’t have the best grasp of the language. He’ll panic if Spiny starts talking in hedge-speak.”

The dogs slunk along the hallway as Frittolino stumbled over his words.
“Ah… I find… the kitchen… make-a small… snack-a for… you?” He pointed vaguely at the living room, then the guest room, then the ceiling, before realising he was pointing directly at the dogs.

Issy rolled her eyes. “That’s our cue,” she whispered.
Poppy wagged her tail uncertainly.

Soon, a small tray of fragrant nibbles appeared — meatballs, tiny frittatas, and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan. The smell was irresistible. Even the cautious greyhounds were tempted.

“Eat… eat… my little friends-a,” Frittolino urged, bowing slightly and almost tripping over the rug.

Poppy sniffed a meatball, then looked at Issy.
“I think he’s harmless. A little chaotic… but harmless. Just keep Norman away — we don’t need him talking about hedge diplomacy.”

Issy chuckled. “Agreed. Let’s see how long it takes him to win us over completely with food.”

The two greyhounds settled near the tray, eyes bright and tails twitching, as Frittolino attempted another dramatic bow — this time narrowly avoiding the coffee table but leaving a small trail of olive oil across the floor.

But Issy wasn’t convinced.
“There’s something… odd about him,” she murmured. “For a start, that name — Luighi Frittolino-Tegamino. Do you know what it means?”

Poppy blinked. “No?”

“‘Little Fry–Small Pan.’ Suspicious, don’t you think?”

Poppy tilted her head. “You mean… like a cooking name?”

Issy nodded. “Exactly. Too perfect. He’s up to something.”

And she was right. Señor Luighi Frittolino-Tegamino was not what he seemed. A crook, travelling across the EU with a suitcase full of secrets — and counterfeit euros. He was using Dad as a cover, and the police were already keeping a quiet eye on him. Staying at Casa Adora gave him a cosy disguise: the appearance of normality.

Issy’s eyes narrowed. “We need to search his room.”

“You can’t do that!” gasped Poppy.

“No,” said Issy, “but I know someone who can.”

Enter Gary, the albino gerbil ghost — expert at tight-space surveillance.

“Perfect,” said Poppy.

Gary floated silently into Frittolino’s room while the Italian sat on the terrace with Dad, sharing a pot of tea and a packet of Garibaldis.

Gary’s report:
Suitcase — nothing.
Wardrobe — nada.
Toiletry bag — innocent.
Bedside cabinet — nowt.
Nothing anywhere.

“The room’s clean,” said Gary, reappearing through the doorframe.

The girls frowned. “Then it must be in his Alfa Romeo,” Issy said suddenly.

“Gary!” they both shouted.

Gary zipped off to the car. He checked the glove compartment, under the seats, in the boot. Again, nothing.

The greyhounds were flummoxed.

“I know,” said Poppy. “Let’s ask Jedi Hamster, Master Whisker-Wan.”

Moments later, a faint blue glow appeared in the corner — the wise old hamster ghost materialising. The dogs explained the mystery.

Master Whisker-Wan listened calmly, whiskers twitching. “There is a tin,” he said in his slow, echoing Jedi voice. “Try under the bed.”

“Gary, did you look under the bed?” Issy asked.

Gary looked sheepish. “No.”

“Why not?”

“It was dusty.”

Issy groaned. “Gary!”

Gary hovered just above the tiled floor, peering nervously under the bed. “Um… I think I see it,” he whispered. “Yes, there’s definitely a tin — looks like a biscuit tin.”

Poppy’s ears perked up. “Ooh, biscuits! Maybe he is nice after all.”

Issy narrowed her eyes. “We’ll see. Gary, bring it out carefully.”

The albino gerbil ghost gave a heroic little grunt and floated backwards, dragging the tin through the dust. It rattled. Not the friendly jingle of biscuits, though — more like the clink of something metallic.

“That doesn’t sound like custard creams,” Poppy said suspiciously.

Gary set the tin down. The dogs leaned in, ears forward, tails stiff.

Issy flicked the lid open with her nose. Click!

Inside lay a neat stack of rolled-up papers, a scattering of coins from different countries, and a tiny brass key.

Poppy frowned. “That’s… not biscuits.”

“No,” said Issy. “And unless Garibaldis have started using brass keys as decoration, something’s fishy.”

“Or garlicky,” muttered Gary, wrinkling his spectral nose.

Just then, they heard Dad’s voice drifting up the stairs. “Girls! Come and say hello — Luighi’s brought some almond biscotti!”

Issy’s eyes widened. “Hide it!”

Gary zipped the tin back under the bed, leaving a faint puff of ghostly dust. The trio trotted downstairs as innocently as possible — though Issy still had a smudge of flour on her nose from her earlier investigation.

In the kitchen, Señor Luighi Frittolino-Tegamino was standing proudly by the table, holding up a plate of biscotti like a trophy.
“Ah! My-a special recipe — twice bake-a, crunchy, perfect for dipping!”

Dad was beaming, mug of tea in hand. “Now that’s a proper biscuit! None of that soft nonsense.”

Issy and Poppy exchanged a look.

“Dad,” said Issy, “we think there’s something odd about Señor Fry–Small Pan.”

Dad chuckled. “Oh, you two! Always the detectives. He’s harmless — just a bit of a foodie, that’s all. Probably keeps spare biscotti tins under the bed. I’ve done the same.”

Poppy blinked. “You’ve hidden biscuits under your bed?”

Dad hesitated. “Well… only at Christmas.”

Gary snorted softly from the doorway.

🧁 The Final Biscuit

The morning sun warmed the courtyard tiles as Dad sipped his tea, humming about Garibaldis. Issy and Poppy lay nearby, tails twitching, while Gary hovered discreetly behind a flowerpot.

Down at the café, two local officers sat at their usual table, sipping cortados and nibbling toast. On the table between them sat a red biscuit tin — slightly dusty, slightly dented, and very suspicious.

One officer lifted the lid. “Well, this isn’t breakfast.”

The other frowned. “Looks like fake euros. And a delivery list.”

They exchanged a glance. Then one of them stood up and made a quiet call on his radio.

Back at Casa Adora, Luighi was packing his canvas bag into the Alfa Romeo, humming about olive oil and “the passion of the pan.” Dad waved cheerfully from the terrace.

“Safe travels, old chap!”

“Grazie!” called Luighi. “I go-a to Córdoba! Big-a delivery!”

He climbed into the car, adjusted his scarf, and started the engine.

But before he reached the gate, two police cars rolled up the track, tyres crunching on gravel.

Luighi blinked. “Ah… buongiorno?”

The officers stepped out. “Señor Frittolino-Tegamino? We’d like to ask you a few questions.”

Dad leaned over the terrace rail. “Everything all right?”

Issy barked softly. “All sorted, Dad.”

Poppy wagged her tail. “He’ll be cooking in a different kitchen now.”

Gary floated up beside them, paws folded. “Operation Digestive: complete.”

Dad took a thoughtful sip of tea and smiled.
“Well, I suppose that’s what happens when you don’t dunk your biscuits.”

This funny kids mystery is part of the Issy & Poppy: Kids Edition collection — bilingual adventures with Issy and Poppy in Andalucía. You can explore the whole collection in the Kids Edition Hub.

Esta historia forma parte de la colección Issy & Poppy: Kids Edition — aventuras bilingües con Issy y Poppy en Andalucía. Descubre toda la colección en el Kids Edition Hub.

Footnote: AI images, my stories — The Flexible Chef