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In Switzerland, the banks are no longer secure. Money and gold are being stolen in a series of bank robberies that have the police stumped, but Swiss banker, Mr. Conrad Huffendorf knows where to turn for help. He writes a letter to Max and Maddy Twist, recent winners of the Clue Competition. Told they will be rewarded for their help with “Money or chocolate, but not both!”, these two up-and-coming young private detectives leave for Switzerland to solve the mystery. But Max and Maddy soon find out they are not after your average bank robbers; the money grabbers in this case are Saint Bernard dogs.
It’s no surprise Max and Maddy are great private detectives. Their parents won the Best Disguise Award and the Most Difficult Clue Solved Award during their own detecting years. Growing up, Max and Maddy had access to a variety of detective stories; they had their parents’ work stories to listen to, and they had access to books at home like Two Hundred Simple Disguises and How to Follow People Without Being Seen – Ever. Max and Maddy will need to rely on their full store of detective knowledge very soon. While in Switzerland, Max and Maddy run into their parents’ number-one enemy, Professor Claude Sardine. He is the reason Mr. and Mrs. Twist are now working in an ice cream parlor, and not at their private detective agency. With more reason then ever now to detest the Twist family, Professor Claude Sardine is going to be very hard to escape.
First young readers will wonder about the how and why behind the canine bank robberies, then they will enjoy following Max and Maddy’s well thought-out plans, which are a whirlwind of adventurous chases. In the end, these clever siblings even figure out a way to get both the chocolate and the money as their reward.
It’s hard not to like an Alexander McCall Smith book. My favorite books by this author are The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and the Harriet Bean series. Max & Maddy and the Chocolate Money Mystery was illustrated by Macky Pamintuan. Originally from the Philippines, Pamintuan creates wonderful black-and-white illustrations for this first book featuring Max and Maddy Twist. I particularly enjoyed his witty use of the sardine.
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Max & Maddy and the Chocolate Money Mystery