The case of the Missing Tarts by Christee Curran-Bauer

Dear son, 

I baked your favourite dessert, my famous jam tarts. They were made with love and, of course, my secret ingredient! Enjoy them with your friends at headquarters. Love Mama xoxo

Oh no, someone has stolen the tarts. Now it is up to our three intrepid detectives - Martin P Sweets, Felix Danish, and Ralph Custard to solve the crime and find those tarts! 

Meanwhile, we do see the thief but his identity is hidden. He is determined to discover the secret ingredient - but what could it be? Acorn, birdseed, apple juice, mayo, cinnamon? NO no no.  

Book seller blurb: The Pigeon Detectives are looking forward to devouring a delectable platter of jam tarts-until the tasty treats are stolen from right under their beaks! With tummies grumbling, the PPD are on the hunt for clues, but can the detectives recover the tarts in time before they are all eaten-or worse-stale? As the list of suspects grows longer, our heroes wonder if they'll ever catch the thief jam-handed.

This series starter is at once a classic mystery and an animal story, set in a park with local critters. That balance would seem difficult, but it’s achieved here with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor and plenty of puns. The narrative, told through a mix of comic book–style panels and prose, is brought to life with crisp-lined cartoons with mostly pastel tones and a bit of film noir thrown in when the mood is right.  An enjoyable homage to the dramatic mystery. Kirkus

This is the first book in a series called Pigeon Private Detectives. The second book - The case of the Poached Egg will be published early in 2024. 

If you decide to buy The Case of the Missing Tarts for your young reading companion or library you might like to shop around. I found one supplier who listed this book for AUS$30 and another for AUS$22. It is a hardcover, full colour book but the higher price means many libraries would not be able to consider purchasing this book which is a pity because it is terrific. 

Companion book:

Jeremiah in the Dark Woods

I also recommend looking for these other terrific funny detective stories for younger readers:

There are others in this series

Murilla Gorilla