The Mystery at the Crooked House

The Boxcar Children #79

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Aldens learn that their housekeeper has to sell her childhood home, the Crooked House, because she cannot afford to keep it. The Aldens learn that there is a riddle surrounding the house, and if the can solve it, there might be a treasure to be found!

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Fiction, Audiobook, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Adventure

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Gertrude Chandler Warner was born in Putnam, Connecticut, on April 16, 1890, to Edgar and Jane Warner. Her family included a sister, Frances, and a brother, John. From the age of five, she dreamed of becoming an author. She wrote stories for her Grandfather Carpenter, and each Christmas she gave him one of these stories as a gift. Today, Ms. Warner is best remembered as the author of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES.

As a child, Gertrude enjoyed many of the things that girls enjoy today. She loved furnishing a dollhouse with handmade furniture and she liked to read. Her favorite book was ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Often on Sundays after church, Gertrude enjoyed trips to visit her grandparents' farm. Along the way, she and Frances would stop to pick the wildflowers they both loved. Gertrude's favorite flower was the violet.

Her family was a very musical one. They were able to have a family orchestra, and Gertrude enjoyed playing the cello. Her father had brought her one from New York ---a cello, a bow, a case and an instruction book. All together, he paid $14. Later, as an adult, she began playing the pipe organ and sometimes substituted for the church organist.

Due to ill health, Ms. Warner never finished high school. She left in the middle of her second year and studied with a tutor. Then, in 1918, when teachers were called to serve in World War I, the school board asked her to teach first grade. She had forty children in the morning and forty more in the afternoon. Ms. Warner wrote, "I was asked or begged to take this job because I taught Sunday School. But believe me, day school is nothing like Sunday School, and I sure learned by doing --- I taught in that same room for 32 years, retiring at 60 to have more time to write." Eventually, Ms. Warner attended Yale, where she took several teacher training courses.

Once when she was sick and had to stay home from teaching, she thought up the story about the Boxcar Children. It was inspired by her childhood dreams. As a child, she had spent hours watching the trains go by near her family's home. Sometimes she could look through the window of a caboose and see a small stove, a little table, cracked cups with no saucers, and a tin coffee pot boiling away on the stove. The sight had fascinated her and made her dream about how much fun it would be to live and keep house in a boxcar or caboose. She read the story to her classes and rewrote it many times so the words were easy to understand. Some of her pupils spoke other languages at home and were just learning English. THE BOXCAR CHILDREN gave them a fun story that was easy to read.

Ms. Warner once wrote for her fans, "Perhaps you know that the original BOXCAR CHILDREN. . . raised a storm of protest from librarians who thought the children were having too good a time without any parental control! That is exactly why children like it! Most of my own childhood exploits, such as living in a freight car, received very little cooperation from my parents."

Though the story of THE BOXCAR CHILDREN went through some changes after it was first written, the version that we are familiar with today was originally published in 1942 by Scott Foresman. Today, Albert Whitman & Company publishes this first classic story as well as the next eighteen Alden children adventures that were written by Ms. Warner.

Gertrude Chandler Warner died in 1979 at the age of 89 after a full life as a teacher, author, and volunteer for the American Red Cross and other charitable organizations. After her death, Albert Whitman & Company continued to receive mail from children across the country asking for more adventures about Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny Alden. In 1991, Albert Whitman added to THE BOXCAR CHILDREN MYSTERIES so that today's children can enjoy many more adventures about this independent and caring group of children.

Books about Gertrude: https://www.goodreads.com/characters/...

Reviews

[V. Arrow]

This feels like a very classic, archetypal Boxcar Children story. I'm surprised it's as late into the series as it is.

[Y]

2.5 stars.

[Melmo2610]

One of my absolute favorites of the BCC series! Fun mystery!

[Nicole McFarland]

We’ve read about a dozen BC books and this is my favorite so far.

[Simon]

"The Mystery at the Crooked House" is a quintessential entry in the "Boxcar Children" series, balancing nostalgic charm with the classic puzzle-solving structure Gertrude Chandler Warner mastered. The narrative follows the Alden siblings—Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny—as they rally to assist their housekeeper, Mrs. McGregor, who faces the heartbreaking loss of her ancestral home. The "Crooked House" serves as both a literal setting and a metaphor for the family secrets hidden within its walls. The tone remains lighthearted and adventurous, typical of the series, yet it carries an undercurrent of genuine emotional stakes regarding the stability of the Aldens' extended family unit.

The Alden children are the engine of the plot, each contributing unique assets. Henry, the eldest, acts as the steady leader; his strength and reliability keep the group grounded, though he can occasionally be too cautious. Jessie is the pragmatic planner, whose organizational skills are essential for decoding the house’s riddles, though her desire for control sometimes clashes with the spontaneity of the mystery. Violet provides the intuitive, empathetic perspective, often noticing details others miss, though her quiet nature can lead to her being overlooked by antagonists. Benny, the youngest, provides the comic relief and impulsive curiosity that often uncovers the final pieces of the puzzle, even if his lack of focus sometimes complicates their progress. Their relationships are defined by unconditional support, creating a cohesive unit where every sibling’s flaw is buffered by another’s strength.

Secondary characters like the local historian and the skeptical real estate developer act as foils, adding tension to the investigation. The subplot involving the historical records of the town provides a layer of depth, transforming a simple house-saving mission into a hunt for a long-lost legacy. Themes of loyalty and the preservation of history dominate the text; the children prioritize their bond with Mrs. McGregor over personal comfort, highlighting the series' core value that family is defined by connection rather than blood. The mystery itself is solved through collaborative deduction, emphasizing that patience and careful observation are far more powerful than individual brilliance. For readers who enjoyed this, I recommend checking out the "Nancy Drew" mysteries by Carolyn Keene or "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin for similar puzzle-driven narratives.

[Matthew]

I started reading The Boxcar Children last year after my friend said they were very meaningful to him growing up. While I am an adult and know that they aren't technically geared towards me, I am finding them to be quick and easy reads, if not slightly slow. But if you enjoy mysteries, they're a great starter, along with Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys (though I'd place these two slightly above The Boxcar Children). This one is one of the better ones I've read so far, although it was written by a ghost writer, after Warner's death.

This story has the Alden children taking a trip to their housekeeper's childhood estate, known as the Crooked House, that is falling on hard time, now that a fancy resort has been built. With mysteries guests, missing manuscripts, and riddles to be solved, this book seemed to move faster and have more going on than the average entry in the series. My rating - 3/5

[Cherish Brown]

(4☆ Would recommend)
I loved these books as a kid & I'm really enjoying reading through the series again. I liked the mystery & the suspense. I like how there is more than one possible suspect, who each have reasonable motive. I wish that they would have included Bill McGregor, Mrs. McGregor's husband. He moves into the house with the family in book #3, but so far none of the ghost writers (books #20 on) never mention him. Also some of the other books mention that Mrs. McGregor grew up in Greenfield, but this book has her family home in a different location. I feel like the ghost writers don't do research like they should. But it is still a great story. Would recommend.

[Joseph D.]

Book 79 of the Boxcar Children mysteries. This one is close to home as Mrs. McGregor’s childhood him is in danger. This is another one of those no real bad guy mysteries. Because of that it becomes a treasure hunt instead. But can they find the treasure in time? Is the treasure going to be enough to save the crooked house. Simple and fun Mystery recommended to kids of any age. ​

Joseph McKnight
http://www.Josephmcknight.com

[Adam Carman]

A good old addition to the Boxcar series. Fairly straightforward to the old formula--unfriendly folks turn out to be allies, friendlies turn out to be the suspicious ones. Aldens help their family friend, Mrs. McGregor, to save her childhood home.

[Kara Kuehl]

I really enjoyed this book! There were a few times where it was predictable and that was a bit disappointing, but for the most part, it was a very good read!

[Charles Reed]

74%

Well sounds like the house will be lost.

[Kim Hampton]

A particularly interesting mystery.

[Destiny Thompson]

Another of the Boxcar Children books, "The mystery of the Crooked House," is about Mrs McGregor fearing her house might be sold. The Aldens attempt to solve the riddle, because theres a potential for treasure. Ive never read any books in this series, it surprised me what a fun read it was.

[Evan]

This book was good because of mystery and the suspense of the story.What I didn't get is how the house got to be crooked.What i mostly liked about the story is that the mystery.

[J.J.]

Always love a good boxcar mystery!