SOLVED. Middle grade Mystery book. Four adopted siblings solve a mystery in a haunted house. The family also really liked a certain pizza parlor and one kid wanted to stuff socks into his brother's mouth when he was annoyed with him. [s]

[Christine]

Hello

The book I'm looking for is about a group of siblings(there were four or five of them) who lived in a small town and were all adopted(or at least fostered) by the same couple.
These kids stumble upon a seemingly haunted house and end up solving a mystery, as you do.
The only other plot details I recall are the pizza parlor being a significant feature in the town(the family liked to go there) and one line about one of the boys wanting to stuff old socks into his brother's mouth when he was annoyed with him.
I read this in the mid -late 90s though I don't remember the exact year and it may have been published earlier than that.
I think the cover had a red border? It may have also been part of a series.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[Kris]

Christine, try adding more plot details to the header/ topic title "Kids Mystery book..." You can copy from what you've already written in the first comment. Someone is more likely to recognize your book. If you would like help with this, just post a new comment.

[Stephi]

Maybe it was one of the Boxcar Children books, possibly The Pizza Mystery?

[Christine]

Stephi wrote: "Maybe it was one of the Boxcar Children books, possibly The Pizza Mystery?"

I don't think it was the boxcar children, for one thing these kids lived in actual house not a boxcar, the pizza place wasn't central to the mystery and I have a feeling the setting was slightly more modern though the premise was definitely similar.

But thanks anyway.

[Rainbowheart]

Mystery at Witch Creek?

[Mai]

The Ghost of Shockly Manor by William Alexander? It's the second book of the Clues Kids series and it was published in 1990.

Description for the first book, The Case of the Funny Money Man: The Clues Kids, five foster children living with Chief Klink and his wife, suspect their new neighbors of being counterfeiters.

EDIT: I searched inside the book (https://www.google.com/books/edition/...) and on page 13 it says the following: "[...]from the cheery picture of stuffing Jimmy's mouth with old socks straight to fear." Hopefully this is it then!

[Christine]

Mai wrote: "The Ghost of Shockly Manor by William Alexander? It's the second book of the Clues Kids series and it was published in 1990.

Description for the first book, [book:T..."

This is it, thank you so much!

[Christine]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Mystery at Witch Creek?"

No that's not it but thanks anyway.