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The Mystery at the Crooked House

Gertrude Chandler Warner - Author

The Alden children stay at their housekeeper Mrs McGregor’s family home and try to solve a riddle that points towards hidden treasure.

More about this book

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny used to live alone in a boxcar. Now they have a home with their grandfather, and they are visiting the Crooked House, Mrs. McGregor's childhood home in the snowy countryside. When Mrs. McGregor, the Aldens' housekeeper, learns that she cannot afford to keep the Crooked House, the Aldens want to help. Mrs. McGregor tells them that ever since she was a little girl, there has been an unsolved riddle about the house. And solving the riddle could lead to a treasure! Could the treasure save the Crooked House? Can the Boxcar Children find it in time?

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Mystery· ExplainedRiddle· ExplainedHidden treasure· Explained

Consider

Fear and suspenseFrightening scenes

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

mysteryriddlehidden treasure

FictionIllustrated book

Themes in Context

Solving a riddle

The Alden children try to solve a riddle that may lead to hidden treasure.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The riddle-and-treasure premise gives the mystery a concrete problem for the children to pursue.

Talk about: Which clues would you treat as important, and why?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The sibling group and shared puzzle make this a family-centred mystery, with the treasure riddle providing a clear thread to follow.

What Deserves Attention

The story centres on a mystery and a hidden-treasure riddle.

A Conversation Worth Having

What clues or ideas would you look for when trying to solve a riddle that might lead to treasure?

Reading Approach

Enjoy it as a puzzle: pause at the riddle and invite your reader to suggest possibilities before continuing, without needing to guess the answer correctly.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Solving a riddle: The clues, solution and outcome are not established here.

The Mystery at the Crooked House - Gertrude Chandler Warner - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Solving a riddle

The Mystery at the Crooked House by Gertrude Chandler Warner | Open Library