The Lighthouse Mystery
by Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Alden Family Mysteries (8), Boxcar Children (8)
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When the Aldens take a summer trip to the New England coast, they have a fun place to stay: a lighthouse! But strange things happen after it gets dark - an unknown woman is seen walking around, and Watch, the Aldens' dog, wakes up growling late at night. Can the Boxcar Children shed light on a seaside mystery?.
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Renting a lighthouse is unusual, but even more so is an unfriendly boy's peculiar behavior.
You know what's even more unusual? Traveling home from [b:The Woodshed Mystery|363287|The Woodshed Mystery (The Boxcar Children, #7)|Gertrude Chandler Warner|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1352526391l/363287._SX50_.jpg|3010035], seeing a lighthouse for sale on the side of the road and deciding that your grandfather should buy it. And knowing that he totally could[^wat].
Luckily (?), it's already been sold, so instead they just rent it. And of course find a mystery in the night which even to my five year old wasn't that much of a surprise. But it's still an engaging story and a new settings, so that's cool. show more And the idea of using concrete and rocks to make natural beach chairs is one I may have to steal (albeit sadly without the beach)[^environment].
They also sort of force themselves into the grumpy family, whether they want it or not. But it all ends up well in the end because friendship.
And hey. It has a lighthouse!
It's a fun enough story, par for the course for the Boxcar Children. My children enjoyed it at least.
[^wat]: It's even crazier when later Jessie complains because "four new [swimsuits] would cost too much". Um. More or less than a lighthouse...
[^environment]: Granted, it's not the most environmentally friendly option. Everything in moderation? show less
In the eighth book of "The Boxcar Children" series, the Alden children and their grandfather are renting a lighthouse for the summer. They anticipate a quiet summer by the sea, but find themselves investigating a mystery instead. Their dog wakes up growling each evening, and an unknown woman is seen wandering the grounds.
When the children befriend a troubled but gifted young man, Larry Cook, they discover that he is using the abandoned lighthouse keeper's cottage for scientific experiments. The boy's father has forbidden him from attending college, so Larry continues his studies in secret. When Larry becomes lost during a summer storm, will his father have a change of heart?
I read this book as a child and greatly enjoyed revisiting it show more as an adult. The Lighthouse Mystery perfectly combines intrigue, adventure and a strong moral message. Highly recommended for young readers.
http://www.bookishruth.com/2009/02/review-of-boxcar-children-lighthouse.html show less
When the children befriend a troubled but gifted young man, Larry Cook, they discover that he is using the abandoned lighthouse keeper's cottage for scientific experiments. The boy's father has forbidden him from attending college, so Larry continues his studies in secret. When Larry becomes lost during a summer storm, will his father have a change of heart?
I read this book as a child and greatly enjoyed revisiting it show more as an adult. The Lighthouse Mystery perfectly combines intrigue, adventure and a strong moral message. Highly recommended for young readers.
http://www.bookishruth.com/2009/02/review-of-boxcar-children-lighthouse.html show less
While the boxcar children head home from their great-aunt's new farm, they find a lighthouse and move in for a few weeks. There are a couple of seemingly unsavory characters in town who turn out to be father and son. Something is going on in the summer kitchen of the lighthouse and the Boxcar children have to become friends with two people who don't want any contact in order to solve this mystery.
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are spending the summer in a lighthouse on the New England coast. Jessie sees a mysterious woman walking on the grounds of the lighthouse late at night.
Jessie sees a mysterious woman walking on the grounds of the lighthouse late at night. Watch, Jessie's dog, wakes up growling almost every morning -- at midnight! And Henry finds a puzzling note in the sand?.
Many strange things happen before the mystery is solved.
Many strange things happen before the mystery is solved.
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Author Information

390+ Works 119,803 Members
Gertrude Chandler Warner was born in Putnam, Connecticut on April 16, 1890. Due to her poor health, she never finished high school and studied with a tutor. During World War I, a shortage of teachers prompted the local school board to hire her to teach first grade, a position she held for over 30 years. She wrote the first Boxcar book in 1924, show more while home recuperating from an illness, but the version most people are familiar with was originally published in 1942. The Alden children became so popular that she wrote 19 adventures about them including Surprise Island, Mystery Ranch, and Snowbound Mystery. She died at age 89 August 29, 1979, but the Boxcar Children are still being written about by a team of writers faithful to her vision. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Lighthouse Mystery
- Original publication date
- 1963
- People/Characters
- Benny Alden; Henry Alden; Jessie Alden; Violet Alden
- First words
- The visit to Aunt Jane came to an end.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"No, sir!" said Benny. "Mr. Hall knows absolutely everything!"
- Disambiguation notice
- iSBNs 0807545473 / 1616415215 / 1616411228 / 1451725817 / 1306239036
are for the graphic versions of the book.
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- English
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- ISBNs
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- ASINs
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