Socks Undercover — J. Dyer

Socks the cat is willing to do anything to stay in his new home at the Natural History Museum. He remembers all too well what life was like when he was abandoned in Balboa park by a previous owner. Unfortunately strange things are happening in the museum. Crabs escape a saltwater tank in the marine biology lab and run amok in the halls. The rare shells collection is found scattered on the floor, and bags of peanuts are missing from the museum gift shop. Some people think that Socks is to blame.

Determined to clear his name, Socks decides that he must discover who is causing the mischief or risk being pitched out of the museum. During the day, he hides behind the library door to eavesdrop on the museum staff. At night, he prowls the halls sniffing for clues to identify the culprit.

In this tale for middle readers, an adopted cat must solve the mystery of who is causing the mayhem or once again be living rough in the park.