A comedian dies
Simon Brett
A comedian dies
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Simon Brett
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Here’s a secret: a funny comedian is about to win a big award, but as he grabs the microphone, something shocking happens—he gets electrocuted right on stage! Everyone thinks it was just a tragic accident, but one clever detective in the crowd isn’t so sure. And that’s only the beginning of a mystery that needs solving.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery features Charles Paris, an actor-turned-detective, who witnesses a comedian's sudden death on stage and suspects foul play despite an official accident ruling. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the story involves a classic whodunit with some mild suspense but no graphic content. It encourages critical thinking and problem-solving within an intriguing detective narrative.
Why we rated A comedian dies 11LE
A comedian dies is written at a Level 6 reading level across 202 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A comedian dies works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate A comedian dies as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, A comedian dies explores detective and mystery, friendship, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about detective and mystery, friendship, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0425047024
- Pages
- 202
- Publisher
- Berkley
- Published
- 1980
- Type
- Fiction