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Carnage of the realm

Charles A. Goodrum

Cover of Carnage of the realm

Carnage of the realm

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Charles A. Goodrum

Reading Level 4-5 9MP Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

There’s a secret lurking inside this club where everyone seems fascinating and full of ambition. But behind the smiles, danger hides, and some members won’t make it out alive. And that’s only the beginning.

Themes

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade mystery features a group of intriguing club members, among whom a dangerous murderer hides. Intended for ages 9-12, it includes suspenseful themes appropriate for readers ready to explore thrilling detective stories with female protagonists. Parents should note the presence of murder and death as central to the plot.

Why we rated Carnage of the realm 9MP

Carnage of the realm is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 152 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Carnage of the realm works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Carnage of the realm as 9MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.

Thematically, Carnage of the realm explores mystery, women sleuths, adventure, and friendship — 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about mystery, women sleuths, adventure.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9MP — Moderate — Physical
Emotional
Light
Physical
Moderate
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

3/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

152 pages
ISBN
0517535041
Pages
152
Publisher
Random House Value Publishing
Published
1979
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Mystery & DetectiveWomen SleuthsLarge Type BooksJonesCreightonWerner-bok LibraryD.c. : Imaginary Place)WashingtonLibrarians