Furious Jones and the assassin's secret
Tim Kehoe
Furious Jones and the assassin's secret
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tim Kehoe
The text is written at a 7th 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.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
Furious Jones races through the crowded auditorium, heart pounding as chaos erupts around him. His father has just been shot—right in front of everyone—and the secrets hidden in a mysterious novel might be the key to everything. But who’s behind the attack, and can Furious stop the danger before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade thriller follows twelve-year-old Furious Jones as he unravels the mystery behind his father's shooting and the dangerous secrets within his latest novel. The story contains themes of organized crime, homicide, and assassination, presented with age-appropriate suspense for readers around 9-12 years old. While the book features action and moments of peril, it handles mature topics carefully, making it suitable for middle-grade readers who enjoy adventure and mystery.
Why we rated Furious Jones and the assassin's secret 12ME
Furious Jones and the assassin's secret is written at a Level 7 reading level across 327 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Furious Jones and the assassin's secret works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Furious Jones and the assassin's secret as 12ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Violence, Suspense.
Thematically, Furious Jones and the assassin's secret explores adventure, mystery, family, coming of age, and organized crime — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, mystery, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
The assassin's curse
Kevin Sands
The assassin's curse
Kevin Sands
Wild Boy
Jones Rob Lloyd
Wild Boy
Jones Rob Lloyd
Mayhem
Jeffrey Salane
Mayhem
Jeffrey Salane
Hunting the Hunter
Gordon Korman
Hunting the Hunter
Gordon Korman
Boy kills man
Matt Whyman
Boy kills man
Matt Whyman
Kidnappers And Assassins (True Crime)
John Townsend
Kidnappers And Assassins (True Crime)
John Townsend
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781442473379
- Pages
- 327
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction