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The case of the vanishing corpse

Robert Newman

Cover of The case of the vanishing corpse

The case of the vanishing corpse

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Robert Newman

Reading Level 6 11MP Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 6th 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

What would you do if a corpse vanished right before your eyes? Andrew just came back to London and suddenly finds himself tangled in mysteries about missing jewels and a shocking murder. Can he uncover the truth before it's too late?

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade mystery follows Andrew as he navigates a series of thrilling investigations involving stolen jewels and a puzzling disappearance after a murder. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story contains suspenseful scenes but handles them with appropriate restraint for this age group. Parents should note the presence of crime-related themes that may prompt discussion about safety and justice.

Why we rated The case of the vanishing corpse 11MP

The case of the vanishing corpse is written at a Level 6 reading level across 221 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The case of the vanishing corpse works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate The case of the vanishing corpse as 11MP ("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, The case of the vanishing corpse explores mystery, adventure, friendship, and coming of age — 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, adventure, friendship.

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

11MP — 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

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
5
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

221 pages
ISBN
9780689710377
Pages
221
Publisher
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Published
1980
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Mysteries & Detective StoriesMystery and Detective StoriesDetective and Mystery StoriesBuffalo Bill's Wild West Show in FictionSherlock HolmesMurder

People

Andrew TillettSara WigginsInspector Wyatt

Places

London (England)