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The fugitive affair

Rosemary Gatenby

Cover of The fugitive affair

The fugitive affair

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

A Novel of Suspense

by Rosemary Gatenby

Reading Level 6 11LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

I never expected to get a call from my uncle about Warren Thayer—someone I hadn’t seen or heard from in three years. Nobody knew if Warren was alive or gone for good. But uncovering the truth? That’s only the beginning.

Themes

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade mystery novel follows a young protagonist drawn into a suspenseful investigation surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Warren Thayer. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers an engaging plot with themes of intrigue and detective work. The story contains mild suspense but no intense content, making it appropriate for middle-grade readers.

Why we rated The fugitive affair 11LE

The fugitive affair is written at a Level 6 reading level across 214 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The fugitive affair works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate The fugitive affair 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, The fugitive affair explores mystery, detective, 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about mystery, detective, adventure.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

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

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

3/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
3
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

214 pages
ISBN
0396073123
Pages
214
Publisher
Dodd Mead
Published
1976
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Mystery & Detective