The Grave Digger

Cap Cooper is a 12-year-old boy living in Ohio in 1875. In order to pay for his mother’s doctor bill, his father takes work as a grave robber. When Cap is made to help he finds things are not as they seem…more people seem to be dying. And when one of the dead comes back to life, Cap must find answers before those he loves get hurt.

I don’t normally read or review YA or Children’s Fiction, but when I saw the cover, then read the description for the Grave Digger, it intrigued me. I found that I really enjoyed this book. It’s something that I would have read when I was 12 or 13. 

The story recounts some fairly heavy aspects of life in the 19th century: what those without money must do to survive, the restrictions on those of color. It also introduces one which kids have probably never heard of, grave robbing. These themes in are woven together with the mystery in a way that made this story really very interesting.  Also, I was very much drawn to the character of Cap. He is well defined as a young man who is smart, perceptive, and caring. He is aware of the problems that his family is facing, but has the courage to do what’s right in order to help them and his new found friends. 

My thanks to NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for the advance copy of this book for my review.

Resurrectionists, or body snatchers as they were commonly known, were active during the 18th and 19th centuries.  Bodies recently buried, were removed from their graves and given to medical schools for students to use to study anatomy.

The Grave Diggers tells the story of Cap, a young man who helps his father as a resurrectionist.  Hard pressed for cash, it was an easy, although dangerous, way for he and his father to raise money quickly.

This was an interesting and informative story.  The author an exciting and engaging tale in the correct historical context; a fun read that should entice young readers to learn more about the time period.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!
#TheGraveDigger #NetGalley

I don't read a lot of children's fiction but once I saw this cover I couldn't resist.  Terrific cover and terrific little story.  Not all is what it seems, more people are dying and Cap (our protagonist) needs to find out why before his loved ones do as well.  A bit creepy in spots added as a bonus! Loved it!

The Grave Digger was a surprising read. I expected an adventure filled suspenseful tale but the novel was much more than that. It was very informative with the way it painted the time period authentically. There was mystery and adventure, of course, both aspects which would attract middle grade readers, but the story also tackled more serious issues in a thoughtful way. A very satisfying read.

This is going to be a perfect addition to my classroom!  It's written at a middle school reading level, but includes plenty of gruesome and fantastic details to keep the reader intrigued.  It's historic and addresses an aspect of 19th century history that isn't often shown in young adult fiction.  My kids will love reading this one.

In this historical fiction piece, the reader meets Cap Cooper, a pre-teen living in 1875 Ohio.  His mother is sick and money is tight, so his father does whatever he can to support the family...even if it means becoming a grave robber.  Cap is roped into helping his father and quickly learns that not all is as it seems.

This was a quick read and one that I think middle-grade students would enjoy.  There is a little bit of everything in this story - mystery, suspense, history.  The historical aspect of this story is unique and brings up what some living in the 19th century were forced to do to make ends meet.  Cap is a well-developed and likeable character that uses his intellect to reason through what is happening in is town and help is friends and family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amberjack Publishing for the advance copy of this book for review.

Rarely have I been able to find a children's book that so artfully combines elements of history, suspense, drama, and science fiction. This book is set on the backdrop of slavery, the industrial revolution, the creation of medical schools and the use of resurrectionists to obtain bodies for their classes. It follows a young boy, unwittingly made into a resurrectionist himself in order to help his father provide for his ailing mother, as he tries to figure out who is organizing these body heists, what purpose they are being used for, and whether the sickness affecting the town is in any way related. Along the way, bodies  come back to life, leaving the boy trying to determine if he, born dead but revived himself, is somehow the one bringing them back.

I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A mystery is afoot in Cap's town. People are mysteriously dying, and their bodies are being stolen, with Cap being roped into the scheme by his father, who is working with another man to do the dirty work.

Pluses:
This book reminded me a little bit of Burke and Hare, and the information about body snatching was definitely interesting.

Things I didn't like as much:
The foreshadowing seemed a little weird to me, as I got confused about what certain things had to do with the main story.

Overall, it was enjoyable read, and I am excited to see what else this author writes in the future!

The Grave Digger by Rebecca Bischoff is a period middle-grade piece.

Set in 1875, Cap starts helping out in the unofficial family business, the grave robbing business.

In a similar to John Bellairs, Bischoff has created a scary, creepy story that is entertaining for kids, without being TOO scary, satanic or gory. The perfect combination for a good scary tale. While some of the period dialog seemed to be peppered into the writing a bit too heavily, there was enough meat in the storyline to help the reader imagine the surroundings.

While touching on some historical cultural issues (women in the medical profession and race issues) it wasn't so heavy handed to make the book a lesson about the past.

In short, The Grave Digger finds that sweet spot between scary and not too scary for the average middle-grade reader. With elements of mystery and suspense kids will want to keep reading page after page.

In addition, parents concerned with content and clean reads will find that this refreshingly fits the bill. Five stars.

[ THIS REVIEW WILL BE POSTED TO MY BLOG ON OCTOBER 22 ]


I really enjoyed reading The Grave Digger. It’s a page-turner for sure!

The main character Cap was such a great character! I also enjoyed a few of the side characters. I do wish that this book was a little longer and more fleshed out in part but overall I enjoyed the mystery of this book! This book dealt with the heavy topics of women and people of color in such a smart and informative way for the time period that this book is set in.

All in all, I really enjoyed The Grave Digger! If you are looking for a middle grade novel that intrigues and is quick to read!

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review! This book was historical fiction with a twist of suspense. The creepy level was perfect for kids 10-12. It touched on several post-Civil War issues like race, gravedigging, and even a little bit of Women’s Rights. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it! 4/5 stars!

The Grave Digger was quite the surprise, and in a great way. Cap gets roped into helping his father, and an unsavory sort by the name of Lum to dig up bodies for some extra cash that Cap's family so desperately needs. The tale only gets deeper, and darker from there but in a way which the intended age bracket would understand. I adore the author's use of history throughout the book, she doesn't sugar coat things and leaves the reader wanting to learn more about our history. 

Honestly I was taken for surprise with several of the twists and turns that the book took. I believe that a reader, especially the targeted audience, would be as well. The chapters are short, concise and leave with a cliffhanger so you can't help but want to know what's going to happen next in the story. 

Overall I give this book a five out of five, and cannot wait to see what the author comes out with next. 

**Thank you to NetGalley, and Amberjack Publishing for an advance copy of this book for review.*

12 year-old Cap Cooper is roped into robbing graves to help pay for his mother’s medical expenses. But he soon discovers there are some secrets that are best left buried…

'The Grave Digger' is a really unique read. The story is fast-paced and packed with mystery, creepy without getting too gothic. It’s rare to find a historical middle grade novel that addresses its context so well. The story covers several key themes – racism, the role of women and poverty – but its exploration is never heavy-handed, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. It’s a difficult balance to strike in middle grade fiction, but Bischoff has nailed it.

Cap is a likeable protagonist, a reluctant but curious hero, who always finds himself in the middle of the action. He’s our eyes and ears throughout, but while he offers the reader a lot of information, he gives us very little insight. The action is so fast-paced we aren’t given much time to reflect, especially as the mystery unravels at the end.

There are a couple of stand-out secondary characters: I loved the determined Delphia, and quiet Jessamyn has an intriguing backstory. It's always refreshing to see historical fiction with some diversity!

'The Grave Digger' was an enjoyable read with a brilliant story – I just wish the bones of it were fleshed out a little bit more.

The Grave Digger by Rebecca Bischoff is an awesome middle grade book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. This is such a good book! It is set in 1875 or so and it features a 12 year old boy, Cap, drafted by his dad to help rob graves with a very horrible person. What happens from there in the town, between his friends, and how he feels about himself is very interesting. Also the are some other mysteries to be solved that no one seems to notice except Cap! There is suspense, great mysteries, action, hope, despair, friendship, and just a dash of paranormal! I loved it and I think lots of kids will enjoy all the wonderful characters in here and learn how life was during that era. It seems true to the times. Cap is shocked that a girl wants to be a doctor! Great story!

This is perfect for fans of Derek Landy and Jonathan Stroud, it’s full of dark humour and and creepy goings on...
Cap Cooper is a great character! He’s laugh out loud funny and constantly getting himself in stupid situations. He becomes embroiled in the stealing bodies and after one particularly interesting night thinks he has the power to raise the dead! What ensues is a series of ever more dangerous escapades.
I know it’s set in America after the civil war but I was actually picturing it set in London (maybe just because I’m used to reading about grave robbers in London ha).
The writing was excellent, I couldn’t stop reading.
I really hope there are more books in this series! Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this.

The Grave Digger as historical fiction has an intriguing plot line that will grab readers from the get go as it did me. Our hero, Cap, has a varied and interesting journey, particularly the relationship with his father and is a thoroughly likable young man. The subject matter of grave robbers will appeal to many readers as it is a slice of history that many would not be aware of and made for the right amount of mystery and intrigue. The book moves along at a steady clip and at times I did catch my breath, which for me means that the author has done their job!

A middle grade historical mystery with a creepy vibe, the Grave DIgger by Rebecca Bischoff tackles a dark historical practice and gives it an exciting and mysterious spin, while walking the fine line of also highlighting its social impact. Our protagonist, Cap, is an aspiring inventor who has reluctantly been roped into the grave robbing business by his father, in order to pay for the medicine his mother needs. When Cap's first attempts have some unexpected and strange consequences, it leads him to uncover a deadly conspiracy involving some very unexpected local characters. The subject may be dark, but it is very capably handled, however my main complaint about the book is the characters, they felt a little one dimensional, and never really developed over hte course of the book. 
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.