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The Grave Digger Hardcover – October 29, 2019

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

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In 1875 Ohio, twelve-year-old Cap Cooper is an aspiring inventor—and a reluctant graverobber—enlisted by his father to help pay for his mother’s medical expenses. When one of the dead returns to life at his touch, Cap unearths a world of dark secrets that someone at the local medical school wants to keep buried. On the brink of discovery, he’ll have to use every ounce of cunning he has to protect those he loves most and save his own skin. The Grave Digger is an eerie mystery set in the aftermath of the Civil War, filled with action, friendship, and a hint of the paranormal, perfect for those who enjoy reading late into the night and long after the lights go out.
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From the Publisher

The Grave Digger

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The heart of this book is surprisingly dark, intricate and thought-provoking...Impressive!--Lucy Banks, author of the Dr. Ribero's Agency of the Supernatural series"The plot is well-developed, full of twists and turns, and keeps the reader interested. Readers who like mystery, historical fiction, and horror will enjoy reading this book."--Jessica, Goodreads review"This 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 are woven together with the mystery in a way that made this story really very interesting."--Amazon review"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."--Amazon review

"The Grave Digger by Rebecca Bischoff is one middle grade historical novel I would recommend for families without hesitation...Cap's family relationships, friendships, and talents give him a depth of character that is relatable for young readers who find their world becoming increasingly complicated. The book is also just scary enough for those young readers who love to be kept on the edge of their seat.
--B. Williams, Amazon review

"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...There is suspense, great mysteries, action, hope, despair, friendship, and just a dash of paranormal!
--Montzalee Wittman, NetGalley review"The Grave Digger lands precisely on the right tone. It is scary without descending into the demonic. It feels historically accurate without becoming pedantic. The Grave Digger deftly touches on the role of women and African-Americans in post-Civil War society."--Adam Christiansen, NetGalley review

"The grave digger is a rich, moving historical novel. Rebecca does a fantastic job with Cap - his voice is clear, and he has a real depth to his character as he learns and grows. Rebecca's research into historical elements adds depth to the setting and the characters."
--Spring, Amazon review

"Rebecca Bischoff does a fantastic of weaving this story so that you feel like you are back in time and right there next to Cap. With every revelation that Cap discovered, my heart froze and I gasped out loud. The scare factor was very high and the anticipation of what would happen next was out the roof. I loved everything about this story and I cannot wait to get several copies of this in my library."
--Laurie, Goodreads review

From the Author

I had so much fun doing research for this book. I learned some fascinating and rather dark details about American history, including the fact that stealing bodies from graves, or "body snatching," was a fairly common occurrence in the Eastern United States before and after the Civil War era, even up to the early 1900's. Students who attended medical schools needed fresh cadavers to dissect in order to pass their anatomy classes, and sometimes schools actually required their students to find a way to obtain the bodies on their own! The people who stole bodies from graves to sell to medical schools were called "resurrectionists" and they made what was considered to be very good money. Of course, such sales were done in secret. It was a common fear that a recently departed loved one would end up stolen and sold to medical schools, so many people kept vigil over the graves for several days until the danger of body snatching was past. (Bodies needed to be fresh, of course, for dissection and research). In Ohio, a watchmaker named Thomas Howell actually invented a "grave torpedo," a device designed to foil would-be robbers from stealing a body. It's advertised in an 1879 newspaper, as are other devices such as "snatcher-proof" iron coffins. For interesting facts about resurrectionists in the United States, read "Body Snatching" by Suzanne M. Shultz. Also try checking out newspaper archives from the 1800's. Chances are you'll find references to incidents of body snatching, especially in cities where medical schools were located.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amberjack Publishing; None edition (October 29, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1948705524
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1948705523
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 6
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.9 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

About the author

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Rebecca Bischoff
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Rebecca Bischoff is the author of five books including: "The French Impressionist," a contemporary YA novel, "The Grave Digger," a middle grade historical fiction mystery set in the Civil War era, "Hole in the Rock," a humorous middle grade novel, and "Streets of Shadow," a historical YA mystery set in 17th century Scotland. Both "The Grave Digger" and "Hole in the Rock" were honored as finalists in the Best Book Awards for 2019 and 2021, respectively. "Streets of Shadow" was recently honored with a silver medal in the Reader's Choice Awards of 2023. A new historical middle grade novel, "The Summer of Mud," is being released in May, 2024. Rebecca is an avid reader, Netflix binge-watcher and chocolate eater. She lives in Idaho with her family.

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4.4 out of 5 stars
17 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2023
    My 11 year old absolutely devoured this book! He loves spooky stories, so I thought this would be right up his alley. I was right! It was a great blend of real-world and supernatural storytelling, and the writing was absolutely beautiful (I read it, too! Though as this book is intended for upper middle grade, I feel my young reader's review matters more than mine).

    His review: I love the illustrations on the cover and at the beginning of the pages. It's really easy to get caught up in the story. I read it in three days and I loved it!
    Spooky Scale: 8/10

    If your young reader likes spooky (not gory) ghost stories, this is perfect.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2021
    Cap is 12 years old, is intelligent, he wants to be an inventor and help his family, he lives in a small town in Ohio 1875, his father steals bodies from the cemetery, sells them to the university to cover home expenses.

    One night Cap will accompany his father to the cemetery, and something very strange will happen. The dead are no remaining dead! When they were digging, Cap touches the body of a classmate and she wakes up.

    It is a mystery novel with supernatural vibes. Not only does Cap discover that he could have powers, but that a mysterious disease has arrived in the town, it is Cap's task together with his friend to investigate what is happening, the more they investigate, the more mystery and problems they find.

    I like the characters, both kids are likeable and fun, bonus points to Delphia who wants to be a doctor.

    It also touches on various issues related to the time, like racism, difference between social classes and women's rights, it is a great way to get into the historical novel.

    This story was good, fast paced, and with the precise level of spooky for children, I listened to the audiobook, it was a great experience, lasts about five hours
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2019
    The Grave Digger by Rebecca Bischoff is one middle grade historical novel I would recommend for families without hesitation. As a mother who likes to read and discuss books that her children are reading, I’m always looking for stories that are as interesting and entertaining for adults as for the intended audience of young readers. The Grave Digger has mystery, suspense, and likeable characters who try hard to do the right thing in difficult circumstances (and sometimes make mistakes). Cap’s family relationships, friendships, and talents give him a depth of character that is relatable for young readers who find their world becoming increasingly complicated. The book is also just scary enough for those young readers who love to be kept on the edge of their seat.

    As a reader who prefers classic literature in general, I was delighted that the author didn’t simply sprinkle a few archaic phrases and places into a story with otherwise modern dialogue and attitudes. I felt transported into Cap’s world, with conversations and situations that felt natural to the time period I was reading about. This is just the kind of experience that inspires students to delve further into history to better understand the past, whether it’s the prejudices and injustices or scientific discoveries and inventions that were common in the time they’ve been reading about. When an author so skillfully introduces history in an entertaining way, it opens up all kinds of doors!

    *I was provided an e-book in exchange for an honest review. I then purchased the book through Amazon because it's definitely one I'll be reading again.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2021
    3 Stars - story
    5 stars - narrator

    The Grave Digger audiobook is narrated by Mark Sanderlin. He does an excellent job bringing the listener into the story. His voice is clear and emotional where appropriate. It works perfectly for the younger characters and the adults. My granddaughter and I enjoyed the listening experience.

    The story is a mixed bag for us. This is children’s fiction for middle school; however, I caution parents of skittish children. There are parts of this story that might not be suitable for the younger middle school, or children susceptible to nightmares.

    Cap Cooper is roped into a grave digging job with his father. Medical schools pay big for bodies to train doctors. Cap doesn’t like the job but understands that his pregnant mother is having health problems and the medical bills are getting unmanageable. His first night on the job Cap appears to have a supernatural gift. He touched the girl and brought her back to life.

    Cap believes his gift is a result of his own unusual birth story. He wants to know more about how a person can be dead then brought back to life. This quest takes Cap down a dark path where he discovers evil in people he knows and admires.

    The story has good and not so good parts. The beginning moves at a fast pace that drops the reader/listener into the story quickly. About forty percent in my granddaughter commented, “if she were reading, she would skip these boring pages.” I agreed with her.

    The last twenty-five percent, the pace picks up again. Cap gets into a situation that might cause bad dreams for children not used to scary stories. We found the tension building moving us to the edge of our seats.

    Overall, this is an okay story that will work for older middle and high schoolers. Cap Cooper is a good character. He is smart, courageous, and likes to invent gadgets. He saves the story. The secondary characters are a mixed bag. The bad guys are evil. Some adults didn’t add to the story as much as they made a political statement. We were put off when a few characters judged Cap unfairly.

    Also. we aren’t sure what the author wants from this story. Is this a teenage romantic suspense or horror mystery? Is it a historical novel or a statement on politics and life of the 1870s in middle America? There were too many sub plots that were underdeveloped and made the story jumpy. At the end, we had a conversation that my granddaughter and me enjoyed.