Bad Blood
by John Sandford
Penguin 2011
Easy read — content targets 9th–12th grade
Reading level 5.5 (5th grade) but themes aimed at ages 14+
Themes include corruption and abuse of power, trauma and survival
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Genre
Themes
- secrets and cover-ups
- corruption and abuse of power
- cult dynamics and manipulation
- justice vs. vigilantism
- small-town darkness
- trauma and survival
- moral ambiguity
About this book
In the fourth Virgil Flowers novel, a farmer is bludgeoned at a grain elevator and the teen suspect soon dies in a jailhouse 'suicide.' Minnesota BCA investigator Virgil Flowers follows the killings into a secretive rural community, uncovering decades of buried crimes and a corrupt, predatory network hidden in plain sight.
Setting: Contemporary rural Minnesota—isolated farmsteads, small-town jail and courthouse, a grain elevator, and an insular religious community in a western Minnesota county
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bad Blood right for my child?
It depends — here's what to consider for Bad Blood. The reading level is AR 5.5, which is typical for 5th grade. The interest level is rated Upper Grades (9–12), meaning the themes and content are designed for ages 14+ (9th–12th grade). Themes include secrets and cover-ups, corruption and abuse of power, cult dynamics and manipulation.
How long does it take to read Bad Blood?
At a typical 5th grade reading pace, Bad Blood takes around 11h to finish. The book has 113,000 words. Slower or faster readers may vary significantly.
Does Bad Blood have an AR quiz?
Yes — Bad Blood has an AR quiz available, worth 17 points. Your child will need to take and pass the quiz through their school's Accelerated Reader program to earn credit. The quiz is typically 5–20 multiple choice questions about plot, characters, and setting.
What grade level is Bad Blood?
Bad Blood has an AR reading level of 5.5, which places it at a 5th grade reading difficulty. The interest level is rated Upper Grades (9–12) — this reflects the age-appropriateness of the content and themes, not just the reading difficulty. A strong younger reader may handle the words fine while the themes are aimed at an older audience, or vice versa.