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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Dr. Kerrison's biggest concern as he is leaving?

2. How does Inspector Blakelock behave while being questioned by Dalgliesh?

3. Why does Director Howarth know Dr. Lorrimer looked at a book on Howarth's desk?

4. About what does Stella say life isn't convenient?

5. In what does Dr. Lorrimer get Brenda interested?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Howarth doing the night of Dr. Lorrimer's murder and how does he back up his story?

2. How does the interview between Dalgliesh and Easterbrook go and what does Dalgliesh learn?

3. Why does Blakelock go up to Dr. Lorrimer's lab and what does he tell Director Howarth when coming back downstairs?

4. How is the staff at Hoggatt's Lab sorted for who needs to stay and who may go home?

5. Describe the conversation between Brenda Pridmore and Adam Dalgliesh.

6. Describe the scene between Cliff and Susan Bradley as she is breastfeeding their new baby.

7. What does Mrs. Bidwell show Dalgliesh?

8. Describe Adam Dalgliesh.

9. Why is Dr. Lorrimer's father calling and what does Brenda offer to do?

10. What does Paul Middlemass tell Dalgliesh and about what does Middlemass lie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are a number of interesting questions raised by this book. Discuss the following:

1. Name two ideas/concepts you think may have been a part of the author's agenda. Analyze those ideas throughout the book and discuss whether you think P.D. James has an agenda concerning those ideas.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

Essay Topic 2

Probably one of the most important literary techniques in a detective novel is foreshadowing. However, much of the foreshadowing is only obvious by the end of the book. P.D. James gives plenty of clues as to the outcome of the main plot and so the reader should not be totally in the dark by the end of the book. Discuss the following:

1. Find ten instances of foreshadowing in earlier parts of the book and discuss how they are fulfilled later in the book.

2. Besides foreshadowing, many mysteries contain many devices sometimes called "red herrings." Define red herring and then discuss five examples of that in the book.

3. Why do you think foreshadowing is inherent in a murder mystery? What would be the effect on the story if there were no foreshadowing? What if there were no red herrings?

Essay Topic 3

Most of the action of the story is based upon the main plot--that of finding Dr. Lorrimer's murderer. However, there are a couple minor sub-plots in the novel. Discuss the following:

1. What is a sub-plot? Do you think most works of fiction have at least one sub-plot? Why or why not?

2. Identify 2 subplots in Death of an Expert Witness. Identify the parts of the sub-plots you examine such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution and whether the sub-plot contains all these elements.

3. What do you think is the purpose of the 2 sub-plots you identify? Discuss with examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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