Death of an Expert Witness Test | Mid-Book Test - Hard

View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Dalgliesh first interview in opening his investigation into the murder of Dr. Lorrimer?

2. What is Dalgliesh trying to accurately understand?

3. About what does Dalgliesh question Dr. Kerrison?

4. What do the detectives think about Mrs. Bidwell's version of the fight between Middlemass and Lorrimer?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Stella Mawson.

2. Describe the conversation between Inspector Blakelock and Adam Dalgliesh and what Dalgliesh seems to be quite concerned about during the questioning.

3. What does Susan Bradley ask of Paul Middlemass and what does he do about the request?

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

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

6. About what situation does Dalgliesh try to understand?

7. Who arrives at the lab before any one else and what surprises one of them?

8. Describe Mrs. Bidwell.

9. How do Angela Foley and Stella Mawson come to be living together?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

For most people, murder is an unthinkable act, though many might say "I'm going to murder you if you don't" Discuss the following:

1. Analyze and discuss which of the characters seem to have a motive to murder Dr. Lorrimer. What is each character's motive? Do any of the motives seem strong enough to warrant murder?

2. Discuss and analyze the difference between the first murder of Dr. Lorrimer that Dr. Kerrison commits versus the second one of Stella Mawson. Consider the following questions. Which murder seems most justified? What is the motive for each murder? Each murder involves blackmail. Does this change your view of Dr. Kerrison as a murderer?

3. What are possible ways Dr. Kerrison could have handled the situations with the persons he murdered short of murder? Would taking alternate courses solve his problems?

Essay Topic 2

One of the themes of the novel, as alluded to over and over, is the idea that the investigation into a crime disregards all claims to privacy. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze the ways in which Dr. Lorrimer's privacy is violated after his death. Is this right and necessary? Is there any way to conduct an investigation to discover his murderer without violating his privacy?

2. Not only is Dr. Lorrimer's privacy violated, but so, too, is the privacy of several other characters. Discuss two other characters (besides Dr. Larrimer) whose privacy is violated in the course of the murder investigation. Is this invasion of privacy right? Necessary? Is there any way to conduct an investigation to discover the murderer without violating these people's privacy?

3. In the "real" world, many times the privacy of the victim's and perpetrator's families are also violated. Do you believe the police and press have the right to invade innocent people's privacy? What can be done to minimize the effects of this on the families of those involved in a crime? Do you think the criminal's family deserves as much respect to privacy as the victim's family? Why or why not? Do Nell and William deserve privacy?

Essay Topic 3

Obviously, suspense/mystery is a part of the detective genre. Answer the following questions:

1. What do you think is the difference between suspense and mystery? Give examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Does Death of an Expert Witness hold more suspense of mystery? Explain your answer with examples.

3. Would you rather read a mystery or a suspense or do you think there is any difference between the two?

4. Does Death of an Expert Witness offer enough suspense and/or mystery to keep you turning the pages? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,385 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample