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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. Why is Steven Spurrier arrested?

2. How does Scarpetta know Anna Zenner?

3. How was Jill Harrington murdered?

4. Who killed Steven Spurrier?

5. What does Abby Turnbull notice on the car driven by the stranger who approached them in the restaurant parking lot after dinner?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why doesn't Marino think Abby talked with anyone at the Post about the Couple Killings?

2. Describe Mr. Joyce and his relationship to Dammit.

3. Describe Scarpetta's reactions to seeing Mark James.

4. How does Mr. Joyce describe the car that he saw on his road a few days before a teen couple disappeared?

5. What do Scarpetta and Marino discover in Chapter 14 about the cemetery where the bodies of Mott and Harrington were found?

6. Why is it significant that Aranoff is not the man that approached Scarpetta and Abby that evening at the restaurant?

7. What are some psychological factors Wesley shares with Scarpetta and Marino in Chapter 16 about the serial killer in the Couple Killings?

8. What are some reasons Scarpetta is convinced there's a link between Dammit and the Couple Killings?

9. What does the use of the Hydra-Shok bullet suggest to Scarpetta about the killer and the investigation?

10. Describe what the authorities find in Spurrier's bookcases and living room in Chapter 17.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Manipulating public sentiment is another element in this story, illustrated by Pat Harvey's use of the press. But this can be a move that has serious consequences. What are the dangers of denouncing government agencies publicly? Was Pat Harvey right to go to the press with her accusations? If you were an ordinary citizen, would you have believed Harvey's conspiracy theories? Be sure to fully explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Parent-child relationships are complex and sometimes difficult. Below are characters whose relationship with a parent is mentioned in the story. Explain the significance of the parent-child relationship, if any, to the development of the story or the character. Be sure to support your analysis with relevant examples from the book.

Kay Scarpetta

Steven Spurrier

Deborah Harvey

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following to write about:

1) Discuss the multiple issues the FBI was balancing while investigating The Couple Killings and the impact of those issues on the investigation.

2) Abby Turnbull and Pat Harvey share information with each other on a regular basis. Do you think this was a reasonable thing for Abby to do? Use examples from the story to support your answer.

3) Pat Harvey was convinced Steven Spurrier murdered her daughter and that Spurrier would never be convicted. Ms. Harvey decided to take matters into her own hands. What do you think of Pat Harvey's decision and should her actions have been foreseen by the police and FBI? Use examples from the book to explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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