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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. At the time of Elena's murder, how long has Daniel Sheehan been on the force?

2. What is Helen Clyde's title?

3. What is the name of Elena's dog?

4. What is the name of the running club Rosalyn belongs to?

5. Who is Rosalyn's chief competitor in the running club she belonged to?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to the New Scotland Yard's Superintendent, who contacts the New Scotland Yard to request assistance in the investigation into Elena's murder?

2. According to Chapter 2, why is Daniel Sheehan edgy about investigating Elena's murder?

3. In Chapter 7 when Harry Rodger returns home, why does he leave for Cambridge shortly after arriving home?

4. How would life change if Anthony Weaver is awarded the Penford Chair?

5. When Lynley and his companion stop for lunch in Chapter 8, what does Lynley reveal to his companion about the previous night?

6. In Chapter 3, why is Helen Clyde staying at her sister's house?

7. Why did Pen originally decide to become a stay-at-home mother?

8. When Lynley reaches the crime scene, what do the local men in the workshop repairing boats believe about the ongoing investigation?

9. The morning that she came upon Elena's body, what had Sarah Gordon decided to do?

10. What does Lynley learn during his initial meeting with Terrence Cuff?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the main themes is this novel involves deceptive appearances.

a. Identify three characters that use deceptive appearances to further their interests.

b. Why do these characters rely on deception?

c. What is the outcome for these characters? Were they successful in their endeavors or would they have been more successful if they had not been deceptive?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the story, there are several situations where a character's life is in danger.

a. Identify at least three instances where one of the characters is in danger. Describe the situation and how the character escapes from danger.

b. Compare the dangerous situations in which others are attempting to harm your identified characters. What is the motivation in each of these situations to do harm?

Essay Topic 3

In many ways, the novel is a series of contrasts designed to heighten the reader's awareness and draw the reader deeper into the story and the intricacies of each of the story's characters. Identify at least three contrasts that are used in the novel. Describe these contrasts and determine how they impact the story's plot as well as the reader's emotional involvement in the characters' lives. If these identified contrasts were not included in the story, what impact would their absence have on the storyline, the characters' development, and the readers' involvement?

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