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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. How many miles did the woman who claims to have seen the murderer run on the morning that Elena was killed?

2. After leaving Thorsson, who do Lynley and Havers meet with at the Cambridge Constabulary to discuss the investigation?

3. What had Rosalyn promised Melinda she would do until the killer was caught that Melinda assumed Rosalyn had done anyway?

4. After learning that Elena was pregnant when she died, who does Anthony assume is the baby's father?

5. How is the second victim killed?

Short Essay Questions

1. In her house, why does Sarah tell Anthony Weaver that she killed Elena?

2. How does Mrs. Havers's caregiver deter Mrs. Havers from leaving the house when Mrs. Havers is insistent?

3. Why could the professor that Lynley meets at the jazz concert not be the father of Elena's baby?

4. What does Melinda find when she returns home in Chapter 16?

5. What is a muller?

6. When Lynley sees Anthony's car in Sarah Gordon's driveway, what does Lynley notice on the front seat of Weaver's car?

7. Why was Rosalyn jealous of Elena Weaver?

8. Why does Glyn Weaver snoop around Anthony's house after Justine goes out for a run?

9. To get around the petty dispute of the two forensics experts at the Cambridge Constabulary, what does Lynley suggest to the Detective Inspector?

10. When Rosalyn talks to Gareth, what can Rosalyn tell about Gareth Randolph?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

There are two characters introduced in the story who are murdered. Identify these two women and then compare their murders. Be sure to indicate where each character died, how each character died, who was responsible for each character's death, and what impact on the overall plot each character's death had. What could have or should have been learned from each of these deaths by the other characters?

Essay Topic 3

Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers can be seen as kindred spirits. Although they are not quite the same, they share a number of similarities. Identify and describe these similarities. Then, based on your discussion of their similarities, identify the ways in which these two police officers' similarities facilitate the plot's development and move the story forward.

(see the answer keys)

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