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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 does Dave decide to give up pursuit of any further investigation into the plane crash incident?

2. What is Annie doing on the boat when Dave spots a plane?

3. From where is Annie?

4. From whom does Dave obtain assistance?

5. What does Annie beg of Dave?

Short Essay Questions

1. Briefly describe Robin Gaddis.

2. What does Dave find when he dives down?

3. What is an indication of Robin's possibly over drinking?

4. Who calls Dave and what does he want?

5. Describe Dave Robicheaux.

6. What do Dave and Annie do with the young girl they name Alafair?

7. What police department did Dave work for and why is he no longer employed there?

8. What does Dave learn from Robin before she leaves town?

9. What do Dave and Annie witness as they are about to have lunch?

10. How does Dave begin his investigation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The plot of a mystery/detective novel is part of what makes the book successful or not. Discuss the following:

1. What is the basic plot of HEAVEN'S PRISONERS?

2. How successful is the author at making the plot believable?

3. How successful is the author at expressing the plot with believable characters and action?

4. Discuss where the various elements of plot occur (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement) with specific details.

5. Do you think most mystery/detective novels have the same basic plot? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Dave's various flashbacks to Vietnam and life as a young man with his father provide interesting parallels to his current situation. He recalls events because they were morally equivalent to his current situation. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze Dave's life as a young man with his father and how those memories are related to the plot of this story. What symbols/metaphors are common to both? What of Dave's feelings are common to both? Does Dave react differently as a grown man than when he was young? How? If not, would you say he has not learned from his life experiences?

2. Trace and analyze Dave's various flashbacks to Vietnam and how those memories are related to the plot of this story. Why symbols/metaphors are common to both? What of Dave's feelings are common to both? Does Dave react differently as an older man than when he was a young man? How? If not, would you say he has not learned from his life experiences?

3. Do you think Burke would have used as many flashbacks in this book had this book not been part of a series? How much do the flashbacks shown in this book affect the current storyline? Do readers need the information presented in the flashbacks to understand the storyline ongoing in the present? Would there be any other way to understand Dave's complex personality without flashbacks? Justify your answers with specific examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Heaven's Prisoners is considered a crime/murder mystery, a sub-genre of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Define genre and then specifically crime/murder mystery.

2. What do you think is the difference between a suspense novel and a murder mystery?

3. Many in the world of academe do not see mystery as a serious genre, that its primary purpose is entertainment and not "worthy" of being studied by serious students of literature? Respond to that idea.

(see the answer keys)

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