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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. In "The Letter," where does Susan say that she met Andreas?

2. Where does Charles kick Susan in "Endgame"?

3. In "A Secret Never to be Told," where did Osborne and his wife stay when they were in Devonshire?

4. When does a letter appear in the Times from James Fraser discussing Pund's death?

5. In "After the Funeral," what color eyes does Claire say that Conway had?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to Cloverleaf Books?

2. What does Conway's ex-wife Melissa say about the Pund novels in "Bradford-on-Avon"?

3. In "Intensive Care," what injuries did Susan have, and how did she recuperate?

4. What does Susan say about the "Whodunnit" (183) in "Detective Work"?

5. What does Charles do to Susan in "Endgame"?

6. What does Claire Jenkins say about typing manuscripts for her brother, Alan?

7. In "The Club at The Ivy," what does Susan learn from the waiter, Donald Leigh?

8. In "Crouch End," why do Susan and Andreas argue?

9. In "A Secret Never to be Told," who killed Magnus and why?

10. In "After the Funeral," how does Susan describe the reception after Conway's funeral?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mary Blakiston is dead when Magpie Murders begins. How does the author reveal who Mary was and what people thought of her? How would you describe Mary and the type of person that she was?

Essay Topic 2

Sometimes the author ends a chapter of section with a cliffhanger. What sections of the novel end with a cliffhanger? Does the use of cliffhangers increase or decrease suspense in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Susan refers to Magpie Murders as a whodunit. What is a whodunit? What pleasure do whodunnits provide? What is the reason for the existence of a whodunit story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 843 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample