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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. What is the spot of red that Frank observes in the river after Jake points it out?

2. After Frank, Jake, and Warren Redstone hear sirens and Frank yells, "Here! He's here!" (168), what does Warren Redstone say to Frank before running away?

3. What sins is Nathan referring to when he says that his own sins have led to Ariel's death?

4. When Frank sees Officer Doyle at the drugstore, Officer Doyle tells Frank that Warren Redstone is still the number one suspect in Ariel's murder. Who does he say is the number two suspect?

5. What is Nathan reading that angers Ruth so much she storms off from the living room?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Frank and Jake try to overhear yet another conversation at Emil's and Lise's house, their plan is thwarted. What is the cause of their plan failing?

2. What causes Ruth to get less and less hopeful about Ariel's safe return as phone calls continue to stream into their home?

3. What is the cause of Lise's heightened anxiety and frantic behavior when Nathan goes to Emil's house to talk to Ruth?

4. What is the first action Frank takes when he gets home as a result of listening to Nathan's sermon?

5. What are the differences in how each member of the Drum family feels about Karl's new status as a murder suspect?

6. Why is it ironic that Ruth refuses to attend the New Bremen church service at which Nathan preaches right after Ariel's dead body is found?

7. Why is Frank so surprised to see Ruth and Gus sitting together at the kitchen table when he and the rest of the family return from Sibley Park?

8. Besides the sheriff's mention of Morris Engdahl, what happens to prompt Frank to tell the sheriff about Morris Engdahl's dislike of Ariel?

9. Why and how does Ruth lose the one person who has served as her comfort throughout the tragedy surrounding Ariel?

10. What revelations does the sheriff communicate to Nathan when they meet in Nathan's office at the church and who becomes a suspect as a result of these revelations?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Within the epilogue, Frank states there "there is no such thing as a true event" (306). What does he mean and how do these words fit into the context of the novel's overarching themes?

Essay Topic 2

A small-town Midwest town is an unexpected setting for a mystery novel. How does the setting influence and affect the mood, events, and milieu of the novel's narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Vices often play a role in the narrative, with some characters engaging in drinking, smoking, and gambling, among other activities often considered immoral, or at least troublesome. How does the author use characters' vices in contrast with the themes of faith and innocence within the novel?

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