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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. Who is able to give Potty Peake an alibi for the day of Jeff Deacon's murder?

2. Who kills Arthur Cobbleigh?

3. How do the police try to get Will and James Thoday to confess to Jeff Deacon's murder?

4. Whose photo does Lord Peter send to Suzanne Legros to be identified?

5. Which Fenchurch St. Paul parishioner has purchased several items identical to the one on which Lord Peter hoped to find fingerprints?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Jeff Deacon's tie to Arthur Cobbleigh?

2. Why does Will Thoday initially believe Deacon has returned to Fenchurch St. Paul and what is the actual reason Deacon has returned?

3. How does Mary Thoday react when Lord Peter shows her the cipher, and what does her reaction indicate?

4. Discuss the religious symbolism in the flood of Fenchurch St. Paul and the villagers' experience in the church during the flood.

5. To whom does Lady Wilbraham leave her money when she dies and for what is she trying to atone in how she bequeaths her wealth?

6. How does Will Thoday die, and how does his death redeem his character?

7. What does the behavior of the villagers during the flood indicate about the closeness of the people and the church's role in their lives?

8. What surprising news is revealed about Deacon's murder when James and Will Thoday are left alone in a room with a hidden microphone?

9. How does Lord Peter find the stolen emeralds?

10. What aspect of the mystery of Jeff Deacon's death is Lord Peter still unable to solve one year after first becoming involved in the puzzle?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast any three female characters in the novel. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Several people in The Nine Tailors turn out not to be who or what they initially seem. Discuss the novel's motif of hidden identities and public masques. Cite examples form the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

The bells in Reverend Venables' church are considered holy, and sinners are reported to fear them. Discuss the symbolism of the bells and the concept of sacredness in the novel. What do you think the author intends to convey through the use of the bells as sacred objects and how does the manner of Deacon's death fit this purpose? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

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