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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. After Sophie goes to the police station to get information about Mary Coolidge, who does she send back to the police station next?

2. What does Dr. Shields want the group to do with their "murder lists?"

3. What is on the table when the killer awakens in the morning?

4. How does Mary Coolidge meet Dr. Lawrence Shields?

5. Who calls Detective Lewis and clues him in to Regan's wealth?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Dr. Lawrence Shields and what is his relationship with Mary Coolidge?

2. In Chapter 23, Regan reveals that she omitted a person from her murder list because she was distracted. Who does Regan NOT put on her murder list?

3. Why does Alec not want to be Regan's bodyguard for three weeks?

4. As Regan prepares for the hospital charity event in Chapter 29, what is the significance of Regan's computer still being on?

5. In Chapter 2, why is Sophie's mention of Regan's picture in the paper important to the story?

6. What does the killer do when he returns home from murdering the runner in the park?

7. In Chapter 18, Regan recalls the events of the evening after the seminar and the man chasing her in the garage for Alec. After the man chased Regan in the garage, Regan looked at his face. Regan watched his expression change. What is the man's expression, how does it change, and what does it mean? What does the reader know that Regan doesn't know about this man's personal life? How does this information connect to Regan falling down?

8. Why does the author think it is important to introduce the characters as children? How do you think this plot device will help later in the story?

9. Alec is in trouble at work. What has he done to anger his boss, Lewis? How does this one action affect the relationship between the two men?

10. When the killer arrives home after chasing Regan in the garage, he feels that he has failed, but knows that the "beast" would never let him get caught. Discuss the "beast" as if it were a separate character, as the killer believes. What powers does the "beast" have over the killer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Regan's computer, fax machine, and cell phone as separate entities called the technology character. They seem to almost have a personality of their own. What information do they provide in the story that keeps the story moving along? What cryptic information does Melissa, the computer technician, deliver to move the story along? Why is it important when Regan finds the computer on and Melissa finds other people in the "loop?" How would this story have been different without this technology, especially the cell phone?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the character of Dr. Shields. What is his job? What does Sophie think he does? Does it prove to be right? Why is Dr. Shields put into protective custody? Compare Sophie's theory at the beginning of the novel with what the real story was at the end. How close is she? What do the Cayman Islands have to do with Dr. Shields' cover up?

Essay Topic 3

The character of Walker only appears in the Prologue of the novel, and yet plays such an important role in the mystery. Describe Walker and discuss how his actions led to the killer pursuing Regan. The killer and his wife are warped by the car accident. How do they snap and what are signs at the accident that indicate that there will be later revenge?

(see the answer keys)

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