American Crime Fiction Quiz | Literature

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. James Lee Burke has written a series of novels featuring Cajun detective Dave Robicheaux. Which of the following of his novels did not feature Dave Robicheaux as its central character?

Answer: Heartwood

James Lee Burke was born in 1936, and published the first of his novels, "Half Of Paradise", in 1965. The first of the Dave Robicheaux novels, "The Neon Rain", was published in 1987. By 2013, 20 novels in that series had been published.
Of the 12 other published novels by James Lee Burke, four of them, including "Heartwood", have featured Texas lawyer Billy Bob Holland.
In 1988, Burke received the Guggenheim Award for Fiction. His novels "Black Cherry Blues" (1980) and "Cimarron Rose" (1988) were both winners of Edgar Awards, and in 2009 he received the Grand Master Award from the American Mystery Writers' Association.

2. Although not a prolific writer, the New York Times called him in his obituary 'The dean of the hard boiled school of detective fiction'. Who was this author, whose works included "The Dain Curse", "Red Harvest", "The Thin Man", "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Glass Key"?

Answer: Dashiell Hammett

During his career, Dashiell Hammett (1894 - 1961) published five novels and nineteen short stories. He also wrote a number of screenplays.
For his writing he drew on his experience as an operative with the Pinkerton Detective Agency.
He was also an outspoken political activist, which led to his being investigated by the HUAC, and resulted in his going to prison for contempt.
His best known creations are Sam Spade, from "The Maltese Falcon" and Nick and Norah Charles from "The Thin Man".
Having served in two World Wars, he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

3. Raymond Chandler is recognized as one of the finest writers of American detective fiction. His novels, such as "The Long Goodbye", "The Lady In the Lake" and "Farewell, My Lovely", all featured a Los Angeles based private detective as their central character. Who was this detective, who was played memorably by Humphrey Bogart in the film version of "The Big Sleep"?

Answer: Phillip Marlowe

Raymond Chandler came to writing at the relatively late age of 44, after having been dismissed from his position as an oil company executive at the start of the Great Depression.
His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in "Black Mask", a pulp fiction magazine, and his first novel, "The Big Sleep", was published in 1939.
As well as a number of short stories, Chandler published seven complete novels, all but one of which, "Playback", have been filmed. An unfinished novel, "Poodle Springs", was completed by Robert B. Parker in 1989.
Chandler also wrote a number of screenplays, most notably "Double Indemnity", "Strangers On A Train" and his only original screenplay, "The Blue Dahlia".

4. Lawrence Block has written several series of novels, one of which features detective Matthew Scudder, a recovering alcoholic, as the central character, and another in which a thief called Bernie Rhodenbarr is the main protagonist. Which of the two was the main character in "The Devil Knows You're Dead", "A Long Line Of Dead Men", "Eight Million Ways To Die" and "A Dance At the Slaughterhouse"?

Answer: Matthew Scudder

Lawrence Block (born 1938) is a prolific author whose first published story was "You Can't Lose" in 1957.
The first of the 17 "Matthew Scudder" novels was "The Sins of the Fathers" in 1976, followed in 1977 by "Burglars Can't Be Choosers", the first of the ten Bernie Rhodenbarr novels.
Lawrence Block has also written eight novels featuring Evan Michael Tanner, four featuring Chip Harrison and five featuring John Paul Keller.
He has also written under a number of pseudonyms, including Paul Kavanagh, Sheldon Lord, Andrew Shaw and Jill Emerson.

5. Who is the author of the "Alphabet" series of mysteries, featuring Californian P.I. Kinsey Millhone, and set mainly in the fictional town of Santa Teresa?

Answer: Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton was born in 1940.
She completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Louisville in 1961, and first worked in various clerical jobs before turning to writing screenplays for various television series.
Her fist published novel was "Keziah Dane" in 1967.
Her breakthrough came in 1982 when she published "A Is for Alibi", the first of the Kinsey Millhone novels.
During her career she has won two Anthony Awards, three Shamus Awards, the Cartier Dagger from the British Crime Writers' Association, and in 2003 was given the Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America.

6. "Deadlock", "Bitter Medicine", "Blood Shot" and "Tunnel Vision" are all novels in a series featuring Chicago P.I. V.I. Warshawski. Who is the author of this series of novels?

Answer: Sara Paretsky

Sara Paretsky was born in 1947.
Her first published novel, and also the first to feature V.I. Warshawski, was "Indemnity Only", which dates from 1982.
Up to 2013, she had published seventeen novels, two collections of short stories and two non fiction works.
She has won four Anthony Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, a Cartier Diamond Dagger Lifetime Achievement Award and was given the 2011 Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America.

7. Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are Navaho tribal police officers who are the central characters in a unique series of mysteries written by whom?

Answer: Tony Hillerman

Tony Hillerman (1925 - 2008) was a decorated World War II combat veteran, having been awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
From 1948 to 1962 he worked as a journalist, and after having gained a Masters degree taught journalism at the University of New Mexico from 1966 to 1987.
His first novel, and the first of his Navaho Series, was "The Blessing Way", published in 1970.
During his career he wrote more than thirty books, including two books for children.
His 1974 novel "Dance Hall of the Dead" received the Edgar Award, and he also won three Anthony Awards.

8. "The Monkey's Raincoat" was the first of a series of novels featuring Los Angeles P.I. Elvis Cole and his associate Joe Pike. Who is the author of this series?

Answer: Robert Crais

Robert Crais was born in 1953, and after completing his education began his career in 1976 writing screenplays for several television series, including "Hill Street Blues", "Cagney and Lacey" and "Miami Vice".
His debut novel, "The Monkey's Raincoat", featuring Elvis Cole, was published in 1987, and won both the Anthony and Macavity Awards for Best First Novel.
Up to 2013 Robert Crais has had 19 novels published, 15 of them featuring Elvis Cole and Joe Pike.

9. Beginning with "Fer-de-Lance", Rex Stout wrote a series of mystery novels featuring an eccentric, overweight, genius detective and his much put-upon associate, Archie Goodwin. Who was this detective, whose two passions in life were food and orchids?

Answer: Nero Wolfe

Rex Stout (1886 - 1975) served in the U.S. Navy from 1906 to 1908. Following his discharge he worked in a number of different jobs, at the same time writing and selling stories to a variety of magazines.
He became a full time writer in 1927, and his first novel, "How Like A God", was published in 1929. The first of the Nero Wolfe novels, "Fer-de-Lance", was published in 1934. Rex Stout wrote a total of 66 novels, 47 of them featuring Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, as well as many short stories.
In 1958 he became the 14th president of the Mystery Writers Of America, and the following year received their Grand Master Award.

10. At the peak of his popularity, the author of "I, the Jury", "The Big Kill", "Kiss Me Deadly" and "The Twisted Thing", all featuring P.I. Mike Hammer, was the best selling writer of crime fiction in the world. Who was this author?

Answer: Mickey Spillane

Mickey Spillane (1918 - 2006), after graduating high school in 1935, worked in a variety of jobs including lifeguard and circus performer with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.
During World War II he served as a fighter pilot and flight instructor with the U.S. Air Force.
Following the war, he began as a comic book writer, providing stories for Captain Marvel, Superman, Batman and Captain America comics.
His first novel, "I The Jury", was published in 1947 and became an instant best seller. In all, he had 13 Mike Hammer novels published during his lifetime, and a further six uncompleted novels, completed by Max Allan Collins, were published posthumously.

Source: Author Coriolanus

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American Crime Fiction Trivia Quiz

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