Books 'B' Happening! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Be the One

Alberto Cruz was a young Dominican center fielder, a prospect recruited by pioneering female major league scout Cassidy Sanderson, in "Be the One" by April Smith. Before either of them could fulfill the dream of getting Alberto to the majors bad things started to happen, including blackmail and voodoo.

Answer: Battle Cry

"Battle Cry", by Leon Uris, told the story of a unit of US marines during the Second World War, taking them from training in the states and later in New Zealand, and island hopping across the Pacific fighting the Japanese. Andy Hookans was a member of the radio squad along with Danny Forester, Marion Hodgkiss, L.Q. Jones and others. Danny had a girl back in the states, Andy's love interest was a New Zealand girl.

Their battalion commander was Sam "Highpockets" Huxley. Needless to say, not all of them survived until the end of the book. (I still have the copy I bought as a teenager, just consulted it for the spelling of a name.

It's falling apart from being read so much.)

Answer: Body of Evidence

"Body of Evidence" was the second in Patricia Cornwell's series of mystery/thrillers featuring Virginia medical examiner Kay Scarpetta. First a novelist was murdered, and whilst the investigation into that event progressed another connected murder occurred. Helping Dr Scarpetta, as usual, was Lt Pete Marino.

Answer: Barometer Rising

The action of Hugh MacLennan's "Barometer Rising" took place against the backdrop of the explosion of a munitions ship, after a collision, in Halifax harbour (Nova Scotia) in December 1917, an event that actually happened. Neil Macrae was believed to have been killed in action, under something of a cloud, but had in fact survived.

He returned to Canada to clear his name, and reunite with his lover Penelope Wain, but became caught up in the aftermath of the disaster like everyone else.

Answer: Brighton Rock

Pinkie was a thoroughly reprehensible character in Graham Greene's "Brighton Rock", which took its name from the hard candy beloved of British seaside visitors. Still a teenager, Pinkie had nevertheless taken leadership of his gang, committed murder, married a young woman to keep her from giving evidence against him and otherwise been utterly vile. Minor spoiler: He got his comeuppance in the end.

Answer: Banner in the Sky

"Banner in the Sky" was written by James Ramsay Ullman and intended for younger readers. Sixteen year old Rudi set out to climb the Citadel, the mountain upon which his father had died when Rudi was very young. I have always remembered learning from this book that the best way to keep one's hands warm without mittens was to hug yourself with your hands under your armpits.

It worked when I tried it one cold winter night! The Disney movie "Third Man on the Mountain" (1959) was based on this book.

Answer: Bomber

Besides spy thrillers, Len Deighton wrote a number of books about WWII, both fact and fiction. "Bomber" was one of the latter, and told the story of one single bombing raid from several points of view, including that of Flight Sergeant Lambert and his Lancaster bomber crew. Circumstances decreed that a small German town accidentally became the target of the raid, instead of the large industrial town that was the intended recipient of the bomber stream's destructive payload.

Answer: Back Story

"Back Story" was Robert B. Parker's thirtieth novel about Spenser, the Boston-based private eye, and his associates Susan Silverman and Hawk. This time a cold case - a murder unsolved for thirty years - was the source of the mystery, with the daughter of the victim seeking an answer. During the course of the investigation, Spenser met Jesse Stone, protagonist of another of Parker's book series.

Answer: Bare Bones

"Bare Bones" was the sixth book in the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs, and the mystery this time centered around some unidentified bones found whilst Tempe and her daughter attended a picnic in North Carolina. The discovery was enough to stop Brennan from going on a planned holiday, and the action proceeded from there.

Followers of the TV series "Bones" should note that the Temperance of the books differs in many ways from her namesake on TV. I've found it possible to like them both.

Answer: By the Pricking of My Thumbs

Agatha Christie not only created Poirot and Miss Marple, but also Tommy and Tuppence Beresford a married couple (at least in their later appearances) who solved crimes together. "By the Pricking of My Thumbs" was their fourth adventure, one which involved an old aunt, a painting of a house, the house itself, diamonds and the secret "behind the fireplace".