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Colin Forbes' "Cover Story" Trivia Quiz

This quiz is about one of my favourite Colin Forbes books, "Cover Story". This is one of the longest Colin Forbes books featuring Tweed, the deputy-head of the SIS, and concerns a top American planning on defecting to the USSR.

A multiple-choice quiz by achlaksuoy. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
achlaksuoy

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
311,548

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
147

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Bob Newman, the Foreign Correspondent, finds out his wife has been murdered. But what was his wife's name? Hint

Helene Stilmar

Ingrid Melin

Laila Sarin

Alexis Bouvet

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Question 2 of 10

2. Who was the man sent by Howard, head of the SIS, to track down Bob Newman and stop him leaving the country? Hint

Leadbury

Charvet

Moutet

Dexter

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Question 3 of 10

3. Where does Newman head for after hearing of his wife's death and the last message she sent him? Hint

Stockholm, Sweden

Helsinki, Finland

Tallinn, Estonia

Geneva, Switzerland

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Question 4 of 10

4. What is the codename of the top Washington official said to be defecting to the Soviet Union? Hint

Mauno Sarin

Cord Dillon

Adam Procane

Paul Dexter

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Question 5 of 10

5. General Vasili Lysenko is the chief of which Soviet organisation? Hint

KGB

GRU

Anti-Glasnost

CPSU

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Question 6 of 10

6. Captain Olaf Prii, who plays a confusing role in the book, is the skipper of which Estonian trawler? Hint

George Ots

Flora

Levadia

Saaremaa

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which airport does Tweed land at when going to Sweden? Hint

Stockholm

Ludvika

Kalmar

Arlanda

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Question 8 of 10

8. Gunnar Hornberg is the man who helps Tweed in Sweden, but what is the name of the police outfit that he runs? Hint

DST

MNAS

GRU

SAPO

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Question 9 of 10

9. The Soviet spy Magda Rupescu disguises herself as having red hair with a wig. What is her actual hair colour? Hint

Black

Blonde

Grey

Brown

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Question 10 of 10

10. Whereabouts in Helsinki is Mauno Sarin's office? Hint

Vallila

Pasila

Ratakatu

Munkkiniemi

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Bob Newman, the Foreign Correspondent, finds out his wife has been murdered. But what was his wife's name?

Answer: Alexis Bouvet

Alexis, a journalist like her husband, was murdered by Oleg Poluchkin in Tallinn. Helene Stilmar was a suspect of Tweed's, wife of the US Secretary of State. Laila Sarin was a contact of the SIS, a newspaper reporter and daughter of Mauno Sarin, the Fiinish head of the Protection Police. Ingrid Melin was another foreign agent of Tweed's, loyal to him and operating in Sweden.

2. Who was the man sent by Howard, head of the SIS, to track down Bob Newman and stop him leaving the country?

Answer: Leadbury

Leadbury is, in Tweed's apparent opinion, a very incompetent worker for the SIS, as he thinks that Newman would spot him straight away. Moutet and Charvet are contacts on the European underground, that report to Tweed. Dexter is the Chief of Staff of the US Army, and one of the people Tweed thinks may be the defecting Washington official.

3. Where does Newman head for after hearing of his wife's death and the last message she sent him?

Answer: Helsinki, Finland

He flew straight to Helsinki, to find out more answers about his wife's death, as the letter she sent him had the address of the Hotel Kalastajatorppa in the city.

4. What is the codename of the top Washington official said to be defecting to the Soviet Union?

Answer: Adam Procane

Adam Procane is the codename given to the man or woman Tweed suspects is defecting to the USSR. Cord Dillon and Paul Dexter are both suspects of being Procane, whilst Mauno Sarin is the chief of the Protection Police in Finland.

5. General Vasili Lysenko is the chief of which Soviet organisation?

Answer: GRU

The GRU (Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoye Upravleniye) differs to the KGB in the sense that it is the equivalent of British Military Intelligence. CPSU is the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Glasnost had not yet been introduced in the USSR at the time the novel is set (1984).

6. Captain Olaf Prii, who plays a confusing role in the book, is the skipper of which Estonian trawler?

Answer: Saaremaa

Prii was a proud man who was being used by both sides, it is discovered in the end, rather than being a double-agent. The George Ots is the ship that sails between Helsinki and Tallinn, transporting tourists, which Newman and Mauno Sarin take to Estonia later in the novel.

7. Which airport does Tweed land at when going to Sweden?

Answer: Arlanda

Tweed tarvels to Arlanda to follow the movements of the people who could be Adam Procane. He is assisted by Ingrid Melin.

8. Gunnar Hornberg is the man who helps Tweed in Sweden, but what is the name of the police outfit that he runs?

Answer: SAPO

The SAPO are the Swedish Secret Police, headed by Hornberg. The GRU are the Russian intelligence organisation run by Lysenko.

9. The Soviet spy Magda Rupescu disguises herself as having red hair with a wig. What is her actual hair colour?

Answer: Blonde

Rupescu follows Tweed and Hornberg aboard a car ferry in a green Saab to the island of Orno in the Swedish archipelago. Hornberg notices her blonde hair, cut short, which would easily be covered with a red wig.

10. Whereabouts in Helsinki is Mauno Sarin's office?

Answer: Ratakatu

Mauno Sarin's office is at this location, in the heart of Helsinki.

Source: Author achlaksuoy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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