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'Cruel and Unusual' The Book Trivia Quiz

Patricia Cornwell's 4th book in the Kay Scarpetta series, 'Cruel and Unusual' is my favorite of all her books, maybe because it is the first one I ever read. I hope you enjoy the quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by DillPickle. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
DillPickle

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
37,543

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
1855

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What controversial event is taking place as the book begins? Hint

A lynching

An assassination

An execution by electrocution

An execution by lethal injection

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What is the condemned man's name? Hint

Nicholas Grueman

Temple Gault

Ronnie Joe Waddell

Ben Stevens

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Question 3 of 10

3. What happened to Eddie Heath on the night of the execution? Hint

He was shot and parts of his skin were excised

He was killed in a drive-by shooting

He was kidnapped

He was molested and murdered

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which autopsy assistant intentionally neglected to fingerprint the executed man when he was brought into the morgue? Hint

Ben Stevens

Susan Story

Susan Stevens

Susan Dawson

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Question 5 of 10

5. What happened to the condemned man during the execution that caused some concern in the media? Hint

He had a nose-bleed

He was tortured before death

His hair caught on fire

He threw up

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Question 6 of 10

6. How did Susan avoid taking part in Eddie Heath's autopsy? Hint

She said she couldn't work on children anymore

She said she didn't feel like working and went home

She spilled formalin on herself and had to leave the autopsy room

She quit her job at the morgue

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. 'Cruel and Unusual' begins with a poem written by Ronnie Joe Waddell. Upon reading the poem, what does Scarpetta wonder about Waddell? Hint

She wonders if the poem is a play for sympathy because of his impending execution

She wonders if Waddell plagierized the poem

She wonders how both cruelty and poetry can reside in the same soul

She wonders if he is innocent after all

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Which of the investigators involved was a witness at the execution? Hint

Benton Wesley

Fank Donohue

Kay Scarpetta

Pete Marino

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Question 9 of 10

9. How was Robyn Naismith killed? Hint

She was killed with an ice-pick

She was shot

She was stabbed repeatedly

She was raped and beaten

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Whose briefcase did Waddell steal from Naismith's home? Hint

Govenor Norring's

He didn't find one

Benton Wesley's

Robyn Naismith's

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What controversial event is taking place as the book begins?

Answer: An execution by electrocution

A prisoner is about to be executed the electric chair for the murder of a well-known anchor-woman.

2. What is the condemned man's name?

Answer: Ronnie Joe Waddell

Ronnie Joe Waddell was convicted of the murder of Robyn Naismith.

3. What happened to Eddie Heath on the night of the execution?

Answer: He was shot and parts of his skin were excised

Eddie Heath was found alive, propped against a dumpster. He had been shot in the head and portions of skin had been removed from his shoulder and inner thigh. He died a few hours later.

4. Which autopsy assistant intentionally neglected to fingerprint the executed man when he was brought into the morgue?

Answer: Susan Story

Susan Story had previously been quite loyal to Kay Scarpetta but financial problems drove her to betray her boss in order to pay for her husband's expensive life-style.

5. What happened to the condemned man during the execution that caused some concern in the media?

Answer: He had a nose-bleed

Ronnie Waddell had a nose-bleed that made some members of the press wonder if the electric chair had malfunctioned.

6. How did Susan avoid taking part in Eddie Heath's autopsy?

Answer: She spilled formalin on herself and had to leave the autopsy room

Susan carelessly spilled formalin on herself after she had only helped with the exterior exam. When she came back from cleaning up she asked that her name not be included in the autopsy report, since she wasn't present for the entire exam.

7. 'Cruel and Unusual' begins with a poem written by Ronnie Joe Waddell. Upon reading the poem, what does Scarpetta wonder about Waddell?

Answer: She wonders how both cruelty and poetry can reside in the same soul

Scarpetta wonders how the gentle-sounding Waddell could have perpetrated the heinous acts he was convicted of and she wonders how cruelty and poetry can reside in the same soul.

8. Which of the investigators involved was a witness at the execution?

Answer: Pete Marino

Pete Marino was the detective who worked Robyn Naismith's murder and he requested to view the execution.

9. How was Robyn Naismith killed?

Answer: She was stabbed repeatedly

Ronnie Waddell, insane from drug use, repeatedly stabbed Naismith. He also bit her and then tried to eradicate the teeth marks by excising parts of her flesh.

10. Whose briefcase did Waddell steal from Naismith's home?

Answer: Govenor Norring's

Waddell found Govenor Norring's briefcase in Robyn's home indicating that the two were having an affair. He was too scared to bring the information forth during his trial.

Source: Author DillPickle

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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