Novels That Made my Hair Stand on End Quiz

Answer: Truman Capote

Some true crime thrillers deal with real-life events that are stranger than fiction. In 1966, author Truman Capote spent months in Kansas painstakingly retracing the murders of the Clutter family. Capote was on scene of the quadruple murder before the killers had been caught.

He was accompanied by his childhood friend, author Harper Lee. This is the story of two prison parolees who hatch the plan to rob farmer Herbert Clutter under the mistaken assumption that he had a safe full of money in his home.

They killed Clutter, his wife, and two of his children. Both of the suspects were given the death penalty and were promptly hung.

Answer: The Andromeda Strain

"The Andromeda Strain" was Michael Crichton's first novel. Published in 1969, this science fiction thriller was about the very real possibility of deadly microscopic germs destroying the world. The mysterious microbe was brought to the earth by a falling satellite.

The world's scientists seem helpless to stop the microbes which cause very quick death upon any human who comes in contact with them. Is this a possibility...you bet it is!

Answer: A German U-boat

"Shadow Divers" was an exciting novel about a German U-boat found lying off the coast of New Jersey. This deep-sea discovery, and the surrounding mystery as to why the ship was there, how it got there, and the attempts to keep the find secret make for a spell-binding story. Fighting the government to get information, trying to keep others away from the U-boat, and the dangers of deep sea diving are part of this mesmerizing story.

Answer: World War II

Written by Australian writer Paul Brickhill, "The Great Escape" is a captivating non-fiction book based on a real escape from a German prisoner of war camp during World War II. Seventy-six soldiers escaped, of which seventy-three were recaptured. Fifty of these brave men were promptly shot by the Gestapo.

This gripping wartime thriller also tells of the ensuing hunt for the prison guards after the war ended, and of other attempted escapes that occurred throughout the war. The book was made into a 1963 movie, which, while exciting, did not capture the true nature of what occurred and the aftermath of the event.

Answer: Presumed Innocent

"Presumed Innocent" (1987) was the first published novel for author Scott Turow. This fast-paced novel focuses on the murder of a female attorney. The novel is told in first person by the suspect, one of her co-workers with whom she had a romantic affair.

The novel twists and turns, leaving the reader to guess the innocence or guilt of the suspect. Legal thrillers are some of the most popular books in the thriller genre, which is mirrored in the high number of true crime television programs.

Answer: False

"Coma" by Robin Cook was a hit when it was released in 1977. It was based on the premise that multiple patients at a major Boston hospital were going into irreversible coma immediately after having surgery. The story delves into the frightening world of black market organ harvesting.

It took advantage of a period in time when transplants were becoming more common and not the medical wonder that they were at first.

Answer: The Silence of the Lambs

If mind games are your cup of tea, as opposed to chase scenes, the psychological thriller may be just the type of novel for you. One of the most popular novels in this genre is "The Silence of the Lambs" (1988) by Thomas Harris. This frightening novel features a cannibalistic serial killer, who is also a forensic psychologist and the young FBI agent who is trying to catch him. Hints and clues are dropped throughout the novel, which are guaranteed to keep the reader transfixed.

This novel is a must-read for anyone who loves thriller novels.

Answer: False

The political thriller genre uses a setting of political unrest and power struggle, although it does not have to be set during an actual war. One of the main themes of this genre is political corruption. "The Manchurian Candidate" was set against the backdrop of the Cold War and involves the naïve son of a powerful American politician.

He unwittingly becomes involved in a Communist conspiracy and is subsequently brainwashed. The concept of good vs. evil is always a component in this type of novel.

Answer: The Spy Who Came In from the Cold

"The Spy Who Came In from the Cold" is thought by many to be the quintessential espionage thriller. Set during the turbulent Cold War, this novel is an enthralling glimpse into the world of secret agents. The novel leaves the reader trying to figure out the ethics and morality of this shadowy world, which most of us know very little about.

The title is a reference to the difficulty experienced by many spies who wish to end their careers, also known as "coming in from the cold".

Answer: The Blue Nowhere

"The Blue Nowhere" is a novel that might change your opinion of the internet and your computer. The novel deals with a genius hacker who ruins people's lives by using the information that they, themselves, have put on the internet. The novel explores the dangers lurking in cyberspace and is full of twists and turns that make it difficult to put down.

The title of the novel is a reference to the blue screen of a computer and where it leads.