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Quiz about Rebus Mortal Causes by Ian Rankin

Rebus: 'Mortal Causes' by Ian Rankin Quiz

Links between Northern Ireland terrorists and their Scottish supporters provided the background to 'Mortal Causes', the sixth case for Ian Rankin's Edinburgh-based detective, John Rebus.

A multiple-choice quiz by darksplash. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
darksplash

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
284,020

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
244

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. In 'Mortal Causes', what was described as "the bane" of Detective Inspector John Rebus's life? Hint

His decrepit car

C/Supt Watson

The Edinburgh festival

Hibs versus Hearts football matches

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Question 2 of 15

2. In 'Mortal Causes', the sixth Rebus mystery, where was the first murder victim found? Hint

In a butcher's shop

In a chemist's shop

In a baker's shop

In wine store

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Question 3 of 15

3. In 'Mortal Causes', D/I John Rebus paid a visit to a tough Edinburgh housing estate that shared a name with a European leader. Which leader? Hint

Robespierre

Churchill

Bismarck

Garibaldi

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Question 4 of 15

4. In 'Mortal Causes', the first murder victim was related to a character introduced in a previous Rebus mystery. What was that character's name? Hint

Gregor Jack

Morris Cafferty

Rab Kinnoul

Matthew Vanderhyde

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Question 5 of 15

5. What was the name of the mysterious organisation that kept cropping up in 'Mortal Causes'? Hint

The Thistle and Crown

The Harp and Crown

The Claymore Rising

The Sword and Shield

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Question 6 of 15

6. People from a certain part of Scotland scared D/I John Rebus, or so we learnt in 'Mortal Causes'. Which part? Hint

The Highlands

Aberdeen

Glasgow

The Borders

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Question 7 of 15

7. In 'Mortal Causes', we discovered that Detective Inspector John Rebus had a phobia. Which of these was he afraid of? Hint

Spiders

Darkness

Rats

Flying

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Question 8 of 15

8. D/I John Rebus sought help from a journalist in 'Mortal Causes'. What was her name? Hint

Caro Rattray

Mairie Henderson

Karen McPhilemy

Michele Canning

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Question 9 of 15

9. What was the name of the bar with a wild west theme that was the location for the discovery of a third body in 'Mortal Causes'? Hint

The Crazy Horse

The Crazy Hose

Quizzyland

Tecumseh Valley

10. John Rebus found himself the subject of attention from a would-be suitor in 'Mortal Causes', even though he was already in a relationship. What was the occupation of the woman in question? Hint

Journalist

Lawyer

Librarian

Pathologist

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Question 11 of 15

11. In 'Mortal Causes', John Rebus's journalist friend was working on a story she believed paralleled what Rebus was investigating. Where did she think terrorists were getting weapons? Hint

From British Army camps

From former Russian soldiers

From Middle East terror groups

From Guns_R_Us.com

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Question 12 of 15

12. In 'Mortal Causes', Big Ger Cafferty escaped from prison by pretending he had a medical emergency that required being transferred to an outside hospital. What was the nature of that 'condition'? Hint

Angina

Pneumonia

Appendicitis

A perforated ulcer

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Question 13 of 15

13. With Big Ger Cafferty on the loose, Rebus sent his long-suffering partner Dr Patience Aitken into hiding, but also had to make arrangements for the care of her pets. What was the name of her cat? Hint

Frisky

Lucky

Rasputin

Melisch

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Question 14 of 15

14. On the hunt for a youth who had assaulted him and was implicated in the illegal arms trade, Rebus and a colleague returned to the tough estate. What song was played in the youth's flat while his parents were questioned? Hint

The Men Behind The Wire

The Sash My Father Wore

The Green Grassy Slopes of the Boyne

The Fields of Athenry

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Question 15 of 15

15. As 'Mortal Causes' reached its climax, a plot to bomb the Edinburgh Festival was foiled and the body count increased. D/I John Rebus almost became a victim, only to be saved from a fire. Who was his rescuer? Hint

Rab Kinnoul

Gregor Jack

Morris Cafferty

Matthew Vanderhyde

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Oct 19 2024 : Guest 87: 11/15
Oct 16 2024 : Guest 194: 5/15

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 'Mortal Causes', what was described as "the bane" of Detective Inspector John Rebus's life?

Answer: The Edinburgh festival

Edinburgh's history, Ian Rankin declared, was: "full of licence and riotous behaviour. But the festival, especially the Fringe Festival, was different. Tourism was its lifeblood and where there were tourists there was trouble."

2. In 'Mortal Causes', the sixth Rebus mystery, where was the first murder victim found?

Answer: In a butcher's shop

The body of a man was found tied to the ceiling of an abandoned shop in one of Edinburgh's historic underground streets. He had been shot dead.

3. In 'Mortal Causes', D/I John Rebus paid a visit to a tough Edinburgh housing estate that shared a name with a European leader. Which leader?

Answer: Garibaldi

The 'Gar-B' was a poor and very rough estate - the side of Edinburgh that the tourists never saw. Garibaldi was a 19th Century Italian leader. (It's also the name of a popular biscuit - in the UK at least).

4. In 'Mortal Causes', the first murder victim was related to a character introduced in a previous Rebus mystery. What was that character's name?

Answer: Morris Cafferty

Morris 'Big Ger' Cafferty had fingers in many criminal pies. There was an intense personal relationship between Cafferty and Rebus and he had been jailed after a previous Rebus investigation.

5. What was the name of the mysterious organisation that kept cropping up in 'Mortal Causes'?

Answer: The Sword and Shield

The name was traced back to a shadowy Canadian organisation that raised funds for Ulster loyalist terror groups.

6. People from a certain part of Scotland scared D/I John Rebus, or so we learnt in 'Mortal Causes'. Which part?

Answer: The Borders

Rebus had one word for the Borders, "neat". Ian Rankin noted: "The towns were simply laid out and almost pathologically tidy. The buildings were constructed from unadorned stones and had a square no-nonsense quality to them." "Truth be told the Borderers scared Rebus. He couldn't understand them."

7. In 'Mortal Causes', we discovered that Detective Inspector John Rebus had a phobia. Which of these was he afraid of?

Answer: Flying

His experiences during SAS training has given Rebus a fear of flying. He had been subjected to a not-unusual SAS tactic of taking trainees blindfolded up in a helicopter and threatening to throw them out. This was revealed when he had to travel to a place from his unloved Army past, Belfast.

8. D/I John Rebus sought help from a journalist in 'Mortal Causes'. What was her name?

Answer: Mairie Henderson

Mairie Henderson was a determined and very persistent journalist. Rebus respected her as much as he did any journalist, although he did not altogether trust her and was not above using her professional position for his own purposes. Rebus would promise the world in return for help, and he did not always pay his dues.

9. What was the name of the bar with a wild west theme that was the location for the discovery of a third body in 'Mortal Causes'?

Answer: The Crazy Hose

It was called the Crazy Hose because it was located in a decommissioned fire station. On a visit there, Rebus was surprised to find his journalist friend singing in a country band, and was not unimpressed by her ability, even if country music was far from his cup of tea.

The journalist had arranged for a woman source to hide out at the club, unfortunately the bad guys found out and decided to eliminate her.

10. John Rebus found himself the subject of attention from a would-be suitor in 'Mortal Causes', even though he was already in a relationship. What was the occupation of the woman in question?

Answer: Lawyer

Rebus was reticent about getting involved. Caro Rattray seemed too good to be true, and if something looks too good to be true it usually is... as Rebus found out to his extreme discomfort.

11. In 'Mortal Causes', John Rebus's journalist friend was working on a story she believed paralleled what Rebus was investigating. Where did she think terrorists were getting weapons?

Answer: From British Army camps

She also believed that a senior police officer was in on the trade. "Are we working the same story," she asked Rebus. "The police don't have stories, we have cases," Rebus - as forthcoming as ever - replied.

Answer: A perforated ulcer

Gangland friends of Cafferty arranged to have him sprung from the ambulance taking him to hospital.

Answer: Lucky

Strangely, the cat liked Rebus, though he did not like the cat.

Answer: The Sash My Father Wore

The Gar-B had a majority of Protestant residents, many of whom supported the Ulster loyalist cause. 'The Sash My Father Wore' is probably the best-known of all songs associated with the Orange Order in Ireland.

Answer: Morris Cafferty

Rebus went into 'The Crazy Hose' after seeing it was on fire. He was knocked to the ground by a man who had been left there to burn to death by Cafferty. 'Big Ger' ran in to pull Rebus out.
Rebus: "You could have let me die".
Cafferty: "I didn't come in for you, I came in to stop you bringing out that - ".

Source: Author darksplash

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