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Quiz about Our FarFlung Detectives
Quiz about Our FarFlung Detectives

Our Far-Flung Detectives Trivia Quiz


Fictional detectives can be found in the oddest places and times. Come along and explore!

A multiple-choice quiz by ertrum. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
ertrum
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
276,286
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
1216
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
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Question 1 of 10
1. This series of novels was written by Robert Van Gulik, and set in T'ang Dynasty China. The hero was based on a historical character, and the books often incorporated plots based on ancient Chinese detective stories. Who was this ancient Chinese detective?
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Who wrote a series of mysteries set in Classical Rome and featuring Gordianus the Finder? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Aristotle was, of course, best known as a philosopher. However, according to the series of books by this author, he appears to have been a detective as well. Who wrote this series of books starting with "Aristotle Detective"? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Umberto Eco wrote this mystery in which Brother William Baskerville is called to visit a monastery where a monk has been killed. While he's investigating the first killing, several other monks are also killed. What book is this?
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Edith Pargeter, writing as Ellis Peters, wrote a series of novels set in twelfth century England in the Shropshire town of Shrewsbury. Who was her detective, Shrewsbury Abbey's herbalist?
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. The Navajo reservation is an enormous tract of land, over 27,000 square miles. It has its own government, courts, and police force. Two members of the Navajo Police, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, are featured in a long series of novels by which Oklahoma-born writer?
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Chief Inspector Jules Maigret first appeared in 1931 in "The Case of Peter the Lett". Between that book and his last appearance in "Maigret and Monsieur Charles" in 1972, Maigret was featured in more than 70 novels. Which Belgian author created his illustrious career?
Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Caroline Roe writes about Isaac of Girona, a Jewish physician in 14th century Catalonia. What unusual physical attribute does Isaac have, which must make detecting more difficult? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Arthur Upfield's hero, Napoleon Bonaparte, was a detective in which country? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Isaac Asimov wrote many different stories, novels and other works. Who was his detective who appears in "The Caves of Steel", "The Naked Sun" and "The Robots of Dawn", along with partner, R. Daneel Olivaw?
Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This series of novels was written by Robert Van Gulik, and set in T'ang Dynasty China. The hero was based on a historical character, and the books often incorporated plots based on ancient Chinese detective stories. Who was this ancient Chinese detective?

Answer: Judge Dee

Mr. Van Gulik, a Dutch diplomat, first translated an 18th Century Chinese detective story called "Dee Goong An" ("Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee"), then followed that with a series of novels featuring the detective and his assistants, Ma Joong, Tao Gan, Chao Tai, and Sargent Hoong.
2. Who wrote a series of mysteries set in Classical Rome and featuring Gordianus the Finder?

Answer: Steven Saylor

Gordianus lived at the end of the Roman Republic. As he solved his cases, he encountered many of Rome's most famous citizens, including Cicero, Crassus, Spartacus, and Julius Caesar.
3. Aristotle was, of course, best known as a philosopher. However, according to the series of books by this author, he appears to have been a detective as well. Who wrote this series of books starting with "Aristotle Detective"?

Answer: Margaret Doody

Professor Doody helped found Notre Dame University's PhD program in Literature. In addition to her "Aristotle" novels, she has written a book on the history of the novel.
4. Umberto Eco wrote this mystery in which Brother William Baskerville is called to visit a monastery where a monk has been killed. While he's investigating the first killing, several other monks are also killed. What book is this?

Answer: The Name of the Rose

"The Name of the Rose" was made into a movie starring Sean Connery and F. Murray Abraham, and directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud.
5. Edith Pargeter, writing as Ellis Peters, wrote a series of novels set in twelfth century England in the Shropshire town of Shrewsbury. Who was her detective, Shrewsbury Abbey's herbalist?

Answer: Brother Cadfael

Cadfael had been a crusader, and had learned herb lore while on the First Crusade. After the Crusades, he returned to England, and entered Shrewsbury Abbey. The first of the "Chronicles of Brother Cadfael", "A Morbid Taste for Bones", was written in 1977. All in all, Edith Pargeter wrote twenty Brother Cadfael mysteries.
6. The Navajo reservation is an enormous tract of land, over 27,000 square miles. It has its own government, courts, and police force. Two members of the Navajo Police, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, are featured in a long series of novels by which Oklahoma-born writer?

Answer: Tony Hillerman

Joe Leaphorn first appeared in Tony Hillerman's "The Blessing Way" which was published in 1970. Jim Chee made his appearance in 1980's "People of Darkness". They work together on several cases, but are not friends.
7. Chief Inspector Jules Maigret first appeared in 1931 in "The Case of Peter the Lett". Between that book and his last appearance in "Maigret and Monsieur Charles" in 1972, Maigret was featured in more than 70 novels. Which Belgian author created his illustrious career?

Answer: Georges Simenon

Besides his 75 Maigret novels, Simenon wrote more than 350 novels, autobiographies, novellas, and other works, including many written using pseudonyms. Simenon died 4 September, 1989.
8. Caroline Roe writes about Isaac of Girona, a Jewish physician in 14th century Catalonia. What unusual physical attribute does Isaac have, which must make detecting more difficult?

Answer: He is blind.

Caroline Roe is a pen name for Medora Sale. Issac of Girona first appeared in "A Remedy for Treason", which was written in 1998.
9. Arthur Upfield's hero, Napoleon Bonaparte, was a detective in which country?

Answer: Australia

Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, "Bony", is half aborigine, which gives him a unique perspective on the crimes he's assigned to. The first book of this series was published in 1929, and the last appeared in 1966.
10. Isaac Asimov wrote many different stories, novels and other works. Who was his detective who appears in "The Caves of Steel", "The Naked Sun" and "The Robots of Dawn", along with partner, R. Daneel Olivaw?

Answer: Elijah Baley

In "Caves of Steel", Baley, a New York detective, was called off of Earth to solve the murder of a Spacer - a space colonist. The Spacers give him the robot Daneel Olivaw (the R. in his name denotes "Robot") to act as his partner. Baley was strongly agoraphobic since he grew up in a city which was covered by a steel dome and he had never seen the sky.
Source: Author ertrum

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