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Quiz about The Burglar Who Liked to Play Quizzes
Quiz about The Burglar Who Liked to Play Quizzes

The Burglar Who Liked to Play Quizzes


How much do you remember about Bernie Rhodenbarr, the hero of Lawrence Block's "Burglar" books? A few SPOILERS here.

A multiple-choice quiz by agony. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
agony
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
254,257
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
565
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Most of the books take place in or around Manhattan - where exactly does Bernie live, though? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In the earliest books in the series, Bernie was a burglar pure and simple (well, rarely pure and never simple). However, in later books he ostensibly goes straight, and gets a job. What business is he in? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Bernie's best friend Carolyn works just down the street. What business is she in? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Bernie gains a cat in the course of the series - what is this cat's name? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Every less-than-official solver of mysteries has an "in" with the police department - Lord Peter has Chief Inspector Parker, Alex Delaware has Milo Sturgis, even Sherlock Holmes has Inspector Lestrade. Who is Bernie's? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. At the end of each book, the mystery is all cleared up - bad guys arrested or otherwise out of service, Bernie's name cleared, threads untangled and lies uncovered. Funnily enough, however, once the dust has settled, Bernie often seems to end up with just a bit extra. Which of these is NOT something he ends up with? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Like any dashing young hero, Bernie meets the occasional lovely lady through the course of the book. Does he always get the girl, in the end?


Question 8 of 10
8. Lawrence Block has a lot of fun in these books with the cliches of mystery fiction. One of them is his standby though - it is used in every book. Which of the following is it? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Bernie's neighbour, Mrs Hesch, has helped him out in the odd way, now and then in the books. What does she know about his profession? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. One of Bernie's targets ends up becoming a friend, who sometimes sets up jobs for him. What's his name? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Feb 27 2024 : Dazza34582: 2/10
Feb 07 2024 : PurpleComet: 7/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Most of the books take place in or around Manhattan - where exactly does Bernie live, though?

Answer: In an apartment on West End Avenue

The brownstone on West 25th is, of course, the home of Nero Wolfe. If you chose New Jersey, maybe you were thinking of Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar. Long Island is the stomping grounds of many of Susan Isaacs' characters; no burglars there, though both she and Block have novels with a dentist playing a main role.
2. In the earliest books in the series, Bernie was a burglar pure and simple (well, rarely pure and never simple). However, in later books he ostensibly goes straight, and gets a job. What business is he in?

Answer: Used bookseller

Bernie buys Barnegat Books, and makes a little less than a living from it. He enjoys the business, though, and can always supplement his income by 'moonlighting'.
3. Bernie's best friend Carolyn works just down the street. What business is she in?

Answer: Dog groomer

Carolyn is the owner and sole employee of The Poodle Factory. She also is not averse to a little moonlighting now and again.
4. Bernie gains a cat in the course of the series - what is this cat's name?

Answer: Raffles

What better name for the cat of a burglar - and he's toilet trained, too!

The incorrect options are all literary cats - Dinah belonged to Alice in Wonderland, Tobermory was the hero (or antihero) of one of Saki's stories, and Mehitabel was of course the pal of Archy the cockroach. One of Carolyn's cats is named Archie, too, but it's spelled differently, as he is named after Archie Goodwin.
5. Every less-than-official solver of mysteries has an "in" with the police department - Lord Peter has Chief Inspector Parker, Alex Delaware has Milo Sturgis, even Sherlock Holmes has Inspector Lestrade. Who is Bernie's?

Answer: Ray Kirschmann

Ray always manages to make a nice collar and maybe a little something for himself, when he goes along with Bernie.

None of the other answer options would ever make a deal with a burglar for a cut of the action - they just don't do that sort of thing at the 87th Precinct.
6. At the end of each book, the mystery is all cleared up - bad guys arrested or otherwise out of service, Bernie's name cleared, threads untangled and lies uncovered. Funnily enough, however, once the dust has settled, Bernie often seems to end up with just a bit extra. Which of these is NOT something he ends up with?

Answer: 1913 Liberty nickel

In "The Burglar who Studied Spinoza", Bernie does steal the nickel, but soon loses track of it.

The other items are from "The Burglar who Painted Like Mondrian", "The Burglar who Traded Ted Williams" and "The Burglar in the Library".
7. Like any dashing young hero, Bernie meets the occasional lovely lady through the course of the book. Does he always get the girl, in the end?

Answer: No

He usually gets "a" girl, at one point or another, but seldom ends the story with the book's romantic interest. Once, in fact, it was Carolyn who got the girl.
8. Lawrence Block has a lot of fun in these books with the cliches of mystery fiction. One of them is his standby though - it is used in every book. Which of the following is it?

Answer: An "I suppose you are wondering why I called you all here" meeting at the end, where all is revealed and the murderer caught

Bernie is not above planting a little evidence to make sure everything works out just as he wants it to.

These books are mostly for fun, they are not classic "fair play" mysteries. Block often keeps vital clues to himself, but everything always ties up nicely at the end, usually with a clever twist.
9. Bernie's neighbour, Mrs Hesch, has helped him out in the odd way, now and then in the books. What does she know about his profession?

Answer: She knows that he is a burglar and doesn't much care

In the first book in the series, "Burglars Can't be Choosers", Bernie's name and the details of his lifestyle were widely reported, and his building was buzzing with the news. Mrs Hesch was unfazed, however: "You know the kind of conversations you hear in the laundry room.

There are crazy women in this building, Mr Rhodenbarr. One the other day, she's running off at the mouth like a broken record. 'We ain't safe in our own beds!' I said to her 'Gert,' I said, 'in the first place you'd be safe in anybody's bed, believe me.' And I said to her, I said, 'When did Mr Rhodenbarr ever hurt anybody? Who did he ever rob in this building, and who cares what he does over on the East Side, where the rich momsers deserve whatever happens to them?' You might as well be talking to a wall."
10. One of Bernie's targets ends up becoming a friend, who sometimes sets up jobs for him. What's his name?

Answer: Martin Gilmartin

Marty is a rich man, who has many rich friends who sometimes find that they have more use for the insurance money than they do for various of their valuables. Handy to know an honest burglar....

Craig Sheldrake is, of course, The World's Greatest Dentist (from "The Burglar in the Closet") and Loren Kramer is the cop from "Burglars Can't be Choosers".
Source: Author agony

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