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Books Quiz - Author - Patricia Cornwell (Questions)

Patricia Carroll Daniels was born in 1956 in Miami, Florida. She went to Davidson College in North Carolina before she began her career, first as a journalist and then in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia. She wrote in her spare time and her first novel, Postmortem, was published in 1990.

To date Patricia Cornwell has written 28 crime novels, most of which feature the medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta. She has also written 5 works of non-fiction and one book written for children. In all her books have sold over 100 million copies.

Did you know that Patricia Cornwell appeared as herself on Criminal Minds, the American police drama in the episode True Genius? See how much you know about her life and works, and maybe learn a little more about her by playing this quiz.

1. Cornwell is a descendant of which 19th century American writer?
[ ] Stephen Crane
[ ] Henry James
[ ] Harriet Beecher Stowe
[ ] Mark Twain
2. Cornwell was born in 1956 in which city in Florida?
[ ] Everglades City
[ ] Fort Lauderdale
[ ] Miami
[ ] Tallahassee
3. Which 1990 novel introduced Cornwell's best-known character Dr Kay Scarpetta?
[ ] Autopsy
[ ] Biopsy
[ ] Morgue
[ ] Postmortem
4. What is the name of the big cop who has a close relationship with Scarpetta?
[ ] Pete Marengo
[ ] Pete Marino
[ ] Pete Morello
[ ] Pete Morgano
5. Scarpetta is Chief Medical Examiner in which US state?
[ ] Maryland
[ ] Massachusetts
[ ] New Jersey
[ ] Virginia
6. What is the name of the police officer Cornwell introduced in her 1997 novel Hornet's Nest?
[ ] Andy Brabazon
[ ] Andy Braga
[ ] Andy Braganza
[ ] Andy Brazil
7. Cornwell's controversial 2002 book Portrait of a Killer presented her theory about which murderer?
[ ] The Boston Strangler
[ ] Jack the Ripper
[ ] Son of Sam
[ ] The Yorkshire Ripper
8. In 1993, Cornwell received a 28 day sentence for drunk driving after an evening out with which actress?
[ ] Jodie Foster
[ ] Demi Moore
[ ] Meg Ryan
[ ] Meryl Streep
9. What was Cornwell's surname at birth?
[ ] Daniels
[ ] Danton
[ ] Danvers
[ ] Davies
10. What is the title of the second novel in the Kay Scarpetta series, published in 1991?
[ ] Body of Evidence
[ ] Circumstantial Evidence
[ ] Inadmissable Evidence
[ ] No Evidence

 

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Books Quiz - Author - Patricia Cornwell (Answers)
1. Cornwell is a descendant of which 19th century American writer?
[ ] Stephen Crane
[ ] Henry James
[x] Harriet Beecher Stowe
[ ] Mark Twain
Stowe was the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin
2. Cornwell was born in 1956 in which city in Florida?
[ ] Everglades City
[ ] Fort Lauderdale
[x] Miami
[ ] Tallahassee
Patricia's father was one of the leading lawyers in the United States at the time
3. Which 1990 novel introduced Cornwell's best-known character Dr Kay Scarpetta?
[ ] Autopsy
[ ] Biopsy
[ ] Morgue
[x] Postmortem
Postmortem was Cornwell's first novel and it won the 1991 Edgar Award for Best First Novel
4. What is the name of the big cop who has a close relationship with Scarpetta?
[ ] Pete Marengo
[x] Pete Marino
[ ] Pete Morello
[ ] Pete Morgano
Marino is a detective sergeant in the Richmond Police Department
5. Scarpetta is Chief Medical Examiner in which US state?
[ ] Maryland
[ ] Massachusetts
[ ] New Jersey
[x] Virginia
She operates in Richmond, the state capital
6. What is the name of the police officer Cornwell introduced in her 1997 novel Hornet's Nest?
[ ] Andy Brabazon
[ ] Andy Braga
[ ] Andy Braganza
[x] Andy Brazil
Brazil is a state trooper who works alongside Judy Hammer, the superintendent of Virginia State Police
7. Cornwell's controversial 2002 book Portrait of a Killer presented her theory about which murderer?
[ ] The Boston Strangler
[x] Jack the Ripper
[ ] Son of Sam
[ ] The Yorkshire Ripper
Her theory was that the killer was the English painter Walter Sickert
8. In 1993, Cornwell received a 28 day sentence for drunk driving after an evening out with which actress?
[ ] Jodie Foster
[x] Demi Moore
[ ] Meg Ryan
[ ] Meryl Streep
Demi Moore was possibly going to star as Dr Kay Scarpetta, the heroine of Cornwell's novels, in a film
9. What was Cornwell's surname at birth?
[x] Daniels
[ ] Danton
[ ] Danvers
[ ] Davies
She married one of her English professors, Charles L Cornwell, in 1980
10. What is the title of the second novel in the Kay Scarpetta series, published in 1991?
[x] Body of Evidence
[ ] Circumstantial Evidence
[ ] Inadmissable Evidence
[ ] No Evidence
To date there have been 23 novels in the Kay Scarpetta series