Characters
Setting
Plot
Short Story Elements
Terms
100
This main character was murdered.
Who is Caroline Spurrier?
100
This ficitional town is modeled on Santa Barbara, California.
What is Santa Teresa?
100
The license plate in the photo taken at the crime scene.
What is the first good lead Kinsey gets.
100
This is where conflicts arise and the plot moves forward.
What is the complication?
100
Terry dies in the same spot as his victim.
What is situational irony?
200
This character who believes the main character was murdered by someone she knew.
Who is Michelle Spurrier?
200
The story opens with a high speed car chase in this location.
What is the "freeway" or interstate highway?
200
Caroline's boyfriend is harrassing her.
What is the reason Caroline leaves work early?
200
This is the moment when something happens that sends the main character directly on his or her path to solve the problem.
What is Turning Point or Climax?
200
Full Circle refers to "what goes around, comes around."
What is verbal irony?
300
This roommate pretends to know nothing about the life of the murdered victim because she is the murderer's sister!
Who is Judy Layton.
300
This place holds a stripped-down, primed pick-up truck.
What is the Layton's garage?
300
His navy blue pickup has been sitting up on blocks for the last six months.
Why isn't Ron Cagel's pick-up the one used in the murder?
300
Characters, setting, basic situation
What are the three elements of the Exposition?
300
This type of ending stops where is starts!
What is a full circle ending?
400
This character is a "red herring."
Who is Ron Cagle?
400
The murderer makes sure he is seen in this place.
What is the scene of the accident where he acts like he is trying to rescue the main character.
400
She moves because her brother killed her roommate, Caroline.
What is the real reason Judy Layton is moving?
400
The unraveling of the knot
What does "denouement" mean?
400
This final expression means that Terry got what he deserved even if he didn't get it through normal, legal procedings.
What is "justice is skewed."
500
He gives the narrator the witness list because he thinks she might help solve the case.
Who is Lt. Dolan?
500
This spot is where the murderer dies.
What is the exact spot in which Caroline Spurrier dies?
500
Terry and she lock eyes as he walks up the sidewalk to the house. Then he turns and runs.
What is the moment Kinsey knows for sure who the murderer is?
500
This is the element where the Terry Layton crashes his car into the crew that is cleaning up the wreckage from Caroline's earlier wreck.
What is the resolution?
500
To entertain
What is the author's purpose?
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