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Penguin Readers Factsheets

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T e a c h e r’s n o t e s

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Crime Story Collection

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by Sara Paretsky and others 6 INTERMEDIATE

S U M M A R Y he detectives in this crime story collection blend traditional with more recent approaches. Popular contemporary American crime writers Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky have invented tough private detectives in the tradition of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe but their detectives are women. Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse relies, like Sherlock Holmes, on a mixture of inspiration and deduction and, like Holmes, has a loyal assistant beside him to ask him the important questions.

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The other five stories all focus on the murderer or potential murderer. Patricia Highsmith revolutionized the crime story by making ‘an interest in criminal psychology replace the puzzle’, and the other three stories in the collection, by Margery Allingham, Simon Brett and Jack Ritchie, are more light-hearted variations along these lines.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Margery Allingham (1904–66), an English writer born in London, rivalled Agatha Christie and was far more realistic. Most of her novels feature an aristocratic amateur detective, Albert Campion. Sue Grafton (born 1940), who is based in California, has written a series of novels around the figure of female detective Kinsey Millhone. Simon Brett (born 1945) is a British writer who has written radio and TV plays as well as books and short stories. Sara Paretsky (born 1947) is of Polish origin and is based in Chicago, like her popular private detective V I Warshawski. Patricia Highsmith (1921–95) came to prominence when her novel Strangers on a Train was made into a memorable film by Alfred Hitchcock. Ms Highsmith was the first to write a series of novels featuring a psychopathic killer. Those who think murderers, even in fiction, should be caught and punished, however, find Ms Highsmith’s work disturbing. Jack Ritchie (1922–83), an American writer whose real name was John George Reitci, wrote a number of original detective stories. Colin Dexter (born 1930), an English writer, was educated at Cambridge University, but lives in Oxford. The setting of his novels feature Inspector Morse, an Oxford graduate who, like Dexter himself, loves crosswords and Mozart. A contemporary television series has made Morse the bestknown fictional detective in Britain today.

© Pearson Education 2000

BACKGROUND AND THEMES The theme of this collection, inevitably, is crime and, as usual in detective stories, the crime in almost every case is murder. That said, the theme can be approached in very different ways. The clearest division among the stories depends on the point of view. Three focus on the detective (Grafton, Paretsky and Dexter) and the rest on the murderer. Short stories focused on the detective lend themselves to the tradition established by Conan Doyle (1859–1930) with Sherlock Holmes. Our enjoyment comes from the neat way in which the detective considers all the clues and solves the puzzle. In this collection, Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse comes closest to this tradition. Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961) and Raymond Chandler (1888–1959) reacted against the detective story as a puzzle, especially in the work of writers like Agatha Christie (1890–1976), because they saw it as unreal and in a sense immoral, since it treated murder as a kind of game. In their stories tough private detectives investigate a series of crimes, usually carried out by professionals. Because they were set in the United States, where there are guns in almost every household, violence is more common. The female private detectives in the stories by Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky in this collection are in this realistic American tradition. What holds our interest here as much as the deduction involved is the action. Stories which are focused on the detective assume the reader is keen to see the problem solved and justice done. The authors are free to create murderer and victim as they choose. In focusing on the murderer, as the other five stories in this collection do, however, the reader cannot help reacting to the personality of the criminal and considering his or her motivation. One way out is taken by Margery Allingham; in her story, the problem is inverted because the potential victim outwits the murderer. Simon Brett’s and Jack Ritchie’s stories are really black comedies, where we are invited to sympathize with the criminal, and for this to work the victim must be made unsympathetic. Simon Brett’s killer acts without premeditation and is not believed when he confesses; Jack Ritchie’s killer only pretends to kill his wife in order to get money from his rich sister-in-law. Patricia Highsmith’s stories generally tend to provoke

Penguin Readers Factsheets T e a c h e r’s n o t e s extreme reactions. In almost all crime stories, where the murderer is sane, the motive is love (in its perverted forms as jealousy, revenge etc.) or money, or a combination of the two, and the murderer is concerned not to be found out. But Patricia Highsmith specializes in the study of psychopathic characters, whose motives and actions are entirely personal and hardly relate to the victims. Here she creates an old man so filled with hatred that he murders his victim and leaves him in his field as a scarecrow, and an obviously deranged young man who kills three people in a museum to gain fame for himself. Highsmith’s victims are usually unattractive personalities. Would these stories still be acceptable if Highsmith had made the victims more attractive? Finally, in considering short stories, the titles of many of them here are particularly appropriate. In every case, it is worth examining why the story was given that particular title.

Communicative activities The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections of text as the exercises at the back of the reader, and supplement those exercises. Further supplementary exercises covering shorter sections of the book can be found on the photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. These are primarily for use with class readers but, with the exception of discussion and pair/groupwork questions, can also be used by students working alone in a self-access centre.

‘Slowly, Slowly in the Wind’ Put students into small groups to discuss these questions. (a) When the children find the dead body dressed as a scarecrow, their reaction is one of ‘terror mixed with pleasure’. Why? (b) Andy decides not to tell the police what he knows. Why not? The writer suggests that these reactions are natural. Do you agree?

‘Woodrow Wilson’s Tie’ Put students into small groups. Ask them to discuss: What do you think will happen next? Will Clive carry out his plan?

‘The Absence of Emily’ Put students into small groups to discuss: How do you feel about Albert at the end of this story? Do you think he is clever? Do you believe that he didn’t kill his first wife?

‘The Inside Story’ Put students into pairs. At the end of the story Bayley is ‘ready to talk’. They act the conversation between Bayley and Morse.

ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK Put students into small groups. Ask them to look at their answers to Student’s Activities, Activities Before Reading the Book. Which stories did they prefer, those written from the point of view of the detective or from the point of view of the murderer? Why?

ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK Put students into small groups for a discussion. Why are crime stories among the most popular forms of fiction and television series?

ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION ‘Three is a Lucky Number ’ Put students into pairs. One plays the part of Edyth, the other of a police officer. Act the conversation when Edyth first went to the police station. The police already have the newspaper stories they showed Edyth and a plan to catch Ronald.

‘Full Circle’ Put students into pairs. One plays the part of Lieutenant Dolan, the other of Judy Layton. After Terry Layton’s death, Judy admits that she knew everything about her brother’s relationship with Caroline and how he killed her. They act the conversation.

‘How’s your Mother?’ Put students into pairs. A few months later the new owner of Humphrey Partridge’s house finds the woman’s body in the garden. Act the conversation between the owner and Sergeant Wallace.

‘At the Old Swimming Hole’ Put students into small groups to discuss this question. This story takes place in the USA, where most people have guns. How would it be different if the people in the story lived in Britain, where hardly anyone carries a gun?

© Pearson Education 2000

Glossary It will be useful for your students to know the following new words. They are practised in the ‘Before You Read’sections of exercises at the back of the book. (Definitions are based on those in the Longman Active Study Dictionary.) ‘Three is a Lucky Number ’ bubble (n) a ball of air in liquid funeral (n) an event held for someone who has just died inspector (n) a police officer will (n) a document people write saying who they want to leave their money or property to when they die ‘Full Circle’ freeway (n) a wide road in the United States lane (n) one of the parts a road is divided into for one line of traffic lieutenant (n) a police officer in the United States ‘How’s Your Mother?’ bury (v) to put a dead body under the ground sergeant (n) a police officer, below an inspector ‘Slowly, Slowly in the Wind’ corn (n) a tall plant grown as a vegetable, called maize in British English scarecrow (n) an object made to look like a person to frighten birds away ‘Woodrow Wilson’s Tie’ wax (n) a substance made of fats or oils, here used to make copies of people ‘The Absence of Emily’ spade (n) a tool used for digging in the ground ‘The Inside Story’ clue (n) an object or information that helps to solve a crime earthquake (n) a sudden shaking of the earth

Publi sh ed and dis trib ute d by Pea rso n Education Facts hee t w ri tt en by W S Fowl er Fac tshe et ser ie s dev elop ed by Lo uis e Jame s

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Penguin Readers Factsheets

level E

Student’s activities

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Crime Story Collection Photocopiable These activities can be done alone or with one or more other students. Pair/group-only activities are marked.

5 (b) What does the driver of the Toyota do that makes (c) What sort of car does the man who follows Caroline around drive? (d) What does Kinsey find out with the help of her friend, John Birkett? (f)

Why is the story called ‘Full Circle’?

‘Three is a Lucky Number’

‘How’s your Mother?’

1 Which of these statements are true, which are false? Correct those that are false.

1 Who is speaking, who are they talking to, and who or what are they talking about?

(a) Ronald is planning to murder his third wife in the same way as the other two. (b) His first two wives were both rich, with no relations. (c) His first wife died soon after the wedding. (d) He murdered his second wife the year before. (e) Edyth seemed to Ronald a suitable person to murder because she was a teacher. (f)

He married her in her home town.

(g) He waits for a time after the explosion because

(a) ‘She was eighty-six last July.’ (b) ‘I’d like you to go to Antwerp on Monday.’ (c) ‘Sorry. I couldn’t get this through the letter-box.’ (d) ‘I had to break a window. I’ve called the police.’ (e) ‘People are saying you killed your mother, to get her money.’ (f)

envelope. 2 Why do you think the story is called ‘Three is a Lucky Number’? Who is lucky, in this case?

‘She left me when I was six months old.’

(g) ‘I don’t expect you to recognize me.’ (h) ‘I’m very sorry about what happened, and you can have a little joke if you like.’

he doesn’t want to seem worried too soon. (h) In Edyth’s drawer he finds all her money in an

2 In this story the murderer succeeds and escapes. How do you feel about this? Do you feel sorry for his mother? Do you think this is a good way to end the story?

‘At the Old Swimming Hole’ ‘Full Circle’ 1 Put the events of the accident in order. (a) Kinsey Millhone is driving home in her Volkswagen. (b) She sees a blue Toyota coming up behind her. (c) The small white car crashes into a Porsche. (d) She hears a noise like a gunshot. (f)

1 Answer these questions. (a) Why does Victoria go to the University swimming pool? (b) How does the murderer shoot the dead woman without anyone realizing it at first? (c) Why does Victoria think the man who telephones wants to kill Alicia?

She sees a young woman driving a white car in

(d) How does the cat at Alicia’s apartment save Victoria’s life?

her mirror.

(e) What does the FBI think Alicia has done?

(e) She leaves the Toyota driver with the injured girl.

2 Answer these questions. (a) How do the police realize that Caroline Spurrier was murdered?

© Pearson Education 2000

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Kinsey think he is guilty?

(e) Why does Kinsey go to see Ron Cagle?

Activities while reading the book

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Activities before reading the book Almost all of the stories in this book are about murder. We usually read murder stories from the viewpoint of the detective but in five of these stories the viewpoint is the murderer’s. What difference do you think this makes to the way the story is told? As you read the stories, note which viewpoint is used.

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(f)

What information does Ernesto give Victoria?

(g) How does Victoria realize that Alicia is with her old swimming teacher?

INTERMEDIATE

Penguin Readers Factsheets Student’s activities (h) Why does Victoria feel guilty at the end of the story? 2 Work with another student. Imagine that Alicia tells Victoria the truth when they go back to her apartment. Act the parts of the two women.

‘Slowly, Slowly in the Wind’ Match the halves to make correct sentences (a)

Skip’s wife left him

(b) His doctor tells him to leave business and buy a farm (c)

His neighbour, Mr Frosby, annoys him

(d) Maggie is very pleased when she arrives home (e)

Skip is angry when he realizes

(f)

Maggie writes Skip a letter

(g) Skip gives Andy a holiday (h) Skip kills himself (i)

because her father has bought her a car.

(ii)

that Maggie is falling in love with Pete Frisby.

‘The Absence of Emily’ Who is speaking and who are they talking to? What has happened or is happening? Give the real answer in each case. (a) ‘Hello, dear, this is Emily.’ (b) ‘I thought I saw Emily in town yesterday.’ (c) ‘She fell out of the boat and died in the water.’ (d) ‘I saw you running. I’ve never seen you run before.’ (e) ‘It’s a letter from my aunt in Chicago.’ (f) ‘I am looking for old Indian knives.’ (g) ‘She was the woman in the purple dress, and she copied Emily’s writing.’ (h) ‘I couldn’t tell her I was going to a health farm, to lose weight.’

‘The Inside Story’ 1 In this story, the murdered girl, Sheila, wrote a story herself. Which of the events in Sheila’s story were true in her own life and which were not? Correct those that were not true. ‘Her lover’ means Dr Grainger.

(iii) when he sees that the children are going to find Frisby’s body.

(a) She applied for a job as a cleaner in her lover’s

(iv) because he was so bad tempered.

(b) Her lover was away in the United States.

(v)

(c) She was expecting a baby and he was the father.

to tell him she has married Pete Frisby.

house.

(vi) because he doesn’t want to sell him the fishing rights on the river.

(e) The gardener at the house had short, fat fingers.

(vii) so he can invite Mr Frisby to his house and kill him.

(f)

(viii) because he has had a heart attack.

‘Woodrow Wilson’s Tie’

(d) Her lover’s wife was a very beautiful woman. Her lover wrote to her from America to tell her not to have the baby. (g) His wife wrote to say she was going to marry another man.

1 Answer these questions. (a) Which part of the Hall of Waxworks does Clive like most? (b) How is his reaction to it different from that of

(h) She set fire to the house but the people who died were the wife and the gardener. 2 Why is the story called ‘The Inside Story’?

most people? (c) What jobs do Mildred and Fred do? (d) Where does Clive work and what is his job? (e) Why does Clive put Mildred’s body in the bath? (f)

How are the murders discovered?

(g) How does Clive make it clear that he is ‘a killer with a sick mind’?

Activities after reading the book Work with another student. In almost all murder stories the reason for the murder is love (in the sense of jealousy etc.) or money or a mixture of the two. Discuss the reasons the murderers have for their crime in each story. Is the general rule always true?

(h) Why does he plan to kill a hundred people? 2 Patricia Highsmith was known as ‘The Queen of the Nasties’. Why do you think she was given this name? Do you think this is a nasty story? Discuss these questions with other students.

© Pearson Education 2000

Publ ished an d dist ri buted by P e ar so n E duca tion Fac tshe et wr itt en b y W S F ow ler Fa ctshe et s e ri es devel oped by Lo uise J ame s

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