The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories: Old Time English Trivia Quiz Questions and Answers

Which classic author wrote the story “The Haunted House” included in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Arthur Conan Doyle
  • Charles Dickens
  • Agatha Christie
  • Edgar Allan Poe

Correct Answer: Charles Dickens

Correct Answer Explanation: “The Haunted House” is a classic short story by Charles Dickens, known for its humorous approach to the supernatural.

In which country is the house from “The Haunted House” located?

  • United States
  • France
  • England
  • Scotland

Correct Answer: England

Correct Answer Explanation: The story is set in England, likely in a rural setting, as Dickens often depicts rural life in his works.

What is the name of the mysterious hooded figure that haunts the house in “The Haunted House”?

  • The Lady in White
  • The Grim Reaper
  • The Ghost of Christmas Past
  • The Shadow

Correct Answer: The Lady in White

Correct Answer Explanation: The hooded woman is described as being a “Lady in White”, adding to the ghostly and haunting atmosphere of the story.

Which classic author wrote the story “No. 1 Branch Line: The Signal-Man” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Charles Dickens
  • Wilkie Collins
  • Edgar Allan Poe
  • H.P. Lovecraft

Correct Answer: Charles Dickens

Correct Answer Explanation: “No. 1 Branch Line: The Signal-Man” is another story by Charles Dickens, known for its haunting and atmospheric depiction of a solitary railway worker’s experience.

What is the name of the figure that the Signal-Man repeatedly sees at the Danger-light?

  • A hooded figure
  • A shadowy form
  • A spectral woman
  • The ghost of a former signalman

Correct Answer: A shadowy form

Correct Answer Explanation: The Signal-Man describes the figure as a shadowy form, adding to the mystery and fear surrounding his experience.

Which classic author wrote the story “The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Edgar Allan Poe
  • H.P. Lovecraft
  • Mary Shelley
  • Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Correct Answer: Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Correct Answer Explanation: “The Haunted and the Haunters” is a gothic and psychological exploration of haunting by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, known for his vivid descriptions and suspenseful narratives.

What is the name of the protagonist in the story “The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain”?

  • The Signal-Man
  • John
  • The narrator
  • Mr. Pinto

Correct Answer: The narrator

Correct Answer Explanation: The story is told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, who rents the haunted house and experiences the supernatural events firsthand.

Which classic author wrote the story “The Incantation” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Wilkie Collins
  • William Makepeace Thackeray
  • Thomas De Quincey
  • Arthur Conan Doyle

Correct Answer: Thomas De Quincey

Correct Answer Explanation: “The Incantation” is a story by Thomas De Quincey, known for his use of vivid imagery and his exploration of the supernatural and the human desire for immortality.

Where is the protagonist Margrave in “The Incantation” seeking a magical elixir of life?

  • Australia
  • England
  • India
  • Egypt

Correct Answer: Australia

Correct Answer Explanation: De Quincey uses the setting of Australia to create a sense of vastness and isolation, heightening the protagonist’s pursuit of the magical elixir of life.

Which classic author wrote the story “The Avenger” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Edgar Allan Poe
  • Charles Dickens
  • Wilkie Collins
  • Mary Shelley

Correct Answer: Wilkie Collins

Correct Answer Explanation: “The Avenger” is a story by Wilkie Collins, known for his intricate plots and his exploration of themes of revenge and justice.

What is the name of the protagonist in the story “The Avenger”?

  • Margrave
  • Maximilian Wyndham
  • Melmoth
  • The narrator

Correct Answer: Maximilian Wyndham

Correct Answer Explanation: The protagonist, Maximilian Wyndham, is driven by a desire for revenge against those who wronged his family.

Which classic author wrote the story “Melmoth the Wanderer” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Charles Dickens
  • William Makepeace Thackeray
  • Mary Shelley
  • H.P. Lovecraft

Correct Answer: Charles Dickens

Correct Answer Explanation: “Melmoth the Wanderer” is a story by Charles Dickens, known for its gothic and supernatural themes, exploring the concept of a cursed wanderer seeking redemption.

What is the name of the cursed wanderer in the story “Melmoth the Wanderer”?

  • Margrave
  • Maximilian Wyndham
  • Melmoth
  • The narrator

Correct Answer: Melmoth

Correct Answer Explanation: The cursed wanderer Melmoth is a central figure in the story, seeking to exchange places with a desperate soul to break his curse.

Which classic author wrote the story “A Mystery with a Moral” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • William Makepeace Thackeray
  • Charles Dickens
  • Wilkie Collins
  • Edgar Allan Poe

Correct Answer: William Makepeace Thackeray

Correct Answer Explanation: “A Mystery with a Moral” is a humorous story by William Makepeace Thackeray, known for his satirical wit and social commentary.

What is the name of the protagonist in the story “A Mystery with a Moral”?

  • Parson Yorick
  • John
  • The narrator
  • Mr. Pinto

Correct Answer: Parson Yorick

Correct Answer Explanation: The protagonist, Parson Yorick, learns a lesson in self-promotion and the power of social manipulation through his encounter with a skilled beggar in Paris.

Which classic author wrote the story “On Being Found Out” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • William Makepeace Thackeray
  • Charles Dickens
  • Wilkie Collins
  • Edgar Allan Poe

Correct Answer: William Makepeace Thackeray

Correct Answer Explanation: “On Being Found Out” is a satirical story by William Makepeace Thackeray, exploring the universal fear of being discovered for our flaws and imperfections.

What is the universal fear that Thackeray explores in the story “On Being Found Out”?

  • The fear of death
  • The fear of failure
  • The fear of being found out
  • The fear of the unknown

Correct Answer: The fear of being found out

Correct Answer Explanation: Thackeray uses a range of examples, from schoolboys to clergymen to politicians, to demonstrate the pervasive nature of this fear of being discovered for our faults and imperfections.

Which classic author wrote the story “The Notch on the Ax” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • William Makepeace Thackeray
  • Charles Dickens
  • Wilkie Collins
  • Edgar Allan Poe

Correct Answer: William Makepeace Thackeray

Correct Answer Explanation: “The Notch on the Ax” is a satirical story by William Makepeace Thackeray, parodying the genre of sensational novels.

What is the name of the mysterious character who claims to have lived for centuries in “The Notch on the Ax”?

  • Melmoth
  • Mr. Pinto
  • Margrave
  • The narrator

Correct Answer: Mr. Pinto

Correct Answer Explanation: Mr. Pinto is a mysterious character who claims to have witnessed a variety of historical events, adding to the satirical and fantastical nature of the story.

Which classic author wrote the story “Bourgonef” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Wilkie Collins
  • Charles Dickens
  • William Makepeace Thackeray
  • H.P. Lovecraft

Correct Answer: Wilkie Collins

Correct Answer Explanation: “Bourgonef” is a story by Wilkie Collins, known for his intricate plots and his exploration of themes of revenge and justice.

What is the name of the protagonist in the story “Bourgonef”?

  • Melmoth
  • Mr. Pinto
  • Bourgonef
  • The narrator

Correct Answer: Bourgonef

Correct Answer Explanation: Bourgonef is a mysterious and enigmatic figure with a hidden past, whose actions are driven by revenge and a desire to punish those who wronged him.

Which classic author wrote the story “The Closed Cabinet” in the “The Lock and Key Library: Classic Mystery and Detective Stories” ebook?

  • Wilkie Collins
  • Charles Dickens
  • William Makepeace Thackeray
  • Edgar Allan Poe

Correct Answer: Wilkie Collins

Correct Answer Explanation: “The Closed Cabinet” is a story by Wilkie Collins, known for his intricate plots and his exploration of themes of family secrets and the enduring legacy of sin and redemption.

What is the name of the protagonist in the story “The Closed Cabinet”?

  • Evie
  • Bourgonef
  • Margrave
  • The narrator

Correct Answer: Evie

Correct Answer Explanation: Evie is drawn into the Mervyn family’s secret and discovers a hidden dagger, becoming entangled in a curse that haunts the family for generations.

How many tall poplars are in front of the house in “The Haunted House”?

  • Four
  • Six
  • Eight
  • Ten

Correct Answer: Six

Correct Answer Explanation: Dickens provides specific details about the house and its surroundings, including the six tall poplars in front, giving a sense of its grandeur and isolation.

What is the length of the tunnel that the Signal-Man watches in “No. 1 Branch Line: The Signal-Man”?

  • One hundred yards
  • Two hundred yards
  • Three hundred yards
  • Five hundred yards

Correct Answer: Five hundred yards

Correct Answer Explanation: The tunnel is described as being five hundred yards long, highlighting the isolation and sense of solitude that the Signal-Man experiences.

How many weeks does the narrator’s servant in “The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain” get paid for opening and shutting the windows?

  • One
  • Two
  • Three
  • Four

Correct Answer: One

Correct Answer Explanation: The narrator’s servant is offered one pound a week to open and shut the windows, emphasizing the eerie and unsettling atmosphere of the haunted house.

How many miles wide is the fire that engulfs the land in “The Incantation”?

  • One
  • Two
  • Three
  • Several

Correct Answer: Several

Correct Answer Explanation: De Quincey uses the imagery of a vast fire to symbolize the destructive power of nature and the forces that oppose the protagonist’s quest for immortality.

How many guineas does Maximilian Wyndham pay for his year of studies in “The Avenger”?

  • Two hundred
  • Three hundred
  • Five hundred
  • One thousand

Correct Answer: One thousand

Correct Answer Explanation: Maximilian’s wealth is emphasized through the detail of him paying one thousand guineas for his studies, highlighting the privilege and resources that he possesses.

How many guineas does Maximilian contribute to local charities in “The Avenger”?

  • One hundred
  • Two hundred
  • Three hundred
  • Four hundred

Correct Answer: Three hundred

Correct Answer Explanation: Maximilian’s generosity is highlighted through the detail of him contributing three hundred guineas to local charities, contrasting with his vengeful pursuit of justice.

How many years does Melmoth’s nephew John receive a large inheritance after his uncle’s death in “Melmoth the Wanderer”?

  • One
  • Two
  • Three
  • Four

Correct Answer: Two

Correct Answer Explanation: The details surrounding Melmoth’s inheritance are significant because they emphasize the consequences of his cursed existence.

How many sous does the beggar in “A Mystery with a Moral” ask for from the two ladies?

  • Six
  • Twelve
  • Eighteen
  • Twenty-four

Correct Answer: Twelve

Correct Answer Explanation: The beggar’s request for a twelve-sous piece highlights the social hierarchy of Parisian society, as he targets wealthy ladies with a specific amount.

How many people at once does the author estimate the Countess Rachel Sidonia managed in “On Being Found Out”?

  • Hundreds of thousands
  • Millions
  • Tens of millions
  • Hundreds of millions

Correct Answer: Hundreds of thousands – why not say a million of people at once?

Correct Answer Explanation: The author’s exaggerated claim of managing hundreds of thousands or even millions of people adds to the satirical and humorous tone of the story.

How many feet high is the guillotine in Gale’s shop in “The Notch on the Ax”?

  • Six
  • Seven
  • Eight
  • Nine

Correct Answer: Nine

Correct Answer Explanation: The detailed description of the guillotine’s height adds to the macabre and satirical nature of the story, emphasizing the connection between historical events and the fictional world.

How many livres of rentes does the Marquis de Bechamel have in Picardy in “Bourgonef”?

  • Two hundred thousand
  • Three hundred thousand
  • Four hundred thousand
  • Five hundred thousand

Correct Answer: Five hundred thousand

Correct Answer Explanation: The detail of the Marquis de Bechamel’s vast wealth emphasizes the social and economic inequalities of the time period, setting the stage for the story’s themes of revenge and justice.

How many brass handles, or buttons, are on the Mervyn cabinet in “The Closed Cabinet”?

  • Five
  • Six
  • Seven
  • Eight

Correct Answer: Seven

Correct Answer Explanation: The Mervyn cabinet’s seven handles become a symbol of the family’s secrets and the curse that plagues them, as it remains unopened for generations.

How many years ago did the two girls die in the East Room in “The Closed Cabinet”?

  • One hundred
  • One hundred and fifty
  • Two hundred
  • Two hundred and fifty

Correct Answer: One hundred and fifty

Correct Answer Explanation: The specific timeline of the two girls’ deaths emphasizes the long-lasting nature of the Mervyn curse and the tragic history that haunts the family.

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Jessmyn Solana

Jessmyn Solana is the Digital Marketing Manager of Interact, a place for creating beautiful and engaging quizzes that generate email leads. She is a marketing enthusiast and storyteller. Outside of Interact Jessmyn loves exploring new places, eating all the local foods, and spending time with her favorite people (especially her dog).

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