The Skeleton Gives a Test

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News: Robeader is the randomly selected winner of Marni Graff’s book! Please contact Marni at bluevirgin.graff@gmail.com.

I am happy to welcome back Leigh Perry aka Toni L.P. Kelner. She is giving away a copy of The Skeleton Paints a Picture to one of our commenters! See details below!

By Leigh Perry

It’s been many moons since I attended school, but with the October 10 release of The Skeleton Paints a Picture, I’ve been living in the head of a fictional academic for a number of years. It’s the fourth in my Family Skeleton series featuring adjunct English professor Georgia Thackery and her best friend, an ambulatory skeleton named Sid. Sid walks, he talks, and he tells bone jokes.

This latest adventure is set at an art school, which is a different kind of setting for Georgia and Sid, but it’s still academia, and I guess it’s finally rubbed in. I’m in the mood to toss a pop quiz in your direction. And naturally, I have bones on the brain!

So take a crack—not a bone crack, mind you—at these. Post your answers down below, and on Oct. 24, I’ll figure out who has the most answers write and send that person a signed copy or The Skeleton Paints a Picture. (Or an electronic edition or Audible download, if you prefer.) In case of a tie, I’ll draw a name from the contenders!

  1. Which character on the original series Star Trek went by the nickname, “Bones?”
  2. From what were dice originally made?
  3. The TV show Bones was based on the life and works of what forensic anthropologist and author?
  4. The Skull and Bones is a secret society at what Ivy League school?
  5. What is the longest bone in the human body?
  6. What are the three bones in the human ear?
  7. What is produced by the marrow in bones?
  8. Does the average woman have one more rib bone then a man?
  9. Who wrote and illustrated the epic comic book Bone?
  10. The appearance of sea dog Billy Bones begins what classic book?
  11. Are human bones considered an organ?
  12. An adult human has approximately how many bones in their bodies?  206; 228; or 270?
  13. What bone makes the kneecap?
  14. The tomb of what literary giant is inscribed, “Cursed be he that moves my bones?”
  15. What royal bones were found under a parking lot in England?
  16. What is the bone at the very bottom of the spine?
  17. What adversary did the British derisively refer to as “Old Boney?”
  18. Which Shakespearean character’s speech included the line, “The evil men do lives after them. The good is oft interred with their bones?”
  19. Do giraffes have fewer, the same number, or more vertebrae in their neck than humans?
  20. Put on display for much of his early life, and then living in London Hospital, Joseph Merrick suffered from a variety of skin and bone abnormalities and is known to popular culture by what name?

Note: These questions were provided by the incredibly erudite pair of trivia mavens Merely Players, who provide trivia quizzes and character appearances at venues throughout the Charlotte, NC area. They are available for birthday parties, corporate events, and educational presentations. (And are some of the smartest people you will ever meet.) You can find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/wearemerelyplayers/

Leigh Perry writes the Family Skeleton mysteries featuring adjunct English professor Georgia Thackery and her best friend, an ambulatory skeleton named Sid. The Skeleton Paints a Picture is the fourth, and most recent. As Toni L.P. Kelner, she’s the co-editor of paranormal fiction anthologies with Charlaine Harris; the author of eleven mystery novels; and an Agatha Award winner and multiple award nominee for short fiction. No matter what you call her, she lives north of Boston with her husband, two daughters, one guinea pig, and an every-increasing number of books.

Published by Sherry Harris

Sherry Harris is the author of the Agatha Award nominated Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series and the Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Mystery series.

24 Thoughts

  1. 1) Dr. McCoy 2) knucklebones 3) Kathy Reichs 4) Yale 5) femur 6) ossicles – hammer, anvil, stirrup 7) red blood cells 8) myth based on Genesis Adam and Eve story 9) Jeff Smith 10) Treasure Island 11) yes 12) 206 13) patella 14) Shakespeare 15) Richard III
    16) coccyx 17) Napoleon Bonaparte 18) same number 20) The Elephant Man

    1. Correction 18) Marc Antony 19) same number 20) The Elephant Man
      Loved this! Thanks.

  2. 1. Dr. Leonard McCoy
    2. Beef knuckle bones
    3. Don’t watch TV, so clueless
    4. Yale
    5. femur
    6. hammer, anvil, stirrup
    7. red blood cells
    8. no
    9. no idea
    10. no idea
    11. skeleton could be considered an organ, but not disjointed bone(s)
    12. 206
    13. patella
    14. no idea
    15.Richard III
    16. coccyx
    17. Napoleon
    18. Hamlet
    19. same
    20. Elephant Man

  3. Oh, Leigh Perry (no relation) I am so glad to see that Sid is back! Love him. Love his family! Ordering The Skeleton Paints a Picture now!
    Carol J. Perry

  4. I promise I didn’t look at anyone else’s (or at Google…)! Fun quiz, and welcome to the blog, Toni/Leigh. Best of luck with the new book.
    1 No idea
    2 Bones?
    3 No idea
    4 Yale
    5 Femur
    6 Stapes, malleus, and ossi-something
    7. Red blood cells
    8 No
    9 No idea
    10 No idea
    11 yes
    12 228
    13 patella (I should know this, I have two artificial knees!)
    14 No idea
    15. King John
    16 (I KNOW this but it’s not coming to mind)
    17 No idea
    18 No idea
    19 More
    20 No idea

  5. What a great quiz! And what a great series of books! Congratulations. I have to read this!

  6. I only know about half the answers without having a cup of bone broth to help my brain, BUT I am soooooooooooo very happy that there is a 4th Sid book!!!!! Happy clacking down the hall. 🙂

  7. Congrats on the book, Leigh.

    1. Dr. McCoy
    2. Bone
    3. Kathy Reichs
    4. Yale
    5. Femur
    6. hammer, anvil, stirrup (having just had my hearing tested, this I know)
    7. Red blood cells
    8. No
    9. ???
    10. Treasure Island
    11. Yes
    12. 270
    13. Patella
    14. ???
    15. Richard III
    16. Coccyx
    17. Napoleon Bonaparte
    18. Marc Antony
    19. The same
    20. The Elephant Man

  10. A librarian, retired or not, cannot refuse to find the answers to such a well written quiz…so:
    1. Dr. McCoy (Thanks go to my children and husband who are Star Trek fans for having me watch all the shows.)
    2. Bone is one answer, but I have also read and heard that Ivory is another….which came first?
    3. Kathy Reichs ( Bones is a show our eldest son watches and has talked about…luckily.)
    4. Yale (I remember this from information about past presidents.)
    5. femur (Made me think of the song, “The thigh bones connected to the….)
    6. Malleus, incur and stapes (I had to look up the spelling.)
    7. new blood cells (My SIL is a nurse and I pick up stuff from her.)
    8. Yes
    9. Jeff Smith (Now we have lots of graphic novelists competing for readers.)
    10. Treasure Island (A difficult book to read aloud I found when trying to read it to our son.)
    11. Yes
    12. 206
    13 Patella (Again, had to look up the spelling…I am known for being a notoriously bad speller.)
    14. Shakespeare
    15. Richard III (Read about this not too long ago.)
    16. Tail bone (And, if you ever hurt it, the pain is awful!)
    17. Napoleon Bonapart
    18. Marc Anthony
    19. Same and isn’t that amazing! (We just visited a wildlife park and they ate out of our hands.)
    20 Elephant Man

    FUN! Thanks!

  11. I hate pop quizzes!

    But I do love Sid and this series. Since I’ve read the book, I’ll let others answer.

  12. Great quiz —
    1) Dr. McCoy
    2) bone
    3) Kathy Reichs
    4) Yale?
    5) femur
    6) hammer, anvil & stirrup
    7) white blood cells?
    8) Yes
    9) ?
    10) ?
    11) No
    12) 270 (most in the foot?)
    13) patella
    14) Richard III
    15) ?
    16) tail bone (coccyx?)
    17) Napoleon
    18) ?
    19) more
    20) the Elephant Man

    1. (I know I didn’t get enough answers right, but I enjoyed the quiz — it was fun! I look forward to reading The Skeleton Paints a Picture and love the cover ~)

  13. 1. Leonard McCoy
    2. Originally made from bone and ivory.
    3. Kathy Reichs
    4. Yale
    5. Femur
    6. Hammer, anvil and stapes
    7. Blood cells
    8. No
    9. Jeff Smith
    10. Treasure Island
    11. No
    12. 206
    13. Patella
    14. Shakespeare’s tomb
    15. King Richard III
    16. Coccyx
    17. Napoleon Bonaparte
    18. Julius Caesar
    19. Giraffe has seven more vertebrae
    20. The Elephant Man

  15. 1)Dr. James McCoy.
    2)Finger bones.
    3)Temperance Brennan
    4)Yale
    5)Femur
    6)Hammer, stirrup and anvil
    7)White blood cells
    8)No
    9)Jeff Smith
    10)Treasure Island
    11)No
    12)270
    13)Patella
    14)Shakespeare
    15)Richard III
    16)Pelvis
    17)Napoleon
    18)Marcus Antony
    19)Same
    20)Elephant Man

  16. I hate quizzes as i had a horrible boss that gave us personality quizzes every week then insulted our personalities in front of everyone but I adore Sid as one of my all time favorite cozies and I am so glad you two are back !!!

  17. Okay, contest is officially ended! I’m about to go through the entries and see who got the most answers correct. In the event of a tie, I’ll draw a name from a skull!

  18. And the answers are:

    1. Dr. Leonard McCoy (I also accepted Dr. McCoy, but Dr. James McCoy is right out!)

    2. Sheep knucklebones, specifically the talus. (I accepted any kind of bone and ivory.)

    3. Kathy Reichs

    4. Yale

    5. Femur

    6. Hammer, anvil, stirrup (I accepted the more technical names, too.)

    7. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets (I accepted any variant of this.)

    8. No (In fact, at your average rib joint, guys often order more ribs than gals.)

    9. Jeff Smith

    10. TREASURE ISLAND (I’m a particular fan of the Muppet movie version, with Billy Connolly as Billy Bones.)

    11. Yes (I give kudos to the one who pointed out no one bone is an organ, but the skeleton as a whole is.)

    12. 206 (Coincidentally, that’s how many skeletons I have in my house.)

    13. Patella

    14. William Shakespeare (I did not accept Francis Bacon for this one.)

    15.Richard III (I think they found another set of royal bones under a different car park, so I guess this is what all the cool monarchs are doing these days.)

    16.coccyx
    17. Napoleon
    18. Hamlet
    19. same
    20. Elephant Man

  19. Dang it, that last one sent before I was done. Trying again!

    Toni Kelner on October 24, 2017 at 3:07 pm said:
    And the answers are:

    1. Dr. Leonard McCoy (I also accepted Dr. McCoy, but Dr. James McCoy is right out!)

    2. Sheep knucklebones, specifically the talus. (I accepted any kind of bone and ivory.)

    3. Kathy Reichs

    4. Yale

    5. Femur

    6. Hammer, anvil, stirrup (I accepted the more technical names, too.)

    7. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets (I accepted any variant of this.)

    8. No (In fact, at your average rib joint, guys often order more ribs than gals.)

    9. Jeff Smith

    10. TREASURE ISLAND (I’m a particular fan of the Muppet movie version, with Billy Connolly as Billy Bones.)

    11. Yes (I give kudos to the one who pointed out no one bone is an organ, but the skeleton as a whole is.)

    12. 206 (Coincidentally, that’s how many skeletons I have in my house.)

    13. Patella

    14. William Shakespeare (I did not accept Francis Bacon for this one.)

    15. Richard III (I think they found another set of royal bones under a different car park, so I guess this is what all the cool monarchs are doing these days.)

    16. Coccyx (Tailbone is okay, too. I broke mine once. Ow. No cast was required.)

    17. Napoleon (Bone – a – part! Har!)

    18. Marc Anthony (No, not the guy married to J. Lo.)

    19. Same (But I would not recommend trading vertebrae with a giraffe–theirs are bigger.)

    20. The Elephant Man

  20. And our winner is Ida Umphers! Ida, if you’ll email your address to leighperry@mindspring.com, I will send your signed copy of THE SKELETON PAINTS A HOUSE. (If you would prefer an ebook version or an Audible audio download, I’ll send that instead. But I can’t sign either of those.)

    Thanks to everybody who played! If you want to send your address to leighperry@mindspring.com, I’ll send you a consolation prize: a microfiber wipe imprinted with a picture of Sid with a paint can on his head.

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