Summers at the Saint Quiz
Test your understanding of Mary Kay Andrews' gripping novel Summers at the Saint. This 20-question quiz covers plot details, character motivations, themes, symbols, and synthesis questions that connect the full story. Each question is based on the book's outline and key evidence. After completing the quiz, check the answer key to see how you did.
For more resources, explore the book overview, questions and answers, or the ending explained.
Questions
Plot and Sequence (8 questions)
1. What triggers Traci Eddings' staffing crisis at the Saint? A. A hurricane causes massive damage B. Two key employees, Mehdi and Sam, quit for a rival resort C. The state health department shuts down the restaurant D. Ric Eddings fires half the staff
2. In what order do these events occur in the story?
- Parrish Eddings is found dead behind the Shack
- The staff dormitory is renovated and five new employees move in
- Garrett and KJ set fire to the dorm
- Traci and Whelan discover the truth about Hudson's drowning A. 2, 1, 3, 4 B. 1, 3, 2, 4 C. 3, 1, 4, 2 D. 4, 2, 1, 3
3. What actually killed Hudson, the eight-year-old boy at the pool in 2002? A. Drowning after a false alarm B. Anaphylactic shock from peanut M&Ms given by Ric Eddings C. Heat stroke D. A fall from the diving board
4. Who are the first five residents of the new staff dormitory? A. Parrish, Livvy, Felice, Garrett, and KJ B. Parrish, Shannon, Traci, Felice, and Garrett C. Livvy, Felice, Garrett, KJ, and Charlie D. Traci, Shannon, Livvy, Felice, and KJ
5. What does Parrish call her secret notebook that she uses to record guest complaints and observations? A. The black book B. The little blue bitch book C. The complaint log D. The guest journal
6. Who is ultimately revealed to be the mastermind behind Parrish's murder? A. Charlie Burroughs B. Garrett Wycoff C. Madelyn Eddings D. KJ Parkhurst
7. How does Felice survive the dorm fire when she and Livvy are drugged? A. She escapes through a window and then re-enters to drag Livvy out B. She hides in the bathroom until firefighters arrive C. She uses a fire extinguisher to put out the flames D. She was not drugged because she spilled her kombucha
8. Where and how does Fred Eddings die? A. In a hospital after a stroke B. Peacefully in his cottage with Traci and Alberta present C. In a car accident while fleeing the resort D. Murdered by his son Ric
Character Motivation (5 questions)
9. Why does Shannon Grayson absolutely forbid her daughter Livvy from working at the Saint? A. She thinks the pay is too low B. She knows the Saint is about to go bankrupt C. She was raped by Fred Eddings at the Saint and wants to protect Livvy from that world D. She wants Livvy to go to college instead
10. What motivates Traci to offer Livvy the guest relations position after Parrish's death? A. Traci feels guilty about the past with Shannon and sees Livvy's potential B. Livvy blackmails Traci C. No one else applies for the job D. Traci wants to annoy Ric
11. Why does Ric Eddings force Traci to hire KJ Parkhurst? A. KJ is a talented golfer B. To retaliate against Traci for hiring Parrish and to assert control C. Ric owes Spencer Parkhurst a favor D. KJ threatens to expose a family secret
12. What drives Felice Bonpierre to accept the chef position at the Saint? A. She loves the beach B. She needs on-site housing and a steady income after being betrayed by her boyfriend C. She wants to work for Traci specifically D. She has no other options
13. Why does Parrish agree to postpone her Europe trip and work the summer at the Saint? A. Her father forces her B. She needs money for tuition C. Traci convinces her by offering better pay and promising to confront Ric about his behavior D. She wants to spy on her father
Theme and Symbol (4 questions)
14. What does the distinction between "Saints" and "Ain'ts" in the prologue represent? A. Religious affiliation B. The social class divide between wealthy resort guests and working-class locals C. Good vs. evil characters D. Age groups
15. What does the causeway symbolize in the novel? A. The physical bridge connecting two islands B. The barrier between the working-class town of Bonaventure and the exclusive Saint resort C. The path to success D. A route for escape
16. Which theme is most clearly explored through the use of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in the story? A. The importance of contracts B. The power of secrets and the silencing of victims C. The legal system D. Wealth accumulation
17. What does Parrish's "little blue bitch book" symbolize in the narrative? A. The power of record-keeping and uncovering hidden truths B. A diary of personal feelings C. A list of enemies D. A guest satisfaction survey
Synthesis (3 questions)
18. Compare the character arcs of Traci and Shannon. What event originally broke their friendship, and how do they eventually reconcile? A. They fell out over a boy; they reconcile when Shannon needs a job B. Shannon was fired after Hudson's drowning while Traci was not; they reconcile after Shannon reveals Fred's assault and they work together to solve Parrish's murder C. They disagreed about politics; they reconcile at a funeral D. Traci married Shannon's ex; they reconcile when Livvy gets promoted
19. How does the author use the setting of the Saint resort to comment on class mobility? Provide one example from the story. Short answer: The novel shows that class mobility is possible but difficult. For example, Traci starts as an "Ain't" worker and eventually becomes the owner, yet she still faces resistance from the Eddings family and the social hierarchy. The staff dorm experiment also mixes social classes, revealing tensions.
20. What is the relationship between accidental death and murder in the plot? How does Hudson's death connect to Parrish's death? A. Both are accidental B. Hudson's death is accidental (allergic reaction) but covered up as drowning; Parrish's death is murder (fentanyl overdose mistaken identity), and both drive the investigation that uncovers family secrets C. Both are murders D. They are unrelated incidents
Answer Key
1. B. Mehdi and Sam quit for a rival resort, creating a staffing emergency that Traci must solve (Ch. 1–2).
2. A. The dorm renovation brings the staff together (Ch. 16), then Parrish is killed (Ch. 30), the dorm fire occurs (Ch. 63), and finally the truth about Hudson emerges (Ch. 52).
3. B. Whelan's investigation reveals that Ric gave Hudson peanut M&Ms, causing anaphylaxis, not drowning (Ch. 52).
4. A. The five are Parrish, Livvy, Felice, Garrett, and KJ (Ch. 16). Shannon and Charlie are not residents.
5. B. Parrish calls her notebook the "little blue bitch book" (Ch. 36). It contains detailed notes on guest issues.
6. C. Madelyn orchestrated the murder to eliminate Livvy as an heir, using Garrett and Charlie as accomplices (Ch. 72).
7. A. Felice breaks a window to escape, then re-enters to pull Livvy out (Ch. 63–64). Spilled kombucha limited her drug intake.
8. B. Fred dies peacefully in his cottage with Traci and caregiver Alberta present; Traci plays Sinatra for comfort (Ch. 46).
9. C. Shannon was raped by Fred Eddings, which led to Livvy's birth, and she fears the Saint's toxic environment (Ch. 59).
10. A. Traci sees Livvy's competence and feels guilt over the past with Shannon, so she promotes her (Ch. 34–35).
11. B. Ric forces KJ on Traci as retaliation for her hiring Parrish and to undermine her authority (Ch. 9).
12. B. After her boyfriend Deion abandons her with no money and no home, Felice needs the on-site housing and salary (Ch. 10).
13. C. Traci offers better pay and agrees to confront Ric, which persuades Parrish to put off Europe (Ch. 2).
14. B. The terms divide the wealthy "Saints" (guests) from the working-class "Ain'ts" (employees), reflecting the social hierarchy (Prologue).
15. B. The causeway physically separates Bonaventure from the Saint, symbolizing the class barrier (Prologue).
16. B. NDAs are used to hide the rape of Shannon, the paternity of Livvy, and the covered-up drowning, silencing victims (Ch. 59, 72).
17. A. The notebook empowers Livvy and Felice to uncover theft and corruption, symbolizing hidden truth (Ch. 54, 69).
18. B. Shannon was scapegoated for Hudson's drowning while Traci was protected; they reconcile when Shannon reveals the assault and they join forces to find justice (Ch. 59, 62).
19. Example answer: Traci rising from lifeguard to owner shows upward mobility, but the novel highlights ongoing class tensions, as seen in the staff dorm where privileged KJ and local Livvy clash (Ch. 7, 16).
20. B. Hudson's accidental death is covered up as drowning by the Eddings family; Parrish's murder is a case of mistaken identity—Madelyn intended to kill Livvy, the new heir. Both deaths set off investigations that ultimately expose the family's secrets (Ch. 52, 70).