The Connellys of County Down Quiz: 20 Questions Across Plot, Characters, and Themes
Test your knowledge of Tracey Lange's The Connellys of County Down with this 20-question quiz. Questions span the full arc of the novel, from Tara's release from prison to the family's reckoning with secrets. Each question is grounded in the story's events and themes. The complete answer key with explanations appears at the end. For more context, review the book overview, questions and answers, or the ending explained. Good luck!
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Plot & Sequence (8 Questions)
1. What happens to Tara on her release day at Taconic Correctional Facility?
A. She is released without incident and rides home with her sister.
B. She is called back by the warden's office and then handcuffed when she tries to flee.
C. She is denied release because of a parole violation.
D. She is given a ride home by a guard.
2. Who drives Tara home from prison after her release?
(Short answer)
3. Why does Geraldine fail to pick up Tara from prison?
A. She forgets the date.
B. She is stuck at work finishing quarterly tax payments.
C. She is afraid of the prison.
D. She is shopping for a welcome-home cake.
4. Who does Tara discover has been depositing money into her prison account each month?
A. Her father, Bobby Connelly
B. Her brother, Eddie
C. Detective Brian Nolan
D. Roland Shea
5. What does Eddie confess to Brian about Tara's imprisonment?
(Short answer)
6. What leads to Geraldine's confession about the missing payroll money?
A. Mr. Bertucci discovers the money is missing and calls the police.
B. Tara confronts her directly.
C. Eddie finds the bank statements.
D. Judy the therapist forces her to admit it.
7. What happens when Tara tries to flee after learning Geraldine hid the money?
A. She makes it to her father's apartment and stays there.
B. She is arrested by Detective Hank Doyle on a warrant.
C. She turns herself in at the police station.
D. She is stopped by Brian Nolan and talks him out of arresting her.
8. What is the outcome of Geraldine's confession to Mr. Bertucci?
A. He presses charges and she goes to prison.
B. He forgives her and lets her keep her job.
C. He withdraws his complaint and agrees to help her avoid charges.
D. He fires her but does not involve the police.
Character Motivation (5 Questions)
9. Why does Brian Nolan send money to Tara's prison account?
A. He is trying to win her affection.
B. He feels guilty about her arrest and wants to atone.
C. He is investigating her and wants to gain her trust.
D. He is repaying a debt from their past.
10. Why does Tara refuse to testify against Roland Shea, leading to her imprisonment?
(Short answer)
11. What motivates Geraldine's hoarding behavior?
A. A desire to resell items for profit.
B. A need for control and a way to cope with anxiety and loss.
C. A habit inherited from her mother.
D. A fear of being robbed.
12. Why does Eddie rarely visit Tara in prison?
A. He is too busy with work and Conor.
B. He suffers from seizures and migraines and finds it emotionally overwhelming.
C. He is angry at Tara for going to prison.
D. He is afraid of the prison environment.
13. What convinces Tara not to run away after visiting her father?
A. He gives her money and tells her to leave.
B. He reminds her of the family fairy tale and her role as the one who knows the way.
C. She realizes she has no place to go.
D. She gets a call from Brian asking her to come back.
Themes & Symbols (4 Questions)
14. What does the fairy tale “The Connellys of County Down” symbolize in the novel?
A. The family's Irish heritage and their desire to return to Ireland.
B. The siblings' distinct roles and their need to rely on one another.
C. The power of imagination to escape reality.
D. The mother's illness and her wish for her children to be strong.
15. What does the ankle monitor Tara wears at the end of the novel symbolize?
(Short answer)
16. When Conor accidentally breaks one of Geraldine's figurines, Tara knocks over another to make an even number. What does this moment reveal about Geraldine?
A. She is superstitious about odd numbers.
B. She values order and control, and her reaction shows her rigidity.
C. She is careless with her possessions.
D. She is trying to teach Conor a lesson.
17. What does the old photograph of Tara, Geraldine, and Eddie that their father carries represent?
A. A reminder of their mother's death.
B. The family's bond and the fairy tale's promise of mutual salvation.
C. A symbol of their poverty.
D. A keepsake from their first day of school.
Synthesis (3 Questions)
18. How does the novel explore the theme of sacrifice? Provide two examples from the story.
(Short answer)
19. Compare the roles of Brian Nolan and Hank Doyle in the story. How do their approaches to law enforcement and personal relationships differ?
(Short answer)
20. The novel opens with an epigraph from G. K. Chesterton about fairy tales giving children the idea that a dragon can be defeated. How does this epigraph frame the overall story of the Connellys?
A. It suggests that the family's problems are like fairy-tale monsters that can be overcome with courage and unity.
B. It implies that the characters are living in a fantasy world.
C. It foreshadows that Roland Shea will be defeated by the police.
D. It emphasizes the importance of believing in magic.
Answer Key
1. B. In Chapter One, Tara is about to sign release papers when the warden's office requests to speak with her. She panics and bolts, but guard Morelli intercepts and handcuffs her.
2. Brian Nolan. Detective Brian Nolan arrives at the prison to apologize and offers Tara a ride home after she is detained.
3. B. Geraldine stays at her payroll office past noon to work on quarterly tax payments, assuming the prison would provide transport.
4. C. Jeannie discovers from commissary records that Brian Nolan made the monthly deposits, not Tara's family or Roland.
**5. Eddie confesses that he was the one working for Roland Shea, and Tara took the fall to protect him and keep him with Conor.
6. A. Mr. Bertucci discovers roughly ten thousand dollars missing from the account and calls the police, leading to an investigation.
7. B. Hank Doyle pulls Tara over and arrests her on a warrant for questioning about the missing money.
8. C. Mr. Bertucci, though hurt, believes Geraldine didn't intend to steal, withdraws his complaint, and agrees to accompany her to the police station to help prevent charges.
9. B. Brian sends money out of guilt over Tara's arrest, as he later explains to Doreen DaCosta and to Tara herself.
**10. Tara refuses to testify because Eddie was the actual drug trafficker; she took the blame to protect him and keep him with Conor.
11. B. Geraldine's hoarding is a coping mechanism tied to her need for control and her fear of loss, as revealed in therapy and her backstory.
12. B. Eddie explains that his seizures and health struggles made visiting too hard, and he admits it was emotionally overwhelming.
13. B. Her father recounts the fairy tale, reminding her that she is the one with the internal compass and that she needs her siblings to get through the forest. This convinces her to return and face the consequences.
14. B. The fairy tale assigns each sibling a special power—Geraldine the protector, Eddie the heart, Tara the true north—and emphasizes that they must save each other.
15. The ankle monitor symbolizes Tara's parole supervision, the loss of freedom, and the possibility of a second chance. It also represents the ongoing consequences of her past decisions.
16. B. Geraldine's extreme reaction to the broken figurine shows her need for order and control; Tara's act of breaking another to make an even number highlights Geraldine's rigidity and her attachment to rules.
17. B. The photograph, which their father has carried since before their mother died, connects to the fairy tale and represents the siblings' bond and their mutual reliance.
18. Examples include: Tara takes the fall for Eddie's drug involvement and goes to prison to protect him; Geraldine sacrifices her childhood to raise her siblings and later hides money to protect Tara; Eddie confesses the truth to Brian to clear Tara's name.
19. Brian is more empathetic and personally involved, willing to cross professional lines to help Tara and understand her family. Hank is rigid, rule-bound, and suspicious, often acting without compassion. Brian's guilt and personal history make him more sympathetic, while Hank's adherence to procedure leads to Tara's arrest.
20. A. The epigraph frames the novel's central idea that the characters face real dangers (like Roland, addiction, and family secrets) but can overcome them through courage, unity, and the support of one another—much like the fairy-tale heroes who defeat dragons.