Worksheet
Answer Key
The University Murders Richard MacAndrew
Summary
This murder story is set in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Inspector Jenny Logan listens to Billy Marr’s
confession of murder; she doesn’t believe him as Marr
is a sad, hopeless character and constantly wastes
police time. But a body matching the description
given by Marr is found on Calton Hill. Logan and her
sergeant, Grant, investigate. The victim is a twenty-
five-year-old woman, cause of death: strangulation.
Logan again interviews Marr, but another officer,
Graham, discovers he has an alibi – he was in a
restaurant at the time of the murder.
The victim is identified as Clare Rutherford, a
researcher in the university computer science
department. From Rutherford’s flatmate, Logan learns
that she was at a concert the night before the murder.
Next, Logan visits David Balfour, Rutherford’s
research supervisor, who tells her that Rutherford’s
research area was wireless technology.
Forensics reveal that the murder was not a sexual
assault. Roofing insulation material is found on the
victim’s clothes – she had been kept somewhere before
being dumped. As little progress is being made in
the investigation, Logan’s journalist boyfriend, Tam
MacDonald, agrees to publicise the case.
Another student, Frances Stewart, is reported missing.
Logan learns from Stewart’s landlady that Stewart
was at a party organised by Kenneth Henderson, her
research supervisor. Logan questions Henderson, who
confirms that Stewart was at the party.
Stewart is found murdered; forensic evidence is similar
to that of the first murder. Logan’s investigation now
focuses on the computer science department. She
learns that Balfour is not bringing in any research
funding to the university while Henderson is very
successful. However, Henderson’s research methods
may be less than honest. Balfour is again interviewed
and admits he was at the same concert that Rutherford
attended, and confirms he was at Henderson’s party.
Logan studies a street map of Edinburgh, and realises
that after the concert and the party, both murdered
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Level 4
girls might have taken the same routes back to their
homes through a park known as The Meadows.
Meanwhile, Henderson is interviewed again. He
admits talking to Stewart at the party but strongly
denies any part in her murder.
It is now a week after the first girl, Rutherford,
disappeared. Logan’s team of officers are interviewing
passers-by in The Meadows, asking if anyone had seen
the murder victims there the previous week. Logan is
surprised to meet Henderson again. Not being fully
satisfied with his answers, she asks him to come to
the police station the next day. She also meets Katie
Jardine, Rutherford’s flatmate, who is accompanied by
a Karen Ramsay. Ramsay is also a research student in
the computer department.
Meanwhile, MacDonald has been finding out more
about the research at the computer department, and
has discovered that some research areas are important
and could make the university a lot of money. Logan is
interested to discover that MacDonald was guided round
by Ramsay, who knows what everyone is researching.
Henderson arrives at the police station for his
appointment with Logan, but mysteriously, she is
nowhere to be found. Grant questions Henderson,
who reveals that Ramsay could get her PHd and
become very rich by stealing separate areas of research
and combining them.
Meanwhile, Logan has regained consciousness in a
roof space at Ramsay’s apartment. She accepted a
lift from Ramsay who then took Logan to her house.
Logan’s hands are tied and there is something over her
mouth. Grant and Graham arrive to question Ramsay.
MacDonald also arrives, and recognises a scarf hanging
over a chair – it belongs to Logan. At that moment Logan
bursts through a locked door into the room. A fight
ensues and Graham overpowers Ramsay, who is arrested.
The story finishes with the police doctor confirming
that all the evidence answers towards Ramsay as the
double murderer. Logan questions Billy Marr again,
who still admits to the first murder, but in fact the victim,
Rutherford, was already dead when Billy saw her.
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 Worksheet
Answer Key
Level 4

The University Murders Richard MacAndrew

Check your reading
b Did any of the guests at Henderson’s party
Chapter 1 see Balfour and Stewart together?
c Why did Billy Marr think he killed
1. a alcohol, b stories / true, c cuts / scratches
Rutherford?
2. Student’s own answer.
d What was happening at the computer science
department?
Chapter 2
e Did anybody anything unusual in The
1. a F, b P, c F, d P. Meadows the week before?

Chapter 3 Chapter 11
1. a OLD, b NEW, c NEW, d NEW, 1. Student’s own answer.
e OLD, f OLD
Chapter 12
Chapter 4
1. 1 f, 2 c, 3 e, 4 g, 5 a, 6 d, 7 b
1. 1 b, 2 c, 3 a
2. Student’s own answer. Chapter 13
1. 1 c, 2 a, 3 b
Chapter 5
2. Student’s own answer.
1. 1 b, 2 c, 3 e, 4 a, 5 d
Chapter 14
Chapter 6
1. a Grant, b Jardine, c Graham, d MacDonald
1. a Grant, b Logan, c Robertson, d Robertson, 2. Student’s own answer.
e MacDonald
Chapter 15
Chapter 7
1. 1 d, 2 a, 3 b, 4 e, 5 c
1. a F, b F, c T, d F, e F, f T, g T
Chapter 16
Chapter 8
1. a Logan, b Logan, c Ramsay, d Graham, e Grant
1. a Henderson, b Stewart, c Balfour, d Grant,
e Logan, f Henderson / Stewart Chapter 17
1. Ramsay knew what all the 1researchers were
Chapter 9
doing. She saw how two 2different pieces of
1. a Balfour, b Balfour, c Henderson, d Balfour, research could be put together to provide an
e Henderson 3
answer – a brilliant 4idea that would not only
2. Student’s own answer. get her a 5PhD but also make her 6famous. The
problem was the 7two 8people who had actually
Chapter 10 done the research. So she decided to 9kill them.
1. a Where was Balfour sitting in the Usher Hall
and could he have seen Rutherford?

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