Deadlock: Unraveling a Mystery on the Great Lakes
Classified in Latin
Written at on 
English with a size of 4.39 KB.
The title of this book is a play on words. *Dead* means mort, and *Lock* means resclusa. What does “deadlock” mean? A complete failure to reach an agreement or solve an argument.
Key Events and Characters in Deadlock
Here are the key questions and answers:
Who was Boom Boom?
Boom Boom was an injured hockey player working for the Eudora Grain Company; he was found dead.
How did he die?
A ship was tied up at the wharf, and Boom Boom went under as she pulled away. His body was badly chewed up (p. 2).
Who tells the story, and what relation does she have with Boom Boom?
Vic tells the story; she’s Boom Boom’s cousin and friend.
What’s Vic’s job?
She is a detective.
Why did Vic want to find out more about Boom Boom’s death?
Because she didn’t believe it was an accident.
Why couldn’t the Lucella Wieser take on grain from Eudora’s wharf?
Someone put water in the holds, and they had to dry them out (page 11).
What’s the name of Eudora’s manager?
Clayton Phillips.
Niels Grafalk was the owner of Grafalk Steamship Line. Why was he mad at Martin Bledsoe?
Martin was a clever businessman who used to work for Niels, but he left. Niels finds it impossible to accept Martin’s departure.
In the third chapter, Vic returns to Boom Boom’s apartment. What did she find there?
Someone had torn the place apart, and the watchman was dead.
What did Vic take from Boom Boom’s office?
His diary and the contract files (page 22 and 23).
After having dinner with Bledsoe, what happened to Vic?
She had a car accident (page 27).
What was wrong with the car?
Somebody had emptied the brake fluid and cut through the steering wheel. (page 31).
How long was Vic at the Hospital?
Vic was in the hospital for two days.
What did Mr. Grafalk tell Vic about Martin Bledsoe’s background?
Mr. Grafalk told her that Bledsoe had stolen some money from his father’s company (page 38).
After recovering, where did Vic fly to?
She flew to Toronto, Canada; and from there to Thunder Bay (page 39).
Why did Vic fly to Thunder Bay?
Because she wanted to find out if Grafalk’s story about Bledsoe was true and whether the captain or the chief engineer had damaged her car.
How did the man with red hair set off the bomb?
He set off a radio signal.
There was a seven-meter drop between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. What’s the name of the area where the water level can be raised or lowered?
Lock (p. 45).
Who owed money to everyone?
Mattingly (page 53).
What did Vic find behind the photo?
An invoice and a note (page 54).
Why did Martin let so many contracts go to Grafalk?
Grafalk blackmailed Martin.
Why was Boom Boom killed?
Boom Boom was killed because he discovered that Clayton Phillips was cheating money from his company and didn’t want Boom Boom to tell the President of Eudora Grain.
What happened to the ships on the Great Lakes since the explosion at the Poe Lock? / What was the purpose of the explosion at the Poe Lock?
Page 69, The biggest ships were shut off from the upper lakes for a year.
During her visit to Ajax Insurance Company, what did Vic discover about the Grafalk Steamship Line?
Grafalk had only small ships, and they are unprofitable. He was losing money.
What did Vic find behind the photo?
An invoice from the Grafalk Steamship Company to Eudora Grain and a piece of paper listing six dates when Pole Star had lost contracts to Grafalk.
Why was Paige Carrington helping Grafalk?
She was his mistress; he paid for everything.
What was Vic trying to prove when she drove to Grafalk’s yacht?
That Grafalk had killed Clayton. She would look for bloodstains or a witness.
Why did Vic set fire to the yacht curtains?
Because he was trying to kill her; she was trying to save her life.
Who was responsible for all deaths?
Grafalk.