Shadows of Swanford Abbey Discussion Questions:

The time has come to discuss our latest book club pick, Shadows of Swanford Abbey! We hoped you enjoyed the Regency mystery as much as we did. We thought it was the perfect pick with a gothic abbey, an entertaining murder mystery, and a swoony romance.

We’ve posted downloadable discussion questions for everyone to use to aid in the book discussion.

For more about Shadows of Swanford Abbey, check out our book club announcement, and read our book review.

Besides using the discussion questions for your personal use, you can join us in the Silver Petticoat Book Club group on Facebook or on Instagram and Goodreads to discuss the book and connect with other readers.

The discussion questions include topics about:

the characters
plot
the setting
romance
the mystery

We hope you enjoy discussing Shadows of Swanford Abbey with your friends and family and with us!

And we hope you’ll join us for the March/April book club pick, which will be a classic choice. Stay tuned for an announcement soon. One hint we can give about our next pick is that it has a major anniversary in 2022. Guess away…

Here are a few more of our book club discussions to check out:

SHADOWS OF SWANFORD ABBEY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (WARNING – SPOILERS!)

'Shadows Of Swanford Abbey' Discussion Questions

A list of discussion questions for the book "Shadows of Swanford Abbey" by Julie Klassen. Amber and Autumn Topping from The Silver Petticoat Book Club wrote the questions.

Instructions

Click the print button and keep a copy of the discussion questions. You can choose to print or save it as a PDF to your computer. These discussion questions are for personal use only to discuss with your friends and family. If you use them, please credit The Silver Petticoat Book Club.

Shadows of Swanford Abbey Discussion Questions:

What are your thoughts on Shadows of Swanford Abbey? Have you read any of Julie Klassen's other books before? If you have, how did they compare to this one?
What was your favorite scene from the book, and why? Your least favorite? Do you have any quotes, chapters, or passages you particularly loved? Share!
One theme in the novel is forgiveness. Do you find it difficult to forgive others?
Besides forgiveness, what other themes stood out to you in the novel?
The book mixes many genres, including Clean Regency Romance, Inspirational, Austenesque, Romantic Suspense, Gothic Romance, and Mystery. It's a mix of Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and Agatha Christie. Did you enjoy the combination of these genres?
How did you feel about the gothic abbey setting? Do you think it helped add to the atmosphere and mystery of the book?
Did you like the characters? Did you like Rebecca as the main heroine? Who was your favorite character? Your least favorite? Discuss!
How did you feel about the relationship between Rebecca and her brother, John? Do you think she was right to help him? What would you have done in her situation?
Let's discuss the romance! How much did you love the romance between Rebecca and Sir Frederick? On a scale of one to Darcy, how swoony do you think he was as a Romantic Hero?
How would you compare Rebecca's discussion with the Dowager Lady Wilford to Elizabeth Bennet's chat with Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice? Were you surprised by what the dowager had to say to Rebecca?
Mental illness and how people in the 19th century handled mental health plays a vital role in the novel. Were you surprised by how people dealt with mental health in the Regency Era?
Were you surprised by who murdered Mr. Oliver? Or did you figure it out early on?
How did you feel about the other twist in the book regarding Lady Fitzhoward?
Did you like how the book ended? Do you feel every character ended up where they should?
Would you recommend Shadows of Swanford Abbey to a friend? Why or why not? Would you read more books by Julie Klassen?

Notes

Use the discussion question to discuss with your family and friends.

You’ll be able to download the questions, add some of your own, and turn the book club into the social and fun experience it’s meant to be!

Did you read Shadows of Swanford Abbey? What did you think? Please feel free to answer any discussion questions in the comments below. We are always up for a good book discussion!