Like Downton Abbey? More Books- Week 6

Hard to believe that this is now Week 6 of our Books like Downton Abbey series. You can find the entire series and the books we recommend here. Also, to increase the fun, here is a fabulous post from my friends at Party BluPrints on how to throw a Downton Abbey Tea Party. Make sure you invite me!

First, let’s have some fun. Here is a quiz you can take to see Which Downton Abbey Job is Right For You? Please answer the 10 questions and leave a comment here telling us which character is you! Next, I have to say that Bates looks pretty hot in this photo. Ok, back to business.

Books Like Downton Abbey- Week 6

The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill

I was very intrigued to learn of this book from my friends at Simon and Schuster when I read this quote from Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey:

“My novel [of the year] would probably be The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill, which is based, I think, on a true story, about the darkness inside all of us, and how politeness and education will not always prevent us hurting even those who need us most. McGill has the ability to enter into the brain and heart of her characters and so to make us sympathise with people who commit acts we abhor.” — Julian Fellowes, actor, novelist, and creator of Downton Abbey, The Guardian on Books of the Year 2012.

That got your attention, right?

photo courtesy of berniemcgill.com

From the publisher, ” Vivid, mysterious and unforgettable, The Butterfly Cabinet is Bernie McGill’s engrossing portrayal of the dark history that intertwines two lives. Inspired by a true story of the death of the daughter of an aristocratic Irish family at the end of the nineteenth century, McGill powerfully tells this tale of two women whose lives will become upended by a newly told secret.”

This book is next on my reading list!

Crossing on the Paris by Dana Gynther

I really enjoyed this book and long for the old elegance of sailing. From the publisher, “In 1921,the SS Paris leaves Le Havre on her maiden voyage. Aboard, passengers dine in glittering grandeur on French cuisine, served by hundreds of unnoticed servants and chefs. Below the waterline, the modern oil-fired engines throb day and night. And for three women, this voyage will profoundly change their lives.”