Discussion Questions for The Body in the Garden
1.The author’s note describes aspects of the book that were and were not strictly accurate to its setting in 1815. Did any of these surprise you? Did the characters or story challenge any of your ideas about London in the early 19th century?
2. Traditional mysteries have certain expectations for how they are structured and how an amateur sleuth solves the mystery. How did that structure play out in The Body in the Garden? How did it impact the way characters grew and changed?
3. How do class and money influence the different relationships throughout the book? Consider Lily, Mr. Page, Jack, Serena, Isobel, General Harper, Jem, Anna, and Ofelia.
4. Freddy Adler is an important character in the book, yet readers never actually meet him. How does learning about a character only through the thoughts and descriptions of others change the way you think of him?
5. Lily is willing to make unusual choices, yet she is invested in avoiding public scrutiny. What are the different ways the women of The Body in the Garden handle the social rules that governed their behavior? When do they follow these rules, and when do they challenge them?
6. Most of the story is told from Lily’s point of view, with some parts told from Jack’s. Were there other characters whose point of view you wished you could see? How does this limited perspective impact the way the mystery unfolds?
7. Does Lily see similarities between herself and the murderer? Do you?
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