Book Clubs: Chapel Bay Secrets Discussion Questions

Thank you for allowing Chapel Bay Secrets to be featured by your book club! To facilitate conversation, I've written questions for discussion. I hope that you find them useful!

1. As the book opens, an email Brenda is blindsided by an email from the Lovers of Literature. How does this threat affect her feelings about herself? About the "idyllic" town of Chapel Bay?

2. Joe West feels guilty about the aduterous affair he had with a client years ago. How does Franklin's threat of exposure shape Joe's approach to his budding friendship with Harriet?

3. Do you think Brenda's resentment toward Harriet and Joe is warranted?

4. The Japanese American internment was a fear-based response to the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor during World War II. The internment impacted those in the camps as well as the incarcerees' descendants. To what degree did Toshi Kato's experiences at TuleLake Camp shape her attitude toward her daughter, Brenda?

5. As the story develops, what signs of change and growth does Harriet exhibit?

6. Brenda both desires and fears becoming involved with Tara Winslow.  What allows her to become more open to a romance with Tara?

7. What role does Buddhism play in Brenda's approach to difficult situations in her life?

8. When Harriet learns the truth about her mother's love affairs, her shock is gradually replaced by compassion. Do you think you would have the same reaction after reading a parent's diary entries about indiscretions?

9. In terms of Brenda's acceptance of herself and her mother, how pivotal are her encounters with older women who survived the internment? 

10. What is Jonathon's role in the book? Do you find his character believable?

11. Were you surprised at Scott Muramoto's big announcement at the end of the book? How did it make you feel?

12. As the culprit behind the Lovers of Literature is revealed, Franklin Fargo is cast in a somewhat different light. Is this an example of "good comes out of bad," or just a lucky accident?

13. In retrospect, was Brenda's concern over the Muramoto's response to her lesbianism warranted?

14. If Chapel Bay Secrets were made into a movie, who would you cast in the roles of Brenda, Harriet, and Joe?

15. What parallels can you draw between conflicts in the book and what is happening in the world today?