By Carole Stivers
Join the conversation! We've put together a chapter-by-chapter list of discussion questions for The Butterfly Garden, to share with friends, book clubs, or for your own introspection. This page will be updated every Thursday (June 20 - August 22) with questions related to that week's chapter. Please note: they *will* contain spoilers, so if you're not caught up, read this page with caution!
Chapter 1 Discussion Questions
Chapter 2 Discussion Questions
Chapter 3 Discussion Questions
Chapter 4 Discussion Questions
Chapter 5 Discussion Questions
Chapter 6 Discussion Questions
Chapter 7 Discussion Questions
Chapter 8 Discussion Questions
Chapter 9 Discussion Questions
Chapter 10 Discussion Questions
Chapter One begins with the unexpected passing of Mrs. Marian Watson. We also learn that her husband, William Watson, suffered an equally untimely death only a few months prior. A death viewed as highly suspicious by nosy neighbor Nancy Carroll. Nancy reminisces about her feelings for William, pre-Katrina New Orleans, and her current desires for restoring the city to her preferred version of its former glory.
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think may have happened to Mr. Hayden Kayne during and after Hurricane Katrina that resulted in his changed lifestyle and world view?
2. Why do you think Marian Watson never socialized with Nancy and the other ladies of the neighborhood?
3. Monarch Butterflies are endangered. Follow this link to see what’s being done to help restore their habitat.
In Chapter Two, rather than fleeing in the face of the storm, Hayden Kayne chooses to stand his ground and stay in his home when Hurricane Katrina makes landfall. In the aftermath, Hayden bands together with a group of strangers to offer assistance to those in desperate straits after the devastating storm.
Discussion Questions
1. What would you have done in Hayden’s situation? Risk personal safety to protect your property, or flee the city?
2. Was it shocking that Hayden was denied access to his house, and was instead arrested? Why or why not?
3. Hayden Kayne is profoundly changed by his experiences in the aftermath of Katrina. He feels a renewed connection to his roots, and to the struggling artisans and other impoverished denizens of his beloved city. How does this contrast with Nancy Carroll’s feelings about the city and its rebirth in the period after the storm?
4. Curious about the rumors circulating around New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina? Dynamite, alligators, and snipers - Oh My! Be sure to check out our blog featuring a fascinating interview with author Carole Stivers where she explores these rumors, and also details some of the terrific resources she plumbed for accurately portraying New Orleans in the aftermath of the storm.
In Chapter Three, Karyn Johnston reflects back on a family tragedy from her youth, and is surprised to discover that Marian Watson’s timely offer of employment and a fresh start is tied to this difficult past. A past she had worked hard to forget.
Discussion Questions
1. Sole caregiver for her ailing mother, Karyn Johnston had put her own life on hold for over a decade. Discuss the similarities and differences of Karyn’s desire to make a new life for herself after her mother’s passing, and Hayden’s desire to repurpose his life after Hurricane Katrina.
2. Do you think Marian had intended for Karyn to find the letters from her late father?
3.William Watson was a long-time member of the Krewe of Rex. Curious to know more about the famous Rex Procession at Mardi Gras? Read on to find out more at the Rex Organization: King of Carnival.
Chapter Four takes place at Marian Watson’s funeral in the Metairie Cemetery. Among Nancy Carroll and her friends there is suspicion of foul play. More details are disclosed about the dishonest property acquisition practices of William Watson’s father, Henry, and Hayden Kayne also reveals the surprising news that Karyn has been appointed as successor trustee to the Watson Estate.
Discussion Questions
1. Ooooh, Henry Watson was a shady businessman! And it would seem that William had been following in his footsteps. Do you think Marian knew about William’s style of conducting business?
2. Hayden Kayne is affected by PTSD after his traumatic experiences during and post Hurricane Katrina. For a deeper understanding of the horrific damage and mental anguish wrought by the storm, Carole Stivers recommends the book 1 Dead in Attic by Chris Rose (a reporter for The Times-Picayune), which consists of a series of articles reflecting Mr. Rose’s personal experiences in the first 4 months after the storm.
3. Why would Marian have named Karyn the successor trustee for the Watson Estate? Does this appointment make Karyn a plausible suspect in Marian’s demise?
4. What is the second line at Marian’s funeral? Check here to find out more about this celebratory New Orleans jazz tradition.
In Chapter Five, at Nancy Carroll’s weekly tea, Madeleine Barrington and Estelle Willoughby voice strong suspicions regarding the sudden nature of the Watsons’ deaths, and question the appointment of Karyn Johnston as the executor of their estate. Afterward, an unexpected visit from Patsy Lee brings comfort and tears.
Discussion Questions
1. We are halfway through The Butterfly Garden and details and possible clues are accumulating. Which characters might have a reason or desire to wish the Watsons dead? Why?
2. Nancy Carroll is mired in the past. She wants to restore, preserve, and return to that which she has lost or is afraid to lose. How does this contrast with Patsy Lee’s outlook?
3. Nancy’s inner monologue references a “script” she’d carefully memorized. Which part or parts of her dialogue with Madeleine and Estelle do you think were rehearsed? Is this a clue or a red herring?
In Chapter Six, while cleaning out Marian’s room, Karyn Johnston learns of a half-sister that died before birth and discovers a mysterious and panic-inducing hidden message. A chance encounter with Mrs. Barrington leaves Karyn further unsettled.
Discussion Questions
1. Karyn gains new insight into Marian’s character with the discovery of the baby clothing and accompanying note. How would you answer the questions that Karyn poses? “For all the burdens that Karyn herself had borne, could it be that Marian had carried as many or more? Could it be that Marian had spent a lifetime trying to make amends for her unintended affair with a married man?”
2. The message that fell out of the day planner caused panic in Karyn. What do you think it said?
3. If you were Karyn, would you want to stay on in the Watson house, or would you heed the urge to flee back to Chicago?
4. If you haven’t already, read to the end of our online interview with Carole Stivers to learn the significance of Letty’s dropping salt on the kitchen floor and why “voodoo” was not the right term for Madeleine to use when talking about Letty’s mother.
5. And, Madeleine’s worst fears do in fact come true with the 2017 removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee.
In Chapter Seven, Hayden Kayne harbors reluctant suspicions of foul play, and digs deep to turn up additional information about the Watson Estate. A meeting with the elusive Gerry Dupuy produces surprising news about William Watson’s duplicitous activities, and a conversation with housemaid Letty Butler leaves Hayden wondering about Karyn Johnston’s true intentions.
Discussion Questions
1. Is Mr. Dupuy a plausible suspect? Or could it be that a spurned lover may have had it in for William and Marian?
2. Hayden Kayne reflects that he had “lived his whole life at a distance,” and perhaps never really understood love at all. What factors contributed to Hayden arriving at this conclusion? How does his life compare/contrast with what we know of William Watson’s life?
3. Letty’s disclosure forces Hayden to take a harder look at Karyn Johnston. Could she be hiding something after all?
In Chapter Eight, Karyn shows Hayden the note she found in Marian’s room, revealing the message “YOU PROMISED TO GIVE ME WHAT’S MINE.” Full of doubts and uncertainties, Hayden questions Karyn about her father, and her motivation for coming to New Orleans. Later, Letty is horrified to see that something is very wrong with the calico cat, Cochon.
Discussion Questions
1. The note “YOU PROMISED TO GIVE ME WHAT’S MINE” carries an implied threat. Who do you think wrote it?
2. What could be the source of the mysterious odor wafting around the Watson house?
3. What do you think happened to little Cochon?
In Chapter Nine, Dr Barrington learns that Cochon the cat was killed by a poison - one that could also be the cause of the Watsons’ untimely deaths. Hayden Kayne discovers that Claude Thibodeaux might in fact be the rightful heir to the Watson House, and Karyn Johnston stumbles upon a makeshift lab and finds herself in mortal danger.
Discussion Questions
1. Nancy Carroll has something she wants to discuss with a trusted friend. What do you think she is prepared to reveal?
2. Why did Claude choose to kill the Watsons, instead of talking to a lawyer or going to the authorities to claim title to the house?
3. When Karyn is in immediate mortal peril from Claude, she thinks of Marian. Why do you think Marian pops into Karyn’s mind at this critical moment?
4. Be sure to check out author Carole Stivers answer to question #6 in our online interview to learn about the unique legal system in Louisiana, and the important differences in power of Louisiana notaries.
In Chapter Ten, The Butterfly Garden concludes with Hayden Kayne and Karyn Johnston meeting Nancy Carroll for tea. They discuss the details of the poison Claude developed, and Claude’s motives for killing William and Marian. A romance is blossoming between Hayden and Karyn, and Nancy has a new garden to look forward to - and maybe even a new house…
Discussion Questions
1. Hayden asks himself, “How much had Marian really known about her husband?” How would you answer this question?
2. Now that we know the full extent of Nancy’s clandestine deal with Claude, how do you feel about her keeping quiet? Despite Claude’s threats, did she have a responsibility to come forward sooner with the truth?
3. Issues of race and class inequalities are important themes in this story. Earlier on, in Chapter 8, Hayden muses, “Wasn’t that always the way it was—the poor paying for the misdeeds of the rich?” In what ways does this idea reverberate throughout the story - all the way to the end?
4. Curious about the tea that Nancy Carroll served Hayden and Karyn? Our organic jasmine green tea is also author Carole Stiver’s favorite! The wonderful aroma of this tea is naturally imparted by layering night-blooming jasmine flowers on the organic tea leaves to infuse their fragrance and create an exceptionally delightful tea experience.
