87 Books Like Once Upon a Wardrobe

I first became acquainted with this 20th-century classic when it was turned into a popular miniseries, and I felt compelled to read the novel for myself.

Although the narrative traverses settings from London and a great English country house to Europe and even the Americas, the inception of the story is grounded in post-WWI Oxford, where the narrator introduces us to Waugh’s memorably charming but doomed character, Lord Sebastian Flyte.

Waugh’s portrayal of the exuberance of youthful college high-jinx juxtaposed against the perils of dissipation powerfully depicts the inner struggle of his narrator’s search for love, meaning, and ultimately faith.

I greatly admire Waugh’s hauntingly lyrical prose, which vividly captures the aching beauty and mystique of Oxford.

I’ve always been fascinated by the “dreaming spires” of Oxford University and enjoy Gaudy Night because it immerses me in the world of a (fictional) women’s college set in 1930s Oxford.

As a former professor, I’m intrigued by the internecine political and personal battles in the Senior Common Room (SCR), or college faculty lounge, as well as the friction between those professors devoted entirely to an academic career versus those trying to maintain the challenging balance of work and family, the same issues women struggle with today, nearly one hundred years later.

Sayers weaves together these tensions with a mysterious “poltergeist” who torments the college with poison-pen letters, pranks, vandalism, and violence into a compelling mystery under the dreaming spires.

Historical romance set in the world of C.S. Lewis at Oxford University: what’s not to love?

I am a fan of historical fiction and love to live history vicariously through the experiences of well-crafted characters, and in this case, real people. This thoroughly researched and masterfully written novel tells the story of the unlikely friendship turned marriage of Christian apologist and author C.S. Lewis to an American Jewish divorcée, Joy Davidman. 

This poignant love story has been told before in play and film versions, but this is the first time I experienced the story from Joy’s POV.

I found myself simultaneously sympathizing with and being exasperated by Joy. She was a complex and brilliant woman, and I’m very impressed with Patti Callahan’s own brilliance and chutzpah in writing, most convincingly, Joy’s story in a first-person narration.

I love watching British mystery series and am a big fan of the entire Inspector Morse series, including Lewis and Endeavor.

However, before there were these brilliant films, there was Colin Dexter’s even more brilliant writing. Oxford is itself a character in all three series, and it’s particularly fun for me to recognize familiar locations in Oxford where the scenes are filmed, just as it’s fun for me to follow along in the novel with Dexter’s characters as they walk the streets of Oxford.

The Jewel That was Ours, renamed The Wolvercote Tongue in the Inspector Morse series, proves the old adage that the book is better than the film. The novel delves deeper into the psyches of its memorable characters with their complex stories and alibis, and the plot takes many more twists and turns before it reaches its satisfying denouement.

Dexter has no qualms about exploring… show more.

When I began my grief journey after thirty years, I googled Sibling Loss and came across Brenda’s dissertation. For the first time I did not feel alone in my grief. I reached out to Brenda and she told me about her writing, Adult Sibling Loss. Brenda’s sensitivity in sharing the emotions of the loss of her brother, and three adult women who lost their sibling validated feelings I kept dormant. Layered into the stories is extensive research done by Brenda.

Brenda termed her experience “invisible griever” following the unexpected death of her brother. Siblings are often the forgotten mourners. The bookshelves have few in this category, and I am grateful to be on the road to discovering the few written are heartfelt, enlightening, and aided me in my grief.

Tamara Alexander is a prolific writer, any of her novels could have made this list. They are all rich in history, full of character development, and feature sweet romances. The Inheritance stands out to me for a couple of reasons. One, the main theme of this book is tough love. An older sister who is forever rescuing her brother has to learn that love can look a lot of different ways and sometimes love requires letting consequences follow actions. This message is rarely featured in a book! It’s not an in-your-face moral, but a gentle thought-provoking takeaway. Another reason this book is exemplary in its well-crafted love story. Alexander expertly weaves her story threads together, giving you bits of history and romance like a weaver of a great tapestry.

The concept for this book had me intrigued from the moment I saw the front cover. James Chiltern sends a message to all 158 contacts on his phone, telling them he plans to end his life in the morning. Then he switches his phone to flight mode and sets off on an overnight train journey. While I have had dark times and moments where I was close to the edge throughout my life, I’ve never reached the point where I had actually made a plan to end things. So to read a story where the main character has made that heart-wrenching decision and to see the differing perspectives of all the people in his life waking up to that message was both heart-breaking and riveting.

For anyone who has kids who are perfectionists or are perfectionists themselves, this is a perfect book! It helps kids recognize that something does not have to be perfect to be beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, especially with art. But in my opinion, this message can apply beyond art and help parents talk with their kids about being beautiful just as they are. This was a popular one in my house and one that we still reference even now that the kids are older.

Meet the Oppenheimer triplets, the stars of this book, whose loathing for one another borders on the Shakespearean. As a reader, I was instantly drawn in by Korelitz’s shrewd writing—and held there by her wondrous talents as a plot-maker. Indeed, this novel twists and turns in thrilling ways that kept my eyes glued to the page. 

I love a thrilling mystery with secrets, humor, and surprises. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out if anyone would realize Rosie and Baker were hiding their Great-Grandma in a freezer. It was all Great-Grandma's idea! The kids race against time to piece together clues to find a missing will and save the family home from destruction. Reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock story with unexpected twists and heart-pounding danger. Fun mystery!