The Downton Abbey trend has found its home in YA fiction. From romance in a postapocalyptic US to a post-Edwardian England tale of intrigue, these novels will entice the show’s fans and perhaps create new ones.

Hagen, Bethany. Landry Park. 374p. Dial. 2014. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780803739482. LC 2012045144.

Gr 9 Up –In a postapocalyptic United States, Madeline Landry, descendant of the scientist who developed nuclear-powered lanterns, enjoys a life of privilege, but she would rather attend university than be groomed for marriage and the eventual inheritance of the Landry estate. In this castelike society with a mishmash of Victorian/Regency/Edwardian norms, the 17-year-old’s family is part of the gentry class that subjugates the lower-class Rootless to handle the nuclear-emitting light sources–a task that Madeline later discovers causes a slow and painful fate. The arrival of David Dana, a charming but secretive suitor, and a brutal attack on Cara, Madeline’s lifelong frenemy, are the catalysts for not only the rich girl’s rebellion but also the complete upheaval of the status quo. Hagen’s debut is filled with luxurious language, swoon-worthy love interests, and exceptional world-building that doesn’t bog down the narrative. While the novel’s treatment of class is intriguing, the dismissal of race as a factor is problematic. While status, not ethnicity, determines acceptance in this stratified new order (several gentry members are people of color, and the protagonist is half-Latina), war with the Eastern Empire (Asian countries) is named as the primary cause of America’s demise. The elite continue to vilify the Eastern Empire as much as the Rootless and are seen as a constant threat. Still, the cast of fully developed characters, pervasively sinister mood, and thrilling love story will keep readers turning the page, even if they’ll be able to predict some plot twists before they occur. This first book in a trilogy will appeal to fans of Diana Peterfreund’s Darkness Shows the Stars (HarperCollins, 2012) and Catherine Fisher’s Incarceron (Dial, 2010).–Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal

Longshore, Katherine. Manor of Secrets. 336p. Scholastic/Point. 2014. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780545567589; ebk. $17.99. ISBN 9780545567602. LC 2013019246.

Gr 7 Up –A divisive wall exists between the upstairs and downstairs quarters of the English Manor where Lady Charlotte Edmonds, 16, and kitchen servant Janie Seward reside. Charlotte yearns for an adventure beyond the stringent structure of upper-crust society, while her new friend Janie seems content to remain a cook. Neither suspects the secrets that lurk within the manor when Charlotte’s mysterious Aunt Beatrice comes to visit. Reminiscent of the British television series Upstairs Downstairs, the plot starts at a leisurely pace, providing a detailed portrait of the daily mechanisms of 19th-century manor life and how both classes coexist. Longshore captures the tension expressed by Charlotte and Janie in their efforts to cope with limitations and unfulfilled dreams. She compares the harsh, never-ending workday of one paired with the other’s tediously predictable station in life. The novel’s dominant theme emerges midway through when hidden truths appear beneath masklike facades. Andrew Broadhurst, Charlotte’s intended, is not as dull as he first seems, nor is Lawrence, the footman, truly worth Charlotte’s lifelong devotion. Despite a predictably happy ending, the message is clear: people are far more complex than they appear on the surface, no matter their class or station in life. This is a light historical romance.–Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY

Rasheed, Leila. Diamonds & Deceit. 424p. (At Somerton Series). Disney/Hyperion. 2014. RTE $17.99. ISBN 9781423171188.

Gr 8 Up –The intrigue continues in this addition to the series. The Averleys are in London for “the Season,” a ceaseless parade of parties and events designed to foster advantageous family alliances. Having failed to secure a suitable match in her first two seasons, Charlotte is determined to snare a husband this summer but is unwilling to let go of Lord Fintan, Ada’s betrothed, and he seems unable to resist her advances. Ada is keenly aware that becoming Lady Fintan will save her family from the financial ruin wrought by her brother William’s gambling debts. She is fond of Lord Fintan and believes she has resigned herself to give up her love for Ravi. Rose is still trying to adjust to her new position as the recognized daughter of Lord Westlake but cannot escape her past as a lady’s maid. She is unwittingly drawn into a relationship with the heir to one of the wealthiest families in England, completely unaware of his playboy reputation. Michael returns to Eton so that he will be better able to provide for Priya. William takes advantage of his absence to take unwanted liberties with her. Meanwhile, Sebastian continues his desperate search for a solution to Oliver’s imprisonment. Despite the multitude of characters, Rasheed does an admirable job of keeping each of their stories enticing, steadily bringing each situation to a soap-opera-worthy cliffhanger. While there are a few satisfying resolutions, enough remains unsettled to keep fans anxiously awaiting the next installment.–Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA