Unlike many of her previous books set during the war, Quinn takes readers on a journey into the world of a handful of women who live together in a 1950’s boardinghouse in Washington D.C. Each woman has her own story and background with individual chapters devoted to them, plus one centered on Pete, the young boy whose mother owns the boardinghouse. The women come from different countries and different parts of the U.S., bringing their nationalities, their dialects, and their histories with them. One can’t help but fall in love with the diverse group: the rule-following Nora who falls for a guy she shouldn’t, Fliss, the cute young English mother waiting for her husband, Bea, the baseball player who has been sidelined, and Reka, the curmudgeonly older woman who lost so much fleeing Hungary. These are just some of the fascinating boarders.

The women form a bond over the years and gather weekly at Grace’s apartment to share food and conversation. They help each other and become like a family – something each of them currently lacks. Though some have immediate family from whom they are estranged, they look to bond with their housemates.

The primary timeline is set in 1954 but the plot skips back to earlier years as the women’s individual stories unfold. Though not focused on the dangers of wartime, there is a violent event that anchors the 1954 opening. A dead body has been discovered in the boardinghouse and someone in the house is presumed to be the murderer. As readers discover more about each of the characters, they look for clues about who is dead and who might be capable of murder. Quinn cleverly weaves each of the backstories together into a taut mystery. Even the boardinghouse itself becomes a character with its own insights and opinions.

Quinn addresses many of the issues of the time: McCarthyism, communism in the US, women baseball players in the 50’s, domestic abuse, pressures of single parenting, falling in love with someone you shouldn’t, child abuse, propaganda, preventing pregnancy, physical challenges and more. She mixes in plenty of fun such as a Bake Off competition and the addition of the recipes for the food the characters share at their weekly dinners. Grace paints ivy on the walls and the hallways, symbolic of the intertwined lives of the boarders and the growth of their friendships. The murder mystery weaves throughout the novel and adds intrigue to the story of the women as they establish relationships and support each other. Juxtaposed to the solidarity of the boarders is the cranky, hard-hearted owner of the house. She provides conflict for the women and especially for her son Pete and his sister. The male characters add to the interest, especially Nora’s bad boy. There’s also a tattletale, a woman who sees herself as a righteous victim. The resolution of the plot is cleverly managed and brings the book to a satisfying conclusion. This is a great story of sisterhood; don’t miss it.

In addition to reading the book, I was able to listen to the audiobook and it is superbly read by the talented Fiona Hardingham who flawlessly switches voices and dialects with ease.

Fans of slow-burn mystery and character-centered historical fiction will love this one.

I was gifted this copy by Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

To my mind, Ms.Quinn is a bit of a chameleon. Her latest novel, The Briar Club, felt quite different from say The Rose Code (a favorite of mine). That is not to say that I didn’t enjoy The Briar Club because I very much did.

A few things about the structure of the book:

The house gets some chapters as events unfold.

The story is told almost as a series of short stories with a section given to each of the main characters.

There are recipes from each of the main characters included.

As regards the story itself, which unfolds during the McCarthy era, right from the beginning readers know that there has been a murder. There may be more to come (no spoilers). Who was killed and why? Of course, readers want to know. They will keep turning the pages to find out.

The character who moves in to the house right at the beginning of the story seems to be the glue between characters. It is Grace March who draws everyone together and it is she who organizes the regular weekly tenant dinners. The residents who attend are quite different from one another. One character works at the National Archives, another is a mother with a young child, someone is more involved with the McCarthy hearings, an older woman was once an artist and is now down on her heels. These are just some of the women and all of them have backstories.

I would read anything by Kate Quinn and this book does nothing to change that opinion. I recommend it highly recommend it as do Library Journal and Publishers Weekly which both gave this a starred review. Readers will remember the women and events at Briarwood House.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own..

Loved the characters, loved the interweaving plot and time period (early 1950s), another winner from Kate Quinn!

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Kate Quinn is the queen of historical fiction and that is one of the many hills that I will die on.

Step into 1950s Washington D.C. and Briarwood House, a women's boarding house brimming with secrets. Mysterious new tenant, Grace March, promptly and effortlessly pulls her neighbors out of isolation and into her orbit. The residents – a cast of intriguing characters including a picture-perfect wife and mother with a hidden secret, a former baseball star yearning for her glory days, a cop's daughter tangling with danger, and a thorny Hungarian artist - fall into unlikely friendship under Grace’s watch, and their weekly attic dinners become a sanctuary for the women. But Grace has secrets, too. When violence shatters their fragile peace, the women must confront a shocking betrayal and uncover the true enemy.

As per Kate Quinn’s usual, The Briar Club is driven by a tapestry of characters (Briarwood House, included), all woven together by war and the ever evolving landscape for women in post-war America. She tells the story of World War II and the Cold War through the personal struggles of each resident, many of which were inspired by true events. There were so many little charming themed tidbits peppered throughout: the sweet tea, the community vine, Pete and Lina, the recipe and song recommendations. All of this combined makes for the perfect summer evening read.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn centers around a mystery set in a boardinghouse in Washington DC during the 1950's. Eight women and the boardinghouse owners become family after a mysterious woman moves in and brings the household together with Thursday night suppers and interest in all of their lives.

Such great characters and a slow burn murder mystery make this a favorite for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced digital copy of the book.

More character-centric than her other books, which made this a little slow for me. I was still intrigued by the suspense, but I found my attention wavering as Quinn took deep dives into each character. I would have liked a little more action to hold my attention.

This book was so interesting and captivating. The story of multiple women was so beautiful and heartbreaking. The remarkable way that they are able to overcome their challenges was something amazingly captured in this story. The writing is also beautiful and unique. Thank you William Morrow for sending me this book.

Wow! This one took a bit to get into, and the chapters were so long, but it was SO GOOD! Characters who were well developed, complex and dimensional women, each with their own stories and secrets. 10/10 recommend!

Kate Quinn is my auto-buy historical fiction author. She's just fantastic, well-researched, with compelling stories filled with heartache, mystery, romance, and atmospheric wonder. I am a huge fan of hers and was so thrilled to get this eARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book feels like something a little different for Kate Quinn, but I absolutely loved it. This is very character driven, with each chapter from a different resident of Briarwood House. Set in Washington, D.C. in the early 1950s amid the Red Scare, these women each have enough secrets and drama that they could have filled their own books. This kept the pace up as readers transitioned between the different characters, and the interstitials that linked the stories made sure readers knew what was coming. This book doesn't feel as long as it is, and I honestly would have sat with each of the characters longer. As always, the author has included so much historical detail and context in this book that I feel like I'm right there.

I've learned, through the years, that you just can't go wrong with a Kate Quinn novel. She has quickly become an auto-buy author for me, and I relish her work. Honestly, I've tried many a cozy mystery, and it is rare that I read one that I absolutely love, but this one was certainly an exception. Throw in some historical fiction, and I'm hooked from page one.

Set in DC during the Second Red Scare, it was fascinating to learn about the fear that enveloped people during that time. I fell in love with nearly every character, as they were all incredibly well-fleshed-out. I so love the concept of making the house itself a viable character; it added just the right touch of humor and charm to the story.

It was so witty of Ms. Quinn to include a nod to The Rose Code by including a relative of a character in that novel. I also appreciated that not only was the culprit of the crime a mystery for the reader, but so was the identity of the victim! The reader is therefore strung along in the hopes of discovering these two curious mysteries🤔. It was also fun to discover the back stories of all of the characters along the way, and each one was more intriguing than the next. And I can't forget to rave about the recipes included with a humorous twist (iykyk😂).

Bravo, Ms. Quinn! What a privilege to be given a gifted review copy prior to pub day, from partners , William Morrow Books and Netgalley! Thanks so much!

For more of my reviews, please check out my blog at www.mamasgottaread.blogspot.com or follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mamasgottaread.

Kate Quinn does it again! Get ready to immerse yourself in a lesser known bit of history with vivid, lovable characters, and intrigue and action too!

Enter the Briarwood House boardinghouse for women in Washington, D.C. in the early 1950s where you will spend a chapter in each character’s perspective. Quinn never shies away from addressing complexity. As we get to know each of our main characters, readers learn about the hardships and discriminations these people have faced as consequences of things outside of their control. We also applaud as they thrive despite these obstacles. We simultaneously praise and appreciate all the opportunities and gifts the United States has to offer while still calling it to account for its sins.

I guarantee you will want to join the Briar Club for their Thursday night suppers too!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Beautifully researched, this book is written about a dark time in American history, the early 50s. McCarthy was convinced that America was full of Russian spies. Each chapter is about a different woman living in a Washington DC boarding house. They get together for dinner every Thursday night. They are all so different and so real and their ages range from young to old. There is a huge twist in the story close to the end which changes everything.. Although the book is quite long I was engrossed all the way through

Kate Quinn is the queen of writing stories of strong feminine characters in wartime and the friendships that bond them. In her latest novel, a group of friends in Washington D.C. are living through the McCarthy Red Scare era and the persecution of anyone perceived to be a communist or sympathizer. Tucked away in the Briarwood House, an all-female boardinghouse, each woman comes with their own secrets and pasts-many hidden under the surface even as they begin to bond with each other. But one night, a terrifying ordeal leaves them questioning their loyalties and friendships.
Unlike some of Quinn’s past novels, I found this one difficult to follow at times or really get pulled into the lives and stories of the characters. However where this shines is her ability to create all of these incredible storylines within that eventually wind together, though not in the most obvious of ways. This is a must for fans of historical fiction!
Thank you to William Morrow Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Having read a few of Kate Quinn's works, I was excited to receive an ARC of The Briar Club. I liked how Quinn set up this book with the different chapters. I enjoyed reading about the different Briarwood girls. Each girl's story brought a new perspective and topic to the storyline. Quinn addressed a lot of the focal topics at that time such as segregation, women's rights, McCarthyism, and gay rights. This was an eye-opening read for me. I really didn't know much about McCarthyism before reading this book. Quinn expertly portrayed the frantic energy at that time. The red scare played a focal point to the story. Although women's rights are still not where they should be, this book gave me a greater appreciation for the rights I have now. I thought Quinn did a fantastic job painting what life was like for women in the 1950's. It saddened me to read about all of the things the Briarwood women had to go through. Grace, Reka, and Mrs. Sutherland's stories really stood out to me. Reka's story with Senator Sutherland was heartbreaking. The author's note at the end about Reka's story was devastating. My favorite Briarwood woman to read about was Nora. I didn't want her and Xavier's story to end. I'll admit that I was surprised by Grace's story. I knew something was up with her, but I never guessed it was that. I liked reading Grace's perspective and seeing her experience growing up. Grace's storyline highlighted the impact one person can have on multiple people's lives. Although I probably wasn't supposed to, I cracked up at the turn of events in Arlene's chapter. It appears that she had her turn-around at the end. Quinn's author note at the end summarized everything up nicely. I appreciate all of the work and research she put into this book. I will be recommending this book to fellow readers, especially those who are fans of Kristin Hannah. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

While this was a bit of a departure from some of Kate's previous WWII historical fiction novels, I absolutely loved the 1950s McCarthy era setting, the female friendship among a group of very different residents living in a Washington D.C. boarding house, The Briarwood house.

The author did a great job telling the story of women's lives in the 1950s and how their roles changed at this time. From an undercover Soviet spy, to a African American former woman's baseball league star, a domestically abused mother, the lover of a gangster, a secret Sapphic romance, plus an excellent exploration of race, class and politics at the time.

Told from the POVs of each woman (and the house itself!), this story is both a murder mystery, a spy thriller, and a heartwarming story of companionship between women who come together to share food (recipes included) and the ups and downs of their individual lives.

Amazing on audio narrated by all time fav, Saskia Maarleveld, this book is perfect for fans of movies like A league of their own and Good night, and good luck and the tv show, The Americans. Readers don't want to miss the audio version with an author's note and an exclusive conversation between Kate and Saskia.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

We start with a murder in a women’s rooming house in 1950’s Washington DC. We then spend the next 400 pages learning the stories of the women who live here, We learn where they come from, what they do, who they love, and who they hate. We see them ultimately come together as a found family, and then very nearly self-destruct.

Kate Quinn blends her trademark historical suspense with a genuine sense of what it felt like to be a woman living and loving during the era of McCarthy, the Rosenbergs, and the Korean War. This is my favorite book of the year so far, and I only hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved The Briar Club. This Kate Quinn novel really spoke to me. The atmosphere is perfect--historical fiction, McCarthy era, women's lives, early 1950s, coming of age novel. The Briar Club is full of women with secrets and hopes and longings. Quinn captures women's lives in the early 1950s. Each woman has a story to tell and is given a chapter in which to tell her story. The chapters are ordered chronologically and each one is preceded by a brief vignette told by the house.

Quinn creates memorable characters--women, whom most women will have met at some time, and who will be recognizable. The Briar Club takes place in a woman's boarding house in Washington DC, a house where each woman has a story to tell, but doesn't do so until a new woman moves in and changes all their lives. Grace is the newest resident. She awakens in each woman an awareness of possibilities and of friendship. As I said, I loved this novel. It began slowly, but before I realized it, I was hooked. The twist at the end was awesome, but do not worry, I am not going to ruin the surprise.

I do recommend The Briar Club. Thank you to Quinn, publisher HarperCollins, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This wasn’t what I was expecting it to be. The prologue starts off from the pov of a house, and that right there tells you it’s going to be different from anything else she’s written. It has a very slow pace, and I think it struggled deciding what genre it wanted to be. But overall, it wasn’t bad by any means.