The Briar Club
By Kate Quinn
- Release Date: 2024-07-09
- Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
Description
“Quinn evocatively balances the outward cheerfulness of the 1950s with historical observations exploring racism, misogyny, homophobia and political persecution in this sharply drawn, gripping novel.” - People Magazine
The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.
Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.
Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?
Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.
A beautiful, foil cover, first edition.
Reviews
Loved this book
5By WendyNamasteLoved all the characters - even the unlovable onesA first!
5By DavidcjrWhat book starts with a house as narrator? It had me from page 1.The BriarClub
5By OwlfunOutstanding!Raves about Briar Club
5By book lover ladyA well told mystery about a historical time in American society. A great woven set of friendships and loyalties.Excellent! How aboard a sequel or a series with these characters.
5By millie ZZIt took a little time for me to get into it, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. Excellent book,excellent character development, great story telling all the way through the end of the book. I didn’t want it to be finished. I want more of these lovely characters .Great story!
5By SJB1974I loved this book so much. So many great and different characters and examples of how as friends we can all pick each other up.A page turner from start to finish!
5By MessyMary2024This book was one I could not put down. What an expertly crafted tale, weaving in the McCarthy Era, Washington politics, and age-old American sins which still permeate our culture. What a read! 5 stars!Excellent book
5By BookLover620The sentient house was annoying, but this book is definitely worth the hype. Well-drawn characters and the pacing is immaculate. Plus, it’s set in DC, and I haven’t found many historical novels that are. Highly recommend.Great historical fiction mystery
5By Mhh317Loved the historical accuracies and charactersMy favorite of 2024
5By PinkiemommaI read many great books this year- but none better than this one.Great Book
5By Ams1126Another great one by Quinn. Some mystery, character development, and emotional upheaval.Great characters!
5By Cookers96This book told stories about all the fascinating women of Briarwood house. Each one had an interesting story to tell. This wasn’t your classic who done it mystery but it all came together at the end.Intertaining
5By NutzaboutcookingA very fun read.A delightful read!
5By ECC4812A nice departure from Kate Quinn’s usual WWII novels. Don’t get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoy them. Fall in love with the characters and embrace friendship and community.Fair
5By Dogcat@1Household of women, all with own secrets. Nice story. No need to read again.One of the best
5By Serene 2023I loved this book and its characters ; loved the historical context and will read many more by the author. Absolutely wonderful charactersA Great Read
5By RibbiesmomI really enjoyed this book. I want to live in that little green room and have Grace as my friend.Wow
5By LAMauiThe ending was quite a surprise. Couldn’t put the book down!Briar Club
5By Julian JP NorwichIt took me two chapters to get the drift and then I couldn’t put it down. Intriguing, endearing, compelling, surprising - so good I left a review about how good it is.
