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The Briar Club
A haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, D.C. boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.
Washington, D.C., 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, 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; police officer’s daughter Nora, who is entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Bea, whose career has ended 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 apart the house, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: Who is the true enemy in their midst?
Washington, D.C., 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, 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; police officer’s daughter Nora, who is entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Bea, whose career has ended 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 apart the house, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: Who is the true enemy in their midst?
432 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2024
About the author
Kate Quinn
27 books29.5k followers--I use Goodreads to track and rate my current reading. Most of my reads are 4 stars, meaning I enjoyed it hugely and would absolutely recommend. 5 stars is blew-my-socks-off; reserved for rare reads. 3 stars is "enjoyed it, but something fell a bit short." I very rarely rate lower because I DNF books I'm not enjoying, and don't rate books I don't finish.--
Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” "The Rose Code," "The Diamond Eye," and "The Briar Club." She is also a co-author in several collaborative novels including "The Phoenix Crown" with Janie Chang and "Ribbons of Scarlet" with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Heather Webb. All have been translated into multiple languages. Kate and her husband now live in Maryland with three rescue dogs.
Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” "The Rose Code," "The Diamond Eye," and "The Briar Club." She is also a co-author in several collaborative novels including "The Phoenix Crown" with Janie Chang and "Ribbons of Scarlet" with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Heather Webb. All have been translated into multiple languages. Kate and her husband now live in Maryland with three rescue dogs.
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July 15, 2024
As a devoted fan of Kate Quinn’s historical fiction novels, I happily delve into them without concern for their length. Once I immerse myself in one of her works, I find myself captivated by her stories and deeply engaged with her characters, just as I did with her latest offering.
The opening was intriguing: the story begins in 1954, in Washington D.C., at a woman’s boarding house called Briarwood House on Thanksgiving Day, where a brutal murder occurs. One of the boarders may be the culprit, but the identity of the victim remains unknown, although we learn that the murder took place in the room of a boarder named Grace March.
We then quickly jump back four years earlier to follow thirteen-year-old Pete, who shoulders more responsibilities at a young age to help his mother as a handyman at the boarding house. He takes care of his sister, who suffers from lazy eye and a learning disorder. Through his perspective, we are introduced to the boarders, including Grace March, who moves into the attic's shoebox room. Grace is a mysterious widow, tight-lipped about her past, who easily befriends the other boarders: the beautiful young mother Fliss, whose doctor husband works in San Diego as the approaching Korean War affects the political climate; Nora, the youngest of them at only twenty, who works for the National Archives and is having a love affair with a gangster despite being the daughter of a police officer; Beatrice, an ex-baseball player whose career was cut short by WWII and her injuries; Reka, an elderly Hungarian immigrant; and Arlene, a secretary for HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) who becomes a devoted supporter of McCarthy’s Red Scare.
These women, each from different backgrounds and dealing with their own demons and regrets, gather around Grace’s attic room to heal their emotional scars with the sweet taste of Grace’s special sun tea, sharing their love, hate, and miseries under the tight bond of friendship. But Grace’s secrets threaten the sacred bond they've built, and unexpected violent tragedies may tear their lives apart. In the end, each of them must make a choice to differentiate between who is their real friend and who is the enemy hiding among them.
Overall, the characterization in this book is remarkable. You can easily connect with each of the women, embracing them with their flaws and mistakes without judgment. Though it may seem like a long journey, you never want it to end because the pacing is incredibly balanced, including the heart-throbbing action parts. Nothing feels rushed or overly repetitive or dragging. The trajectory of events is executed perfectly, and the conclusion is also very satisfying.
This is definitely one of my favorite historical fiction reads of the year, and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with this remarkable book's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts
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The opening was intriguing: the story begins in 1954, in Washington D.C., at a woman’s boarding house called Briarwood House on Thanksgiving Day, where a brutal murder occurs. One of the boarders may be the culprit, but the identity of the victim remains unknown, although we learn that the murder took place in the room of a boarder named Grace March.
We then quickly jump back four years earlier to follow thirteen-year-old Pete, who shoulders more responsibilities at a young age to help his mother as a handyman at the boarding house. He takes care of his sister, who suffers from lazy eye and a learning disorder. Through his perspective, we are introduced to the boarders, including Grace March, who moves into the attic's shoebox room. Grace is a mysterious widow, tight-lipped about her past, who easily befriends the other boarders: the beautiful young mother Fliss, whose doctor husband works in San Diego as the approaching Korean War affects the political climate; Nora, the youngest of them at only twenty, who works for the National Archives and is having a love affair with a gangster despite being the daughter of a police officer; Beatrice, an ex-baseball player whose career was cut short by WWII and her injuries; Reka, an elderly Hungarian immigrant; and Arlene, a secretary for HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) who becomes a devoted supporter of McCarthy’s Red Scare.
These women, each from different backgrounds and dealing with their own demons and regrets, gather around Grace’s attic room to heal their emotional scars with the sweet taste of Grace’s special sun tea, sharing their love, hate, and miseries under the tight bond of friendship. But Grace’s secrets threaten the sacred bond they've built, and unexpected violent tragedies may tear their lives apart. In the end, each of them must make a choice to differentiate between who is their real friend and who is the enemy hiding among them.
Overall, the characterization in this book is remarkable. You can easily connect with each of the women, embracing them with their flaws and mistakes without judgment. Though it may seem like a long journey, you never want it to end because the pacing is incredibly balanced, including the heart-throbbing action parts. Nothing feels rushed or overly repetitive or dragging. The trajectory of events is executed perfectly, and the conclusion is also very satisfying.
This is definitely one of my favorite historical fiction reads of the year, and I highly recommend it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with this remarkable book's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts
medium blog
June 27, 2024
EXCERPT: Thanksgiving 1954 - Washington DC
If these walls could talk. Well, they may not be talking, but they are certainly listening. And watching.
Briarwood House is as old as the century. The house has presided - brick fronted, four-storied, slightly dilapidated - over the square below for fifty-four years. It's seen three wars, ten presidents, and countless tenants . . . but until tonight, never a murder. Now its walls smell of turkey, pumpkin pie and blood, and the house is shocked down into its foundations.
Also, just a little bit thrilled. This is the most excitement Briarwood House has had in decades.
ABOUT 'THE BRIAR CLUB': Washington, D.C., 1950
Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, an all-female boarding house in the heart of the US capital, where secrets hide behind respectable facades.
But when the mysterious Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbours – a poised English beauty, a policeman’s daughter, a frustrated female baseball star, and a rabidly pro-McCarthy typist – into an unlikely friendship.
Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their troubled lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. And when a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?
MY THOUGHTS: Kate Quinn's The Briar Club is enchanting and compelling. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking - What is Grace's story? Whose are the bodies? Who killed them? And why?
This is not Kate Quinn's usual fare - yes, it is historical fiction (or should that be faction?), but it is the characters who carry this story, including Briarwood House, a character in its own right. Spanning the years from 1950 when new tenant Grace March arrives at Briarwood House to 1954 when the murders occur, The Briar Club is an intriguing story of friendship set against a backdrop of political and social change encompassing the atomic bomb, McCarthyism, the Korean war, racial discrimination and the Cold War.
I loved getting to know these characters. Grace Marsh is the mysterious woman in the tiny attic room who draws all the other characters together. Nora, the daughter and sister of Irish policeman who, although she is estranged from her family, is still expected to support them. Bea is a woman frustrated by the curveball life has thrown her. Arlene is an unhappy husband-hunting woman who doesn't understand why no one likes her. Rekha is an older Hungarian woman, a professor and artist before she escaped to America who now earns a living shelving books at the library. Fliss is English and bringing up a baby with no family support, her doctor husband having been sent overseas to treat those injured in the war. Claire is focused only on getting out of the boarding house, her dream being a small house in the suburbs with a white picket fence. She will do whatever it takes to attain her dream. In addition to these characters there is the Nilson family - Mrs Nilson, a penny-pinching harridan who treats her children like slaves; Pete Nilson her teenage son; and Lina, Pete's slightly younger sister. There is also a gangster, a jazz musician or two, a G-Man, a politician's wife and a Russian spy.
Don't expect a fast-paced intense story. The Briar Club is very much a slow burn, character focused read. And one I loved. The storyline is intricate and richly layered with historical detail that I reveled in. I loved the characters' dramas, their relationships, and their stories which Grace seamlessly extracted from them. I really didn't want this book to end, as satisfying as that ending is. The Briar Club elicited all the emotions from me - it is sad, funny, touching, appalling and entertaining. A perfect mix.
Don't finish this read without reading Kate Quinn's explanation of how this book and its characters came about. It is worth five stars on its own.
There is also the bonus of recipes for Grace's Sun Tea, and the various other dishes served at the Thursday evening supper club and a musical recommendation to accompany the food. I had tears of laughter running down my face at Arlene's Candle Salad.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheBriarClub #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: A native of southern California, Kate and her husband now live in San Diego with three rescue dogs.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers Australia via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Briar Club by Kate Quinn for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
The Briar Club is due for publication 18 July 2024.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
If these walls could talk. Well, they may not be talking, but they are certainly listening. And watching.
Briarwood House is as old as the century. The house has presided - brick fronted, four-storied, slightly dilapidated - over the square below for fifty-four years. It's seen three wars, ten presidents, and countless tenants . . . but until tonight, never a murder. Now its walls smell of turkey, pumpkin pie and blood, and the house is shocked down into its foundations.
Also, just a little bit thrilled. This is the most excitement Briarwood House has had in decades.
ABOUT 'THE BRIAR CLUB': Washington, D.C., 1950
Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, an all-female boarding house in the heart of the US capital, where secrets hide behind respectable facades.
But when the mysterious Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbours – a poised English beauty, a policeman’s daughter, a frustrated female baseball star, and a rabidly pro-McCarthy typist – into an unlikely friendship.
Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their troubled lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. And when a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?
MY THOUGHTS: Kate Quinn's The Briar Club is enchanting and compelling. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking - What is Grace's story? Whose are the bodies? Who killed them? And why?
This is not Kate Quinn's usual fare - yes, it is historical fiction (or should that be faction?), but it is the characters who carry this story, including Briarwood House, a character in its own right. Spanning the years from 1950 when new tenant Grace March arrives at Briarwood House to 1954 when the murders occur, The Briar Club is an intriguing story of friendship set against a backdrop of political and social change encompassing the atomic bomb, McCarthyism, the Korean war, racial discrimination and the Cold War.
I loved getting to know these characters. Grace Marsh is the mysterious woman in the tiny attic room who draws all the other characters together. Nora, the daughter and sister of Irish policeman who, although she is estranged from her family, is still expected to support them. Bea is a woman frustrated by the curveball life has thrown her. Arlene is an unhappy husband-hunting woman who doesn't understand why no one likes her. Rekha is an older Hungarian woman, a professor and artist before she escaped to America who now earns a living shelving books at the library. Fliss is English and bringing up a baby with no family support, her doctor husband having been sent overseas to treat those injured in the war. Claire is focused only on getting out of the boarding house, her dream being a small house in the suburbs with a white picket fence. She will do whatever it takes to attain her dream. In addition to these characters there is the Nilson family - Mrs Nilson, a penny-pinching harridan who treats her children like slaves; Pete Nilson her teenage son; and Lina, Pete's slightly younger sister. There is also a gangster, a jazz musician or two, a G-Man, a politician's wife and a Russian spy.
Don't expect a fast-paced intense story. The Briar Club is very much a slow burn, character focused read. And one I loved. The storyline is intricate and richly layered with historical detail that I reveled in. I loved the characters' dramas, their relationships, and their stories which Grace seamlessly extracted from them. I really didn't want this book to end, as satisfying as that ending is. The Briar Club elicited all the emotions from me - it is sad, funny, touching, appalling and entertaining. A perfect mix.
Don't finish this read without reading Kate Quinn's explanation of how this book and its characters came about. It is worth five stars on its own.
There is also the bonus of recipes for Grace's Sun Tea, and the various other dishes served at the Thursday evening supper club and a musical recommendation to accompany the food. I had tears of laughter running down my face at Arlene's Candle Salad.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheBriarClub #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: A native of southern California, Kate and her husband now live in San Diego with three rescue dogs.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers Australia via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Briar Club by Kate Quinn for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
The Briar Club is due for publication 18 July 2024.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
July 3, 2024
Briarwood (Boarding) House, Washington DC, Thanksgiving 1954. Turkey, pumpkin pie and murder. Which of the characters present on this catastrophic night will end up clapped in handcuffs? The house knows…..
Backtrack to June 1950, maybe the answers lie there when widowed Mrs Grace March arrives seeking a room, that’s when the house wakes up that’s for sure. Why so? Maybe its because Grace draws all the ‘motley’ collection of boarders into the unlikely friendship of The Briar Club. There’s English Fliss and her young daughter Angela, who’s trying to be a perfect mother while her husband is in Korea, Nora holding a gangster at bay, injured former baseball star Bea, Arlene an ardent supporter of McCarthy, Hungarian born artist Reka Takacs to say nothing of Peter and Lina, the lovely put upon children of the less than lovely owner of Briarwood, Mrs. Nilsson. All of them from very different backgrounds, but in November of 1954 all having a huge decision to make- will their friendship hold good?
Fantastic, quite simply fantastic. I love the way that Kate Quinn writes, she pulls you into her well researched sagas immediately and keeps you utterly riveted. The characterisation is outstanding as I find myself caught up in each of their lives. There are quite a lot of characters, but as each has their own distinctive voice, it’s not in the least hard to keep track of them. Their backstories are fascinating and you need to brace yourself with one or two as the odd surprise or even a bombshell is dotted along the way! They’re all fantastic characters but for me Grace, Pete and Bea stand out in differing ways.
The early 1950s are captured to perfection, this author is known for her extensive research and ability to convey a strong sense of time and place. Here we have an America deep in the reds under the beds with the paranoia of McCarthyism, a time of deep suspicion. Mind you, Mrs. Nilsson is suspicious of everything, just ask the house. There’s the Korean War in the background, gangs, crooks, corruption, prejudice, and judgement to name but a few of the themes and of course, close friendship.
This is a terrific slow burner intense novel with the author cleverly keeping you in suspense on the number of things. It builds to a very good ending with a few sharp intakes of breath.
Overall, I find this a cracking read. I love the use of actual characters such as Senator Margaret Chase Smith and little inclusions like JFK proposing to Jackie in the Martin Tavern on Wisconsin Street. June 1953 FYI! It’s also worth reading all the authors notes at the end. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Harper Collins for the much appreciated in return for an honest review.
Backtrack to June 1950, maybe the answers lie there when widowed Mrs Grace March arrives seeking a room, that’s when the house wakes up that’s for sure. Why so? Maybe its because Grace draws all the ‘motley’ collection of boarders into the unlikely friendship of The Briar Club. There’s English Fliss and her young daughter Angela, who’s trying to be a perfect mother while her husband is in Korea, Nora holding a gangster at bay, injured former baseball star Bea, Arlene an ardent supporter of McCarthy, Hungarian born artist Reka Takacs to say nothing of Peter and Lina, the lovely put upon children of the less than lovely owner of Briarwood, Mrs. Nilsson. All of them from very different backgrounds, but in November of 1954 all having a huge decision to make- will their friendship hold good?
Fantastic, quite simply fantastic. I love the way that Kate Quinn writes, she pulls you into her well researched sagas immediately and keeps you utterly riveted. The characterisation is outstanding as I find myself caught up in each of their lives. There are quite a lot of characters, but as each has their own distinctive voice, it’s not in the least hard to keep track of them. Their backstories are fascinating and you need to brace yourself with one or two as the odd surprise or even a bombshell is dotted along the way! They’re all fantastic characters but for me Grace, Pete and Bea stand out in differing ways.
The early 1950s are captured to perfection, this author is known for her extensive research and ability to convey a strong sense of time and place. Here we have an America deep in the reds under the beds with the paranoia of McCarthyism, a time of deep suspicion. Mind you, Mrs. Nilsson is suspicious of everything, just ask the house. There’s the Korean War in the background, gangs, crooks, corruption, prejudice, and judgement to name but a few of the themes and of course, close friendship.
This is a terrific slow burner intense novel with the author cleverly keeping you in suspense on the number of things. It builds to a very good ending with a few sharp intakes of breath.
Overall, I find this a cracking read. I love the use of actual characters such as Senator Margaret Chase Smith and little inclusions like JFK proposing to Jackie in the Martin Tavern on Wisconsin Street. June 1953 FYI! It’s also worth reading all the authors notes at the end. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Harper Collins for the much appreciated in return for an honest review.
June 14, 2024
There's a reason Kate Quinn is the Queen of Historical Fiction. She's just a brilliant writer and a masterful storyteller. Though this is a bit of a departure from her previous books, her fans are in for another treat with THE BRIAR CLUB. Set in a woman's boarding house in Washington DC during the Cold War, Quinn brings together a rich ensemble cast combined with lyrical prose, a touch of romance, and equal measures of heart and suspense. This novel has it all and will keep you turning pages until the surprising end.
June 29, 2024
Briarwood House is a run-down boarding house in Washington, D.C. for ladies, and each of its occupants has a past and is keeping secrets. A mysterious widow Grace March moves into the smallest room in the attic, for her the green walls and window are perfect.
The boarding house is owned by a frugal Mrs. Doilies Nilsson, her teenage son Pete and she has a younger daughter Lina. The borders are: English rose Fliss and her baby Angela, Nora who works for the National Archives, Bea a high school physical education teacher, Arlene the snippy girl from Texas, Claire who likes to be left alone and Reka an elderly lady. Thursday nights Mrs. Nilsson goes out, everyone breathes a huge sigh of relief, Grace introduces the idea of holding dinner parties in her room, she serves her famous sun tea, Pete and Lina are keen to attend and slowly each of the ladies start making an appearance.
When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart on the 28th of November 1954, The Briar Club women have to decide who they can trust, do they have an enemy living amongst them and slowly they reveal via the narrative what they have been hiding about themselves and their vulnerabilities and all is not what it seems.
I received a copy of The Briar Club from HarperCollins Publishers Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have been a big fan of Kate Quinn’s novels for years and her latest book is well written, captivating and a real page turner.
Not all what I was expecting and in a good way, it covers topics such as where women lived in 1950’s America and boarding houses were a popular choice, unlikely friendships and loneliness, food and sharing it with others, insecurities and jealously, fear of communism in the US at the time, post-natal depression, access to birth control and what was available, sports women played and did it make a lady less feminine to be an athlete, gangsters, crime and corrupt cops and controlling men.
Most of all it's a story about secrets, what goes on behind closed doors, and in people's minds. Five stars from me, The Briar Club is brilliant read and full of so many twists and turns and I predict it will be a best seller!
The boarding house is owned by a frugal Mrs. Doilies Nilsson, her teenage son Pete and she has a younger daughter Lina. The borders are: English rose Fliss and her baby Angela, Nora who works for the National Archives, Bea a high school physical education teacher, Arlene the snippy girl from Texas, Claire who likes to be left alone and Reka an elderly lady. Thursday nights Mrs. Nilsson goes out, everyone breathes a huge sigh of relief, Grace introduces the idea of holding dinner parties in her room, she serves her famous sun tea, Pete and Lina are keen to attend and slowly each of the ladies start making an appearance.
When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart on the 28th of November 1954, The Briar Club women have to decide who they can trust, do they have an enemy living amongst them and slowly they reveal via the narrative what they have been hiding about themselves and their vulnerabilities and all is not what it seems.
I received a copy of The Briar Club from HarperCollins Publishers Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have been a big fan of Kate Quinn’s novels for years and her latest book is well written, captivating and a real page turner.
Not all what I was expecting and in a good way, it covers topics such as where women lived in 1950’s America and boarding houses were a popular choice, unlikely friendships and loneliness, food and sharing it with others, insecurities and jealously, fear of communism in the US at the time, post-natal depression, access to birth control and what was available, sports women played and did it make a lady less feminine to be an athlete, gangsters, crime and corrupt cops and controlling men.
Most of all it's a story about secrets, what goes on behind closed doors, and in people's minds. Five stars from me, The Briar Club is brilliant read and full of so many twists and turns and I predict it will be a best seller!
June 6, 2024
“It’s seen three wars, ten presidents, and countless tenants….but until tonight, never a murder.”
Although not my favourite of this author’s work (I prefer her previous style/genre), I think I’ll remember it come Thanksgiving for the next few years! Quinn has taken a different approach and created a character-focused slow burn cozy mystery centered around female friendship and secrets and set against the backdrop of a boardinghouse in Washington, DC during the McCarthy era.
As you can tell from the quote, Briarwood House has a character-like role in this story. Miss Nilsson runs a boarding house for ladies and is at full occupancy with 8 eclectic boarders. Quinn devotes time to each of the tenants and shares their backstory; what led them to Briarwood House, and the secrets they don’t share when they meet with the other ladies in the top-floor apartment. Some of the characters were so interesting, I was sad to arrive at a new chapter and a new boarder! I love Quinn’s message about the need for connection and friendship.
This book is not as fast-paced and intense. Yes, as readers get closer to Thanksgiving 1954 and the aftermath of the tragic event, the story gains speed and the mystery deepens. Yes, the paranoia of the McCarthy era/Red Scare comes through loud and clear in her writing, but the readers’ focus is on the unity and friendships forged during this time in history when anyone could pose as a friend and confidante. I loved the mystery and the chance to become involved in the story.
If you’ve read The Rose Code, you’ll remember Beth. She’s Felicity ‘Fliss’ Orton from 2A’s auntie.
I loved the fantastic cover and the recipes inserted! I made Grace’s Sun Tea and sipped it on the deck as I read this book yesterday.
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.
Although not my favourite of this author’s work (I prefer her previous style/genre), I think I’ll remember it come Thanksgiving for the next few years! Quinn has taken a different approach and created a character-focused slow burn cozy mystery centered around female friendship and secrets and set against the backdrop of a boardinghouse in Washington, DC during the McCarthy era.
As you can tell from the quote, Briarwood House has a character-like role in this story. Miss Nilsson runs a boarding house for ladies and is at full occupancy with 8 eclectic boarders. Quinn devotes time to each of the tenants and shares their backstory; what led them to Briarwood House, and the secrets they don’t share when they meet with the other ladies in the top-floor apartment. Some of the characters were so interesting, I was sad to arrive at a new chapter and a new boarder! I love Quinn’s message about the need for connection and friendship.
This book is not as fast-paced and intense. Yes, as readers get closer to Thanksgiving 1954 and the aftermath of the tragic event, the story gains speed and the mystery deepens. Yes, the paranoia of the McCarthy era/Red Scare comes through loud and clear in her writing, but the readers’ focus is on the unity and friendships forged during this time in history when anyone could pose as a friend and confidante. I loved the mystery and the chance to become involved in the story.
If you’ve read The Rose Code, you’ll remember Beth. She’s Felicity ‘Fliss’ Orton from 2A’s auntie.
I loved the fantastic cover and the recipes inserted! I made Grace’s Sun Tea and sipped it on the deck as I read this book yesterday.
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.
July 14, 2024
Kate Quinn is an auto-read author for me as she writes excellent, informative and engaging historical fiction. Her latest, The Briar Club is an absorbing, compelling look at the residents of an all-female boarding house in Washington, D.C. set during the turbulent, paranoia-filled (1950s) McCarthy years.
This book is somewhat different from this author’s previous historical fiction reads in that it is more character-driven (although there is a murder that takes place that bookends the novel) and it is not set in this author’s usual WWII setting.
The plot focuses on six strong, relatable women, each with complicated pasts, struggling in a society of fear, distrust, misogyny and sexism. I loved the characters! Each of the women gets her story told and in each, we see how the Briar House residents come to play a big part in helping each other deal with their pasts. I was completely absorbed by these women and loved this story of found friendships. I also enjoyed how the Briarwood House itself was a character.
I loved how the author cleverly interwove the historical events that were happening at the time into each woman’s story, including the Korean War, the Holocaust, the Holodomor famine in Ukraine, and the development of the birth control pill. The story also touched on depression, abuse, loss but also resilience and hope.
This is a quieter novel than this author’s previous novels, but it is just as good as her previous ones, in my opinion. The writing flows off the page, there is a satisfying conclusion and the characters and their stories are so compelling. I had trouble putting the book down and stayed up late reading it. This is historical fiction at its best. Highly recommend!
This book is somewhat different from this author’s previous historical fiction reads in that it is more character-driven (although there is a murder that takes place that bookends the novel) and it is not set in this author’s usual WWII setting.
The plot focuses on six strong, relatable women, each with complicated pasts, struggling in a society of fear, distrust, misogyny and sexism. I loved the characters! Each of the women gets her story told and in each, we see how the Briar House residents come to play a big part in helping each other deal with their pasts. I was completely absorbed by these women and loved this story of found friendships. I also enjoyed how the Briarwood House itself was a character.
I loved how the author cleverly interwove the historical events that were happening at the time into each woman’s story, including the Korean War, the Holocaust, the Holodomor famine in Ukraine, and the development of the birth control pill. The story also touched on depression, abuse, loss but also resilience and hope.
This is a quieter novel than this author’s previous novels, but it is just as good as her previous ones, in my opinion. The writing flows off the page, there is a satisfying conclusion and the characters and their stories are so compelling. I had trouble putting the book down and stayed up late reading it. This is historical fiction at its best. Highly recommend!
July 9, 2024
4.5 stars
The Briar Club is a historical fiction novel taking place in the 1950s during the McCarthy era. Briarwood House is a boarding house in Washington D.C. and the story follows the different residents living there. There’s a bit of a mystery as you find out early on that police are investigating a murder at Briarwood House in 1954. The bulk of the story is what was taking place in the years before the crime but developments regarding the case are also included throughout the book.
I really enjoyed this one as it featuring some strong and fascinating female characters. After reading the book and then the Author’s Note at the end, I appreciate the historical content that was incorporated into the story. Having said that, the story does lean more to the creative side of historical fiction rather than being strictly fact based. However, Kate Quinn did a great job capturing this era and it’s a book worth reading if you are a fan of the author and the genre.
Thank you William Morrow for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
The Briar Club is a historical fiction novel taking place in the 1950s during the McCarthy era. Briarwood House is a boarding house in Washington D.C. and the story follows the different residents living there. There’s a bit of a mystery as you find out early on that police are investigating a murder at Briarwood House in 1954. The bulk of the story is what was taking place in the years before the crime but developments regarding the case are also included throughout the book.
I really enjoyed this one as it featuring some strong and fascinating female characters. After reading the book and then the Author’s Note at the end, I appreciate the historical content that was incorporated into the story. Having said that, the story does lean more to the creative side of historical fiction rather than being strictly fact based. However, Kate Quinn did a great job capturing this era and it’s a book worth reading if you are a fan of the author and the genre.
Thank you William Morrow for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Read
July 9, 2024THE BRIAR CLUB is now out in stores everywhere across the US! Come see me on tour (tour information on my website, www.katequinnauthor.com/events/) or drop a review here on Goodreads--I'm so proud to see this book finally hit shelves!
Print, ebook, and audio versions all available from the vendor of your choice here: https://www.harpercollins.com/product...
Print, ebook, and audio versions all available from the vendor of your choice here: https://www.harpercollins.com/product...
July 17, 2024
This is an entertaining, well-written, 1950's historical fiction novel which is based on actual persons and events. It has a diverse cast of interesting characters, a touch of humor, secrets, intrigue, suspense, friendship, a touch of romance, recipes, a surprise appearance, an unexpected twist, and a satisfying conclusion. Ms. Quinn's loyal readers will appreciate the nod to one of her previous novels. The author's notes and the interview with the author and narrator, which is available with the audio book, are interesting and informative, and are truly appreciated. The talented Ms. Saskia Maarleveld, who has a captivating voice, does an outstanding job voicing the characters of the audio book.
July 17, 2024
4 solid stars for the "Briar Club" and it's amazing women of the 1950's!! Really loved this D.C. boarding house set historical of a "found family" of very, very different people all coming together and their quite dramatic Thanksgiving dinner climax. My only quibble was the extremely long chapters about each of the women and at times this just felt so long! But I had a tear or two at the ending and a twist I didn't see coming, so I highly recommend this one.
April 15, 2024
4.5⭐️Set during the McCarthy Era in Washington DC, The Briar Club tells the story of an all female boardinghouse in the 1950s. It is broken into 8 chapters, with each one following the life of a woman living there (so yes long chapters). The boarders come from different background, which gives the book a unique perspective and sheds light on life in the US during in the 1950s. This book is different than Quinn’s WWII books. It is more character-driven and a slow-burn, but when the action hits at the end, and everything you leaned about the boarders connects, you really appreciate Quinn’s talent and meticulous research. I particularly loved seeing how the women grew, learned from each other and became a family despite their differences.
Read if you like:
-The McCarthy Era
-Women’s history
-Mystery side storylines
*still deciding on final rating because I lovedddd it when I finished but found some chapters slow
Read if you like:
-The McCarthy Era
-Women’s history
-Mystery side storylines
*still deciding on final rating because I lovedddd it when I finished but found some chapters slow
June 30, 2024
Not sure how to review this one.
First off, it’s not your typical Kate Quinn book. If you’re picking this up expecting a deep historical fiction story it is not going to be that. Instead, it reads more like a collection of short stories, since each chapter is from a different character’s point of view without any repeats (well one does but it’s short).
I guess it’s best to break it down by chapters for ⭐️ rating:
Peter: 1.5
Nora: 4
Reka: 2.5-3
Fliss: 3
Bea: 2.5-3
Clair: 4
Arlene: 3.5
Author’s Note: Actually the best part of the book!
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
This is a very slow character driven story. Most of the chapters feel like they become repetitive within their own character’s story and it made it hard to really get into and enjoy for some of the chapters.
Thank you, WilliamMorrow for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
First off, it’s not your typical Kate Quinn book. If you’re picking this up expecting a deep historical fiction story it is not going to be that. Instead, it reads more like a collection of short stories, since each chapter is from a different character’s point of view without any repeats (well one does but it’s short).
I guess it’s best to break it down by chapters for ⭐️ rating:
Peter: 1.5
Nora: 4
Reka: 2.5-3
Fliss: 3
Bea: 2.5-3
Clair: 4
Arlene: 3.5
Author’s Note: Actually the best part of the book!
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
This is a very slow character driven story. Most of the chapters feel like they become repetitive within their own character’s story and it made it hard to really get into and enjoy for some of the chapters.
Thank you, WilliamMorrow for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
July 5, 2024
Can I give it more than 5 stars, please?
July 16, 2024
🌟🌟🌟🌟.3 stars
"The Briar Club" by Kate Quinn is an absolute gem! This is my first book by Kate Quinn, and I'm thrilled! The characters, the setting, the intrigue—everything is beautifully woven together. I was completely engrossed from start to finish!
**Genres & Tropes:**
- Historical Fiction 🕰️
- Mystery 🔍
- Thriller
- Female Friendships
- Secrets & Lies 🗝️
- Found Family 🏠
Imagine a cozy boarding house in 1950s Washington, D.C., filled with fascinating women from all walks of life. That's *The Briar Club* for you! The story kicks off with a bang (literally) in 1954 on Thanksgiving Day with a shocking murder in Grace March's attic room. But then we rewind to 1950 to untangle the lives of the women at Briarwood House.
First off, the characters are superbly crafted. Grace March is the mysterious widow who brings everyone together with her weekly attic dinners and delicious sun tea. There's Nora, entangled with a gangster. Fliss, the beautiful English mother coping with her husband's absence due to the Korean War. Bea, the ex-baseball star frustrated by her career's abrupt end. Arlene, an ardent McCarthy supporter, and Reka, an elderly Hungarian artist turned librarian.
Grace's secretive past adds a layer of suspense as the women bond over shared meals and their struggles. Quinn does an incredible job of fleshing out each character, making them relatable and complex. The pacing is just right, balancing character development with intriguing historical details of the McCarthy era and the Cold War.
The book doesn't rush. It focuses on relationships and personal dramas against a backdrop of political tension. The historical setting is richly detailed, bringing the 1950s to life with authenticity. And that twist? Perfectly executed and deeply satisfying!
Overall, *The Briar Club* is a compelling mix of mystery, historical fiction, and a celebration of female friendships.
"The Briar Club" by Kate Quinn is an absolute gem! This is my first book by Kate Quinn, and I'm thrilled! The characters, the setting, the intrigue—everything is beautifully woven together. I was completely engrossed from start to finish!
**Genres & Tropes:**
- Historical Fiction 🕰️
- Mystery 🔍
- Thriller
- Female Friendships
- Secrets & Lies 🗝️
- Found Family 🏠
Imagine a cozy boarding house in 1950s Washington, D.C., filled with fascinating women from all walks of life. That's *The Briar Club* for you! The story kicks off with a bang (literally) in 1954 on Thanksgiving Day with a shocking murder in Grace March's attic room. But then we rewind to 1950 to untangle the lives of the women at Briarwood House.
First off, the characters are superbly crafted. Grace March is the mysterious widow who brings everyone together with her weekly attic dinners and delicious sun tea. There's Nora, entangled with a gangster. Fliss, the beautiful English mother coping with her husband's absence due to the Korean War. Bea, the ex-baseball star frustrated by her career's abrupt end. Arlene, an ardent McCarthy supporter, and Reka, an elderly Hungarian artist turned librarian.
Grace's secretive past adds a layer of suspense as the women bond over shared meals and their struggles. Quinn does an incredible job of fleshing out each character, making them relatable and complex. The pacing is just right, balancing character development with intriguing historical details of the McCarthy era and the Cold War.
The book doesn't rush. It focuses on relationships and personal dramas against a backdrop of political tension. The historical setting is richly detailed, bringing the 1950s to life with authenticity. And that twist? Perfectly executed and deeply satisfying!
Overall, *The Briar Club* is a compelling mix of mystery, historical fiction, and a celebration of female friendships.
July 17, 2024
The Briarwood is a "ladies only" boarding house in Washington DC run by Mrs. Nilsson, with many restrictive rules for her tenants, who all keep to themselves. It's 1950 and the post-WWII country is gripped by the Red Scare and the Korean War is about to begin. When Grace March, a lively widow, rents the very small apartment 4B, things start to change. She wants to get to know the women in the house and starts a dinner gathering on Thursdays, the night Mrs. Nilsson plays bridge. We learn from the start that on Thanksgiving, 1954, a murder has taken place. As the story goes back and forth in time, the lives and secrets of the "Briar Club" women come to light. Fliss, a British mother awaits the return of her doctor husband serving overseas. Nora, who comes from a family of policemen, is career-driven and works for the National Archives. She gets involved with a local gangster. Bea, a former baseball player. Claire, a loner saving up to be able buy her own house. Arlene, from Texas, is an unhappy, unlikeable woman, fearful of the threat of communists. Reka, an older woman who is a Hungarian refugee. Mrs. Nilsson's sweet, neglected son Pete, along with his sister Lina, are taken under the wings of the women. As details of the Thanksgiving event are revealed, it becomes clearer that anyone in the house could be a murderer.
While there is a murder to be solved in The Briar Club, Kate Quinn's compelling book is about friendship during an interesting historical period. The book provides a glimpse into the Red Scare years, when the country was poisoned by the views of Senator McCarthy. The mystery of who has been murdered and who is guilty, is an important and intriguing part of the story but doesn't overshadow the stories of the unique, complicated characters and their evolving relationships. While different from Quinn's other books, it was a satisfying read from a talented storyteller.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
While there is a murder to be solved in The Briar Club, Kate Quinn's compelling book is about friendship during an interesting historical period. The book provides a glimpse into the Red Scare years, when the country was poisoned by the views of Senator McCarthy. The mystery of who has been murdered and who is guilty, is an important and intriguing part of the story but doesn't overshadow the stories of the unique, complicated characters and their evolving relationships. While different from Quinn's other books, it was a satisfying read from a talented storyteller.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
July 11, 2024
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!
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!
June 13, 2024
Wow wow wow what a treat!!!! Obsessed! Its the early 50s and we’re in DC at the Briarwood Boarding House for Women. We meet seven women with very different lives who come together every Thursday for the Briarwood Supper Club. The book is split up into seven parts with each woman getting their own part. Since I was on my kindle, I know that each part took me 45 mins-1 hour to read. So they’re big chunks. You get to know the women SO well in their parts but then also see them appear in all the others. This book covers SO 👏🏻 MUCH 👏🏻 HISTORY 👏🏻 McCarthyism, Korean War, Mobs, the atomic bomb, I love Lucy, the women’s baseball league, segregation, I could go on and on. Oh and the book opens up with the house telling us that a double murder has just occurred. Classic Kate Quinn - historically rich, amazing characters, twists and turns. I feel like I lived in the boarding house with the women. Just loved this so so much. It’s out 7/9
July 14, 2024
This is a bit of a change up for Kate Quinn. There's a sentient house and a murder mystery.
Don't get me wrong, there are still multiple timelines and perspectives, a war going on, a kind-hearted main character with a shady past you can't help rooting for, and a physically abusive rich guy.
This book is like a new kind of cheese on the hamburger you're used to. Comfortable and familiar with a new twist.
Don't get me wrong, there are still multiple timelines and perspectives, a war going on, a kind-hearted main character with a shady past you can't help rooting for, and a physically abusive rich guy.
This book is like a new kind of cheese on the hamburger you're used to. Comfortable and familiar with a new twist.
July 13, 2024
There is a line in this book that I absolutely loved, and it’s actually the perfect description for the book as a whole. This is where the members of the Briar club are described as a
“lunatic grab-bag of friends”, which fits them perfectly. The book has everything that I want in a story including characters with authentic back stories; a murder mystery or two to solve; light romance and intrigue; and, even a house that lets you know what it thinks! These are characters that you get to know well and you start to develop strong emotional responses towards whether that’s to join in with despising the landlady or smiling at Lina and her multiple attempts at learning to bake. Grace stands out as the backbone of the story, but every character is so well formed that they start feeling like neighbours or friends. Set in the 1950’s at a time of communist suspicion, gangsters and the McCarthy era and with a backdrop of a female boarding house in Washington D.C. where boarding house residents become friends over a weekly shared dinner, this book was an adventure that captured my heart and mind. For years people have been telling me to read books by Kate Quinn. I actually own at least four among the books waiting to be read, and they’ve just jumped to the top of the physical reading pile, because wow this was good! Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my review, and to Kate for this wonderful book and creating a new fan.
“lunatic grab-bag of friends”, which fits them perfectly. The book has everything that I want in a story including characters with authentic back stories; a murder mystery or two to solve; light romance and intrigue; and, even a house that lets you know what it thinks! These are characters that you get to know well and you start to develop strong emotional responses towards whether that’s to join in with despising the landlady or smiling at Lina and her multiple attempts at learning to bake. Grace stands out as the backbone of the story, but every character is so well formed that they start feeling like neighbours or friends. Set in the 1950’s at a time of communist suspicion, gangsters and the McCarthy era and with a backdrop of a female boarding house in Washington D.C. where boarding house residents become friends over a weekly shared dinner, this book was an adventure that captured my heart and mind. For years people have been telling me to read books by Kate Quinn. I actually own at least four among the books waiting to be read, and they’ve just jumped to the top of the physical reading pile, because wow this was good! Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my review, and to Kate for this wonderful book and creating a new fan.
July 9, 2024
This book was a bit of a change in form from the “normal” Kate Quinn narrative. But as always, the story centers on women during a certain time in history. In this particular story, we are introduced to a group of women in the 1950s. They all live in a boarding house for women and have a weekly supper club, The Briar Club. Each section of the book is about a different woman.
As always the writing was fantastic, but it’s definitely harder to give a book a super high rating with a narrative structure like this one. You really have to love every single individual story and I definitely think in this case certain ones were more captivating than others. I would’ve read a whole book about Grace or Nora!
But what I think this narrative style did really well was showing the different kind of lives and backgrounds women living during this time might’ve had; from the wife of a deployed soldier to an immigrant who ran from the violence of Hitler to being in love with a gangster. Oh and throughout the stories, you are trying to find out why there may be a dead body found at the boarding house!
Kate Quinn is one of the queens of historical fiction. I’ve read 5 of her books and will continue to pick up whatever she writes!
Thank you so so much to William Morrow for the ARC and the finished copy!!
As always the writing was fantastic, but it’s definitely harder to give a book a super high rating with a narrative structure like this one. You really have to love every single individual story and I definitely think in this case certain ones were more captivating than others. I would’ve read a whole book about Grace or Nora!
But what I think this narrative style did really well was showing the different kind of lives and backgrounds women living during this time might’ve had; from the wife of a deployed soldier to an immigrant who ran from the violence of Hitler to being in love with a gangster. Oh and throughout the stories, you are trying to find out why there may be a dead body found at the boarding house!
Kate Quinn is one of the queens of historical fiction. I’ve read 5 of her books and will continue to pick up whatever she writes!
Thank you so so much to William Morrow for the ARC and the finished copy!!
July 1, 2024
Thank you so much to William Morrow for the gifted book!
This book started off SO WELL! It's basically a murder mystery from the first page and I was SO excited for how instantly drawn in I was. When a body is found in a women's boarding home in 1954, you know it's' going to be a crazy story!
The book starts out during Thanksgiving of 1954 and then is told mostly in flashbacks. Each flashback chapter is centered around one of the characters in the home and all of those chapters are LONG! To give you an idea how long, the book is 430 pages and there are only 9 chapters! There are very short chapters in-between each long chapter called "interstitials". Those chapters were definitely my favorite part because they dealt with the murdered woman in the house.
Of all the character's chapters, I really only felt connected to Nora and Fliss. Nora's chapter was incredibly well-written and I was CAPTIVATED the entire time. Since that was only chapter 2, I had extremely high hopes for the rest of the book. If that chapter was a stand-a-lone book (which it almost could be), I would rate it 5+ stars!
Unfortunately, all the other character's chapters dragged for me and I didn't need 50ish pages on each one of them, especially when it didn't always directly relate to the story I was most concerned with: the murder on Thanksgiving in 1954. I hate to complain about the length of a book since that's something that is easily known going into reading a book, but in this case so much of the character's background was just not necessary and could have been easily enjoyed had it been cut down to a 3oo page book.
This is the lowest I've ever rated a Kate Quinn book, but it just didn't work for me like I hoped it would! I'm still going to read what she puts out next!
This book started off SO WELL! It's basically a murder mystery from the first page and I was SO excited for how instantly drawn in I was. When a body is found in a women's boarding home in 1954, you know it's' going to be a crazy story!
The book starts out during Thanksgiving of 1954 and then is told mostly in flashbacks. Each flashback chapter is centered around one of the characters in the home and all of those chapters are LONG! To give you an idea how long, the book is 430 pages and there are only 9 chapters! There are very short chapters in-between each long chapter called "interstitials". Those chapters were definitely my favorite part because they dealt with the murdered woman in the house.
Of all the character's chapters, I really only felt connected to Nora and Fliss. Nora's chapter was incredibly well-written and I was CAPTIVATED the entire time. Since that was only chapter 2, I had extremely high hopes for the rest of the book. If that chapter was a stand-a-lone book (which it almost could be), I would rate it 5+ stars!
Unfortunately, all the other character's chapters dragged for me and I didn't need 50ish pages on each one of them, especially when it didn't always directly relate to the story I was most concerned with: the murder on Thanksgiving in 1954. I hate to complain about the length of a book since that's something that is easily known going into reading a book, but in this case so much of the character's background was just not necessary and could have been easily enjoyed had it been cut down to a 3oo page book.
This is the lowest I've ever rated a Kate Quinn book, but it just didn't work for me like I hoped it would! I'm still going to read what she puts out next!
May 12, 2024
It's 1954 in Washington D.C.
A group of women living in a boarding house called Briarwood House. There were three floors and a fourth, a small room in the attic.
Their landlady ; owner of the house Mrs. Nilson has many rules for the ladies living under her roof.
There was Grace, Nora, Fliss, Clare, Bea , Arlene and Reka. They all got along reasonably well.
They kept their secrets to themselves and were fiercely loyal.
I want to thank "William Morrow" publishing for sending me this book.
A group of women living in a boarding house called Briarwood House. There were three floors and a fourth, a small room in the attic.
Their landlady ; owner of the house Mrs. Nilson has many rules for the ladies living under her roof.
There was Grace, Nora, Fliss, Clare, Bea , Arlene and Reka. They all got along reasonably well.
They kept their secrets to themselves and were fiercely loyal.
I want to thank "William Morrow" publishing for sending me this book.
March 5, 2024
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on July 9th, 2024.
Writing: 5/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 5/5
Thanksgiving 1954. Washington, DC. A women’s boarding house. A body. And blood — lots of blood. That’s how Kate Quinn’s latest book gets started. And yes, once I started, I never put it down as per usual with her books. She can really write!
Backing up from the Thanksgiving turmoil, the book starts in June 1950 and shifts the POV from boarder to boarder as the timeline makes its inexorable crawl towards the “exciting” date. This is an excellent device as not only do we get the events leading up to the end from different perspectives, we also get the stories of the women — all from different backgrounds and with different goals which together comprise a compendium of women’s lives at that time. An injured female baseball player from the short-lived women’s leagues; an older immigrant from Hungary; a young mother whose doctor husband has been overseas for two years; a secretary for the (real life) female Maine senator who goes up against McCarthy when nobody else has the guts; a secretary for HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee); a woman working for the National Archives in love with a gangster despite her best intentions; and the elusive Grace Marsh who brings them all together. These are just hints! Quinn does meticulous research and is able to bring so much of the McCarthy era to the surface — especially around the societal expectations of women. It felt like I was living it.
The book is non-stop action — but — I realized it is the kind of action I care about. Things change, people and their prejudices, fears, and disappointments have to be dealt with and some individuals actually use their experiences to shift their perspectives. Opportunities come up and people learn about themselves (for better and worse) when they choose a reaction. Action does not have to be long (and very dull) car chase scenes or long battles of any kind. Epiphany! Absolutely captivating characters — a couple of “bad men” with no real depth but plenty of men and women (and kids) who are each real in their own way. FYI two of the (fictional) characters were named after people who won the “name-a-character” raffle — what fun! Some impressive twists — do not read the end or the notes first. In addition to being a gripping read, I’m still thinking about it many days later. Always a good sign.
Highly recommended.
Writing: 5/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 5/5
Thanksgiving 1954. Washington, DC. A women’s boarding house. A body. And blood — lots of blood. That’s how Kate Quinn’s latest book gets started. And yes, once I started, I never put it down as per usual with her books. She can really write!
Backing up from the Thanksgiving turmoil, the book starts in June 1950 and shifts the POV from boarder to boarder as the timeline makes its inexorable crawl towards the “exciting” date. This is an excellent device as not only do we get the events leading up to the end from different perspectives, we also get the stories of the women — all from different backgrounds and with different goals which together comprise a compendium of women’s lives at that time. An injured female baseball player from the short-lived women’s leagues; an older immigrant from Hungary; a young mother whose doctor husband has been overseas for two years; a secretary for the (real life) female Maine senator who goes up against McCarthy when nobody else has the guts; a secretary for HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee); a woman working for the National Archives in love with a gangster despite her best intentions; and the elusive Grace Marsh who brings them all together. These are just hints! Quinn does meticulous research and is able to bring so much of the McCarthy era to the surface — especially around the societal expectations of women. It felt like I was living it.
The book is non-stop action — but — I realized it is the kind of action I care about. Things change, people and their prejudices, fears, and disappointments have to be dealt with and some individuals actually use their experiences to shift their perspectives. Opportunities come up and people learn about themselves (for better and worse) when they choose a reaction. Action does not have to be long (and very dull) car chase scenes or long battles of any kind. Epiphany! Absolutely captivating characters — a couple of “bad men” with no real depth but plenty of men and women (and kids) who are each real in their own way. FYI two of the (fictional) characters were named after people who won the “name-a-character” raffle — what fun! Some impressive twists — do not read the end or the notes first. In addition to being a gripping read, I’m still thinking about it many days later. Always a good sign.
Highly recommended.
July 12, 2024
Finished reading: July 11th 2024
"It's seen three wars, ten presidents, and countless tenants... but until tonight, never a murder. Now its walls smell of turkey, pumpkin pie, and blood, and the house is shocked down to its foundations."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
WARNING: it's another unscheduled stop of the unpopular opinion train!!
June 17, 2024
One of my top picks of 2024! I can't stop thinking about it and recommending it. Review coming soon.
Want to read
February 18, 2024I want this book so badly! Yes, I am reading The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Jamie Chang, but I did not know another KQ book was also coming out. I want this one badly 💕💕💕 Now, I know I say that a lot, but I have read all of KQ’s last 4 books set in WWII Era and loved them.
Hoping this one I will get Early, but promise to be patient. Is anyone else reading this one? It sounds fascinating❣️
Hoping this one I will get Early, but promise to be patient. Is anyone else reading this one? It sounds fascinating❣️
April 11, 2024
Taking place during the early 1950’s, a group of very different women inhabit a rooming house. Friendships are formed during Thursday night shared suppers and backstories are revealed. Two murders occur (not a spoiler). I don’t need recipes in my fiction and I’m not a fan of sentient houses.
July 16, 2024
I loved everything about this. From the mystery to the character work to the found family, this was such an endearing read. Quinn opted for a new style with this release, and I think it was the perfect choice for the story that she wanted to tell. She hooks you right away with a murder mystery and then slowly builds up the history of the occupants at the Briarwood House until you reach the present time of the mystery. Each house member had their chance to shine with their own backstory and chapters and the amount of character work that Quinn is able to build in such a short amount of time was truly breathtaking. Within each POV, you are able to gain so much insight into other members of the house as you seen them through the light of the character that you are following. It just added another layer of depth and complexity that made you love these women even more throughout the story. And Quinn knows how to write female characters so well, Grace is added to the list of another personal favorite of mine.
Seriously, Kate Quinn can never go wrong with her novels and I will sit here eagerly anticipating her next release.
Seriously, Kate Quinn can never go wrong with her novels and I will sit here eagerly anticipating her next release.
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