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.

What a lovely, twisty-turny, historical mystery!

Kate Quinn never seems to disappoint with her historical fiction and I was captivated by the characters and their stories as we progressed through the pages of this book. When Grace Marsh comes to the Briarwood House, no one seems to know much about each other, nor do they talk much. Yet, her goal seems to be to draw people together and she soon starts to host weekly dinner parties in her attic room and the ladies of the boarding house soon grow to know each other if not like each other in some ways.

There are always outliers and people who aren't "liked" by the rest, but one character does say that having this type of person around usually draws the rest of the people together. Nevertheless, through the course of the story, the reader sees the relationship strengthen as stories are shared. Some characters you will cheer and some you may hope to see their demise. but the author does a fantastic job of weaving the tapestry perfectly to set the stage for the murder.

The interstitial chapters from the perspective of the house itself are also quite moving and as much as wall are unable to talk, we can see they are listening.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I loved diving into this era of our country with these ladies and even Pete to see what would happen next.

This book is a homerun! It had me hook, line, and sinker. It is unique, inspiring, and a breath of fresh air. I have always loved a Kate Quinn book. She has a way of getting under your skin and never letting you forget any of her books. They are engrained in my memories and this book will be sitting there neatly tucked in beside The Huntress and The Alice Network. It is deliciously unique. The house is its own character with chapters. How each of the human characters make it feel. How it felt like it was just sitting their rotting until the women of The Briar Club moved into the boarding house. Who is run by a horrible woman that makes her 13-year-old son Pete, do everything. Is horrible to her young daughter who has a lazy eye. If she is mean to her children imagine how fun she is with her boarders.

That day in 1950 when Grace March stepped through the front door of the Briarwood House in Washington D.C. The house let out a soft sigh and decided that it was beginning to feel like a home once again. Grace has a way about her that lets down people's walls. She is always there for everyone, ready with her sun tea with a glug of a little something. Grace is in the tiniest room, a mere closet if you will. She loves to have Thursday night dinners. Where everyone is invited, except the landlady. It becomes The Briar Club. From the moment these women and few men converge in this tiny oasis, the making of a family begins. Always there for one another, a listening ear, a helpful hand, and of course the meal. Grace begins painting a vine across the room that everyone takes part in. Coming together much like the house. A crazy mishmash of flowers that are beautiful no matter what color or bloom is added. Much like the ladies: Fliss, Bea, Nora, Arlene, and Reka. Each having gone through their own nightmares and come through the other side. Each needing a family or their people to encourage them and be their cheerleaders. The Thanksgiving night that the murder happened leaves you wondering what occurred between everyone. Who is the victim, why are they dead, and of course who did it?

Each chapter focuses on a new tenant. Getting to know their story, why they are at Briarwood House, and why they behave the way they do. Each will share a tasty recipe, which I thought was genius. Taking you inside their Thursday nights and what this haphazard pile of women means to each other. Thank you to Kate Quinn and William Morrow for my gifted copy.

This is my second Kate Quinn book and I was so excited to read it as I’m a huge historical fiction book and she’s pretty much the queen of historical fiction. This book sets place in the 1950s about women living in a boarding house. We follow the stories of several different women. I loved the writing style, Quite different than her other books

When Grace March moves into Briarwood House, a small women's boarding house in Washington, D.C. in 1950, the lodgers are strangers to one another, caught up in their own lives and secrets and oblivious to the others around them. But Grace sees potential in the place and the people, and begins trying to brighten the world around her, starting with a weekly gathering in her tiny apartment where the women begin to come out of their shells and gradually discover a depth of friendship they never expected or thought possible. The story begins with a horrible murder in the house, and is set at the height of the McCarthy hearings, so from the very start, the reader knows secrets, passion and drama will abound. Appearances count for nothing in this house of complex and fascinating women.
I loved The Rose Code for the depth of the characters as well as the flawless integration of historical research into the narrative. Both are at the forefront here as well. While the issues are not unexpected for the period, the characters are so well-developed that "issues" do not look like issues - they're just life as lived. Wonderful plotting. Clever addition of the house itself as character, which works amazingly well. That initial murder (you do not know who the victim is until much, much later) sucks you in immediately, and the story never lets up. Fascinating, completely engrossing and totally satisfying. Highly, highly recommended.

this was a fun historical fiction. I really enjoyed the first part but the middle really dragged. I dont think we needed so many characters it detracted from the story.

Thank you for this ARC!

Always a huge fan of anything Kate Quinn writes! Very fun setting, and loved the twist at the end. Some of the POVs more compelling than others, but overall a fun, cosy read!

Kate Quinn at her storytelling best!

Thanks NetGalley & William Morrow for the ARC! This is surely going to be one of my top reads of 2024!

Synopsis-

Grace March is the newest tenant of the Briarwood house - a decrepit boarding-house that is in some desperate need of sprucing up – both the building and its indifferent residents. It’s the year 1950, with Red scare tensions rising high in the capital city of Washington D.C. Grace attracts her neighbors Fliss, Reka, Bea, Claire, Nora and Arlene like a magnet as they all readily spill about their lives and struggles during their Thursday Supper nights, drinking copious amounts of Grace's infamous sun tea. But Grace herself is a closed shell – revealing nothing, but observing everything. What are her secrets? What is she hiding in plain sight?


Review-

The magic of this book lies both in its characters and its setting – the time period of the 50s in the suburbs of the US Capital.

Kate Quinn has simply outdone herself in invoking the spirit of this era and its backdrop of Senator McCarthy’s tyranny, the widespread venomous hatred against communists, socialists, the LGBTQ+ community, the Foggy Bottom rackets run by the Warring brother gangsters & even the racial segregation during this time.

The main focus is of course on Briarwood house and its residents. Starting with the POV of young Pete, the son of the landlady Mrs Nilsson, we get the narratives of all the other ladies – Nora, Reka, Fliss, Bea, Claire and finally the much awaited Grace and Arlene, beginning in the 50s, interjected with a POV of a certain someone(something?) occurring on the eventful day of Thanksgiving in 1954 - this was a stroke of genius!

The story is purely character driven and Quinn’s casting is flawless. Every single protagonist is sure to get a piece of your heart forever. Grace being the centripetal force with her panache for feeding and fixing people, all the ladies lead us through a gamut of human experiences – love, laughter, tears, heartache, longing, ambition, freedom and nurture.

I loved how the ladies form the most unlikeliest yet delightful friendships as they become “The Briar Club” - eating together, bonding and huddling into a team as they encourage the endearing teenager Pete and his little Lina, the baking star. My most favorite of them all is - The Briarwood house itself with its quirks, creaks and curtain flutterings - a character in its own right!

The author’s note was so enlightening as we learn about how the ideas sparked for this book, what inspired the characters and especially why this setting. Quinn exquisitely weaves a few true events and real people from this period into the folds of her unlimited imagination.

The ending is an unravelling, awe-inspiring spectacle befitting Grace's enigma - neat, classy entertainment!

A must read for historical fiction fans!

Kate Quinn has written another fantastic historical fiction book, this time set in 1950s Washington, DC. The story broke my heart then put it back together, several times over. I loved the Author's Note at the end where she explained how her characters came to be (but it has spoilers, so read it after finishing the book). As usual, Quinn's setting and characters jump off the page, though the pacing is sometimes a bit slow. The book takes place over four years, and is broken down into long chapters/short stories from various characters' POVs. There's a fantasy element to the book that I didn't think was necessary (this is revealed at the beginning, so not a spoiler: the house they live in is kind of alive, and can interact with the characters, though they don't know this). There's also an almost cozy mystery vibe, and I love a good cozy. As with any Quinn book, there are some twists along the way. I suspected the big twist from the beginning, but some of the others surprised me. Overall, I loved spending time getting to know these characters and life in DC in the 1950s; it's only halfway through 2024, but I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC.

Kate Quinn has done it again! This time she delves into the Washington, DC during the McCarthy era. She introduces us to 6 women from different backgrounds and each hiding secrets of their own rent rooms in a boarding house, known as Briarwood. They keep to themselves, until mysterious widow Grace moves in and creates the Thursday night supper club drawing her odd neighbors together. Though they may not all become friends they do develop a comradery with one another and when the secrets start to come out can the rally together. It made me think of a grown-up Facts of Life.

Kate Quinn writes fantastic historical fiction books! I really like her books. I always feel sucked into a different time. The Briar Club was a great read!

Thank you to #NetGalley and William Morrow-- for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This publishes July 9.

What to expect in this book:

-1950s setting
-Multiple POV
-Women's boardinghouse
-Mystery and historical fiction
-Alternating timelines

Thoughts

Kate Quinn is a master storyteller of all things historical fiction and her newest, The Briar Club, invites readers into the Briarwood Boarding House in Washington D.C. in the 1950s. While this house might feel like any other, it is the women who live there that bring it to life. Each chapter tells the story of the women living there, each with their own secrets and dreams. Pete, whose mother owns Briarwood, Nora, Bea, Grace, Arlene, Fliss, Claire -- with each having their own chapter, this felt like a series of novellas that all came together in the end to connect their very different lives to a very powerful secret.

Set among the scare of socialism and communism in the 1950s, this story traverses just about every culturally relevant topic of the time including emigration, post WWII repair, segregation and racism, McCarthyism and politics in DC, fertility and birth control, sports and other pop culture, and of course friendships and the American family. I loved the diversity of the characters from their personal backgrounds to their reasons for seeking the boarding house. A fun element was the Briar Club itself--the dinner club the women created together where they shared recipes and fellowship with each other. If you are a foodie or loving reading about food, you will really enjoy this one!

Also at the heart of all of it is a mystery. There is a police investigation throughout for a death within the home and each of the Briar Club women's stories plays a role into the outcome. I loved the role that house itself played within the murder mystery parts of the story. The house itself became a main character. Ultimately, this is a story of found family among uncertainty. This is a story of female friendships and connections against all odds. Lastly, the author's note is a MUST but definitely needs to be read at the end. I applaud the author for her valiant work in making sure this piece of fiction is as close to historically accurate as possible.

Synopsis: Secrets are uncovered and friendships are formed over the course of the early 1950s at Briarwood House, a female boardinghouse in Washington, D.C.

Thoughts: I really loved this book! While very different than Kate Quinn’s previous novels, The Briar Club is still an engrossing, transportive work of historical fiction. I would classify this one as a character-driven slow-burn historical mystery. The backdrop of 1950s Washington, D.C. is so well done with Kate’s usual thorough research and attention to detail. The book is broken up into (long) flashback chapters following each of the tenants of Briar House who all come from vastly different backgrounds and offer unique perspectives. Their stories are interspersed with the current timeline perspective of the house as a murder is being investigated on Thanksgiving 1954. I know it sounds weird to have the house as a character, but it really does work and even made me tear up a couple times. I loved learning about each woman’s life, and I especially enjoyed seeing their relationships form as they became an unlikely family. There were recipes included throughout that added such a charming aspect to the story as well. This was the kind of well-paced story that I didn’t want to end, although the shocking ending was very satisfying. I highly recommend this one, it will probably be one of my favorites this year!

Read this if you like:
🌹 strong female main characters
🌹 multiple POV
🌹 dual timelines
🌹 McCarthy era Washington, D.C.
🌹 found family