Another win for Kate Quinn!

I love historical fiction, in fact I think it is my favourite genre. But what really stands Quinn's books apart from the rest is the protagonists she creates. Not only are her books heavily from a female POV but these women have real gumption! Clever, resourceful and savvy women who have you in their corner cheering them on from the very first page.

Whilst Quinn has diverted from her usual storytelling style, this book is no lesser for it. This is a slow burn, a quiet telling of each woman and how they came to live at Briarwood House and part of the Briar Club. But more importantly, the events that led them to all be suspected of the murder at the boarding house!

A richly layered story, filled with a true feeling of the era which I highly recommend...and for fans, there's a nice little loop back to The Rose Code.

Having enjoyed other books from Kate Quinn, I was sadly disappointed with The Briar Club, as it is a totally different writing style to the previous books I've read by her. It felt more like a series of short stories interspersed with recipes than historical fiction, and I found it very slow going.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

OMG, I'm not sure what else to say! The Rose Code was fantastic, so I knew I was in for something special, and I was right!
Brilliant book!
Set in the 1950s in Washington, Briarwood House is home to a woman and her two children and a boarding house for women and their lodgers.
She's not a particularly lovely landlady, but her children more than compensate for her lack of manners and humanity.
Her guests are a real mishmash of characters, each with a very different backstory, from immigrants with secrets to army wives to women with nowhere else to go.
They all keep themselves to themselves until the arrival of Grace March, an enigmatic woman with an air of je ne sais quoi about her. She slowly builds relationships in the form of The Briar Club, where the lodgers and the children meet in her room for an illicit dinner club while the landlady is away. This time, she thaws the ice that has been present between the residents and slowly builds relationships that help each woman in the end.
It is a complex story, with the POV of each character in the form of a chapter, where we learn their backgrounds and what they may be running/hiding from.
Even the house has its say as it tries to make sense of an incident that brings all the women and other key characters together.
The book is set post-WW2 but amid the Korean War, and that timing dramatically impacts the story. There is fear of communism and spies, as well as racism, that is rife at that time.
It's a book you need to give your time to, too, but once you are in there, you will find yourself turning the pages faster and faster as you become consumed by the twists and turns.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.

I loved this book. So many social changes in the early 1950s and they were covered so well in this involved and involving story. Grace March is a great character and I wasn't surprised by the dénoument. Not sure about the necessity for the inclusion of the recipes and I skipped all bar the last paragraph of each one with the recommended company and music. The Author's Notes for Kate Quinn's books are always worth reading and this set are brilliant. As a social historian I loved everything about this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC.

Not my favourite book by this author whom I greatly admire but another wonderful read. Beginning at Thanksgiving in 1954 we learn that a murder has been committed in Briarwood House. Mrs Nilsson runs the boarding house for ladies and keeps a tight ship. However on Thursday she goes out to bridge club and when a new tenant, Grace March moves in, she gathers the residents together to form a club dedicated to eating and comradeship.
Each chapter in the book tells the background of one of the boarders and how they came to be at the place, as well as their relationship with the other residents and especially Grace. One of the characters has struck up a relationship with a gangster, one is a refugee from the Nazis. Another used to play women's baseball, while another is waiting her husband's return from the Korean war. The characters are all very different but they are pulled together and their lives entwine rather like the vine that they paint together over the walls of Grace's room and then down the stairs of Briarwood House.
The book is set agains the background in America of McCarthyism and the red scare, and at the time of early women's contraception medicines. Much of people's outlook is hungover from the 30's depression, the second world war and now the cold war and the book is extremely well researched and presented.
The story itself is quite a slow burn, with long chapters set well before 1954 and then snippets of information about the murder being released. However as the time gets closer the fateful Thanksgiving day the pace increases and becomes more intense as we find out that the actions of one of the group impinge on them all.
This is a story of love (in all its forms), friendship, food and ultimately a murder mystery and I'm very grateful to Netgalley and Team HarperFiction for a chance to read an early copy in return for an honest review.

Kate Quinn has shifted direction in her latest piece of evocative well researched historical fiction, but she brings to it her trademark marvellous rich descriptions, of 1950s America, an era of turbulent change that included the atom bomb, segregation and race, expectations of women, sexuality identity, the cold war, espionage, the death of Joseph Stalin, the Korean War, changing social norms and attitudes, a political climate of fear generated by the despicable bully and powerful thug, Joe McCarthy, crime and police corruption. Helping to bring it all to vibrant life are the fascinating and diverse women that the author creates, based on actual women, a real melting pot, illustrating the desperate poverty, abuse, relationships, familial and marriage difficulties, hardships, and other obstacles endured in the fight to survive and be who they wanted to be.

In a narrative which goes back and forth in time, we encounter the run down Briarwood House, a boarding residence for women, with strict rules, run by the horror that is the mean Mrs Nilsson.who exploits her sweet teenage son, Hammerin Pete, and puts down her young daughter, Lina, contributing to making the child clingy and insecure. Things begin to change for the better when Grace March with her sun tea, arrives, taking up the small room with a hob, and begins to paint a vine that grows and grows, venturing outside with its flowers. The inspirational and compassionate Grace turns a house into a home, strong friendships are formed, a supportive family coming together by choice through the years, with its Thursday Night Dinners, but this loyal 'family' will be tested when the police arrive to investigate 2 murders.

In her insightful end notes, Quinn recounts how she came to put together the different pieces of the story, and how she came up with the women, Grace, the so English Fliss, single handedly bring up her difficult baby, Angela, Bea, her body no longer willing to serve her as a baseball player, a Claire focused on buying a home, archivist Nora, the elderly and bitter Reza, and the struggling to fit in Arlene. There are liberties taken with regard to the timing of certain events in this gripping and captivating historical fiction. This will likely appeal to a wide range of readers, including those interested in this period of history, and the position of women, and foretelling coming of the pill, and the changes in women's lives that would follow. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

The story begins in the early 1950’s in Washington. In an all-woman boarding called Briar House. Where woman keep to themselves. The story tell of the seven women that live there and the problems that they overcome.
When Grace March moves in they start the Briar club and start a relationship between each other. All giving each other advice and cooking for each other. Which the recipes were also included in the storyline. The is several subjects that are discussed in the storyline which Racism, communism the atomic bomb and the list goes on.
I am a big fan of Kate Quinn, and I was looking forward to her new book ‘The Bair Club’. This is a completely different style of writing from her previous books.
This story started well. But then I found that they author packed a lot of different subjects in the storyline that it got to bogged down and it dragged on too much. So much for me personally that I couldn’t connect to the story, and I did wonder the relevance of the recipes in this story. 3 stars from me.

I have very mixed feelings about this one. At times I found it slightly weird and other times I enjoyed it. So different from her usual style of writing. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I think that this should almost be marketed as a historical novel. The Briar Club is based on the lives of 5 women living in a boarding house in Washington DC during the McCarthy era. It starts on Thanksgiving Day 1954 with a murder, victim, (at this point) unknown. The story jumps back 4 years and the events leading up to the murder are revealed. Each woman is given their own chapter in the book and the author delves deep into the character of each one. Even the house itself has a role.

A bit of a slow burner but you gradually become involved with each individual story.

The author's notes were interesting to read as it showed where her ideas for the story began.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the advance copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this unexpected read. Set in the McCarthy era it centres around the female boarding house inhabitants at Briarwood House. When widow Grace March moves in, everything changes - she draws her neighbours into unlikely friendships; initiates weekly suppers; decorates the house and nudges them all into making changes to their lives. They all have secrets but perhaps Grace has the most.

Everything suddenly blows up with an act of shocking violence which will test the strength of their friendship.

You could easily connect with each of the women with their flaws and mistakes - each has a remarkable story and each a journey to make. Grace is a truly memorable character who holds the story together but who ends up being in their debt.

An interesting period of history which is brought to life by this book.

One I will be recommending.

"The Briar Club" by Kate Quinn is an excellent example of historical fiction, transporting me to 1950s Washington, D.C. and immersing me in the lives of a diverse group of women living together at the BriarWood boarding house.
Quinn's writing is impeccable, easily weaving together multiple storylines and characters. Each chapter focuses on a different boarder, each with its secrets, struggles, and perspectives to share. From Nora's struggles with her gangster lover to Fliss's seemingly perfect English mother, Reka's hidden talent, Bea's battles with 1950s gender norms, Arlene's work at the House Un-American Activities Committee, and Claire's secret love affair, each character is richly drawn and multi-dimensional.
The mystery at the novel's heart is expertly paced, building tension and suspense as the story unfolds. Quinn's research is meticulous, bringing the McCarthy era and its societal pressures to vivid life. The themes of friendship, love, and resilience are woven throughout the narrative, exploring the complex relationships between the women and their experiences as they navigate a tumultuous period in American history.
I was completely absorbed in this world of secrets, betrayal, and loyalty, and I found myself drawn into the lives of these fascinating characters. The recipes scattered throughout the novel are a delightful touch, adding a charming warmth to the narrative.
The climax is electrifying, tying together the threads of mystery and personal drama in a satisfying conclusion. Quinn's ability to balance historical accuracy with compulsively readable storytelling is truly impressive. Fans of historical fiction will be captivated by this novel, which is a testament to Quinn's remarkable talent for blending history and storytelling.
Overall "The Briar Club" is for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or is looking for a compelling mystery exploring friendship, love, and resilience themes. Kate Quinn has solidified her reputation as a master of the genre with this latest novel, which will linger long after you finish reading it.

Washington 1950.

Briarwood House is an all female lodging house and they all go about their business and work without much interaction.
However, that all changes when Grace March moves in.
She becomes a magnet for them all and her weekly dinner parties in her attic rooms are a great success.
But everyone has a secret they wont reveal.
The a violent incident teats them apart and it is soon obvious there is a traitor amongst them.

The Briar Club is something a bit different from Kate Quinn, but of course up to her usual standards.
Briarwood House is a run-down female only boarding house in Washington DC. When the enigmatic Grace Marsh moves into the attic room in 1950 she immediately makes her mark,brightening up the house and starting weekly dinner parties on the evening the grumpy landlady goes to her Bridge club. The parties bring together the diverse group of characters rooming at the house,who name themselves the Briar Club. Also invited are the landlady's teenage son,his sister and the odd "illegal" male visitors,all of whom the amazing Grace takes under her wing.
The book starts with police in the house ,an unknown corpse ,the Briar club and a couple of visitors, it then tells the stories of each individual tenant as well as their joint stories before all is revealed at the end.
This is an excellent read that's basically several linked short stories,all of them involving and often surprising. With McCarthyism in full flow the paranoia and suspicions of that appalling episode in America's history play a big part in the story as well.
There are quirks,the stories revolve around the Briar Club members and after each character's tale has been told their signature recipe is given, the house also plays a rather unusual place in the tale.
An excellent book with a truly diverse cast of characters and several short stories making up an exceptional whole.

An exceptional novel, portraying a no less exceptional home .... This story has impressed me a lot: most of the novel takes place in a house which will become a home with Grace's arrival. Indeed, the house feels loveless and dull at the very beginning reflecting its lonely inhabitants. Grace's presence will change all that! This novel is about the value of togetherness, friendship and solitude. Each character has a tough past unknown to the others whatever the reasons are. Grace will bring all of them together through the Thursday Evening Meals in her room.... Each chapter is about one of the inhabitants of the house ending each time with a tempting cooking recipe....
What I loved about this novel apart from the wonderful characterisation, is the historical time of the 1950's. An intensely fascinating period of history when communists were feared, when women did not have many rights, racism, Korea war and much more. The author managed to give a deep insight into the American society in those days, weaving a heartwarming storyline into a complex plot with some very surprising twists!! Highly recommended!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

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.

Kate Quinn is fast becoming one of my favourite authors!
Her latest novel is set in 1950s America at the height of McCarthyism when Reds were seen around every corner.
Grace March moves into a boarding house in Washington DC and there meets range of characters all living separate lives. Instigating a weekly supper club, bonds of friendship form and secrets are unearthed.
Each resident was well drawn and believable even the house itself becomes a character!

A really enjoyable read!

Another winner from Kate Quinn. What a rich and absorbing read about a boarding house in 1950s McCarthy Communist fearing America. Grace moves in and starts a weekly supper club that brings the very different residents together and starts the unlikely friendships. We get the stories from each of the residents, which hold some interesting surprises, plus the weekly recipes, which is a magic touch. The story opens with two murdered bodies, but this is not a crime story. It is a story of secrets..... some of which are based on true events.....

It may take you a little time to get comfortably settled into The Briar Club but once there you won't want to leave. I got seriously invested in the lives of the residents and was rooting for them all as their very individual stories were revealed from Hammerin' Pete through to poor confused Arlene. I loved the quirky anthropomorphising of the house as an occasional narrator and although not particularly my thing, the recipes were an interesting addition as well. Quinn tells the individual stories of the women living at Briarwood House against a secondary background story of a murder investigation that weaves between the women's stories whilst keeping us in the dark as to the victim(s) and the murderer(s) until the very end. I usually skim through authors notes but I read Kate Quinn's with interest as they demonstrate the amazing amount of research she must have done to write this book. In them she relates the historical background for each character, which I found fascinating. I found The Briar Club to be an excellent, thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining book that I was extremely reluctant to put down. This was my first Kate Quinn novel but I shall certainly be reading her others. Recommended if you enjoy a good chunky 5* read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own

"The Briar Club" by Kate Quinn kicks off with a bang on Thanksgiving Day, 1954, in a women's boarding house in Washington D.C. There's been a brutal murder, but we don’t know who the victim is. Then, the story jumps back to 1950, and we start piecing together the events that led up to that shocking moment.

Each chapter gives us a peek into the lives of different boarders, each with their own secrets and struggles. It's a slow burn, for sure—don't expect any fast-paced action. Instead, it’s all about diving deep into the characters' lives and seeing the world through their eyes.

One quirky and charming feature is the recipes sprinkled throughout. Each character has a favorite dish, which ties into their story. It's a neat addition, though it might not be everyone's cup of tea. If the recipes aren’t your thing, just check out the last bullet point, which connects more directly to the story and suggests a nice song to play in the background. It really helps set the 1950s atmosphere.

Don't come looking for a fast-paced thriller here; "The Briar Club" takes its time to build up the characters and plot.

Also, make sure you check out the author’s note at the end! I always enjoy reading about an author’s journey, and Quinn gives a great rundown of how she came up with the story and how the characters were inspired by real people.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

HAVE YOU PRE ORDERED UP THIS BOOK YET?! 🚨

a gripping historical mystery, inspired by real life AS PER Quinn’s usual style, about remarkable woman who left an unparalleled impact.
magically pull together this clever, layered and captivating story with a thrilling mystery interwoven. I was completely hooked from the very first word - SO 👏🏻 FREAKIN’ 👏🏻 GOOD 👏🏻 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

🛒 Pick up if you love OUTLANDER, Kate Quinn books or want the perfect book for bookclub discussions !) - you won’t be disappointed!