The Briar Club

by Kate Quinn
The Briar Club cover
Good Books rating 4.27
Technical:
  • ID: 214
  • Added: 2025-09-04
  • Updated: 2025-09-04
  • ISBN: 9780008643560
  • Publisher: HarperCollins UK
  • Published: 2024-07-18
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
It's All About Books · 2024-07-18
gripping 4.50

The novel is a gripping historical mystery that vividly portrays the lives and secrets of women in a Washington DC boardinghouse during the McCarthy era. The atmosphere of suspense and the blend of domestic warmth with underlying darkness make it a compelling read.

The reviewer appreciates how the story captures the haunting atmosphere of a boardinghouse that has never seen a murder until the shocking event unfolds, mixing the comforting smells of Thanksgiving with a chilling act of violence. They highlight the strong depiction of female friendships and the tension between outward appearances and hidden secrets, making the novel deeply engaging and emotionally resonant. They also note the skillful balance the author strikes between historical context and personal drama, creating a richly textured narrative that explores themes of loyalty, fear, and survival during a politically charged era. The novel's intense plot and well-drawn characters keep the reader hooked from beginning to end.

Quick quotes

    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.

    The Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?

Historical Novel Society · Kate Quinn (Interviewed) · 2024-07-09
intriguing 4.00

The author describes the book as a story of diverse women living together in 1950s Washington DC, bound by friendship and secrets, with a suspenseful mystery at its core. The novel explores themes of found family, female empowerment, and the impact of political paranoia.

Kate Quinn explains that The Briar Club is a departure from her usual war-centered novels, instead focusing on the 1950s McCarthy era and the lives of women in an all-female boarding house. The arrival of a mysterious widow who initiates a weekly supper club brings the women closer, unveiling secrets and challenging their loyalties. The story is inspired by real historical context and personal experiences, emphasizing support among women and a mystery that drives the narrative. Quinn highlights the book's mix of suspense, historical detail, and strong female characters, making it a compelling and thoughtful read that reflects societal tensions and individual resilience.

Quick quotes

    It’s about a group of very different women who live under the same roof at an all-female boarding house in early 1950s Washington DC.

    With the arrival of a mysterious Iowa widow who moves into the attic room and begins a weekly supper club, the women begin to realize they have friendship and support to offer each other.

    The book still has the common Kate Quinn themes of a mystery thread that pulls throughout, found family supporting each other, and badass women doing badass things!

Bethany Beach Books · 2024-07-09
engaging 4.30

The novel is praised for its intimate portrayal of female friendships and secrets set against the paranoia of the McCarthy era. It combines suspense with a vivid historical backdrop, delivering a thrilling and emotionally rich narrative.

Bethany Beach Books highlights how the story is set in a downtrodden all-female boardinghouse in 1950s Washington DC, where a group of women with complex pasts come together, led by a mysterious new tenant. The review underscores the evocative depiction of the era's political tension and the personal struggles these women face, creating an atmosphere of suspense and loyalty. The narrative's focus on secrets, trust, and shifting alliances within the boardinghouse adds depth to the historical setting, making the book both a gripping mystery and a powerful exploration of women's resilience in a fraught time. The characters' interactions and the unfolding mystery keep readers engaged, making it a standout historical fiction choice.

Quick quotes

    Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America.

    The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.

    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.

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